Allegheny Eastern: Clean Slate

[MichaelWinicki]

Hey Frank, you can find the wire you're looking for at Radio Shack.

[kelticsylk]

Mike,
Thanks for the info.
I'll check that tomorrow. I don't recall seeing it in our local Shack, but I'll look again.

Only have a few more pieces of flex to lay on the helix. Gotta complete the wiring by connecting all those feeder wires to the buss. After that I can install the helix and start on Gallitzin and Spruce Creek.

Frank

[kelticsylk]

The track has been laid on the helix. It took less code 80 that I thought it might, but it's also 1 turn shorter now...

Before I install it I have to finish wiring it. I ran the 14 GA buss wire along the outside for the eastbound tracks and started connecting the feed wires. After several attempts using different methods I came up with a solderless method. First I take off about 1/4" or more of insulation. Then I use the point of a knife to spread the stranded wire essentially creatinng a "hole" through the center of the wire. It's kind hard to see in this photo...

I then feed the end of the feeder wire through the hole. After wrapping the feeder around the buss wire, I close the opening by sqeezing it shut with pliers...

I got some of this "liquid" electrical tape at Ace hardware to insulate the wire joints. I have a feeling it can also be used as liquid traction tire, but more on that when I get to working on locomotives again...

The liquid tape comes with a lid mounted brush. I brush on a liberal amount and let it dry...

Finally I I bundle the buss wires into a cable using electrical tape. It's an excellent inexpensive stand in for wire ties...

The buss cable will be mounted to the edge of the helix roadbed using globs of glue or sealant.

Tomorrow I finish the westbound wiring and hopefully get to the eastbound wiring.

Regards,
Frank Musick

[kelticsylk]

Well it took a few days, but I wired the east bound tracks in the helix...

Started to test it out by running some motive power up and down. First run was Altoona Northern's gas-electric #301. Bought it at a swap meet yesterday morning...

Put it on the track and turned up the throttle...Nothing. I thought "No wonder this doodlebug was so cheap". Tried an FM switcher and got same result. Thought maybe the blackening on the Rapido track was the culprit so I got out my trusty multimeter. I had a short in the wiring somewhere. The meter showed continuity between both rails on both eastbound tracks. Had to trouble shoot all those electrical joints. Turns out a wire splice or two were touching. Corrected the problem (sorta) and got the trains to run.

Clearance between turns looks good and tracks can be reached for derailments...

The doodlebug seemes to work well on both tracks. There were stalls but I attributed this to glue and other dirt on the track. Rather than run the chance I would eventually drop the new Bachmann and destroy it. I put it back in it box. I switched to Altoona Northern's "pseudo" Fairbanks-Morse 10-44 switcher (a Trix FM 12-44 in disguise)...

The short wheelbase on this critter makes it susceptible to electrical faults and bad trackwork,
I found there were quite a few places where the track really was dirty, but I also found that the track wasn't as smooth as I wanted...

Although the helix roadbed seems to work, it needs to be leveled perpendicular to the rails. Lots of other things need rework. Some of the feeders were too short (mostly the ones with the thin stranded wire (24 GA?) and I tried to solder on "extensions". A couple of these extensions were causing the short...

Unlike an earlier image, in this one you get a clear view of the how the solderless buss connections are done. After the feeder is fed through the split it gets wrapped around and the buss wire is squeezed together with pliers. This connection works fine but those feeder wires will have to be replaced.

I'm gonna take the whole thing apart and start over. This time I'll make sure the track is smoother and all tracks will be wired as I go. I'm also going to test each connection and rail joint for continuity before moving to the next one. I purchased the proper 20 GA stranded wire at Radio Shack and intend to replace all the feeders.

Should go easier the second time around.

Regards,
Frank Musick

[davefoxx]

Frank,

I'm not so sure that the solderless connection is a good idea.  It's likely to oxidize and will cause intermittent breaks in electrical continuity that will drive you insane.  You'll never be able to find the break and soldering a dirty joint later won't likely fix the problem.

I also posted over on Weekend Edition that you should just consider running buss wires up at two or three spots around the perimeter of the helix.  Running buss wires around each level will cost you to need a lot more wire than necessary.  You can zip tie the buss wires to the posts and then have small feeders  come off at each level.

Dave Foxx

[DKS]

Agree 100% with Dave on the solderless connections. Also, the electrical tape may be a cheap substitute for wire ties, but the adhesive in that tape will give out over time and the wires will unravel. Consider twisting the wires together to help keep them bundled, and use a few ties to secure them at key points. Finally, I would not use the brush-on insulation as it tends to make a mess that makes it harder to debug problems or make changes down the road. Instead, just stagger the connection points so that they don't short on one another.

[MichaelWinicki]

Frank, if you want to avoid soldering then I would greatly suggest 3M "suitcase" connectors.

I think you're far less likely to have issues down the road because of them.

[C855B]

Frank, if you want to avoid soldering then I would greatly suggest 3M "suitcase" connectors.

I think you're far less likely to have issues down the road because of them.

+1.

[kelticsylk]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! Since I started over I can incorporate them into the "new" helix which is already started...


This time the helix is being re-assembled in its actual location between Gallitzin and Spruce Creek. I added a bottom layer of plywood to the foam/plywood sandwich for additional support and provide a bottom for all the post holes. First turn is in place, graded and leveled.

I started laying track from the Spruce Creek area approach...


Tracks in foreground have not been secured yet but eastbound will run to the left of the post, westbound to the right. They come together after exiting the "west" portals of the Spruce Creek tunnels.

Only a few sections of flex track have been laid at this point. I being extra cautious this time. I'm not using glue to hold the track down. I feel the glue prevents the track from curving naturally (hence the bad trackwork). I'm back to using track nails every 6" or so after nailing the ends down in their proper position...


I'm also being careful of how and where I place the feeder wires. I'm still soldering them to the rail joiners so that every section has a power connection at each end. I started to run the buss wires again, but only got to the first set of feeder wires. Dave Foxx suggested I run the buss up the posts rather then around the circumference. Never even occurred to me to do that...


I enlarged some of the post holes in each turn to provide some fudge room. This doesn't affect the integrity of the helix. The posts themselves are only oversize alignment pins. The spacers actually support the levels.

I'm still using the "solderless" connections, only now I'm actually using solder on them. The liquid tape I used to insulate the joints really did not work (hence the short). I switched to normal electrical tape. I'm also staggering the connections (just a tad) as suggested by Dave Smith  (lot of Daves around here).

Mike...Didn't go with the suitcase connectors because I've had issues with them (have a box of them here). I probably did something wrong, but I wired a trailer with them and had to redo it because of bad connections.

Regards,
Frank Musick

[kelticsylk]

After spending an inordinate amount of time waiting for my solder gun to heat up 14GA wire to no effect I broke open my box of "suitcase" connectors. I hadn't had any luck with these before, so I tried to figure out what I was doing wrong. Once I did that, I went crazy with the damn things...

I only got a few more pieces of flex track laid today. Wasted a lot of time on the wiring and a couple other glitches. I found that if I drill an undersize pilot hole for the track nails they are a force fit and not likely to pull up anytime soon...

The nails are working much better than the glue. They allow more adjustment at the joints and the curve in general.

When I put the helix in position I had to flatten the grade out. It was in the mock up phase and hadn't been fastened in place yet. I also removed the roadbed in Gallitzin that will eventually sit atop the helix...

I made sure the lower approach tracks would clear the posts and fastened them down too...

Hopefully things will go faster over the next few days and the helix will rise again.

Regards,
Frank Musick

[kelticsylk]

Work continues on the "new" helix. The suitcase connectors have made the electrical a breeze. Now I find myself spending more time on getting the track and all the joints are "just right".

I've been laying the outer track first, keepinng the ties 1.125" from the outer edge of the plywood. The other three tracks will be lined up from this one...

The track spacing tool puts the track on 1.25" centers. To get all four tracks evenly spaced and curved correctly takes a bit of sliding the tool up and down the different tracks and adjusting the track nails to get everything spaced correctly. If I find the joints aren't lininng up correctly I make adjustments, even trimming the track if needed.

The openings for the wires are oversized so that the wirinng doesn't prevent the track from moving sideways if adjustments are needed. The wire is passed through the opening and the rail joiners placed on the previous length. Then the new section is eased onto the rail joiners (eased may not be quite the right word)...

After a few hours, most of it spent aligning all four tracks with each other, I'm about 75% through the first turn.

Regards,
Frank Musick

[kelticsylk]

Quite a bit has happened since the last post. It took two tries, but the helix is complete...

With the west slope (helix) completed I was able to build the east slope. Both sides of The Hill are long 2% grades...

Gallitzin is now about 100 scale feet above and just over a scale mile west of Altoona...

It was easier to lay the grade from the top down (I know it's counter intuitive). Since the roadbed was already cut I just elevated it by installing uprights as I worked my way down. To make sure I was maintaining a 2% (or lesser) grade I used a new version of my "inclinometer" based on an article in Model Railroader. It's a 12.25 inch level raised about 1/4" at one end. When the bubble is level the grade is close to 2%...

I then measured the distance from the bottom of the roadbed to the top of the benchwork and cut the upright to the required height. I reached the bottom of the grade just west of Slope, exactly where it ought to be...

Although the mainline worked out perfect, I didn't have the same luck in the Blair Furnace area. The plan called for a siding at Bennington that ran down into this area. Unfortunately, I ended up with a ridiculous slope...

I rethought the whole idea and decided to do away with the siding and the "mine" at Bennington. I lose an industry, but now the track plan is simpler and I don't have to push a Shay up God knows what percent grade...

Bennington will now be a mountain side, like it's supposed to be.

I also removed the siding at Gallitzin that would have been at the top of the helix. It was facing point on the westbound main and would have been an operations nightmare. With that out of the way I can actually model the town.

The second Altoona Northern connection east of Antis was also removed. I turned it into a siding so the AN has another industry to serve. Probably shorten the thing up a bit. Too close to the mains...

The track plan has been altered to match the "field modifications" and now looks like this...

With the roadbed in place I started to lay the ballast strip for Track 4, the eastbound freight main. I began at the bottom of the helix at Spruce Creek and headed west towards Altoona...

Because of the specific curve radii and clearances I laid all four tracks at the same time through the helix. Out in the open, however, it's not really necessary and I usually lay one track completely and then use that as a guide to lay the other three. Having the plan laid out full size makes this job pretty easy.

The freight mains makes a long sweeping curve through East Altoona as they enter the yard...

For me the curves are the easy part. I don't really have trouble with them. The straight tracks, particularly those in the yards are the hardest part. I hate when I look back along a stretch of track I've just put down and finding it's not as straight as it looked. To make sure the ballast strip is straight I use a aluminum straight edge that's meant for cutting drywall. It comes in two four foot sections that can be connected to make it 8 foot long. I place it right up against the ballast strip before the glue has set and line the strip up with the straightedge...

The ballast strip is down between Spruce Creek and ALTO. I'll keep heading west until I reach the top of the helix and then start laying the code 55.

Regards,
Frank Musick

[svedblen]

Kudos, for your unsentimental attitude towards the original trackplan. I find it most refreshing to hear that you simply, and on the spot, remove stuff that does not to fit. I'm sure you will eventually find yourself in the possession of a terrific layout.

I will follow your progress with great interest.

/Lennart

[MichaelWinicki]

Kudos, for your unsentimental attitude towards the original trackplan. I find it most refreshing to hear that you simply, and on the spot, remove stuff that does not to fit. I'm sure you will eventually find yourself in the possession of a terrific layout.

I will follow your progress with great interest.

/Lennart

I agree with that take.

You'll read a post about someone building a layout and working themselves into a tizzy because a spur is only 6.75" as opposed to the 7.00" the computer generated trackplan says that it should be.

[kelticsylk]

Got track 4 laid down between Gallitzin and ALTO. From ALTO back around to Spruce Creek is all level track at elevation 0". After that there are only three mainline tracks to go.

Since I worked from the top of the helix at Gallitzin down I started by attaching modified code 55 joiners to the code 80 rail used on the spiral...

The code 55 joiners will fit on code 80 with a little persuasion. Because of the different rail height I had to bend the joiners into a sort of 'Z' shape. I then slipped the code 55 rail in and started down the hill.

Since we're still above the helix each set of feeders that I soldered to the joiners had to be a custom length. I cut one set a a time and soldered them to the joiners. This was true all throughout the helix. Once I got onto the regular roadbed, however, I could use standard 6" long feeder wires. All of these feeders were gang soldered at a simple soldering station made from a slab of oak...

The box of drywall screws serves as a clamp to hold all the wires down. I brush some rosin on and tin all the wires first, let them cool and then solder a joiner to each wire.

Each section of code 55 is laid individually. The flex track needs a little prep before it's put in place. First I saw through the tie strip between the second and third ties on each end. Then I drill out all the blind holes molded into the bottom of the tie strip.

With the new section ready to install the joiners/feeders are slipped on the end of the previous section and I slide the new section into the joiners...

I trim the rails at the far end of the new section to match each other. I use an inexpensive Excel sprue cutter I purchased at Hobby Lobby. They were about half the price of my Xuron rail nippers but work just fine...

Rather than glue the track to the foam ballast strip, I use track nails. Once the new section is in place I drill a pilot hole through the holes in the tie strip in the plywood roadbed. The holes are just big enough to provide a tight fit for the track nails. I use a nail about every 6" or so...

After I trim the rails at the end of each section, I use the rails as a guide for drilling the holes for the feeders and the whole process starts over again for the next section.

One of the things I'm doing on the layout is superelevating the curves. After a little trail and error I found I can use 1/32" thick balsa to raise the outside of a curve. I tried positioning  the balsa "shim" under the outer tie ends, but found it worked better if I located it directly under the outer rail...

I ran the business car "Blue Heron" through the curve to see how well it worked. Looks okay to me...

I found that it's far easier to place the shim after the track is laid. I just slide the shim under the track and work it under the rail. I also found that I didn't have to try and sand the shims to create a slope where the curves transition into straight sections. Instead I pull the shim back out to the ends of the ties in a gradual curve and trim it off. The height of the track decreases as the shim gets farther away from the rail.

It takes a little while to get all these various things done so that the trackwork is smooth. It's taken me a few days to run Track 4 to ALTO

Gallitzin...

Bennington...

Horseshoe

Down hill towards SLOPE from The Curve...

"Blue Heron" at SLOPE, the bottom of the grade.

The track nails are very noticeable, but they can be removed after the track is ballasted in place.

I haven't connected the feeders to the buss yet. After reading some articles on DCC wiring I decided to make a few improvements. Each mainline track will have it's own buss. This means I can run each track from a separate DC cab until the DCC is up and running. Each buss will be run as a twisted pair. The twisting decreases any "noise" that might interfere with a DCC signal. As Dave Smith suggested it's also a better way to cable the buss than electrical tape.

For DCC I'm using an older Atlas/Lenz system I purchased on E-Bay. I chose it because the command unit supports 99 addresses and will also support 99 throttles on the command network. I'll never have 99 trains running, but the extra channels can be used to control all manner of DCC goodies.

Regards,

Frank Musick