Mill Street: Boston & Maine Branchline

[Hawghead]

One thing I'd suggest is adding skewed cross beams across the the ends to connect the vertical sides of the thru trusses

Scott

[garethashenden]

One thing I'd suggest is adding skewed cross beams across the the ends to connect the vertical sides of the thru trusses

Scott

Oh definitely. It’s far from done. Just done enough to work out the river beneath it.

[garethashenden]

Since this layout is designed to be portable and storeable, it was time to address how best to achieve that. I bought a large plastic storage container and have managed to fit all four scenery sections in it. The board with the mill on it is on the bottom of the box. On either side are two upside down U shapes made of plywood. Strips of wood are at either end to keep if from sliding. The other two 1x2 boards sit on their sides on top of the U shaped boxes. They are held in place at the ends by more pieces of wood screwed to the box. Eventually there will be latches or bolts to keep the boards from falling forward, which they can do at the moment. The 1x1 board fits at the end, but I need to finish building it before I can fit it’s supports. The staging/fiddle yard will be in a separate box along with controllers and whatever odds and end decide to come along.

[garethashenden]

I want to get back to this layout. I really like the concept, but there are some problems with the execution. I didn't give enough thought to wiring and turnout controls when I started. Luckily I haven't actually made that much progress, so not too much to undo. The one turnout that is in place was set up with a wire-in-tube system for throwing the points. There's a small slide switch on the edge of the layout with some piano wire running in a tube to the throwbar. Some electrical wires go from the switch to the rails and the frog, so that the polarity changes when it gets thrown. It technically works, but not all that well. It also will get buried under scenery making servicing impossible.

This is the state its been in since March while I've been doing other things. My plan now is to remove the turnout, "mechanism" and wiring. I will then cut a piece of 1/8" plywood slightly larger than the turnout and mount that to the layout. This will be the new roadbed, taking the place of the cork. I can then excavate the foam underneath and mount one of Tam Valley's small servos under the turnout. I'd also get some of their frog juicers to change the polarity. This would give me reliable remote operation and sturdier mounting of the turnout. Assuming this works, the other three turnouts would be done in the same way.

Does this sound like it would work? Is there something else I should do instead? The layout is three layers of 1" foam on top of 1/8" plywood. Tortoises won't fit.

The current arrangement:

[CRL]

Yes to the above, except mount the turnout to the top of the plywood and attach the servo to the bottom side of the plywood. You can then embed some small blocks of wood into the foam at each end to let you attach (with screws) the switch/plywood/servo assembly into position. This approach makes the assembly easily removable for servicing.

[narrowminded]

Here's an idea that I've found very handy working in foam and for moments just like this.  Using a Dremel router attachment sold as a "tile cutter", you can set the depth very precisely with your calipers and either free hand or make a frame that serves as a guide for repeat pockets. 
https://us.dremel.com/en_US/products/-/show-product/tools/566-tile-cutting-kit

And in this thread there are some photos of an actual application where this tool was used.  https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=46808.msg613664#msg613664

This can be a handy tool for all sorts of odd jobs.  I originally made it up for burying track in streets for a trolley track installation.

[Hawghead]

Gareth,

I'd also get some of their frog juicers to change the polarity.

Looking back on your track plan, I'd suggest just using DPDT switches to control frog polarity.  If you're going to use Tam Valley's servo drivers you can use the DPDT switches to control the servo driver off of one side of the switch and frog polarity off the other side.  You only have four switches on your layout and a single Hex Frog Juicer is $80.00 and four Mono Frog Juicers would still cost you $60.00 before you figure in the cost of the servo drivers.  I had to buy two of the Hex Frog Juicers as I have three 3-way stub switches on my layout and there was no other reasonable way to control both the Dual 3-way servo drivers and switch the frog polarity of all nine of the frogs.  For all the rest of the switches on my layout I'm using their Octopus III servo drivers and DPDT switches for servo control and frog polarity.

Scott

[nscalbitz]

No comment on the plan.
But very bad idea running wires on the surface like that.
You ARE going to plant things, or push into the 'ground' and you will hit wires, no question.
All of those should have gone under the top sheet for protection etc.
regards d

[garethashenden]

So I placed an order with Tam Valley and USPS took their sweet time delivering it. But it is here now. In the meantime I worked on a couple of buildings. There are only a few buildings on the whole layout and they're all approaching completion. The station is an Atlas kit, mostly assembled according to the instructions but painted in the B&M's station colors. It needs quite a bit of weathering to give a more neglected look. The other building is the N Scale Architect's "Williamstown Coal". Its been a little challenging to build because I've had it for a few years and most of the plywood warped, even before painting. I ultimately resorted to two steel bars to hold the upper structure straight. I really should have spent the time finishing the bridge, as now that the turnout controls are here the bridge is the next impediment to finishing the track, but one thing at a time.

I also relaid the turnout next to the bridge, the first one had a twist that I couldn't fix. I set about mounting the Tam Valley parts to the underside of a piece of plywood. I 3d printed a mount for the servo, and got everything positioned and wired up, then I attached the turnout to the other side. Its been tested and it works! So now I just need to add the remaining ties. I carved out enough foam so that I can get to the electronics from bellow if I need to and so the bus wires can run out the bottom rather than out the back.

[garethashenden]

Making a bit more progress with the bridge. I started with the Central Valley kit, but I've shortened and skewed it, and then decided to build it as a Baltimore truss rather than as a Pratt truss. It was a little difficult to figure out how to do that, particularly the skew. Then I found a fantastic website: https://bridgehunter.com
I've found two skewed Baltimore trusses and I've been using them as prototypes.

[R L Smith]

Loving that bridge build!!

[Philip H]

That wood deck is pretty hawt.

[perezbill]

i like the 3D mockup you did. I also like the actual photo's you added to the post. I think your 3D mock up is a great idea as it shows you several things about the layout so you don't have to imagine what it would be.

[garethashenden]

i like the 3D mockup you did. I also like the actual photo's you added to the post. I think your 3D mock up is a great idea as it shows you several things about the layout so you don't have to imagine what it would be.

I'm a firm believer that everyone should build a model of their model before they start actual construction. Seeing it in 3D helps in so many ways. I think I took five minutes to make that model. It would probably have been a good idea to spend a bit more time and do it in a larger scale, but overall it helps. Its also great for communicating with people when gesticulating wildly doesn't work. I thought the photos would be a good way to set the scene. I know what I want but most people probably aren't familiar with it and its something to refer back to as progress gets made.

[garethashenden]

The construction phase of the bridge is done. Primer next, then lots of rivet decals, then paint.