Lots of roadbed down tonight. The easement curves came out well, I think. I should be able to get some more track down in the next couple days.
The lynchpin is the 3-way switch at the entrance to the house. I expect to have two in hand next week.
Looking good (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Eric
Looks great … I would install a 1x4 along the back so small things do not fall below.
Thanks, Sean. There will be a 12"-high masonite backdrop there eventually. Probably taller in the areas where I don’t have to compete with the drain pipe.
Wow, great work Eric!
Jon, I love your double-folding bridge.
Thanks Cliff - I have two. The second is much prettier as it was cut from finished wood with rounded edges salvaged from a waterbed frame.
Nice work Eric. Your trains are going to look good coming around those curves on that sturdy bench work.
If you can’t find the rail clamps for the bridge lift out section I used regular hillman clamps for my lift out section and simply carved out 1/2 of the clamp. One side attaches to the approaching track and the lift out bridge section drops onto the carved out section of the clamp. My setup is outdoors and I’m track powered so this section does require the occasional cleaning to maintain the flow of power.
It was a cheap and easy way to go.
More progress. About 60’ of track laid so far. I can’t do much else until I receive the two 3-way switches.
Eric,
Congrats on running your first indoor train. Brings back memories of 20 years ago, when I started building the indoor “southern” division of the KVRwy. Enjoyed it for many years. The last of it came down this past September and October as the house was prepared to sell. That is all complete now and sold. If I can offer advice, always be prepared for the dismantle, it is not near as much fun and still has to be done. Also, I was considerably younger and more agile at the time it was built. Not sure what happened there, but it is just part of the life cycle. Enjoy the ride.
I have just about completed benchwork, and am working on the bridge. I have plenty of ceiling height, so I don’t need to do a folding bridge. I’ve decided to use square aluminum tubing to make a lightweight, rigid structure. I’m brazing the joints, and am using a pair of aluminum offset hinges - one LH and on RH. These easily come apart, and have a nice industrial look. It’s 10" x 36". There will be smaller square members going across every 4", and I’ll drill and tap these to connect the track.
In the photo, the left end has been brazed, and the right end has not.
Looking good
Richard
A photo of it tacked in place.
Hay … were is the official napkin drawing …
That is pretty classy Eric. I can’t tell from the photo how wide the gap is at the hinges, but I learned the hard way by almost ripping the counterweights off my live steam Shay that you need a lot of width between things that are close to rail height. My Aristo plow also needs help getting over my hinges on one bridge. I have plenty of room to drop them, but never seem to get around to taking the bridge apart to route out a space.
Thanks, Jon. It’s about 7”. I’m running 1/29 equipment, so I think it will be plenty.
Jon Radder said:
I can’t tell from the photo how wide the gap is at the hinges, but I learned the hard way by almost ripping the counterweights off my live steam Shay that you need a lot of width between things that are close to rail height.
Ah, that’s a good question - will there be enough lift from “There will be smaller square members going across every 4”, and I’ll drill and tap these to connect the track." and the track’s ties to lower the hinges relative to the railhead enough that clearances will not be an issue…
Eric Reuter said:
A photo of it tacked in place.
Ah, the “Bridge to nowhere”.
A sign it needs;
No Fishing from Bridge
Forrest Scott Wood said:
Ah, that’s a good question - will there be enough lift from “There will be smaller square members going across every 4”, and I’ll drill and tap these to connect the track." and the track’s ties to lower the hinges relative to the railhead enough that clearances will not be an issue…
The pivot point is about 13/16" above the deck and the rail head is 9/16", so there is plenty of clearance that way. When I mount it permanently, the bridge deck will be flush with the top of my cork roadbed.