Building the Pinnacle Creek Mining & Timber Co. RR

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I was thinking more basic stuff that you don't see modeled regardless of scale.

I've got 2 working and one in my haid......seldom seen ( or I've never seen) features from logging history. All have to be built into the landscape, I think. They are all tough for me to do......but.... "builders build".:rolleyes:
 
Incredible benchwork, Jim. Can I ask you what method you used to make sure the grade in the wood sub-roadbed was acceptable? I know it's best to stay at about 3% or less.....I just don't know how I would be able to accomplish something like this.

I'm looking through the rest of the thread now.....simply put - magnificent!
 
y2kdad, Thanks. I'm happy to see that you enjoy the thread. The price is right I think.

Grades are interesting. When I started all this in 2005, I didn't know didly. I've always be a McGyver type guy and did some experimenting with grades. Remember my first layout was on a sailboat I lived on for 19 years. I got my engine on a piece of flextrack added enough cars to make a freight train and put wood pieces under the track to see how much the engine could pull. Even in Z scale this method was impractical in the long run, but it worked for me in the beginning.

Today, you can read the back of the Woodland Scenic's Foam box and get the grade and lay your foam. Me? I've evolved to this method:
IMG_5169.JPG

Works for me and it will work for you. MicroMark has these I believe. Using this particular scale does a couple of things. First it gives you a pretty accurate up and down measure. Second, it is magnetic. I just noticed it picked up some ballast from the picture I just took for you. (learn something new everyday) This method also eliminates using foam from WS at all if money is an issue.

Throughout the scales 2 degrees is pretty steep for one engine in Z. In N, I could get 3 plus degrees with one engine. In HO 6 degrees was no problem. With On30 locos I have no ulitimate idea, but they went up my 6.5 degree grade with zero issues.

So if these type of grades are common knowledge in these scales, I've found that using this device gets me in the ballpark with no math, no hassles and no headaches. Jim :)
 
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HOexplorer said:
Toot, That says it all for sure. Thanks.
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Sorry about that Jim, couldn't resist.


As far as having different scales, at my club they run both HO and S (because Qld rail is 3'6" guage and fits HO track). They don't have interchangeable buildings, but have made allowances for the bigger/wider rolling stock.

And as far as your magnetic grade gadget picking up ballast, try it with diesel sound locos with the speakers in the fuel tanks, has ruined the ones in my BLI C30-7's. If I ever get them replaced I'm thinking of running a flat car with a dirty great magnet on it ahead of the locos as a "mine" sweeper.

P.S. Now that I come to think of it someone was running an On30 D&RGW alongside my UP "Heritage" train while the TV channel was filming the promo for the annual Brisbane Model Train Show in May.
 
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Toot, What I want to know is why this respected seller of ballast and other rock materials is selling magnetic rock in the first place? Is this bad for my locos? I suppose I better get the ballast replaced or glue it down better??

I've recently had problems with my NCE DCC system, no power to the tracks. Could magnetic ballast be a problem? Jim:confused:
 
HOexplorer said:
Toot, What I want to know is why this respected seller of ballast and other rock materials is selling magnetic rock in the first place? Is this bad for my locos? I suppose I better get the ballast replaced or glue it down better??

I've recently had problems with my NCE DCC system, no power to the tracks. Could magnetic ballast be a problem? Jim:confused:
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I don't think it's that the ballast material is magnetic itself, but that it has iron (ferrous) content rock mixed into it. These particular BLI locos have picked up track pins and other bits from rolling stock as well. The problem with the ballast in my case is the fine stuff that has gotten through the grilles in the fuel tanks and become stuck to the speakers.

Didn't you send your DCC system off to NCE to be checked out? Did they not find any fault with it?
 
I was forewarned. On a random sample of river pea gavel about 20% (or more, that is a guess) was magnetic. I didn't use it for ballast. Conceivably it could cause a short. My NCE shuts down on a short and sometimes needs a reboot to get going again.
 
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The possibility of a short did cross my mind, but you would think it would have to be a rarity (rarities are of course the hardest to find, only second to random). Interesting about needing to reboot your NCE.
 
I thought all this stuff was supposed to get easier as time passes?

Anyway, what if the next layout was On30? Jim :)
 


HOexplorer said:
I thought all this stuff was supposed to get easier as time passes?

Anyway, what if the next layout was On30? Jim :)
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On30 would be great Jim (and a lot easier on the hands and eyes).

As far as getting easier (to fix/work on), I've always fixed my own cars as an example, since I was 18, but I reckon the average Joe's cars came to an end about the late 70's.
 
On30 has always sounded interesting to me and I wouldn't mind switching myself, but I always seem to say that I have too much invested in HO to switch. Just for fun, I did go to E-bay, and they do have a On30 section. And the prices were reasonable. They had some 0-4-0 and 0-4-2 Porters and even a Climax, all with fairly tight curve radius and would fit your layout quiet well. And like Toot said, probably easier to work on. - Chris
 
HOexplorer said:
That fellow's stuff is amazing. Waaaaaaaaay beyond any electrical skills I may have. Jim
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I got interested in his channel because of his experimenting with speakers and sound in locos, but it's fun to see what he comes up with next in animations. Beyond my patience and expertise. Mainly mentioned it because of the HOn3 connection.
 
Latest update: The PCM&T layout will remain in existence at least until September this year. I have commited the layout to an open house for the Nation Narrow Guage Convention in August. My day is Aug. 27.

So now what? Remember I mentioned one more possible track tuning issue? Well here it is in this photo.

IMG_5171.JPG

Notice how the track seems to 'dome' up just below the Climax? The angle is okay for most rolling stock, but I do have uncoupling issues at this spot with some rolling stock. So, it will have to go. Trees come down today. This should be a tricky fix. Jim:)
 
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Is under the “dome” somewhat flexible? That you could from on top and over the dome, push down on the track with some hard object and force the dome down? It probably doesn’t need to go down more than a fraction on an inch. Just some wild, crazy thought. - Chris
 
Now's about the time you're gonna find out how hard that stucco mix really is. Get those lumberjacks to work! Don't seem to see them much. Drag'em away from that still.
 
Did anything ever come of the prospectors panning for gold idea that I had suggested a while back?
 
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One of the plans I had developed for my long garage a while ago included an abandoned overgrown railway, founded by 2 fella's, Farnsworth Oliver (Ollie to his friends) Ogillvy and Larry Smith. It was a gold mine. So of course it was the FOO & LS Gold mine Co. Railway.
 
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