Rooster ’ said:
Ken Brunt said:
I have thought about doing that, Todd and stick it up by the new building. Kind of a before and after…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
You don’t think about nothing but breakfast !
Probably bacon and eggs …
Next up was Radders Mill. Just a few stones missing and a touch up on the paint.
Then back out…
Clark’s Emporium got a repaint of the roof and some trim pieces replaced.
as did Goldings beside it.
Diamond Jims Saloon got a new paint job on the roof.
Ken, I’ve been following from the beginning…what a spectacular set of rehabs. Great work.
edit: I can’t find a favorite!
John Passaro said:
I can’t find a favorite!
Don’t feel bad. I can’t either…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
More stuff…
Back in October while at Andy’s ops session, Bruce had about 5 switches he wasn’t using anymore. He couldn’t remember whose switches they were, but the were in good shape but needed the ties replaced. Being the swell fella that he is, he donated them to the Rio Grande Southern. After replacing most of the ties on them, I knew of a few places out on the layout where they could be used. The 1st 2 spots were right outside Delores, the one for the run around and the other for the wye.
.
The next spot was the run around going into Mancos.
That left 2 more switches to decide what to do with. Something I had been pondering was an escape track down in Porter on the interchange track.
Another place I thought about was on the Wye tail track.
But I couldn’t think of a good reason why I would need it on this side. The Interchange seemed more logical.
Yea, I like this side better. Less busy than the other side. Now for some half decent weather to work on this. It should be in by the Ops session in April.
( Photobucket has been down after a power outage about a week or so ago, so the other pix in this thread can’t be seen yet.)
Nice upgrades, Ken. I like the escape on the interchange too … not that I know what I’m talking about (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)
Glad to see them getting used again! Nice job on the re-make! As for who made them, I’m the irresponsible party (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-embarassed.gif)…most are nickel silver, but I got the points and frogs from Llagas Creek.
Bruce Chandler said:
Glad to see them getting used again! Nice job on the re-make! As for who made them, I’m the irresponsible party (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-embarassed.gif)…most are nickel silver, but I got the points and frogs from Llagas Creek.
Okay, I screwed that up. I like giving credit where credit is due. Thanks for setting the record straight.
Speaking of switches…
One of the guys here, is deep into “Counting”. and decided to see how many switches we have on the IPP&W/RP&M.
I never worried about counting, as switches are just an every day necessity, if you are operating a railroad. I always have a few spares laying about, just waiting for an operational improvement, or that industrial siding that can add to the railroad’s profits.
Ken is wisely taking the opportunity, with that kind gift from Bruce, to improve his operations, making for better enjoyment, and less frustration. This is what keeps an operating experience on a pike such as Ken’s, always an enjoyable and fun experience.
Always maintaining, and improving track work, and getting rid of frustration, always keeps the fun, and enjoyment in MODEL RAILROADING.
BTW…Lawrence counted 150+ switches. I would never have guessed…!!!
Fred Mills
Tell Lawrence I think he has too much free time on his hands…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
If it were just me operating on it, I probably wouldn’t worry about it that much. I want to keep it fun and interesting for those that show up for the Ops sessions. And I find that fun to do.
Dan Hilyer said:
Nice upgrades, Ken. I like the escape on the interchange too … not that I know what I’m talking about (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)
Just consider it another run around track.
Success!
Finally had a half decent day weather-wise and decided to work on these switches.
Ran my largest passenger car through them without a hitch(which is a first)!
Ken,
These last pictures illustrate the issue I have with your switches. the new one from Bruce has a smooth transition (read curve) from the points to the frog. most of your switches are like the one on the other end of the crossover, in that they have an abrupt bend at the points, which dosnt lend to the best operation. the end of the points should only be about 5/16" from the stock rail at the point they connect to the inner rails. yours are close to 3/4 from the pictures.
Me, I do not have any pictures yet, but have been heavily invested in pink foam / dust on the indoor portion of the railroad, with the idea of finishing the scenery. too much frozen white crap on the ground to do anything outdoors here.
Al P.
I understand what your saying, Al. It’s something I’ll have to work on.
As for the points, that’s where the B’mann throws set them.
in that they have an abrupt bend at the points,
Ken, I noticed that, and I don’t think Al’s talking about the amount of the throw from the point lever. The attached pic shows what I think he’s referring to. (I don’t have a problem with the adrupt bend, and if your trains don’t mind then who are we to comment!) (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
I think one of the reasons why I was doing it that way was to save a lot of grinding down on the stock rail and the point rails so the points would fit snug.
Ken Brunt said:
I think one of the reasons why I was doing it that way was to save a lot of grinding down on the stock rail and the point rails so the points would fit snug.
Well, yes, you did save a lot of grinding. But there’s engineering reasons that most point blades are finely tapered (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
I think it was a literal translation of a Numbered switch description. How often do we say that only sectional track switches have curved rails and numbered are straight through the frog? We should be saying Straighter to the frog, but still curved from the stock rail to the frog where it straightens unless topography demands a curve.
I’ve had this B’mann 2-4-2T sitting on a shelf just gathering dust for close to 20 years. It’s lettered for Coal Creek Lumber and came in a set with a flat car and a bobber caboose for $125 from Nicholas Smith. At one time I was going to wire it up for R/C and use a trailing car since at the time I didn’t think anything would fit directly inside it. I kept looking at it and thinking" one of these days". One of these days finally arrived. After a couple of emails between Don Sweet and me we arrived at a solution. A Revo w/sound and a smaller battery, which all fits in the cab.
I originally intended to place most of it in the boiler, but the motor block takes up most of that space.
The pieces/parts.
The battery went against the back wall of the cab. The R/C unit will fit at the top of the cab. I cut off the boiler back head and the speaker will go there.
Unfortunately There was no where else to put the on/off switch but on the back of the tender. The rear truck and an air tank occupy most of the underside.
I thought I could get away with having the speaker in this location, but the battery hits it.
The chuff trigger will mount on the rear truck. Reed switch and magnet.
The TX is in the mail from Precision RC. Don was out of them, so hopefully by tomorrow I’ll either have a running loco or a cloud of smoke…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
It will make a great little switching engine for Delores yard.
Ken,
I did a Bachmann “Lyn” a long time ago, and I managed to fit a bunch of NiMH AA cells in the tanks. I also found there was space on top of the motor block so the Aristo on-board recvr fitted there. Other stuff went in the cab roof, as you did. I think my on-off switch was under one of the tanks, next to the charging jack for the batteries.
