Track problems and SD 90

[mmagliaro]

If it's your fussiest engine, then yes, it's a good test for your track.
I would suggest running it pulling and then pushing a long train (well, at least 20 cars), in both
directions.

My personal acid test is to run the T1 (4-4-4-4) and then SP&S 4-8-4, in forward and reverse,
then repeat pushing and then pulling a 10 car train of 80-foot passenger cars, then repeat
with a 25-car freight train.  And yes, I've had track problems that only show up
in one of these circumstances.

Long rigid wheelbase steam is very nasty and effective for finding slight kinks,
errant switch points, or spots where the gauge is a hair narrow.

[trainforfun]

The SD90 is also my preferred loco to find tight spot . All the others goes thru where the SD90 will find the problem , it's sometimes very frustrating .
The SD80 BTW is also good but less finicky , but it should be equal .
I had to carve a little bit of the underframe just where the front truck ends on both side of the fuel tank and also where the rear truck start .  It's a black piece that is like added under the frames . Carving it will not show .
When the truck move up and down it hit the underframe just enough to prevent the rotation a little .

[rsn48]

Interesting Louis, I'll check for the little black thing on my engine.

[John]

[wmcbride]

You can tell when I start working on my layout, I pick up my postings here.  Bill you almost shocked me with your question about my nolix, didn't think anyone remembered!  The track work for it is what I'm working on right now.  I used AMI for my road bed; AMI solves a lot of problems but creates it own set of problems.  I'm now the AMI expert on a product that no longer exists....lol.

One of the problems with AMI is that you can get kinks at the track joining area, subtle pinches you can't see but are there waiting to leap out and grab a passing wheel.  One of the benefits of AMI is that it is so easy to change your mind, you can lay a track, decide to do something differently, then decide your wrong and correct it back to the original within an hour and no gnashing of teeth.  But on large loops because the sticky AMI has some give initially (eventually it hardens right up) that  pinch points are common.

I haven't been in contact with the Reid brothers but apparently they have had some problems with AMI I probably know how to solve now.  Big nails and super glue are your friend with AMI.  I sweated a bit about how to solve the kinking until I tried something that I initially thought was dumb (I was desperate) but it worked like a charm.  I'm probably the only guy who uses a regular Estwing hammer and nail punch with a small but not model railroad nail to solve the problem.

First I find the location of the pinch, has to be pretty close to exact location.  I then grab a nail and depending on location the nail will be driven into the plywood through the AMI; once its roughly half way in, I get my wire cutter and snap off the remaining top at track level.  With my Estwing hammer and nail punch I then drive the nail further down, out of the way of wheels especially if the nail is on the inside of the rail.  Then with a gauge I see how much the rail is out and with gentle taps push the nail into the rail to apply the necessary correction; so far after doing this about 20 times I haven't over corrected (knock on wood).  I then hit the nail top with a black sharpie and the nail "disappears" to eventually be covered with ballast in some areas.

My son comes home from the military roughly around the middle of December for a couple of weeks and I want trains running on it.  I have already had trains running but with issues, I want to eliminate as many issues as possible.  I"m also on the executive of our Vancouver train show committee with the show on the 9th and 10th of November so as you can imagine, much time spent on that.

I don't know if I posted a pic with the track in, but the track you see in the pic below (if I remember how to post a pic) is what I am currently working on:

I remembered your nolix since it was such an interesting and creative way to change levels especially the two (?) visible tracks amid the scenery. I can't wait to see the rough landforms in.

BTW what is your minimum radius in the nolix?

[rsn48]

I'll bore everyone and give a brief bit on the nolix.  There are four levels, if you notice, unlike a helix there is no uniformity, each level is different, whereas a helix is a stretched out slinky and each level is reflected in the one above or below it.  The purpose of a nolix is to add scenic interest and to have visible track (as much as you can) so that you get some mainline run out of it and you aren't waiting endlessly for your train to re-appear at either end.

In this nolix, there is approximately 75 feet of track, excluding the siding on the 2nd level.  From the front, only the second and third level will be visible, if you look closely at the 4th level, its behind the ribs I've set up for the mountains.  The first level won't be visible either.  I could have double track the nolix but I decided against it (for staging) as the room I'm using is smaller, I prefer operating sessions to last only 2 to 3 hours and two people can fit in, maybe a third, not sure so I don't need that much staging. I used 17 1/2 inch radius.  You can see in the pic the radius looks more generous than 17 1/2 inches but it works. The grade is roughly 2.2%.  It is 19 1/2 inches between levels.

Another positive of this particular nolix is again unlike a helix which is continually turning trains, there are a number of straight sections.  I have found that I still need to minimally double head to get the trains through the helix; this is great for me as I'm an SD 90 junkie.

My train lengths aren't long, roughly 8 feet, though when no one is around I can cheat and send some 20 feet trains though just because I can....lol.

Between the 2nd and 3rd level, will be a valley with a fast running river in it, inspired by the Fraser Thompson Canyon so from the second level the valley will dip down about 6 inches and up to the 3rd level.  The one negative of my nolix is there will be many tunnel portals, but I decided I could live with it.

Another advantage is that the nolix really expands the mainline running length and so I have the HO empire I always wanted but couldn't have in a smaller room that was designed to be a study.

The downside of the nolix is that in the same space I could have had a traditional helix on the right hand side of the pic and had ops on both levels, or more ops (interesting track) and the layout would have accommodated a 3rd person much easier.  Since I love watching long trains in our marvelous canyons here in BC for me it was a no brainer, I opted for rail fanning visuals rather than operational interest.  Besides there's lots of switching on the rest of the layout.

And yes, I'm proud of my new baby.

[peteski]

Instead of doing it here, why not post your nolix updates in the original nolix thread?  That way, the nolix construction thread will have continuity.

[wmcbride]

You should get a medal from the N gods ( ) for using AMI and making it work. I tried it about 12 years ago and I was patient and coaxed it and rolled it and shaped it and it still defeated me.

[rsn48]

Pete, literally three days ago I was going through my bookmarked items and I did have that thread included.  And I looked at it, opened it up and closed it, and removed it.  I thought nah.... the guys must be tired of my evangelical protestations of the benefits of a nolix and what I have done.

I posted a like thread at Model Railroad Hobbyist in the benchwork section and not one person commented on it so I thought, well I guess its just me who sees the benefits of this type of design and construction. [You will see in the thread below at MRH I was talking to myself]

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/10748

Now I'm not totally self-deprecating, I have started an article for N scale or maybe another mag, but I thought that some here and else where were having trouble understanding what I was doing, so I thought once the mountain and river were in the design would be easier to comprehend.  I'm hoping to have all of the mountain and valley in roughly by the spring, but I know when I make plans, I have to triple the time I think something is going to be accomplished.  So once the mountain is roughly completed I'll shoot some pics and post them here and for the mag.

Bill I wouldn't hesitate to use AMI again, I change my mind so much I can't imagine using any other technique; in fact I'm in crisis as I'm not sure I'll have enough to finish the top deck.  The other techniques are so "permanent" and a pain in the butt to modify, and I won't even discuss cork and glue, been there, done that and scraping stuff off was no fun.  There are issues with AMI but I can resolve them all now, but I must confess if my base was foam I would have difficulties.  My base for the entire layout is one inch oak veneer MDF (don't ask) and plywood in the nolix; the positive of both is they can take nails.

And to answer some one else's comment here, the benefits of using MDF is there is no shrinkage or being affected by humidity, its mostly hardened glue.

[John]

I used a Nolix at one time .. but now have a hybrid ... NOLIX, feeding a 4 turn Helix

[rsn48]

Interesting John, do you have pics?