Weekend Update for July 12-15, 2024

[Paul S.]

Please update us what you've done on your model railroad this week/weekend. This weekly thread is intended for us to post snippets about our layout/project progress, rather than be a substitute for our layout-build or project threads. Think of this topic as a mini update on what you've accomplished during the week/weekend. The administrators/moderators will start a new update thread each Friday.
You can link from your layout-build thread or project to your posts in this thread as a part of a more extensive post there, or visa-versa (post to your build thread and link to that post when contributing to this thread).

Click on a post's #number (right-hand end of the post header) to get the URL to that particular post in your browser's address bar. Then just copy and paste.

So fellow RMRers, what have you been up to this week?

[alans]

I've built a shelf above the main layout with 48" curves, where I can run longer equipment. I'm not an ops guy, more a railfan and like to watch the trains moving. Mostly been working on the room. Finished epoxy painting the floor and finishing the ceiling. Should have finished the room out before building benchwork! Ordered some LED strip lighting that will be placed on the ceiling and hopefully light the room better. Waiting for some OBB RailJet cars to arrive.

https://realisticmodelrailroading.ne...3098#post33098

[Alan B]

Am still out in Iowa visiting family. But do have a photo of the PRR T1 rolling along the Rock.....

[JerryZ]

"Some days you get the bear, and some days the bear gets you". This week, I got the bear.

• Did some more detail work on the Saez Sash and Door Kit #1. Need to finish the chimney, rafters and door.
• Trying to dig out from motive power failures.
  • Partial win. I found the reason for the short on a Sunset Models Northern Pacific 4-6-6-4 Z-8, which failed during my last Sunday session. This model has pickup rods on all six drivers, with a bus wire tying the each side (+ and - buss) together. For now, it is running short free after I moved around the pickup rod on the 2nd driver on the rear engine. This was about a five hour troubleshooting exercise to find the source of the short(found a broken wire between front and rear engine, repaired that, reassembled, only to find out the short still existed. Will need to take the model apart again to effect a permanent repair. If the locomotive goes thru a trip on the layout I will put it back in service for the next session.
  • Had what I though was a decoder failure (motor output) on Northern Pacific F-3A 6504. This is part of my three unit consist that pulls my North Coast Limited, and has been OOS for about a year. Ordered three SoundTraxx Tsunami 2 decoders to put in the consist (really don't like QSI decoders, and these were factory installs). Before I went to install the new decoder, I wanted to make sure the original decoder was in fact failed. QSI / Intermountain utilizes a QSI decoder that uses plugs and harnesses between motors, track power, speaker, and front LED cluster. Decoder powered up, horn, bell, and engine speeds worked fine, but no motor output. Unplugged the motor wires (two prong connector), plugged it back in, same story. Ohmed out motor windings, not open. Took motor out, got my power pack out, tested motor, tested good on 12 VDC. Reinstalled motor, and on a whim, tested the motor by trying to make contact between brass wire and the connector lug inside the connector. As expected, it worked. On a whim, reconnected the plug to the QSI decoder, and surprise, it worked. Consist is back in service while I research what I have to do with the wiring for the LED bracket (headlight and mars light are on the same circuit, number boards on another circuit on the LED board).
  • Still need to diagnose the motor failure on the Great Northern F7A #316A (Walthers Proto with ESU). Maybe I will be lucky there too. Same situation on my Rapido FA-2.

Regards,
Jerry

[JerryZ]

Bear slaying continues. After encouragement with bringing back my NP F7 from the dead, I figured I would play with my ESU equipped GN F7s (Walthers Proto with ESU decoder). After the last session, the three unit consist was a freakin' mess. 316C was totally dead. I had did a decoder reset once on the locomotive already, to no avail (in OPS mode programming, or program on the main if you prefer). Took it to the program track (no Loksound Programmer hooked up, that is on a separate portable test track). Reader's Digest version, in order to get the ENTIRE consist working, I ended up having to go on the program track, selected "Use Program Track", set the short address to "3", and SELECT the short address, and then set up the long address number. Took the locomotive off the program track, put it back on the main line, selected "Program on Main", hit option 3, ran thru the menu items, and selected long address. Once I did all three locomotives, they programmed and ran correctly in consist.

There is one other feature on LokSound 5 and LokSound Select decoders, it is the Auto Tune function. Did that to all three locos too. Now all are nicely speed matched.

I was also able to resurrect from the dead one of my FA-2 locomotives (with a LokSound Select decoder) by the same method. I'm going to go thru today and do Auto Tune to all of my LokSound locomotives today. I never did my LokSound select locomotives before, just the LokSound 5s.

By this time tomorrow, I should have a virtual bearskin rug in every room of my house, plus the basement. :-)

[Steve H AC&Y]

Any time I get into a DCC troubleshooting death spiral I think about back when they told us "All you need to do is connect two wires and away you go." My oh my, such suckers we were. Overall it's a good thing. Although the larger the layout the more opportunity for the bears to move in and take over. Good luck. You're a better man than I.

[Steve H AC&Y]

The AC&Y and NKP crossings on OH RT 301 at Spencer are now fully protected per ODOT (or whatever the state agency was called back in 1960) requirements.

Edit: Here's a rank amateur's attempt at a photo backdrop addition. Don't mind the whacked out of proportion physical objects. Rookies. 🙁
The photo was taken on the actual site, standing about where the NKP track cross.

[michael13j]

I like it!

[JerryZ]

Your "rank amateur" attempt looks pretty darn good to me. "-)

[Steve H AC&Y]

Thanks guys. On a lark it's not bad. However . . . . .
I've more of less decided to do away with images on the backdrop and let the magic of photo editing do it's thing, except for certain circumstances. This might be one of those. I think I can effectively work up the photo to be a paste up on the backdrop. We'll see. A project for a later date for certain.

[craigtownsend]

Cutting pvc ties for the final 4 turnouts I need to spike. It's not fun with all the staticity plastic dust but this should be an interesting experiment.

Glad I don't have a lot of turnouts (10 on the main, 4 in staging)!

If I ever expanded I'd only add another 4-5 with Woodinville.

[Tony Hammes]

Not much progress on layout due to travel. Did manage to start my last power district on the lower level. Goal is a staging to staging train by end of August.

[JerryZ]

Staging to staging is a HUGE milestone, and really ups the motivation to move forward. Did my "golden spike" in 2016. Started operating four months after that, which gives me continued motivation to move forward. Looking forward to a virtual party when you achieve your milestone event. I'll supply the beer. :-)