Top-Hobby Trains Sound Decoder Installation Videos In The Kato UP FEF #844

                    Top Hobby Trains Kato UP FEF #844 Northern With ESULokSound Version 4 DCC    
                                                                     Sound Video

 

Top Hobby Trains Kato UP FEF #844  Northern Sound Package With Soundtraxx DCC N Scale Tsunami Sound

 

TSU-750 Micro Tsunami Heavy Steam Soundtraxx Decoder Installation In A Kato UP FEF #844

Below is the link to the Soundtraxx Website showing a TSU-750 Micro Tsunami Heavy Steam decoder in a Kato UP FEF #844. This is a difficult installation and will take considerable time to accomplish.


http://www.soundtraxx.com/documents/appnotes/kato_fef3_n-scale.pdf

TCS K6D4 Decoder Installation In A UP FEF #844

Below is the link for the TCS K6D4 Decoder Installation In the "new" Kato UP FEF #844. This is a rather easy installation of the TCS K6D4 decoder. It simply replaces the original board in the Kato UP FEF #844. Have fun with it.

http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/N_Scale/Kato/FEF%204-8-4/FEF4-8-4_K6D4.html

The "Dither" Factor IN A TCS decoder for the Kato UP FEF #844

 THE Kato FEF UP # 844 uses a K6D4 drop-in decoder. With this decoder you can't manually control the BEMF feature which causes the steam locomotive to start too fast and lunge out of control at times during operations. To correct this, the BEMF must be set to zero. (CV 61=0). The factory setting is to leave the BEMF on. (CV 61=1).

You then must adjust  CV's 56 and 57 to actually obtain very slow speeds. This is very similar to the feature of CV 61 (BEMF) in Digitrax decoders. CV 56 and CV 57 must manually be adjusted in the Digitrax decoders to slow down the speed of the locomotive.

In the TCS decoder for the UP FEF #844, initially set CV 56 to 3 and CV 57 to 25. You then can adjust CV 56 and CV 57 in increments to obtain the desired speed results that you are looking for. It is all a mater of trial and error.

You can also set CV 57 to 0 to turn off the "dither effect" to see how the locomotive works with this CV turned off.

The excerpt below is from the TCS Website.

"Dither is digital pulse power. It is similar to "pulse power" that is used on DC power packs. It helps overcome the "stiction" of locomotive mechanics. With CV56 you control the frequency of the pulses and with CV57 you control the amplitude of the pulses. It provides better and smoother low-speed performance. Dither is especially helpful on locomotives that have high starting friction. There are two parameters that control the operation of Dither in TCS Decoders. Program the frequency of the additional pulse by putting a value in CV56. A value of 1 will give the highest frequency of additional pulses per second. We recommend starting with a value of 3 in CV56 which is the factory default. Values of 1 thru 255 are valid. Most locomotives will work best with a value of 3 in CV56. Typical values are between 1 and 10. CV57 controls the amplitude of Dither pulses. We recommend starting with a value of 25 in CV57. Then adjust CV57 up or down 5 at a time and test operation until you you find the value that works best for your loco. Valid values are from 1 to 255. (1 being the lowest amplitude pulse and 255 being the highest.) Most locomotives being manufactured today will work very nicely with a value between 15 and 35 in CV57. There are some older locomotive models that could benefit from a higher value of Dither amplitude in CV57. For some older locomotives that are particularly sticky a value of 75 to 90 might be necessary to help smooth the slow speed response. When CV57 has a value of 0, Dither is disabled. When CV57 has a value greater then zero it is active. It is active through the whole speed range and in all speed step modes (14,28,128). It is active with user loadable speed table, Vstart, Vmid, Vhigh. Try experimenting with Dither to achieve better low-speed operation. The effect will narrow the window between what point the locomotive starts to move and at what point it will stay running. There are two parameters that control the operation of Dither in TCS Decoders. Program the frequency of the additional pulse by putting a value in CV56. A value of 1 will give the highest frequency of additional pulses per second. We recommend starting with a value of 3 in CV56 which is the factory default. Values of 1 thru 255 are valid. Most locomotives will work best with a value of 3 in CV56. Typical values are between 1 and 10. CV57 controls the amplitude of Dither pulses. We recommend starting with a value of 25 in CV57. Then adjust CV57 up or down 5 at a time and test operation until you you find the value that works best for your loco. Valid values are from 1 to 255. (1 being the lowest amplitude pulse and 255 being the highest.) Most locomotives being manufactured today will work very nicely with a value between 15 and 35 in CV57. There are some older locomotive models that could benefit from a higher value of Dither amplitude in CV57. For some older locomotives that are particularly sticky a value of 75 to 90 might be necessary to help smooth the slow speed response. When CV57 has a value of 0, Dither is disabled. When CV57 has a value greater then zero it is active. It is active through the whole speed range and in all speed step modes (14,28,128). It is active with user loadable speed table, Vstart, Vmid, Vhigh. Try experimenting with Dither to achieve better low-speed operation. The effect will narrow the window between what point the locomotive starts to move and at what point it will stay running".

Decoder Installation In An Atlas Two Truck Shay

 I installed the Lenz 521W decoders in the Atlas Two Truck Shay in 2005. Today I would use a TCS Z scale decoder or a Digitrax Z scale decoder. The decoder of choice for any installations in 2014 would be the TCS Z scale decoder. By using the TCS Z scale decoder, it won't be necessary to remove much bulk from the interior of the cab and oil bunker.

Below is the installation of a Lenz 521W decoder in an Atlas Two Truck Shay.

Atlas is re-issuing new Two Truck Shay's in 2015, so this decoder installation is quite relevant.


I have five Atlas two truck Shay's and have installed Lenz 521W decoders in each one of them.

I was asked by several individuals on the Atlas Forum to post tutorial pictures of the process.

Looking back, I suppose I should have taken pictures, but I didn't find the "decoder installation" in the Atlas Two truck Shay to be that intimidating as long as you take your time.

I'll try and explain it verbally. First the Atlas two truck Shay is a delicate locomotive. However don't let the small size of the loco intimidate you at all.

First make sure the loco is properly cradled . Also work in an area where there is a white table and light flooring. You will also need some magnifying loops.

Remove both front and rear couplers with a very small Phillips screwdriver.

When the couplers are removed, they will immediately fall into five pieces.; the two parts of the coupler, the top and bottom portion of the coupler box and a spring that's smaller than a MT Z scale #905 spring. Don't worry about the five pieces of the original coupler; you're not going to use it. You'll install a MT Z scale #905 coupler instead on the front and rear of the loco.

Next remove the four screws, two on each end that hold the main frame in position. Carefully place these screws in a safe place and keep the two front screws and two rear screws in separate places.

The frame will lift off from the shell when the screws are removed.

You can easily remove the cab. The oil bunker is attached to the cab and it can be removed by loosening the screw that holds the oil bunker in position on the cab.

Now to the decoder.

We want to place the Lenz 521W decoder so that the leading edge of the decoder is right at the midpoint of the cab windows where the vertical post is located that separates the two windows. It also has to be slightly angled upwards.

To be able to get to this position , you must carefully remove some bulk from the interior of the cab and oil bunker. Enough material must be removed so the oil bunker screw can be replaced to hold the oil bunker in position on the cab after the decoder is in position.

This is the only difficult part of the installation.

It will be trial and error to get the right amount of material removed from the cab and oil bunker, but it can be done with some patience.

Check the decoder in the cab to get the right positioning.

The red and black wire of the decoder go to the right and left pick-ups. Kapton tape must be used between the pickups and the frame.

You can bend the tabs away from the pickup strips to isolate the frame.Use some Kapton tape here.

The orange wire goes to the right motor terminal and the gray wire goes to the left motor terminal.

The blue and white wires connect to the leds which are bi-directional. Wrap some kapton tape over the top of the blue and white wires to the leds.

Now test out the decoder before you reinstall the shell to the frame. Screw the oil bunker back to the cab and seat the cab on the shell.

After the decoder installation has been successfully tested, gently place the shell on the loco. Be careful not to pinch the wiring going to the leds and be careful about getting the leds in their proper relationship to the shell.

With the shell firmly in place. screw in the four screws that hold the shell on the frame.


Now we have to deal with the couplers. The N scale coupler that Atlas uses on the two Truck Shay is grossly out of proportion to the rest of the loco. They look like "giant appendages" hanging off each end of the loco.

Put the 10 parts form the coupler in a small container in the loco jewel box and forget about them.

We'll use a MT Z scale #905 on each end of the loco. This will give give you a truly proportional coupler in relation to the loco. It looks fantastic.

You won't be able to screw this coupler in the original hole that Atlas used for it's N scale coupler. The Z scale coupler box is longer than the original coupler but don't worry.

Test the positioning of the Z scale coupler on the frame. If you put it back too far, it will interfere with the truck movement. The ideal position for the coupler is that you can just see the anterior edge of the hole for the screw when you look down on the loco.

You can test the movement of the trucks to get a feeling where the # 905 is to placed.

We are going to use CA cement to cement the coupler to the frame. The Z scale coupler doesn't have to be shimmed. Now placed a very fine layer of Ca cement on the frame where the coupler is to be positioned.

You don't want much cement, as you don't want the cement to interfere with the action of the coupler.

Seat your coupler on the frame of the loco in the space where the coupler box should rest. Make sure that you can just see the anterior part of the hole that holds the screw when you look down on the loco.

As the cement sets up you can check the height of the couper with another car. Chances are there will be no adjustments.

Let the cement set up completely before running the loco.I would wait several hours.

Now enjoy your Atlas two truck Shay with a Lenz 521W decoder. You can also use a Lenz 511 decoder if you don't want the BEMF function. A Digitrax DZ 123 and a Digitraz DZ 143 will also fit the loco.

I happen to like Lenz decoders.

With the Lenz 521W decoder installed, The Two truck Shay is amazing at very slow speeds.

You can modify the loco's performance by adjusting CV 2, CV3, CV4 and CV 9. The BEMF function can be adjusted by adjusting CV 50 bit 0 to 1 . This activates the BEMF control of the decoder.

Enjoy the installation. 

Stay cool and run steam...... 

CMX+ Clean Machine Track Cleaning Car

I've used the Tony's CMX+ Track Cleaning Car on the "Original" JJJ&E (over 9 Years) and the "new" JJJ&E  (6 years). It is the best track cleaning car on the market. The CMX+ track cleaning car is heavy. I use two Atlas Train Masters to pull the CMX + track cleaning car over all the track on the layout. It really gets your track clean as advertised.

CMX+ THE BEST RAIL CLEANING SYSTEM (N)

When used as directed CMX+ will clean your track better than any other method available or your money back.

THE CMX CHALLENGE

Clean your track by any method then perform the "white glove" test. Notice black lines. Then use CMX and perform test - no black lines.

FEATURES

• Precision Machined Parts.
• Solid Brass Construction.
• Non-unraveling pads.
• Body mount Kadee couplers.
• Easy Fill Design.
• Leak proof valve and fill port.
• Heavy weight does the job.
• Quick Change Pads.
• Drag pads won't catch on switch points, frogs, and any other pieces of trackwork.
• Spill resistant design.
• Solvent proof design.
• Both solvent/abrasive options.
• Large reservoir.
• Multi-directional (push or pull)
• Controllable dispensing rate.

The Museum Of The American Railroad In Frisco Texas

Being a resident of Frisco Texas has its rewards. It is the fastest growing city in the United States with a population of over 220, 000 people.

Now for a little bit of history of Frisco Texas. Frisco is located where the Chisolm Trail started in Texas in the 1860's. Cattle drives originated from this point on to rail heads in Kansas and Missouri in the late 1860's. A great motion picture to see about this part of the country is Red River starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift (1948). It is often seen on cable TV.

 In the last two or three years The Museum Of  The American Railroad was built and now resides in the center of Frisco Texas. They do have one of the last remaining Big Boys  #4018 that has been fully restored. It traveled from Lake Park Texas to Frisco in the past six months on BNSF tracks where it is on display. It is a magnificent piece of equipment and is fully restored

                                          Photo # 1  UP "Big Boy" #4018 On The Way To Frisco Texas From Lake Park Texas. Photo Taken By Ken Fitzgerald Of Dallas Morning News

    Photo 1A UP "Big Boy" #4018 On The Move To Frisco Texas

  Photo 1B UP "Big Boy"  #4018 Is Almost Home In Frisco Texas

   Photo 1C UP "Big Boy" #4018 Finally Makes It Home To Frisco Texas

                  Photo 1D The Crew Of UP "Big Boy" #4018 Can Now Finally Relax

                                          Photo #2 UP "Big Boy" #4018 Number Board

Valerie Wigglesworth reported on the move of UP "Big Boy" #4018 to the National Train Museum in Frisco Texas.


Update at 2:15 p.m. July 19: Officials with the Museum of the American Railroad said today that the Union Pacific Big Boy will move on Sunday.
An exact time has not yet been set. But expect the task of towing the largest steam locomotive ever built to take most of the day.
Crews with the Dallas Garland & Northeastern Railroad and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad will handle the move. There will be five railroad cars in front of the 1.2 million pound Big Boy followed by another five cars behind it for braking capacity. All will be pulled by one locomotive.
I will be following the locomotive’s 55-mile journey from Fair Park to Frisco on Sunday. Keep an eye out for details at www.dallasnews.com.


Update at 9:20 p.m. July 20: Moving day for the behemoth locomotive has finally arrived. A crew from the Dallas Garland & Northeastern Railroad is scheduled to arrive at Fair Park at 7 a.m. Sunday, July 21, for final preparations of the Union Pacific Big Boy steam locomotive.
Big Boy’s departure is scheduled for between 8 and 8:30 a.m. I’ll be following the locomotive as it makes its 55-mile trip north to Frisco. You can follow along on Twitter and join the conversation using #BigBoyTrain or at www.dallasnews.com/friscoblog.
Officials with the Museum of the American Railroad welcome rail fans to watch this historic event but urge people to keep safety in mind. People should not enter railroad property or board rail equipment at any time during the move. They also ask that people respect the personal, private property of surrounding homeowners and businesses and don’t trespass.


Update at 2:30 p.m. July 21: Big Boy’s move planned for today was canceled. “Due to last-minute concerns arising from the need to wye the Big Boy in southeast Dallas, today’s move of the engine has been postponed,” museum officials said in a statement.
Museum president and CEO Bob LaPrelle said that the Union Pacific Railroad was reluctant to put the Big Boy on its main line without an inspection. Even though the Big Boy has already undergone several inspections by other railroads, UP officials wanted to take a more cautious approach. “It’s the nature of the business,” LaPrelle said.
Dozens of people turned out at Fair Park early Sunday to watch the move. The historic steam locomotive had been coupled with two diesel engines and 11 other cars for what’s called a hospital move, which travels at less than 10 mph. It waited for several hours for clearance before the move was canceled and the Big Boy was parked back in its spot in Fair Park.
Museum officials hope to try again next Sunday. Stay tuned here for updates.

Published: August 16, 2013 6:01 am

The Union Pacific Big Boy locomotive is the only museum piece left at Fair Park.

The move of the historic Union Pacific Big Boy locomotive is scheduled for this Sunday, officials with the Museum of the American Railroad said Thursday.
Logistics, including bridge repairs, track upgrades and inspections, have delayed the move several times already.
The Big Boy is the last piece in the museum’s 40-car collection that remains at Fair Park, which has been the museum’s home since the early 1960s. The museum is moving to a larger site in Frisco.
At 1.2 million pounds, the Big Boy is the largest steam locomotive ever built. Only eight such locomotives still exist, and rarely do they travel on the tracks. The locomotive’s move is expected to generate crowds when it hits the rails.
Departure time will be between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. Sunday from Fair Park. The move is expected to take most of the day. Stay tuned here on the Frisco Blog for details.
Museum officials want to remind folks coming out to view the historic move to keep safety in mind and not trespass on private property.
Good viewing spots include Fair Park, Union Station and the museum’s new site along the Dallas North Tollway off Cotton Gin Road.
In Frisco, access to the end of Cotton Gin Road and the area immediately to the north is prohibited. A tented viewing area will be set up just inside the museum’s fence for the public to gather. Parking will be available at the Frisco Discovery Center. Access to the Museum’s site will be through the contractor gate along Cotton Gin Road. Parking along Cotton Gin Road is prohibited.
Click here to learn more about the museum and its move to Frisco.


Below is a photo of The Museum Of The American Railroad Site Plan

PRR GG1 #4903

                         Joe Bohannon Took Both Photo's Of The PRR GG1 #4903

Build Date: 1943
Builder: Pennsylvania Railroad
Current Status: Static
Road: Pennsylvania Railroad
Configuration: GG1

The GG1 was designed and built by the Pennsylvania Railroad to pull 12-14 car passenger trains such as the famed Broadway Limited on its high speed electrified Northeast Corridor between Harrisburg and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York City, and Washington, DC. Its unique center cab design was intended to provide safety and visibility for the crews, but industrial designer Raymond Loewy refined the design with an all welded carbody and distinctive paint scheme with 5 gold stripes. The locomotive drew power from the 11,000 volt AC current transmitted in overhead electrical lines and developed 4620 horsepower, easily allowing speeds of 100 mph. After more than 50 years of operations, the last of the 139 GG1s built were retired in 1983, with 16 remaining in museums today. The example displayed is notable as one of the locomotives (then numbered Penn Central 4903) which pulled the funeral train of Senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy from New York to Washington on June 8, 1968 when thousands gathered trackside to pay their last respects. Amtrak later renumbered 4903 to 4906. The locomotive was obtained in a trade with the New York Central Museum in Elkhart, Indiana.

   Frisco #4501 4-8-4

Build Date: 1942 Builder: Baldwin Locomotive Works Current Status: Static Road: St. Louis - San Francisco Railway Company ("Frisco") Configuration: 4-8-4 The 4501 was among the last group of steam locomotives built for the Frisco. Because of World War II, the War Production Board limited  production of most new diesel locomotives other than switching locomotives used in rail yards, and severely limited steam locomotive development by requiring the use of existing designs. Frisco's 4500 class was constructed based upon the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy's O-5b class. Numbers 4500-4502 were built for passenger service on the "Meteor," an overnight train between St. Louis, Tulsa and Oklahoma City. The new locomotives were delivered in a paint scheme of zephyr blue, white and gray, with "Meteor" spelled out on the side of the tender in bold, red letters. While the passenger locomotives were built to be fired with cleaner burning oil, locomotives 4503-4524 were built as coal burners for freight service but were also used in passenger service. New diesel locomotives arrived in 1947 to power the streamlined "Meteor" and "Texas Special," demoting the 4500s to trains such as the "Will Rogers" and "General Wood." Still wearing it's colorful Meteor scheme, 4501 powered a portion of President Harry S. Truman's July, 1948 whistle stop campaign through Missouri. Several of the 4500-class engines were rebuilt and stored near the end of steam in 1952, but remained behind St. Louis' Lindenwood roundhouse until scrapping or donation. The 4501 was donated by the Frisco in September 1964.            Frisco #4501 Has Arrived  (From Every Day Frisco)  The Museum of the American Railroad’s Frisco steam locomotive #4501 arrived in Frisco from Fair Park at 11:00pm on Sunday, May 26 2013, and performed flawlessly. Some background on the #4501: The St. Louis-San Francisco “Frisco” Railway steam locomotive #4501 pulled one of the line’s premiere passenger trains during a pivotal period in the nation’s history. Built in 1942 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, PA, #4501 provided motive power for the overnight Meteor between Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and St. Louis. One of three locomotives designated for the route, #4501 could be found traveling at speeds of up to 90mph pulling the “Zephyr” blue Meteor. The train provided a vital connection between Texas, Oklahoma, and St. Louis – a gateway to destinations north and east to cities such as Chicago, Washington, and New York. The locomotive was a regular sight at the massive, bustling St. Louis Union Station, the eastern terminus of the Meteor. Painted in a patriotic red, white, and blue scheme, the #4501 represented the state of the art in steam locomotive design, but enjoyed a relatively short career. The locomotive operated during the twilight period of steam. Following World War II, diesel-electric locomotives replaced steamers as railroads introduced sleek, new streamlined passenger trains. By 1947, just five years after delivery, #4501 was bumped from passenger service and repainted in Frisco’s basic black scheme, then relegated to freight service. In 1952 Frisco became an all-diesel line and the locomotive was placed into storage at the Lindenwood, Missouri shops. This was a common practice among railroads as a way to maintain a reserve fleet of locomotives to cover traffic surges. Few steam locomotives were ever reactivated, however, and their next stop was usually the scrap line. The #4501 is one of the few survivors. Frisco #4501 was a “Northern” type steam locomotive, having a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement. This configuration was widely used throughout North America, and was at home pulling freight or passenger trains up mountain grades or running at high speeds over the prairie. Despite #4501’s relatively short career, the locomotive was a sound design, providing safe and reliable service on the Frisco railway. After over 10 years of storage, #4501 was officially retired in 1964. Later that year following a letter writing campaign by one of the Museum’s founders, Everett L. DeGolyer, Jr., the #4501 was gifted to the Museum. In 1965 the locomotive was moved dead-in-tow to Fair Park where it was placed on display at the Age of Steam Museum (now the Museum of the American Railroad). Ironically, the #4501 passed through the small town of Frisco on its way to Dallas in 1965. The locomotive will travel in the opposite direction to the Museum of the American Railroad’s new home in Frisco, now a thriving city. The line through Frisco, Texas is now part of Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway, which acquired the Frisco Railway in 1980. Frisco locomotive #4501 was recently repainted in the line’s striking Meteor scheme, based on research of original drawings and plans. The locomotive is resplendent in its original appearance when steam locomotives reigned supreme at the head end of the nation’s flagship passenger trains.

The roster also includes four diesel electric locomotives,  10 passenger cars, one freight car and numerous railroad artifacts.

The latest restoration project is a ATSF F-7

In 2000, the Museum embarked on an ambitious plan to recreate the iconic diesel-electric locomotive that once adorned Santa Fe’s great fleet of Chief streamliners.  While the railroad used several different models of locomotives to pull these trains, the General Motors Electro-Motive-Division F-7s were the most popular and successful versions.  Santa Fe’s Texas Chief of 1948 to 1971 was no exception when it came to the dominant form of motive power being EMD’s model F-7.  Along with the rest of Santa Fe’s famous Chief streamliners, the Chicago-Houston Texas Chief could be found with up to six of the locomotives on the head end in cab or booster form.  The iconic Warbonnet paint scheme just seemed to lay naturally on the curved features and stainless steel flanks of the F-7.  After several months of searching for a good candidate for acquisition and restoration, Canadian National F-9A #9167 was located at National Railway Equipment Co. (NREX) of Dixmoor, Illinois.  No original F-units survive from Santa Fe’s passenger service with the exception of a cab and booster unit now on display at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento.  CN #9167, originally built as an F-7, was an ideal candidate, having the same carbody features as the Santa Fe versions.  Following purchase from NREX, the locomotive was shipped to Texas on its own wheels via Chicago and St. Louis.  Funding for acquisition was made possible by a lead gift from the Hillcrest Foundation, which enthusiastically supported preservation and restoration of the unit.  The locomotive was painstakingly restored, with extensive body work and painting completed in 2005.  The scope of work called for the unit to be cosmetically restored back to the 1952 appearance of an F-7.  This required only modest changes to the exterior, which had been remanufactured to F-9 specifications in the early 1970s.  Work included the application of stainless steel panels to the exterior of the locomotive’s carbody at the location of those on original Santa Fe passenger units.  Paint and graphics were applied using DuPont’s Imron Polyurethane Enamel.  Restoration of the locomotive was made possible by a lead gift from the Muckleroy Foundation.    The locomotive received mechanical repairs including extensive work on its 16 cylinder 567C 1,750 hp diesel engine, and replacement of the four D-77 traction motors that had been removed by NREX.  The F-9 mechanical upgrades, performed by GM of Canada, were left intact.  Restoration was completed in 2006.  The unit is now in serviceable condition and operates periodically at the Museum and at special events offsite. We wish to thank the following organizations and individuals for making Project F-7 possible: ACQUISITION Hillcrest Foundation – Founded by Mrs. W. W. Caruth, Sr. (Lead Gift) Eugene McDermott Foundation Mr. E. Lee DeGolyer Bill & Angela Barrett Mr. & Mrs. Otto Wetzel Robert & Tracey Willis Mr. Elton Vaughan Jerry R. & Nancy Stricklin Willis Jerry C. Willis & Family David & Lisa Gilmore John L. & Mary Radovich Mr. Joe Huffman Mr. Robert LaPrelle Stanley & Yvonne Smith Scott & Cathy Luedke Mr. & Mrs. Joel Price Mr. Paul Kurilicz Mr. Bud Weatherson Union Pacific Railroad CSX Railroad Dallas, Garland & Northeastern Railroad RESTORATION Dani Muckleroy – in Honor of Dr. Robert Muckleroy (Lead Gift) Metal-Rehab, Arlington Texas Mr. Gerald Cochran, NRE, Chicago Mr. Mark Williams, Kansas City Southern Railroad Mr. Barry Bledsoe, Bledsoe Brace Systems Mr. Bob Lavry – Fort Worth & Western Railroad Mr. Bruce Meyer Dr. John B. McCall Mr. Stan Kistler Mr. Walter Gray, State of California Parks Service/California State Railroad Museum Mr. Doyle McCormack Dale & Richard Brand – Brand Sheetmetal Mr. Dave Eyerman Mr. Doug Nichols Mr. Ron Chamberlain Mr. Jeff Phelps Mr. Ted Phelps Mr. Roger Meyer Mr. Richard Wainscott – CMO, Museum of the American Railroad PROJECT MANAGEMENTRobert H. “Bob” LaPrelle, CEO, Museum of the American Railroad Robert A. Willis, Trustee, Museum of the American Railroad

Link For The Museum Of The American Railroad

http://www.museumoftheamericanrailroad.org/

Programming The Walthers 130' DCC N Scale Turntable

Programming the new Walthers 130' N scale turntable is slightly different than the first generation Walthers N Scale 130' turntable. These instructions were emailed to me by the chief technician of the Turntable division of Walthers  (Dennis Yacowatz). If you follow these directions exactly, you won't have any problems programming your 130' N scale turntable. The instructions look complicated but they aren't.


Programming The 130' Turntable Instructions

Customers call us and say "I've done a reset and Calibration, now what do I do? This question made us realize that even though the menus have been described we forgot to tell the customer how to use them and in what sequence, when it came to operating the turntable. The following example has been written to do just that.

The example will demonstrate how to:

1. Program a track stop
2. Drive the bridge from one track stop to the next
3. Delete a track stop and reprogram it

A 130' HO scale turntable will be used in this example. The open end of the bridge will be used to program a track stop. If you're using the 90' HO scale or 130' N scale turntable you will use the cabin end to program the track stop.

Before we start we want you to know that there is no need to program both ends of the bridge unless you have a reason to do so. Turning an engine end for end would be an example of this. A typical scenario would be a customer who wants to drive an engine from the approach track onto the bridge, turn the engine end for end, and drive it back on the approach track. That's when you would program both ends of the bridge.

If you have no need to do that, then programming one end of the bridge will suffice. And remember to use the sensor end of the bridge when doing so.

Also, before we begin, a reminder: When you begin programming the track stops, keep the bridge moving in the same direction from start to finish. You can move the bridge back and forth when lining up the rails. But, after you save that position continue moving the bridge in the same direction as before.

Once power is turned on CAL is displayed and we're ready to begin.

We'll start by Resetting the turntable's electronics.
We push an arrow button on the control box and scroll to the Reset (RES) menu.
Then we refer to the instructions that came with the turntable: step 3, Getting Started, Resetting the turntable.

Once the turntable is Reset, we will Calibrate the turntables bridge.
We Push an arrow button and scroll to the Calibrate (CAL) menu.
Thenw e follow the instructions in step 3, Getting Started, Calibrating the bridge.

When Calibration is complete, the open end of the bridge is sitting just to the side of the sensor in the pit and CAL is displayed on the control box.
Now we Press an arrow button and scroll to the track menu. tr1 is displayed.

Now we're ready to program a track stop. We're going to move the open end of the bridge from tr1 to our first service track. In our example we will move the open end of the bridge from tr1 to our first service track. in our example we will move the bridge clockwise to get to our first service track.

This is a good time to talk about starting at tr1. When your turntable is new and void of any track stops you will start programming from tr1,  this si the benchmark so to speak, the reference point from which all counting takes place. Every time you move the bridge to a new location around the pit and save that location, that location is x number of counts from the reference point, namely tr1. This how the electronics knows where the bridge is in the pit. Without a reference point, indexing wouldn't be possible.

But what if you've already programmed several stops, say 3, 4, and 5. The you go off and do something else. When you come back to do some more programming, would you start at tr1? No, you would rive the bridge to the last track stop you saved and start from there. In this example it would be tr5.

With that said, it's time to scroll from the track menu to the Program Menu and program a track stop.....


"Programming a Track Stop" 

We'll leave the track menu by pushing an arrow button on the control box and scroll to the Program (Prog) menu.
We press go/set once, Prog flashes.
We press and release the UP arrow button to start the bridge rotating clockwise.
We press and release either arrow button to stop the bridge from rotating.
Now we press the arrow buttons to move the bridge back and forth until the rails on the bridge line up with the rails on the service track.

We make sure that the final movement of the bridge is clockwise.

Now that the rails are lined up its time to save the location.
We're still in the Program menu...

We press the go/set button once and p3 appears in the window.
We press the go/set button once more and Prog appears in the window.

Position #3 (p3) has just been saved.

At this point we're going to leave the Program menu by pushing an arrow button and scroll to the Track menu. Tr3 is displayed.

Summing up....

The open end of the bridge is sitting at position #3 (p3) on the pit. The service track at that location is track #3,  tr3.

Now we're going to see if what we've done so far is correct. We're going to drive the bridge from tr3 to tr1 and then back to tr3.

We verify that tr3 is displayed in the window on the control box.
We press the Go/set button once, tr3 flashes,
We press the down arrow key until tr1 is displayed.
We press the Go/set button once more and watch the open end of the bridge rotate to Tr1.

Next we'll drive the bridge back to tr2.

We verify that Tr1 is displayed in the window on the control box. 

Then we press the Go/set button once and tr1 is flashing.
We press the UP arrow button until tr3 is displayed.
We press the Go/set button once more and watch the open end of the bridge rotate back to tr3.

When the bridge stops moving tr3 is displayed. We then look at the rails on the bridge to see if they line up with the rails on the service track. If they do, we'll return to the Prog menu and continue rotating the bridge in the clockwise direction to subsequent service tracks. To do this we return to  "Programming A Track Stop"

If the rails don't line up, we'll do three things:

1 Delete position 3
2 Calibrate the bridge
3 Program p3 again.

 Before we delete p3, we will verify that the open end of the bridge is sitting at tr3, and the bridge rails are misaligned with the rails on the service track. We'll also make sure that we're still in the track menu and that tr3 is displayed in the control box.

Now we're ready to delete (DEL) p3.

We push an arrow button on the control box and scroll from the Track menu (tr) to the Delete (del) menu. Then we refer to the instructions that came with the turntable; step 3, Getting Started, Deleting A Bridge Stop (Track Stop).

Once p3 is deleted we'll calibrate the bridge:

We push an arrow button and scroll from the Delete menu to the Calibrate menu (CAL)
Then we refer to the instructions that came with the turntable; Getting Started, Callibrating The Bridge.

When Calibration is complete, the open end of the bridge is sitting to the side of the sensor in the pit and CAL is displayed on the control box.

Next we'll scroll from the Calibrate menu to the Program menu.

Once in the Program menu, we'll rotate the bridge to the service track that we misaligned and save that position. This time we'll make sure that we do a better job lining up the rails.

To do this we'll return to "Programming A Track Stop"

"Programming A Track Stop"

We'll leave the CAL menu by pushing an arrow button on the control box and scroll to the Program (Prog) menu.
We press  Go/set once, Prog flashes
We press and release the UP arrow button, to start the bridge rotating clockwise.
We press and release either arrow button to stop the bridge from rotating
Now we press the arrow buttons to move the bridge back and forth until the rails on the bridge line up with the rails on the service track.

We  make sure that the final movement of the bridge is clockwise.

Now that the rails are lined up, its time to save that location. 

We press the Go/set button once and p3 appears in the window.
We press the Go/set button once more and Prog appears in the window.

Position  # 3 (pr3) has just been saved.

At this point we're going to leave the Prog menu by pushing an arrow button and scroll to the Track menu. Tr3 is displayed.

SUMMING UP:

The open end of the bridge is sitting at position #3 (pr3) on the pit. The service track at that location is track #3, tr3.

We verify that tr3 is displayed in the window on the control box.
We press the Go/set button once, tr3 flashes.
We press the down arrow until tr1 is displayed.
We press the Go/set button once more and watch the open end of the bridge rotate to tr1.

Next, we'll drive the bridge back to tr3.

We verify that tr1 is displayed in the window of the control box.

Then we press the Go/set button once and tr1 is flashing.
We press the UP arrow button until tr3 is displayed.
We press the Go/set button once more and watch the open end of the bridge rotate back to tr3.

When the bridge stops moving tr3 is displayed. We look at the rails on the bridge to see if they line up with the rails on the service track. If they do, we'll return to the Prog menu and continue rotating in the bridge clockwise to subsequent service tracks. To do this we return to 
"Programming A Track Stop".

If they don't line up return to the instructions: IF THE RAILS DON'T LINE UP, WE'LL DO THREE THINGS".

This concludes our example of operating the Cornerstone DCC turntable.

How To Replace The Pit Electronics In A Walthers N Scale 130' Turntable

When my first generation N Scale Walthers 130' turntable failed, one solution was to replace the  Pit Electronics in the pit of the old turntable. I wasn't able to do this because the opening under the bench work wasn't large enough when I first installed the turntable on the layout. If you buy a new Walthers N scale 130' DCC turntable, make sure the opening under the bench work is at least nine inches square, which will give you plenty of room to remove the pit electronics of the Walthers N scale 130' turntable. Usually the electronics in the pit doesn't fail but it can happen.

In my case I had to remove the turntable from the bench work, lifted all 24 stall tracks and 12 holding tracks which allowed me to remove the old turntable from the layout. I had to purchase a new Walthers DCC 130' turntable because Walthers no longer supplied the electronics from the first generation Walthers 130' turntable. However the electronics in the pit of both turntables are the same.

Below are the instructions that the Walthers chief technician in the Turntable Department sent me if I wanted to remove the electronics from the old turntable pit.

Replacing the Pit Electronics

Turn the new pit upside down and loosen the four screws at the center of the pit.

Make sure the plastic channel is free to move. The channel runs along the bottom of the pit and holds the wires that connect to the sensor.

Turn the pit right side up and push the sensor housing out of the wall in the pit.

Turn the pit upside down and remove the round plastic housing that holds the fingers.

Be careful not to pull the wires off of the sensor or fingers when handling the sensor.

When installing the new electronics in the old pit, hold the round plastic housing in place and tighten the screws half way.

Insert the plastic channel under the round housing. Make sure it can move freely.

Next, push the sensor housing into the opening in the wall of the pit. There’s a ledge on the front of the sensor housing. Sometimes it is a tight fit so take your time.

After reinserting the new sensor make sure the housing is flush with the inside wall and the bottom of the pit.

Tighten the screws.

Thats all there is folks.

Stay cool and run steam.........

An Interesting Thing Happened When I Tried To Operate My Walthers 130' Turntable

Last week I had some old friends over to the house to run the "new" JJJ&E. None of the folks in attendance were model railroaders. The layout ran perfectly for about one hour when I decided to show how the 130' turntable operates. There was a ATSF 2-6-6-2 small mallet on the turntable bridge. I  then started to operate the turntable and all was going well when everything stopped as the turntable ground to a halt. I couldn't get the turntable up and running again as I noticed that the power red light on the controller was flashing constantly. At least everybody saw the turntable rotate about 90 degrees. The rest of the operating session concluded about an hour later uneventfully.

I decided to wait and take a look at the turntable the next morning. I still couldn't get this turntable moving so I examined the bridge and decided to take the inner workings of the bridge apart. Under close examination none of the four gears were broken. There were no pieces of ballast any where in the gear mechanism. I then carefully oiled the gears with a light plastic compatible La Belle Oil and put the inner workings of the turntable bridge together. I also used an electrical contact cleaner to clean the bottom of the turntable bridge and eight contact fingers in the center of the pit. Still no luck getting this Walthers 130 foot turntable to operate. I had purchased this table in 2007 and had seven good years of use out of it. It was in full operation a few days before this last session.

That day I called Walthers and was put in contact with their turntable expert. When I explained to him what had happened, he then told me the bad news that that the turntable had died. I asked if there were replacement parts for this first generation Walthers 130' turntable that was first distributed in the 2005-2006 period. He told me there were none and would have to buy a new DCC controlled Walthers 130' foot turntable.

He told me I could use the innards of the new turntable if I removed a small square plate with four screws under the old turntable pit and removed the eight sensor fingers, inner wiring and led extension wand from this now defunct turntable.

When I installed this turntable in 2009  thru four inches of foam and a 3/4 inch plywood base, I cut about a two inch opening in the foam and plywood base for the intricate wiring from the turntable pit to the controller mounted on the fascia of the layout. I then realized that this square plate with four screws much larger then the opening I had under the bench work.

So then I came to the unenviable decision, to remove the turntable from the top side of the layout. I was able to left 24 stall tracks off the lip of the turntable in front of the Roundhouse and 12 service tracks on the other side of the turntable. I then was able to lift the turntable pit  off the foam base without any damage to the 36 Peco code 80/55 tracks that I used around the turntable lip.

I looked underneath and saw that this small square plate wa actually about almost seven inches square. Unfortunately when I get the new turntable on Monday or Tuesday, it still will be mounted on the foam and plywood base using the same two inch opening. There is too much wiring that surrounds the perimeter of the turntable pit under the bench work to enlarge this opening to at least eight inches. I'll be happy to get another seven years out of this new turntable.

Fortunately I was able to order the new DCC controlled 130' Walthers Turntable from Brooklyn Locomotive Works on sale for $239. That's the lowest price I've seen online for the turntable. Pete shipped it to me two day Priority Mail on Friday which is usual the USPS shipping and I should have the new Turntable by late Monday or early Tuesday.

It will take me about another week or so to re-install the 36 tracks around the perimeter of the turntable lip. That entire part of the layout has to be reballasted. I still have three full bags of Arizona
Rock And Mineral natural rock Dark Cinder Yard ballast, so that should be more than enough ballast to finish that area. I also have three or four three foot sections of Peco code80/55 flex track if I need to replace any of the track that had to lifted off the turntable lip.

Moral of this story is easy. If you're building a new layout  that will use a 130 foot Walthers turntable, make sure you leave at least a ten inch opening under the turntable pit under the bench work. Then if the turntable fails, it wouldn't be necessary  to touch any part of the finished layout above the bench work. The only caveat is: will Walthers have the parts available  even if they come out with a newer turntable in the out years to come. You will only know this in the fullness of time.

So Stay cool and run steam...........

Future Floor Wax - Ideal For Making Rivers, Streams And Lakes In Model Railroading

I've been using Future Floor Wax to model streams, lakes and Rivers in Model railroading for many years. It's very inexpensive and can be purchased at any Home Supply or Super Market. Future Floor Wax is easy to use and the results are very rewarding.

Some photo's of the use of Future Floor Wax on the "new" JJJ&E:

Below are other uses for Future Floor Wax in model railroading:

1 - As a gloss coat on models before adding decals

2 - As window glazing on building windows and on portholes of "E" and "F" units

3 - Creek beds, lakes. rivers and streams

4 - Creating a glossy finish on locomotives before applying Dull Cote

Read all about Future Floor Wax at the link below.

The Complete Future

N Scale Locomotive Encyclopedia

N Scale Locomotive Encyclopedia

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The N Scale Locomotive Encyclopedia is a great reference for most of the locomotives made in N scale.

Mark a.k.a. Spookshow, a member of the old Atlas N Scale forum has spent many years putting this Encyclopedia together. Mark has reviewed most of the locomotives in N scale along with the help of other N Scale modelers.

It is an excellent source of current data on N scale locomotives and is highly recommended as a source material on the performance of N scale locomotives.

N Scale Encyclopedia

Unitrack 2 7/16 Inch Snap Conversion Track

Unitrack 2 7/16" Snap Conversion Track

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Kato makes a Unitrack 2 7/16" Snap Track Conversion track. This is a very useful section of track if you want to use Atlas code 80 sectional track coming off a turntable. One end of the track has regular Unitrack Uni-Joiners and the other end of the track has code 80 Atlas Uni-Joiners. This track can also be used with Atlas code 80 flex track and Peco three foot track sections.



This track section can also be used with double track sections as well.

Cutting Unitrack

Cutting Unitrack

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Sometimes you'll be working on a track plan and find that you need a specific odd section of track that Kato doesn't make. What do you do?

The easiest approach is to take a straight or curved section depending on the piece you need and cut it to fit the size of the section you need. A straight razor back saw does this task easily. First you cut through the rails and then through the gray plastic road bed.

You then must cut out a small section of roadbed from the cut end of the specialized piece of Unitrack you just made. This will allow to use  Uni-Joiners or  regular rail joiners to connect the two pieces of Unitrack together. Before this connection is made, you must also remove a Uni-joiner from an uncut section of Unitrack. Then you can join the two pieces together.

Granted using regular rail joiners isn't an ideal situation, but you can create odd size pieces of Unitrack using this technique. I've used this method on occasion when completing the  Original JJJ&E and "new" JJJ&E track plans with Unitrack.

It solves a problem. that often goes like this..... Why doesn't Kato make a section of Unitrack "this" length.

I would avoid cutting turnouts or crossovers to size until you really becomes experienced using this technique. I've only cut turnouts once or twice and the results were fine.

You can practice this technique on spare pieces of straight Unitrack for starters. Make sure that you use a sharp blade in your razor back saw. That is the only pre-requisite.

Chemist's Review Of Track Cleaning Methods and Tony's CMX Track Cleaning Cars

Chemist's Review Of Track Cleaning Methods and Tony's CMX Track Cleaning Cars

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Here is a chemist's review of Tonys Track cleaning car (the CMX+) and track cleaning methods. This will clear up any misconceptions on what method and material to use to clean your track. This is a "must" read and will keep your trains running without any problems due to "dirty" track.

"Dirty" track isn't usually a problem with Unitrack but read the review anyways. It will enlighten you and discusses many options.


Chemist Reviews CMX Clean Machine | Tech News at Tony's Train Exchange.

What Height Should You Make Your Bench Work For Your Unitrack Layout?

What Height Should You Make Your Bench Work For Your Layout?

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The height of bench work for a layout depends on several factors. One important point to consider is your own height and reach. If you area a very tall person, bench work 44 -48 inches high probably won't be adequate for you. A shorter person will have trouble with layout bench work over 50 inches high.

So where do we compromise to get bench work height that is acceptable. The viewing angle is also very important. I am 6' 2 inches tall and am building bench work for the "new" JJJ&E that is 52 inches high. This gives a nice heads on viewing area if I am seated on a chair at the edge of the bench work. I also like to take closeup photo's with my camera, so a heads on viewing angle is very important.

The frame of the bench work of the "new" JJJ&E is 48 3/4 inches high with a 3/4" plywood base. For plywood, I was able to get wood that was knot free. Four inches of pink foam covered the plywood base. This thickness of foam allows me to cut scenery below track level. If you decide to raise any part of your layout, this will increase the height of the viewable area. On the "New" JJJ&E part of the mainline will rise 3-4 inches above the lowest point of the mainline. Add some mountain scenery to this mix and you have track work and scenery that could reach over 60 inches high. This all has to be planned carefully when you design a layout.

You also have to be able to reach the furthest point of the bench work. I use a small two step ladder with a tray on top to hold supplies. This allows me to reach the 30 inch wide bench work plus the four foot turnaround areas with no problems. I happen to have a long reach so the four foot square areas aren't an issue.

If you can't reach the furthest part of your bench work easily, by all means don't build your bench work that wide. Access is important to work on scenery as well as being able to reach trains if there is an occasional derailment.

What are your thoughts about the height and depth of permanent bench work on a layout?

Another Alternative To Hand Painting Unitrack Rails Or Any Track

Another Alternative To Hand Painting Unitrack Rails Or Any Scale Track

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I've always hand painted Unitrack track rails with an acrylic based paint and a 18/0 red sable brush. (You can also use an oil based paint.)

On the "new" JJJ&E, the rails are going to be a grimy black, so this time I tried Neolube # 2 which turns metal black. It is a conductive agent and prior to this I used Neolube # 2 to blacken steam locomotive drivers and valve gears as well as the side rods. The Neolube does a great job in blackening the rails and I'm using it as well as grimy black to weather the rails of the "new" JJJ&E. The Neolube can easily be wiped off the top of the rails with a small rag. Since it is a conductive material, there won't be any electrical concerns during application. You can use a 18/0 sable brush to apply the Neolube.

You can order Neolube # 2 at MicroMark and it can only be shipped by a ground service, since it does contain alcohol.

A Reverse Loop Wiring For DCC Discussion In Any Scale

Reverse loop wiring presents an interesting challenge in model railroading. You don't encounter any problems when wiring reverse loop for DCC in N scale or any scale.

There are many reverse loop modules/switches that are available and easy to use on a DCC layout in N scale or any scale.

The module/switch consists of four wires that require connections. Two wires are connected to your track before a train enters the reverse loop. The remaining two wires are connected to the rails inside the reverse loop. The reverse loop must be isolated from the rest of the layout by using plastic rail joiners.

You cannot use Reverse Loop Modules/Switches for wiring reverse loops in DC systems. There are many Reverse Loop Modules/Switches that can be used for reverse loops in DCC layouts.

The Reverse Loop Module/Switch automatically changes the polarity of the rails when a train enters and leaves the reverse loop.

You can also wire a block occupancy detector inside the reverse loop if your layout uses block occupancy detection.

Dog bones, Wyes and Turntable also need Reverse Loop Modules in DCC N scale layouts as well as any other scales.

The most important rule to follow for reverse loops is that the train in the reverse loop must be shorter than the reverse loop itself if that train has metal wheel sets or lights.. If the length of the train is longer than the reverse loop a short circuit will occur.

In N scale most rolling stock of trains come equipped with plastic wheel sets. If the plastic wheel sets are changed over to metal wheel sets then this rule must be followed.

Each reverse loop requires its own Reverses Loop Module/Switch.If you use one Reverse loop Module/Switch to control more than one reverse loop, at some point you're going to short out your system when two trains enter reverse loops controlled by one Reverse Loop Module/Switch at the same time.

The "original" JJJ&E had four reverse loops and one turntable. Each reverse loop was controlled automatically by its own Reverse Loop Module/Switch.

So, if a track plan has more than one reverse loop and you're using DCC, don't feel that the wiring is too difficult to do. The Revere loop Module/Switch solves the wiring problem easily.

Reverse loops provide some very interesting train operations and the operator of a layout with reverse loops can't put the trains operating on such a layout on auto pilot.

Have fun wiring reverse loops with Reverse Loop Modules/Switches. When you run trains through these reverse loops, you'll notice no change in the trains momentum as they glide through the reverse loops.

Switching Over To DCC From DC On A Unitrack Layout... What To Do?

Switching Over To DCC From DC On A Unitrack Layout... What To Do?

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Many people decide to start a DCC layout while they operate a DC layout. Which should one do while making the transition from DC to DCC on a Unitrack layout.

Many will be surprised to note that it only takes two wires to switch from DC to DCC. You need only connect the two wires from the DCC command station to your track to get started. You must also disconnect the DC power supply and use a power supply that is DCC friendly.The rest of the wiring need for DCC can be added over a period of time. The blocks you have in DC can be used on a DCC layout except you no longer need toggle switches as a train progresses from one block to another around a layout.

I suggest buying a few locomotives that have DCC decoders already installed or that are very DCC friendly(a simple drop-in plugn'play decoder).

The rest of the fleet of locomotives can gradually be transitioned to decoders over a period of time. This means completely running a DCC layout and forgetting about a layout that can be run on DCC or DC with the flick of a switch.

If you choose to run a layout that can be switched from DCC to DC, you risk the high probability that you can blow out your DCC command station and or destroy decoders in the locomotives you might still have on your layout or in most probability destroy the motors of DC locomotives if they are left on the track when you're running in the DCC mode.

So I suggest you make the choice to completely switch over to DCC. You'll never look back.

I still have locomotives on my roster that still need decoders after almost 14 years of running a DCC layout.

Measuring Voltage And Amperage On Your Unitrack DCC Layout Or Any DC Layout

Measuring Voltage And Amperage On Your Unitrack Layout

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It's important to periodically check the voltage and amperage on your Unitrack layout. For this I use a RRAmpmeter from Tony's Trains. I'm not a stock holder in Tony's but I really like their products.

Monitoring the voltage and amperage is especially important in a DDC or DC layout.

Here is a link for the RRampmeter. You simply place the contacts on the track rails and it measures either the voltage or amperage. What you want is constant voltage on your layout for the entire length of an operating session.

You can also measure amperage which will tell you the amperage used if you run three trains at a time, plus 20 turnouts, plus lighted passenger cars and a signal system. This is especially important to DCC users.

Have fun with this...

Here is the link for the RRampmeter:

http:
//www.tonystrains/technews/rrampmeter

Building Bench Work For The "new" JJJ&E

I started to build the bench work  for the "new" JJJ&E in February 2009. Before I moved into the house, a friend of mine helped me build the bench work for the "new' JJJ&E in the garage of the new house. We built nine separate modules that we pre-painted all the wood with a flat black finish.

Each 50"x50" turnaround areas were separate modules. We built two modules 30" inches wide for each side of the layout. On all the modules, I used extra sturdy legs on each module to support the bench work.

On the 12' side of the room, we built three modules 30 inches wide. when the train room was finished, we assembled the nine pre-painted modules in the room. This was the easy way to assemble the bench work. It was like putting a puzzle together. When all nine sections were assembled, I used a 3/4 inch plywood base to support four one inch sections of pink foam. Each individual piece of pink foam was glued in place with Liquid Nails that is compatible with foam. Bricks were place on the foam to keep constant weight on the foam sections. 

For the backdrop I used Vinyl Roof Flashing 24 inches wide. The Vinyl Roof Flashing comes in 50' rolls and can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowe's. I cemented the Vinyl Roof Flashing to the walls above the bench work with a Formica cement. The beauty of the Vinyl Roof Flashing is that there are no seams in the backdrop. The Vinyl Roof Flashing can also be rolled into the corners of the room. You will see this in the photo's below. I used a wood molding above the Flashing which will be painted the color of the walls. I had Lowe's mix me a blue color for the sky background. I'm not good at making clouds so clouds aren't present on the backdrop. I will use numerous backdrop buildings along the full 18 foot length of the Turntable area/Switching Yard. Backdrop buildings will also be used along the San Marino side of the layout on the far right. The windows on the Mysterious Middle Part Of the "new" JJJ&E will be covered with two 2'x4' Styrofoam boards that will be removable to get access to the windows.

On the 12' middle part of the "new" JJJ&E which I call the Mysterious Part of the "new" JJJ&E I decided to used commercial printed backdrop buildings showing an industrial area before entering the town of San Marino.

After cementing the Vinyl Roof Flashing to the walls above the train room, we started to staple in place bendable 1/4 inch fascia in the 50 inch turnaround areas and against the other modules. This fascia was sanded smooth and any defects in the wood fascia were filled in. The fascia will be painted at a later date, after all repairs to the fascia were completely dry. I left the lip of  the fascia 5/8" above the foam in order to prevent any disastrous accidents due to any derailments. I will hide that 5/8 inch lip with some scenic effects. I've done this before on other layouts of all major scales.

The left side of the bench work is 18' long. The middle part of the bench work under the windows is 12' long. The right side of the bench work is approximately 16' long. The two turnaround areas are 50'x50". The depth of the bench work is 30". All areas of the bench work are very accessible.

As you can see, I left plenty of room in the center isle to move about. Narrow isles don't work in train rooms. I have three comfortable swivel chairs in the room for siting and observing the layout.