N Scale T-Trak

billmtx Oct 28, 2010

  1. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    I haven’t been working on my T-Trak much but I came up with an idea after acquiring some rusty old equipment. You may have noticed these sitting on my restoration layout but I hadn’t really thought much about what to do with them. So I’m gonna build a train wreck module. Here is the start.

    The module is a standard corner and I cut out areas to be below track level. The smaller area is going to be a little water feature, the larger area is going to be where the locomotive (old tank engine) and the steam crane are going to be semi buried in the scenery. There will be some ties and twisted rails sitting nearby as well.

    Here is the beginning of a bad day for someone long ago.
    IMG_5317.jpeg
     
  2. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    I think it would be fun to have a steam crane with its boom & line out over a water feature, with a huge (for scale) fish on a (tiny fly-fishing) hook! If clearance allowed, you could even haul the crane with the fish, still on the hook, back into town, with crowds gathered around, snapping pictures, etc. outside a bait shop.

    Or maybe simply a steam crane parked on a siding next to a quiet pond, with the crane's line leading to a little, round, red/white bobber float in the middle of the pond. "Gone Fishing"
     
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  3. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    I like the "Gone Fishing" scene... maybe I will save that one for a later build.

    I decided as well to make my "Train Wreck" module with a small hidden feature, I wont say it here until after I finish it...
     
  4. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    A few posts ago I was working on my train station module set and ran into that little issue about the DS64 having a mind of it's own and randomly activating the turnouts. Well I had a theory on what was causing it and I made several attempts to resolve it the easy way. Well the easy way is, as you all know, rarely the right way. Ok it wasn't wrong, but it didn't totally work. So I dug out my O-scope to see if my theory was correct, and yes, there was an induced signal in the control lines from the track bus lines. The more track bus lines I would turn on, the "louder" the signal got, up to the point of tripping the DS64. This is why after building the 2 individual cables the problem was reduced but not eliminated. Next up was to suppress the rest of the induced signals to the point where the DS64 would not see it as trip current. I used iron ferrite cores on the output lines inside the control box, and under the triple module. During testing today there was no noticeable signal in the control lines when I had my O-scope on, and there was no random switching of the switches. Problem solved! Now to build the train station!
     
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  5. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    Well I have not built the train station as of yet. I have though been working on the train wreck corner that I showed a few posts ago. Show season is fast approaching so I need to get these in order! And this is the results so far! When this is dry I will be adding some water in the lake and I still need to find the people. I need a hiker or two and someone fishing in a canoe. Oh, does anyone have an N scale bear? I need one of those for the cave.

    IMG_5436.jpeg
     
  6. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    Wait, the wreck train wrecked?!

    Beautiful foliage & terrain!
     
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  7. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you...
    Or it fell over trying to recover the locomotive and then it was just left to rot with the locomotive. That's my story and I'm stickin to it!
     
  8. MetraMan01

    MetraMan01 TrainBoard Member

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    I came across a 3D print company that has bears and other stuff you might find interesting. Pretty sure they aren’t an advertiser so will send you a pm


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  9. country joe

    country joe TrainBoard Member

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    Great looking module, Massey. Woodland Scenics makes N scale bears which should be available from TB advertisers as well as others like your local train store.
     
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  10. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    Too bad the only racoon they have is attached to a trash can. Maybe it could be separated. A racoon face peeking out of one of the cabs would be cool.
     
  11. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    We have a family of raccoons around here that think we are their pets. They come and eat with our outdoor cats and will even play and groom each other. The cats don’t care and the raccoons help keep coyotes away.
     
  12. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    Cats don't think you are their pet, they know it!

    I'm not a cat person, but they do have their purpose in barns and sheds, keeping the smaller rodents at bay.

    I'm a dog person. My wife is allergic to cats, which is just fine by me.
     
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  13. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    I like both cats and dogs as long as they belong to someone else. Growing up I had a number of each but as an adult, I have never had the time or the desire to devote any resources to pets.
     
  14. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    I am very aware that we are a cats pet. I was actually referring to the raccoons that come around here. They have no issue walking right up to us to ask for food. They won’t let us pet them but they have no issue grabbing our hands to see if there is a hot dog or egg hiding somewhere. They are gentle and don’t scratch or bite so we don’t shoo them off. It’s really funny when one of our cats is grooming the raccoon while the raccoon is grooming the cat at the same time.
     
  15. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    The bears are going to be here later this month, as is the fishermen. I already have the hiker, so most everything is set to go. That being said, imma start the next corner and that is going to be a vehicle overpass. My original thought was to make it link to the Rte 66 set but there is no way I can make the hill look right so imma scrap that idea and just go with what I have here. Maybe someday there will be a transition module.

    Here is the basic setup, and yes I know I got the wings on backwards, nothing is glued down.

    IMG_5475.jpeg IMG_5476.jpeg IMG_5477.jpeg
     
  16. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    I got some more work done on the overpass module. Not much but it’s starting to take shape. I need a good brand of paint for the bridge and abutments. I used to use Model Master by Testors but they dropped that line and now I do t really have a go to paint for models. Apple Barrel isn’t good enough for this job and I would like to be able to airbrush the bridge. Any suggestions?

    here is tonight’s end point… glue drying.
    IMG_3545.jpeg
     
  17. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    For bigger sprays like that try a good rattle can type from your hardware store. I use either Ace brand or Rust-o-leum a lot. Even having painted a locomotive or two in black!
     
  18. DeaconKC

    DeaconKC TrainBoard Member

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    Look at the line of paints from Reaper Miniatures. Acrylic and top quality paints that are great brushed on or airbrushed.
     
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  19. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    A bit more work done, now I’m once again waiting on stuff to dry. The sculpt-a-mold kicked off much faster this time. I didn’t tint it like last time I think that made a big difference. I also started corner #3 which will just have some trees and generic scenery on it.

    IMG_5493.jpeg IMG_5492.jpeg
     
  20. country joe

    country joe TrainBoard Member

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    The corner modules are looking real good, Massey. I think they will turn into excellent scenes when you are done.
     

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