Westport

Wolfgang,
Do you have someone make the strips for you? I had a mental vision of you making a PCB Mask then simply trimming off the runners after finishing all soldering.

I am following how you do it, now, this is quite a excellent method. I still say, your workmanship is excellent!

 

Yes, I had someone. !!!
At first, I saw the PC board with my little circular saw. Look at my "How to scratchbuild turnouts" site.
When my son Benjamin was at school (a Kolleg, something like highschool where you can learn a profession) he had access to a machine scissors. And he cut the PC board sheets for me into stripes. Unfortunately he could only make 3mm stripes, good for European layouts. So I took again my saw and made the stripes smaller, like the new Peco ties.

Wolfgang

 

I would like to build my own track but I would not have the patients to do it, also my track laying leaves a lot to be desired even with Peco track.....

 

Well, this way I get the (curved) turnout I want. In any other way I have to order via post. It's more expensive and I have to wait weeks for delivery. So - I'm faster and get what I want.
Wolfgang

 

Wolfgang,

you are doing a great work. I hope those all are FREMO modules
so that I can get a chance to see them in one of our next meetings

 

Welcome to TrainBoard Lonepine!

We all agree with you, Wolfgang does excellent models and his craftsmanship is superb!

 

Lonepine,

my new Westport is not build for FREMO. The boxes are not so tall, and therefore not so sturdy for the dismantling and transporting. Only for the basement!

I've laid nearly all track at the west entrance. the track at the front diverging to the right will sometime go to a turntable. When money comes....
It's fun to take pictures:



Wolfgang

 

Now I've glued the east yard ladder. It's no longer a project in heaven, it's on cork.





There's one turnout left to solder. The other turnouts will be Peco code 83.

Wolfgang

 

I think I will be using Peco code 83 for my next layout, maybe with the odd bit of ME code 55 thrown in for some of the sidings.

What happened to the old Westport?

 

Matthew,
the old Westport will be sold. There's already one interested person. And more have asked.

Yesterday I bridged the gap. Now there's one track through Westport and I can run trains. I've spiked the turnouts. Just like the prototype when important persons ride a train. :angel:




And here's the very first train. A work train. The engine is pushing a vacuum track cleaner car.



And there're more test cars.

 

I did run all my trains through Westport. The fourth train derailed at the left entrance. Here comes the fifth train from the opposite direction. Look at the turnout. The guard rails are still missing.




Now I've soldered them and lay more track.

Wolfgang

 

Would we say, "The Guard Rails were caught off guard?"

 

Running trains was fun. But I'm more busy with trackwork.

Today I soldered one crossing. The Peco crossing isn't suitable. So I took the template from Fast Track, you can download and print them. I glued the ties and soldered the rails. Finsihed.
But I must admit scratchbuilding a crossing is much more work than with a simple turnout.

Step one:


You see my tool for a straight line.

Step two:


and the finished crossing:


With all guard rails and isolated ties!

Now I can lay more tracks.

Wolfgang

 

Super ‘fast track’ link Wolfgang. Thanks.

verse

 

Now I've started with wiring. At first I installed switch motors and manual turnout linkage.



I had one problem to solve. My clearance under the roadbed is nearly two inch (5,5 cm). Tortoise switch motors need about 3 1/2 ''. So I mounted them horizontal! But I couldn't simply bend the rod. This would weaken it. So I used my push-pull-mechanism.

Another problem: two turnouts point to point. This means that there's only little space.







For the manual thrown turnout I use my old push-pull-method. Here you see the switch for frog polarity:



Wolfgang

 

Now I've finished wiring the big corner segment.



I tested all "cold". I have to build the control panel for easy control of the motors. Also, I will have to finish the next segment for running trains. This will be the "hot" test.

You see a row of bulbs. This is my staging yard light. There's a switch at the fascia for it.
Some fine day I will have accumulated enough money and get the turntable. I'm thinking about Walthers...

Wolfgang

 

Here's a close-up picture for my low clearance tortoise problem:



I mounted the tortoise to a piece of plywood and linked the actuating wire (I used a stronger type) to a brass rod.This rod relayed the force to the throw-bar wire. The throw-bar was soldered to a terminal block. This way adjustment is easy.

Wolfgang