The “Give Tony Grief” Thread

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I have been told that I adopt an "over kill" policy when it comes to track power. I most likely do having a set of feeders for each length of flex track (DCC) HOWEVER, I also have not had any electrical issues with track power either and that makes it worth while in my books :)

DC is much more forgiving and does not require as much in the way of feeders for power for it to run properly. You can get away with a lot more with DC than you can DCC in my opinion. Others may/will disagree but I tend to err on the better to have too much and not need it than to not have enough and find out you do need it - :)
 
wombat457 said:
I have been told that I adopt an "over kill" policy when it comes to track power. I most likely do having a set of feeders for each length of flex track (DCC) HOWEVER, I also have not had any electrical issues with track power either and that makes it worth while in my books :)

DC is much more forgiving and does not require as much in the way of feeders for power for it to run properly. You can get away with a lot more with DC than you can DCC in my opinion. Others may/will disagree but I tend to err on the better to have too much and not need it than to not have enough and find out you do need it - :)
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I agree, I'm just as bad when you consider every turnout I have has 3 sets of feeder for it, rather err on to much than too little.
 
Darn - 3 sets of feeders per turnout?? How do you do that and where do you put them??

I have never added feeders to turnouts before BUT make sure I have a set at either end of them.
 


wombat457 said:
Darn - 3 sets of feeders per turnout?? How do you do that and where do you put them??

I have never added feeders to turnouts before BUT make sure I have a set at either end of them.
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I don't solder feeders to my track, I tried, with no success and I melted quite a few rail ties trying, so I just use rail joiner feeders now.
 
Ahh, that makes sense now :)

I'm the opposite to you then. I tried the wired rail joiners but always had problems when it came to soldering the rails - the wires would fall of so I figured if I had to solder them back on I may as well just use standard joiners and solder the feeders to the sides of the rails :)

While I have not done this, soldering your feeders to the bottom of your rails might work better if you can get in between the ties. Your going to end up melting a tie or two to some degree, I think that is unavoidable.

Anyway, if using wired joiners works then why change ? 😀 😀
 
Okay - so I got up this morning, had a yawn, scratched my - never mind - got a coffee and stumbled into the "disaster room" aka train room. Took one look, turned around and added a good couple of nips of Captain Morgan (Rum) to my black coffee! I was ready to do battle, and battle I did!!!!!

I bored my way through hell and high water and cleared a path to the furthest extremes of this hell:

o2dWid0.jpg


I could now sneak up on the layout from behind and do untold evil and despicable things to it like - lay some more Cork Roadbed and other such cruel stuff 😈😈😈

MYkBPQQ.jpg


Don't yu love the build up?? :D

Have to admit, doing this was fortuitist as I found, among other things:

1. Brand new Logitech MK710 wireless Keyboard with Mouse
2. A box full of Peco Code 80 Turnouts
3. My new NCE PH Pro 5 Amp System and Power Supply, and
4. A couple of saws

It was like christmas. I might have to start on the other side.... :p:D
 
wombat457 said:
Okay - so I got up this morning, had a yawn, scratched my - never mind - got a coffee and stumbled into the "disaster room" aka train room. Took one look, turned around and added a good couple of nips of Captain Morgan (Rum) to my black coffee! I was ready to do battle, and battle I did!!!!!

I bored my way through hell and high water and cleared a path to the furthest extremes of this hell:

o2dWid0.jpg


I could now sneak up on the layout from behind and do untold evil and despicable things to it like - lay some more Cork Roadbed and other such cruel stuff 😈😈😈

MYkBPQQ.jpg


Don't yu love the build up?? :D

Have to admit, doing this was fortuitist as I found, among other things:

1. Brand new Logitech MK710 wireless Keyboard with Mouse
2. A box full of Peco Code 80 Turnouts
3. My new NCE PH Pro 5 Amp System and Power Supply, and
4. A couple of saws

It was like christmas. I might have to start on the other side.... :p:D
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Can't wait to see what other goodies you find that you've forgotten about :D
 


So this is more or less where I am headed:

tYQtSvR.jpg


A "Scenic Tourist Line" up and around the main layout looking back down on everything. Obviously I have some construction work to do but can utilize much of what is already there I think :)
 
wombat457 said:
So this is more or less where I am headed:

tYQtSvR.jpg


A "Scenic Tourist Line" up and around the main layout looking back down on everything. Obviously I have some construction work to do but can utilize much of what is already there I think :)
Click to expand...
Going to be a bit of a bugger getting in that far corner, hope the section to the right comes out.
 
@Smudge617

I have to be particularly anal when it comes to laying the track work in that far corner. While I will be able to get to it from beneath the layout, it is a squeeze and I'd rather not. This is where my track laying skills, or lack of them, come into play.

@migalyto

I knew I wanted to expand when I started this, I just didn't know how much or how far. I still don't if I am to be honest. This is literally a moment by moment thing and will be laying track where I can. All I really know is that there will be a single line running around the outside of the main layout from right to left up to the top of the lake area. Other than that - it all depends on what will fit where :)

My biggest problem right now is what to do about the "Sub Roadbed". I have to elevate the track work about 41/2 to 5" above the bench work framing. When I build a layout from scratch, I put in risers for the sub roadbed to sit on. Doing it this way, ad hoc, makes it a bit harder as I cant really use ply for the sub roadbed. I may have to spend a few dollars and build it all up using damn foam, then cut it shape. That'll be a pain in the butt and messy :(
 
wombat457 said:
@Smudge617

I have to be particularly anal when it comes to laying the track work in that far corner. While I will be able to get to it from beneath the layout, it is a squeeze and I'd rather not. This is where my track laying skills, or lack of them, come into play.

@migalyto

I knew I wanted to expand when I started this, I just didn't know how much or how far. I still don't if I am to be honest. This is literally a moment by moment thing and will be laying track where I can. All I really know is that there will be a single line running around the outside of the main layout from right to left up to the top of the lake area. Other than that - it all depends on what will fit where :)

My biggest problem right now is what to do about the "Sub Roadbed". I have to elevate the track work about 41/2 to 5" above the bench work framing. When I build a layout from scratch, I put in risers for the sub roadbed to sit on. Doing it this way, ad hoc, makes it a bit harder as I cant really use ply for the sub roadbed. I may have to spend a few dollars and build it all up using damn foam, then cut it shape. That'll be a pain in the butt and messy :(
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Do you have a hot wire cutter? That would cut down on the mess.
 
Mike, I used to have one but no more. I'll just have to deal with the mess and lets face it - look at the darn room now .... I don't think cutting a bit of foam is going to make THAT much of a difference :)
 
wombat457 said:
I have to be particularly anal when it comes to laying the track work in that far corner. While I will be able to get to it from beneath the layout, it is a squeeze and I'd rather not. This is where my track laying skills, or lack of them, come into play.
Click to expand...
I don't think making sure a section of track that will be hard to access is done right, you don't need the hassle later, but it's certainly a bigger project than I originally thought, I'll be following this, but I know you've got this. :)
 


Smudge617 said:
I don't think making sure a section of track that will be hard to access is done right, you don't need the hassle later, but it's certainly a bigger project than I originally thought, I'll be following this, but I know you've got this. :)
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That corner isn't a big issue really. I have had track running through tunnels in that corner in previous layouts without having any problems. Maybe I got lucky, maybe my track laying is better than I think - I don't know. The one thing I NEVER do though is have an area of track that I can't get to one way or the other. One of the reasons I went to open grid/cookie cutter bench work was to give me better access to the layout in the "harder to get to places" :)

Smudge617 said:
Sometimes I think you have the luck of the devil mate.:D:D
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I know it aint the luck of the Irish - thats fer sure :)
 
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