Tuesday, September 2, 2025
Back to School
The first part of August saw the completion of the final module of benchwork and tying it into the layout.
Then it was on to connecting the Bakery tracks, which I have completed along with the industrial tracks in that area. I decided to go with Walthers Branchline Code 70 with wood ties. At $50 for 5, 36” pieces versus Micro Engineering Code 70 Nickel Silver Rail at $8 per 36” rail plus ties. That’s $80 plus ties for the same 15 feet of track. Cost and laziness won out.
I have three of the four curved turnouts connected to the slide switch mounts under the layout and rods through the fascia for control (The green knobs in the video above). The fourth one has been a bit of a pickle, as the throwbar sits atop a module joyce, so I have been trying to figure out a different way to connect the throwbar to the slide switch. I haven’t quite got it straight in my mind yet, but I think I will have to go back to Cs & Zs for this one. I’ll explain once I figure it out.
I installed the two left turnouts of the center runaround and connected them. Once I got to this point, procrastination set in, and one of my projects caught my attention. I’m also waiting on rail joiners, so Ozzy’s spur didn’t get laid, and no power connection.
As for the project, I bought one of these Treadmills off eBay, and I want to use it for speed matching my locomotives.
I drilled a hole in one of the wheel bogey ilders and used an IR detector to count pulses. Now, using a little math, I have a speedometer.
The foreground wheel on the left is the one with the hole. I have had an issue with erroneous pulses. I’m still working on that. An issue with traction as the locomotive doesn’t spin the wheel bogey ilder reliably. I found a product called “Bullfrog Snot”. It’s a liquid rubber product used for traction tires. It looks like it will work if I can get a thin enough layer on the idler.
I will be buying one box of track a month. I have my September box, so I should be
able to finish the center section and start on the right side, with the hope of having all
the track down by the end of October. I need to build three left-hand turnouts for the
center section, and have four quick strips printed. Once my order for rail joiners
comes in, I can complete the center section. In the meantime, Wiring is the name of
the game.
Until next month.
Victor