WM Western Lines Engineering Report

[wm3798]

Did the solder to the screw stud trick on the upper turnout track.  Contemplated slashing wrists as alignment became nearly impossible to attain, screwed up gauge through the points.  Tried multiple fixes, all failed.  Finally pulled out all the stupid spikes I was using to try to line things up again.

Train proceeded through at the prescribed speed without incident.

Quickly installed ballast, crossing fingers as the cool night air works its magic on the glue...

Lee

[wazzou]

It's probably more difficult after the gaps have been cut. 
I cut the sub-roadbed in advance, assure proper fit/finish, lay the cork, install screws, cut cork, lay track as normal, remove ties where necessary, solder rails to screws, and finally cut gaps.

[wm3798]

Yeah, I haven't cut the gaps yet.  That will likely be this evening.

Lee

[wm3798]

Still haven't cut the gaps yet, but here's where it stands at the moment...


There's a wee gap in the ties there at the right end of the turnout, this is where the screws are.  I may go back with some thin strip styrene and paint to "faux" in some ties, but not till after the surgery is done.

Meanwhile, back at the ReStore, a chunk of forlorn countertop presented itself, and was quickly pressed into service as the new and improved dispatch desk and yard office...


This should provide plenty of space for the yard clerk to sort through car cards, as well as a place for the switcher engineer to put down his libation.

While I'm pleased with the results, this was no easy task.  The little control box for west end staging had to be moved, which involved cutting and splicing about 10 pairs of wires below decks.  Good thing I like the taste of soldering flux, and the pleasant aroma that's produced by hot solder scorching my cornea.

This task will enable me to complete the work lights for the staging yard, and then on to permanently affixing the yard platform on top of the frame.  The goal remains to hold a little roundy round shake down session at the end of June.

Lee

[wm3798]

Cut the gaps, pulled the section, installed the A/C. 

Put humpty dumpty back together, to discover (to my delight!) that the bottom of the river platform clears the top of the A/C unit by about 3/32"

I also discovered that I never installed track feeders to the main line on the upper bridge...  Oh well, now I know why I didn't finish the scenery on that...  Tomorrow, wires, solder and pictures!

Lee

[chessie system fan]

Interesting telephone there... :

[wm3798]

It Came from the 70's... Just like leisure suits, disco, and that stupid Chessie paint scheme...

[wm3798]

A nice clean cut from the razor saw...


And the unbelievably close clearance over the A/C unit...


I should have gotten an engineering degree.

Lee

[davefoxx]

I should have gotten an engineering degree.

...or a degree in humility.   ;D

D. Trump

[wm3798]

Humiliation is usually what I get...

[mcjaco]

I'll be curious to see what happens if that AC unit craps out and you need to buy another one.  Hopefully you'll find one that fits the same clearance issues.   

And that phone is HOTT.

[wm3798]

I've been going through the bazillions of photos I've accumulated of the reconstruction in my picasa albums to reorganize and streamline their accessibility based on the geography of the layout.  As such, some of the images posted in these pages may evaporate.  I'll do my best in the coming weeks to edit humpty dumpty back together, so please be patient if you don't see something you were looking for.

You can also check out my Picasa gallery in the mean time.

Among the first shots in the order of things would be this little accomplishment completed today...


Should be plenty of light for the clerks reading the numbers off of those N scale freight cars as they shuffle through the yard.

Lee

[GaryHinshaw]

That's a yard?    :

The light is a key addition though.

-gfh

[wm3798]

The journey of a thousand miles begins with being able to see what the hell you're doing... ;D

[wm3798]

Here's the link to one of the albums.  You ought to be able to find your way around from there.  Hint, sort albums by title, and they'll all be at the top.

https://picasaweb.google.com/Lee.WildCard.Graphics/021HighBridge?feat=directlink

There will be a quiz later...

Lee