N Scale Build of the Delaware, Susquehanna & Northern Railroad

In that case this should work (but hope someone else also checks it out)...


You use a DPDT Center Off switch.

With the switch in the center off position neither of the two sections that can be isolated will have power. Use this to back the train in. When the loco hits the first isolated section it will stop. Have this gap just far enough in that when the loco gets to it and stops it will have cleared the turnout.

The next two options could be set up with the toggle thrown up or down or left or right depending on what you what.

With the switch thrown one way there will be power to the first isolated section. Use this if the train enters loco first. The train will stop when the loco hits the last isolated section. The section only has to be long enough that the loco can't coast to the end after it hits the dead track.

When the switch is turned the other way both isolated sections receive power and the train can exit.

This would not require you to watch for an indicator light and react quick enough to make sure the train stops at the correct location. It should always stop at the right location after you set the isolation gaps.

Sumner

 

In consideration of the simplest solution of using a microswitch at the end of track to illuminate an LED, I found a float switch in my stash today, removed from our old junked HVAC air handler drip tray years ago. It's the perfect microswitch candidate, actuating with almost no weight, with a soft block of foam on the business end and with a cost of $0.

Still weighing alternative solutions, but I'm pleased to have found this.

 

free is a very good deal yeppers

 

And inflation-proof to boot!

 

It's been three months since I last posted. Slow going with the foam and I'm in no hurry. Got the first mountain shaped in. Although it'll eventually be 100% covered with ground foam, trees and rock castings/carvings, I wanted to throw some paint on it only to offer me a better vision of what I might see. Looking at a mass of pink foam for months on end would be discouraging. Those two horizontal lines you see are there to remove the upper parts of the mountain if we move someday.

Unfortunately, I spattered green paint on the wall and noticed it much too late to wipe it clean. Maybe I'll repaint the wall as an accent wall when I'm done with scenery. The wall is a faded very light blue that'd be tough to match for touch up, though I might try.

I haven't even begun on the mountain on the other side of the layout. I think I've mentioned that scenery is my least favorite aspect of this hobby.

 

For that foam on the wall, try one of those Mister Clean Magic Erasers. It helped when the littlest 'gkids got some stuff [?] on one of our walls.

 

Holy Cats! That could be my 1975 Chevelle Malibu Classic on the bottom row!

 

Thank you for the great photos of your construction details!

I have some similar terrain challenges on my HCD layout, and can use/adapt similar techniques.

 

Thank you. Most of us have limited space and trying to fit mountains, tunnels, structures, track and grades within our confines brings a lot of compromise and it's okay. I've fussed, fitted, torn out and refitted portions of my foam mountain and although it's far from ideal, it'll have to do. I think the other mountain is going to be even more challenging, trying to fit space for a coal mine in there somehow.

On my previous layout I made a high rock wall behind my paint factory and I'll probably do the same sort of thing once again. This way, I get a mountain, but also allow some space for a structure.

 

That's your old layout? You don't look scenery challenged to me It looks awesome. Good luck on the new layout. Looking forward to more updates in the future.

BTW, just put a sky background over your splattered paint to hide it Either on foam board or buy one of those premade ones Or hang a really low railroad picture there. Of course I am kidding, or am I?

 

But if some one knows they are back there. I know!

 

That has it's limits. I'm not about to paint the entire interior of my tunnel! Yep, I'll know it's not painted, but I'll not lose a wink over it!

 

Exactly, if he had not told us, we would never have seen it. Bad @Hardcoaler for taking a close up Next time keep it a secret?

 

The layout looks like it's coming along nicely. I'm pretty bad a scenery but I haven't let that stop me (yet ). You are doing great. Those little paint spots are just the excuse you need to repaint that wall a nice backdrop sky blue color, just sayin'

 

It's been nearly three months since I've posted any updates on my railroad. Here's its current state, with the foam mountains coming along and piles of junk everywhere. Next task is to build up an embankment for the raised track on the grade seen at right. The mountains are painted green until I get around to scenicing the layout, just so that I'm not staring at PINK for months on end.

I need to research how to do rock faces, whether rubber molds, carving or premade rubber rocks. There will be a long curved rock face on my Muleshoe Curve where the blue tape is most evident in the center and over at the far right where the grey facing is seen, plus in other smaller areas too. My coal mine (known as a "breaker" in anthracite coal mining) will be in that grey area.

Tunnel portal assemblies are built up with their retaining walls attached, but are not seen. I want to airbrush them outdoors in concrete color on a nice day.

 

Wow, looks very nice! Love those long spurs... BTW, did you build some sort of access door for track access underneath mountains?

 

Thank you. The railroad is built on HCDs, so there's no access from underneath. The top 2/3 of the mountains are removable, plus the sides and rear are open too. Gaps for the removable mountain tops can be seen in the picture and these bother me. While scenery will cover much of it, but I'm thinking of applying spackling compound in these gaps and lightly pressing the mountain tops (with wax paper on the underside of the mountain tops so that the spackling compound doesn't stick) to fill them. Not sure if it'll work. If anyone has other ideas, let me know.

 

Sometimes artificial layers can't be hidden, but their presence can be made to look more natural, even expected.

Think about a boundary in the rock between two different colors/tints/shades of sediment, but it would need other similar boundaries above and/or below the seam too. One line among others doesn't look out of place so much. Differing thicknesses of "layers" (whether artificially created or not) also add to the disguise. You can use a small light and a straight edge to cast a horizontal shadow, and then trace it directly on the terrain, to establish the artificial layer boundaries.

Different layers of sedimentary rock also contain different minerals and retain water differently, so vegetation growth above/below the boundary might be slightly different too, and more or less plant growth, darker or lighter greens, etc. would be expected.

If you have a gulley/wash/ravine, then broken "pieces" of the above layer would appear below, having fallen due to erosion and gravity (but lower layer colors/textures would never migrate upwards.)

Different layers of rock are also harder or softer, so subtle differences in amount of erosion in the different layers would also be appropriate. You would expect slight shelves or steps atop "harder" layers, since a softer layer above would erode back from the harder edge below.

Just remember to have fun with it!

 

Thanks @BigJake . Maybe I can work some of that in there. I know what you are referring to in geology. Wish I'd thought of that sooner. I tried rare earth magnets to close the gap, but they pulled right out of the foam, glue and all. Man, those little guys are strong!

The mountaintops are removable too in case my wife and I make a household move someday in retirement. It'll make the layout much easier to move. The DS&NRR v2.0 had this feature and it worked out really well when my employer transferred me.