2020_05_28 Al Day Thursday more track?

2020_05_28  Almost all track down?

You can see Al was not going to have a painless day of it. The track is at the back board and the top level is in the way.

The track along the wall, is SG and was used by NSW shunters to combine trains arriving from Melbourne and because of space limitations I am going to add a BG track in the space between, to simulate transfer of wagon loads between gauges.

to the right of the bottle the BG track points lead to the new transfer roads.
The point work is from SG make up road and leads to SG wagon storage.

BG refers to broad gauge track which was the Victorian Railways standard of 5 ft 3 inches. and SG refers to the NSW standard gauge of 4 ft 8 1/2 inches. Here simulated by running code 100 track for all SG track and Paco code 75 for all BG track. The only place on this whole layout that a SG or BG train can transfer to the other gauge is the Coal Sidings Bogie Exchange roads.
Cheers
Rod

2020_05_21 Al-Day returns to HB Nth

2020_05_21  As the Government relaxes its power grab, Al-Day Thursday can return.


So we have two jobs today.

Rewire continues for me and I am inching along after not working out why a diamond crossover was shorting yesterday. I hoped to get it finished before Al came over.

Anyway between soldering up the rails and points for the new siding so Al could lay the track along, I did manage to fix the crossover. Now I only have 2 feet of dead track to reach the old helix which thankfully is still wired and working properly. Maybe tomorrow will see trains running on top level once again.

Al went back to the coal siding, and did finish off his project (unlike my efforts)

However it was great to have some company and a chat :D

 I modified the second yard runaround to try and make room for the Super shed. Here al fits the points ready for point motors.

 We added the new siding into the bogie exchange road north of the fuel siding roads. Not like it really was, but remembering the shunts we did at Coal Siding, I think it will work ok

I ran out of Peco code 75 points so we fitted a code 70 Microscale crossover, which worked out ok.
The new Peco rail joiners are advertised to fit code 70, code 75 and code 83, and they do just that. Surprisingly, joining Microscale code 70 and Peco code 75 with these joiners matches height and inner rail edges with no filing required.

 The tracks are spaced about 5cm apart to allow hands to be used to re rail, uncouple etc.

 And all track is in and fixed down.

Still leaves room for the road access and a few weeds ;)

 I decided to extend the run around road to access the cement silo, which again had to be relocated account of the narrow bench work. The Super shed will go over the hole to left of bent road.

 I bought some new legs for the layout yesterday, so I can both firm up the bench tops and level them out. Trying to set up a cement hopper which wanted to roll away rapidly, proved just how out of plumb this end of layout is.

  First pic set hopper at end of track.
second run back and focus and shoot
third take another shot Ha Ha

2020_05_15 ok track in at Alanvale.

2020_05_15 Allanvale.

 ok so I took my own advice, and started from the other end. Have not done enough track work, of late :D

But to get the minimum 36" radius (915mm) I had to cross some dense foam. So I used the sanvic file to level out the foam and glued the foam in place after marking its position in texta. After attaching foam, I relaid the track, and glued it to the foam as I was unable to tack it down.

A bit of weight and see tomorrow if it is level and stuck fast.
The 36 inch (915mm) radius looks ok. The space between the tracks should scenic up nicely. 

Cheers
Rod

2020_05_13 More shorts, and rebuild Alanvale

2020_05_13 Alanvale turned about.

Ok as usual quick and dirty :)

Plugs used to connect Tortoise machines into system

 This plug is correctly located allowing connection to the system.
Outside pins are 12v DC connections from operating toggle switch

 This plug is incorrectly fitted and is causing a full shut down of DCC system. Notice it is moved to one end. pins 5 6 and 7 to right carry 17v AC that is, DCC track power to the frog.

 The tortoise machine circuit card is narrower than the plug allowing it to slide from side to side.
At the time I bought them, there was no alternative. However now you can buy an expensive blue connector that fits properly. I have been waiting their arrival from USA for over a month now,

Ways and Works taking advantage of shut down, to rearrange track at Allanvale.

Not finished, as I might need Al's cleverness to connect up the east end.

 Al renovated the station and as it has a subway, it needed to be turned around to face the viewer.

 Their is a platform edge along the back of the station, and clearance for all trains.

Just a small adjustment to swing 36" radius curve into main line to right of picture. I should have started laying track from that side, I guess?

Cheers
Rod

2020_05_05 Check out David

2020_05-05  More on Back Drops!



Friend David is starting the back scene journey

Go for it David, I am hoping you succeed where we failed

Cheers
Rod

Addendum to 2020_05_04

2020_05_04  A few hours later.....


Well I never actually found the cause, however I have decided it was one of these plugs

 These plugs make a nice solid connection, however the Tortoise machine decided to use a narrower non standard plug, didn't they? Here the plug is centered and operates ok.

 This plug is off center, which shorts out the power wires

 These plugs come in many variations. However 8 years ago,this was the plug available and I bought sufficient to operate my 30 Tortoise switch machines.
I do believe a new "blue" plug can be purchased now that fits the Tortoise snugly and cannot create these problem shorts.

I removed all the plugs from the local Tortoise's and reset them, and when I reconnected the one that burnt my wiring, the short was gone.

All fixed and trains running on this section once again
Cheers
Rod

2020_05_04 How to waste time!

2020_05_04  a seconds distraction can cause a pulled wire that takes two days to fix :(

And so. Behind this scenic block, I had a pair of points (switch).

It lived here, and note the point actuator has been cut to just hold the throw bar and not interfere with passing trains.

The dropper had to be disconnected from a bus no longer related to that circuit. , and when I  used pliers to pull it free from the connector,  I slipped and pulled the wire off the point.
Could not fix that without removing the point.  It took a millisecond to pull the wire and two days to try and fix it.

Ok point is back in with new wires fixed firmly in place. About 30 minutes work, this far.
However no matter what I did, I could not get the throw wire through the throw bar. And on my own, I just had to remove the point motor, mount a new longer wire and lay on my back underneath to try and feed the wire through the throw bar. Even with a light on top, I had a lot of trouble finding the hole in the throw bar.. damn!!
Finally I walked away and went inside. Gave up for the day.

Next day I tried again. This time I cleaned out the hole in the baseboard and re-positioned the light on top, and after bending myself underneath again, and trying about 20 times to push the throw wire through and using double sided tape to hold the tortoise in place. Then getting out and looking at the point to find that I had missed again....
I finally decided to remove the point, again and relay it after placing the wire through the throw bar. You of course realize I am standing on a stool, looking over the  scenic block and I have 4 insulated joiners on the point to feed into place all together??  Ok so you know, why I don't want to do this.

So I re-positioned the light and used a board and a cushion to save my back, and finally got a better view and got the damn wire through the throw bar. And as well the double sided tape still held after pulling it free once or twice to align the tortoise with the existing holes drilled. I screwed it in.

Great stuff ! So I connected up all the wires and tested the point motor!   Look at the picture!!  Its hard to see but that is smoke blurring the shot...

Goodness gracious me!!   This is the first time I have ever turned good wire into smoke. (at least on this layout, hmm I do remember wiring up a box trailer a few years back)
What I have done is beyond my comprehension. No idea what I did wrong. Just hope the damage is local :(

It is the point power supply that has shorted out (12v at 25 amps)  It feeds from the main DCC transformer and I might change this now. I probably could run it on a 2.5 amp plug pack? It does not have a fuse and the power supply did not trip.

It appears to have reached that joiner and not gone further?

So two days of work and still not fixed. In fact I am digging a bit of a hole here, for myself :(
The smoke should have cleared by now, and so time to go and see what I did wrong, and how to fix this new stuff up... sih!!
Hope the filters in air conditioner do not hold the plastic stink too long

Cheers
Rod