The Carolina Sandhills Lines in HO Scale

[wm3798]

That's a good looking casting.  Maybe you should go into production with it...
Lee

[davefoxx]

After a week of staring at the abutment, I decided to live with it.  I had another idea for a different shape abutment, but that plan was hampered by a turnout at one end of the bridge, preventing me from trimming back the fill on each end of the bridge.  So, I rebuilt the form and poured the second abutment yesterday.  Again, I'm using anchoring cement.



You probably noticed that the second abutment is shorter and had to be shimmed.  Part of that was by design to allow me to fit the bridge and two abutments under installed track.  It's still going to have to be pulled, so I can finish the "fill" around the abutments and finish and paint the lake underneath the bridge.



Getting the bridge fit allowed me to finally take on a task that I dreaded but had to do.  About 12" of track on one side of the bridge had a serious dip as a result of replacing a chunk of 2" foam subroadbed in a prior redesign of the track plan.  It took 0.040" and 0.020" shims to level the track!  Look at the daylight under the track!  But, I used thick CA and glued the shims to the cork and the track to the shims.  Trains run much better through this spot, and there's no longer the concern for an unwanted uncoupling. 



DFF

[davefoxx]

In the hopes that this will inspire me to get on with building the curved trestle for the branch, I bought an HO scale ScaleTrains C39-8.  That's right!  I found me a Dash 8 that fits my 1983-86 era and is plausible for my layout!  I've got a plethora of Dash 7s in my fleet, and I wanted some variety.  The prototype NS C39-8 No. 8579 was built in June 1985, so this will mix into my fleet, including the Seaboard System B36-7s that Rapido is releasing later this year, which were also built in 1985.  The model C39-8 is decorated and detailed "as built."  Perfect.

On a side note, what I call the branch is supposed to represent the former original Norfolk Southern Ry. line out of Aberdeen, North Carolina.  The prototype was merged into the Southern Ry., which sold this line.  I'm altering history slightly, so that the sale never happened and the post-merger Norfolk Southern Corp. still owns the line.  It allows me to run a NS locomotive, and I get to use this C39-8 on the steep 4% grade to climb out of Aberdeen.

This ScaleTrains C39-8 is an incredible model.  I have no problems with it.  It has exquisite detail as a "Rivet Counter" model but doesn't seem to be too fragile.  I've manhandled this engine between the programming track and the layout numerous times without any damage.  It ran beautifully out of the box, and, it having an ESU LokSound V4.0 decoder, I have enjoyed tweaking it on my LokProgrammer this afternoon.  It navigates the track on my layout without a problem, despite the #5 turnouts, curved turnouts, and minimum 18" radius on the branch.  Sweet!



DFF

[chuck geiger]

DFF thought of you on this one:

[davefoxx]

@chuck geiger,

Wow, that's really impressive.  Coincidentally, I am about to start roughing in the streets on my layout, so your timing is impeccable.

Thanks,
DFF

[chuck geiger]

Like the Luke Towan Palm Trees, time consuming but nice.

[LIRR]

I recommend bridge flex track on the span...

[davefoxx]

Hi, @LIRR,

If you're referring to where the trestle will go to leap over the SBD mainline, then, yes, I agree.  In fact, that piece of track just sitting there over the gap is ME bridge track:



If you're referring to the small bridge where I just installed the concrete abutments, then I would say that bridge will get a ballasted deck and will just have standard track:



Thanks,
DFF

[davefoxx]

Good news and bad news.  First, disaster.  After spending a lot of money on the ScaleTrains C39-8, which is a really nice model, I discovered that once I installed the Sergent couplers, they would not swing much, due to the plows on the pilots.  I tried longer shank couplers, but they looked horrible and really didn't solve the problem.  I removed the plow, and I was able to get 60' cars to stay on the rails on my sharp curves.  Shorter cars are not reliable.  This is not the fault of the locomotive or ScaleTrains.  The locomotive is advertised as 18" minimum radius but 22" minimum radius is recommended.  This is accurate.  The C39-8 has no problem with 18" radius curves when not coupled to anything.  But, it needs at least 22" radius when coupled to rolling stock.  So, sadly, this locomotive will not be able to fulfill its duty on the Seaboard Central. 

The good news.  When I realized this a few days ago, I immediately ordered a TCS GEN-MEB1 motherboard and an ESU #54499 Loksound V4.0 21MTC decoder.  The intent was to use these parts on an Athearn Genesis Southern Ry. GP38-2 that I already own.  I was going to sell this locomotive, because I have standardized on ESU decoders in my fleet, which this GP38-2 lacked.  But, once I was so crushed by the disappointment with the C39-8, I decided to invest into upgrading the Athearn unit to ESU instead of taking a loss on the locomotive on eBay.  I mean, it is a good-looking locomotive.  I installed the decoder last night successfully and got the GP38-2 running.  Tonight, I made the final connections to hook up the headlights.  No damage and no shorts.  Whew!  By the way, the motherboard has Keep-Alives on the board (they're under the board at each end); I just had to trim a weight in the locomotive to fit the motherboard.  Easy.



This is my third successful ESU replacement as I upgrade my fleet.  Yes, I kept the 1.5V bulbs currently in the GP38-2, and they'll be upgraded to LEDs someday.  For now, the bulbs work, so good enough.

\

So, all is not lost.  I once again have a dedicated locomotive for the former Norfolk Southern Ry. line out of Aberdeen.  I will admit that I like the Southern scheme better than the NS scheme, but I am disappointed that I will likely have to sell the C39-8.  Well, since this install went okay, I'll likely go ahead and keep the Athearn Genesis Seaboard System GP40-2 (my first HO locomotive since I left N scale) and change it to an ESU decoder, too.  Oh, and I have two Athearn FP7s decorated for the Atlantic Coast Line, too. 

DFF

[Point353]

Good news and bad news.  First, disaster.  After spending a lot of money on the ScaleTrains C39-8, which is a really nice model, I discovered that once I installed the Sergent couplers, they would not swing much, due to the plows on the pilots.  I tried longer shank couplers, but they looked horrible and really didn't solve the problem.  I removed the plow, and I was able to get 60' cars to stay on the rails on my sharp curves.  Shorter cars are not reliable.  This is not the fault of the locomotive or ScaleTrains.  The locomotive is advertised as 18" minimum radius but 22" minimum radius is recommended.  This is accurate.  The C39-8 has no problem with 18" radius curves when not coupled to anything.  But, it needs at least 22" radius when coupled to rolling stock.  So, sadly, this locomotive will not be able to fulfill its duty on the Seaboard Central. 

If you leave the plow off, how do the factory couplers operate on 18" curves?
Would one of the couplers from Kadee perform better than the Sergent?

[davefoxx]

If you leave the plow off, how do the factory couplers operate on 18" curves?
Would one of the couplers from Kadee perform better than the Sergent?

I don't know, because, since my entire fleet has been converted to Sergent couplers, I can't run that test without having to take something apart.  I'm too lazy to get into all of that, and I am committed to these Sergent couplers.  I really like how the Sergents work like the prototype.  I wouldn't even consider going back to magnetic knuckle couplers just because one locomotive can't deal with my sharp curves.  The Southern GP38-2 that I just redecoderized has no issues on the 18" radius curve, even with a short caboose.  Problem solved, and I get to keep my Southern Geep.  I just regret that I can't run the C39-8 in its intended duty.  Again, my fault, not ScaleTrains.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Minor update No. 1:

I went to a LHS yesterday, where I have been buying the ESU decoders and TCS motherboards for the DCC conversions I've been working on lately.  With the success of converting the Athearn Genesis SOU GP38-2 to ESU, I decided to also convert the Athearn Genesis L&N GP40-2 as well.  Unfortunately, despite checking inventory on the computer before I left the house, I was disappointed to find that the LHS had taken a lot of inventory to the Amherst show!  D'oh!  I had to instead place an order online and will have to wait until the inventory returns from Massachusetts or stock is replenished.  Oh, well.

But, since I don't like to leave a LHS empty handed , I did purchase this old Kadee RF&P 50' PS-1 box car.  I also finally remembered to buy some Kadee 33" wheelsets to replace the plastic wheels on the NS box car also in this picture.  Thankfully, in HO, I don't have to replace wheelsets often, as most cars come with metal wheelsets.



The original plan was to remove the running board, but I might leave it.  Research has found that most, but not all, running boards were removed from many freight cars by my 1983-86 era.  Since this car represents a box car built in 1960 (before running boards were eliminated from and high brakewheels lowered on new freight cars in or around 1966), it correctly has the running board and high brakewheel.  This car is supposed to have also been serviced in August 1971 in Acca (Richmond, Virginia), so I'm pretending that the road procrastinated on removing the running board and high brakewheel, which was supposed to occur by 1974 at that point.



Therefore, I'm going to keep the running board for some variety.  In what I believe is a correct proportion, it is the only box car in my fleet with the running board and high-mounted brakewheel.  I do have another car or two with no running board but retaining the high brake wheel.  This should be reasonably accurate for the 1980s.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Major update No. 2:

The two sidings on the Southern Pines side of the layout have been bugging me for a long time.  I have added a few pulpwood flat cars to the fleet, but my siding was too short to hold more than one 60' flat car or two 45' cars.  So, in a moment of clarity, it came to me to just reverse the sidings and move the warehouse closer to the lake and the pulpwood siding to where the warehouse currently resided.

Last night, I cut out a lot of foam that I had taken the time to fit around the warehouse and pulled up the two sidings.  I relaid the sidings (just need to drop feeders), so that I can still get a box car at the warehouse but now two 60' pulpwood flat cars or three 45' flatcars in my pulpwood yard.  Not to mention that I also have a little bit more room to model the pulpwood stacks in the yard.

BEFORE:



AFTER:



AFTER:



Way more better.  Everything just seems to fit a little more efficiently.  I wouldn't be me, if I wasn't revising the track layout. 

DFF

[davefoxx]

Minor Update No. 3:

Oh, and I forgot to add that while I was at the LHS, I bought some LEDs to replace the bulbs in the Athearn Genesis locomotives.  I've run the SOU Geep so much over the past few days that one of the headlights on the long hood has already burned out.  Not unexpected.  A search on the internet shows scores of modelers complaining about Athearn's bulbs.  I've even seen where the bulbs are supposed to be 1.5V but may actually be 1.2V, which explains their "fragility."

So, in the near future, I'll be adding the LEDs.  When I do, I'm contemplating borrowing from Atlas' design of securing the LEDs to the frame rather than to the shell, so that I can easily remove the shell without wires being in the way.  Another benefit of the TCS motherboard that I used is that it can be wired for bulbs or LEDs with the appropriate resistors already wired in.

DFF

[Bendtracker1]

Major update No. 2:
Way more better.  Everything just seems to fit a little more efficiently.  I wouldn't be me, if I wasn't revising the track layout. 

DFF

Ha! I can't tell you how many times I've stood staring at my layout scratching my head for the same reasons.
I bet I'm still not done?