2020-2021 Thirteenth Annual International Winter Layout Party

ppuinn Dec 11, 2020

  1. okane

    okane TrainBoard Supporter

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    @logging loco - I decided to go with the velcro only. Going the other way was a little too wobbly and with two points of adhesive, it was not secure. This is a 2 by 3-foot corner section, showing I" velcro strips every foot Even with a tapered overhang the section was firm and did not move one bit.

    Another benefit is the shelves have a slight rise in the middle sloping down from the middle to the back front and sides. The velcro helped to even that out. All around I am happy with the results.


    IMG_20210207_145245.jpg
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2021
  2. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    okane
    I have two shelve assemblies with a shorter metal cabinet between them. Since my layout is on a door, it straddles the metal cabinet.

    If I stand up the layout, one end on the floor and lean it against the wall,, I can use the bottom door as a second work surface.

    I haven't yet looked for a proper fitting plug or cap to fill the shelf up rights but I will eventually glue something in or on the tube. After that the bottom door will be screwed to the shelves and the clamp will go away.

    So far this door on door is working out very well for me. I haven found a need to secure the top door to the bottom door. I actually find it not secure to be beneficial when I need to access the back of the layout or when move the layout to or from its storage position standing on end leaning against the wall.

    20210207_145508.jpg
     
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  3. okane

    okane TrainBoard Supporter

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    WOW - that's some heavy-duty construction. But I can understand your needs. That's what so great about this hobby, different ideas and many ways to skin the cat!
     
  4. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    I came across the bottom door idea by accident.
    My work bench was full and I needed a place to work on another project.
    It will someday be used for a layout extension.
     
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  5. Joe Lovett

    Joe Lovett TrainBoard Member

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    I received the second set of windows for Ft. Scott Depot today, will work on them this evening.

    Joe

    20210208_141134.jpg
     
  6. RailMix

    RailMix TrainBoard Member

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    Lots of interesting benchwork ideas floating around here. The shelving idea looks really convenient for a sectional layout.

    On the home front, I did get a chance to work on the depot a little bit this weekend. Got all the stonework applied to the first floor, did some detail painting on the roof (still needs some touchup) and started installing the second floor gable roofs. I can finally see the conclusion of this project coming. It's been an involved one with over 250 pieces according to the kit box. The painting alone has been time consuming.

    IMG_1307 (2).JPG
     
  7. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    Tom,
    That's going to be a really nice looking depot. I can't wait to see it finished.
     
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  8. Kevin Anderson

    Kevin Anderson TrainBoard Member

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    Nothing done this past weekend. Hope to get some done this week though.
     
  9. nscalestation

    nscalestation TrainBoard Supporter

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    The main line on my Palisade Canyon layout has re-opened with the completion of the track laying in the new expansion. Test trains have been running with various types of cars to verify that everything is working well and so far it is. Much scenery work still needing to be done on in the expansion area and I really need to get out to Home Depot to pick up some materials.

    2020TBLP47.jpg


    And the new tempoary staging yard is also being tested. When arriving at this yard there is an option to either continue around the loop and back out or to enter the yard through a double crossover.

    2020TBLP49.jpg


    The 4 stub end sidings are long enough to fit the same length of train that would fit in the 2 staging yards on the lower level as well as the siding in Battle Mountain. The locos have to be moved manually to the other end of the train. When exiting the yard the double crossover is set to the westbound track. This would work in an ops session with 4 trains staged to go out and then arriving trains would come into the empty tracks. I am just experimenting with this scheme now to see how I like it.

    2020TBLP48.jpg
     
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  10. Joe Lovett

    Joe Lovett TrainBoard Member

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    @nscalestation, what's the thickness and type of your plywood? It looks great, no knots or blemishes.

    Joe
     
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  11. TrainzLuvr

    TrainzLuvr TrainBoard Member

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    Not making much progress here lately. I've been trying to reverse engineer a LED fixture so I can shorten it from 4 ft down to 3 ft (they only make 4 ft in this design), which involved finding a datasheet for a buck converter/booster chip used in it. I found a document with some details, but they are generic because apparently the OEM considers their specs confidential (LOL, this coming from a Chinese OEM, what a f!$!%^ joke).

    A circuit schematic from their "confidential" datasheet on their website, about as generic as it can get because these booster circuits are all the same anyway.

    [​IMG]

    Anyway, the crucial part was the Feedback voltage (FB, pin 4) and the formula to compute the resistor divider for it (which they did not provide in the datasheet - it's apparently confidential). I need to drop the voltage down from 350VDC to about 260VDC, and I believe I got that figured out, but I don't have a pair of correct SMD resistors to replace the existing ones.

    Might end up McGuyvering a through-hole resistor instead of the two SMD ones and see what happens. I believe the circuit is constant-current, so the voltage determines the number of LEDs in the fixture. LEDs are paired in parallel first, then each pair is linked in series 95 times, for a total of 190 LEDs. I need to go down to 140 LEDs, or 70 pairs.

    Another catch is that a 110V line runs along the middle of the PCB LEDs are mounted on, because these fixtures can be chained together (has a plug on the other end). It's a hybrid PCB having a copper layer on top and steel aluminium on the bottom, for cooling. As I said, I need to cut this shorter and I'd really like to avoid any shorts anywhere. ;)

    They look like this:

    [​IMG]

    Maybe I'll pick some other project to work on, like putting 2 plywood boards up on the walls, for the other 2 power districts, then mounting DC power supplies and Boosters. But, have been putting that aside because I don't know how big should these plywood boards be (have no idea what other electronics I need to mount there in the future).
     
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  12. nscalestation

    nscalestation TrainBoard Supporter

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    Joe the deck is 1/4" thick cabinet grade plywood from Home Depot. The rails are 1/2" thick.
     
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  13. okane

    okane TrainBoard Supporter

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    After getting the foam base all velcroed down... it was time to start laying out the track and doing a bit of wiring. That's about as far as I got before I stopped and went back to the drawing board. I realized I was about 1 foot short on my design over 30 feet. Turns out the shelving is 1/2" shorter on each end when using the shelving built-in lap joint.

    While I worked that I moved my office and work area into one central point into the layout area.

    IMG_20210213_203920.jpg


    Next, I once again revamped the track plan, I think it's now a lot less blocky, 1 foot shorter, still meets my needs and goals. I included some of your suggestions along the way and also abandoned the idea of a full-scale classification yard in favour of industry-specific yards. Major Industries are Coal, Mining, Gravel, Grain and Milk and Dairy. These will be interspersed with other smaller revenue-generating trackside businesses. Somewhere possibly on an extension, I would like a bit of staging and intermodal. That's later!

    Rev12 - Feb 12- 2021 - Cuttinng Yard.jpg
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2021
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  14. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    Very nice track plan.
     
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  15. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    Very nice layout!

    However, I'd be a little concerned about the long reach into the corner behind Munville.

    Since there is no turntable, I assume this is purely diesel era, but I would still find occasional use for a reversing track crossing over between opposite sides of the loop. It could be tucked in between the upper and lower yards at the top, or south of the scrap yard, or north of the feed supply.
     
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  16. TrainzLuvr

    TrainzLuvr TrainBoard Member

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    You don't need to go outside, the TV that close will give you a tan. :)
     
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  17. okane

    okane TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thank You all for your encouraging words

    True enough! Thank you for your past input Tooo!


    Yes, I can still reach it standing on a little stool so not too worried. Time will tell.

    I had a turntable where the Dymax Industries is but removed it. A lot of space used up with no real gain in operations. Maybe an extension later on.

    Reverse Loop, I agree on that thanks for pointing it out. The double mainline between the upper and lower yards are on a 2% incline so that might not work. The other two you mention would work. I'll take a look-see.
     
  18. okane

    okane TrainBoard Supporter

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    Update - Reverse Loop placed between Dymax Industries and Upper Yard
     
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  19. TrainzLuvr

    TrainzLuvr TrainBoard Member

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    While looking at your track plan I keep wondering why is the geometry like that...forgetting that it's KATO track, which needs to conform to pre-defined/available track pieces. :)

    How come you have those two double cross-overs right smack in the middle of the (presumably) yards? What do you gain by placing them there, or even using them at all?
     
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  20. okane

    okane TrainBoard Supporter

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    Nothing really I guess, I bought them years ago, I just have them. Two are on the mainline and the other two - I'll figure it out. Katos does have its drawbacks, but I've always found it gets me running fast and I can live with that! As Mike Fifer has said I can reuse it over and over again!
     
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