finger flick switching.

[Len]

Some pics of CN C420 #632 can be found here: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locopicture.aspx?id=25485

Len

[jbrock27]

Call Hydro Quebec for details.

Rich C.

Why would I when: A) I'm not Canadian and B) Niagara Falls is in the province of Ontario  

[electrical whiz kid]

Wayne;
You are right about it not being cheap.  NONE of it is; this is why I got solar installed.  Being an electrical contractor (no, I didn't install it-not at age 70!).  Having a large expanse of roof directly facing the south, this is a shoe in.  My bill is down roughly 60% since last winter (and yep; I have electric radiant heat).  PV  works in proportion to how much sun it is exposed to on a given day. 
Electricity that is produced by convention is going to be expensive, not so much for the price of fossil or hydro, but for the personnel it takes to operate and maintain said systems. 
On the subject of hydro; some time ago, I bought two Grandt line 'box-cab switchers'.  These diminutive little beauties are so cool-they are HOn3; and are geared such that their momentum works by gearing.  When they built the Hoover Dam during the Great Depression, they had two of these little critters running to and fro, with carloads of concrete.  That must have been quite a sight-probably more intense to have operated them!

Rich C.

[jbrock27]

As for Niagara Falls, some of it is in the city Niagara Falls, Ontario and some in the city of Niagara Falls, New York.

Wayne

I was aware of that, but thanks Wayne.  I was just trying to make the point they weren't in Quebec for those that are geographically challenged

Speaking of Quebec, when's the next vote come up for Secession?

[jbrock27]

There's a bit of a buzz lately about U.S. citizens investigating the procedure for emigrating to Canada due to fears about one of your presidential wannabes.

Wayne

It's not the first time there's been that buzz around a Presidential Election.  It typically ends up being just a lot more buzz (talk) than action, but gives other folks something to read and talk (laugh) about  

[electrical whiz kid]

Hi Wayne;
Nope; I made a deal with myself long ago (enlisting in the Air Force) that I would, upon  retirement, stay here, in the lower 48, on good old terra firma, in my 'mansion on the hill', for better or worse.  There are enough checks and balances in our laws to prevent someone from becoming too 'ambitious'...And, like you guys, we have had some real winners, but this is one of the reasons hard liquor was invented...
Back on track now (ha ha, a pun...)
Placement of the music wire is a concern to me, largely because in this hobby  (and elsewhere...) nothing is permanent, and the simpler one makes a project, probably there will be less hassle during any pertinent change.
I am looking at keeping those wires above-board, and just keeping them covered with buildings, scenery, etc.; that is one way.  Another way would be to [keep it below] board-board meaning basic surface.  This would entail bending an "ell" at the turnout end of the wire, and facilitating it's movement via a hole below the turnout; this would also mean that a smaller wire had to be used.
Still another method would be to build a 'platform' below the turnout, installing a slide switch with a hole drilled through the toggle to handle a larger dia. wire.  This would also serve most wiring options, depending upon the capability of the switch.  All of the mechanism could be constructed at the work-bench

Rich C.

[rogertra]

Wayne.

Nice work in the photos.  Particularly impressed with the frogs set in into the grade crossings.

Cheers

Roger T.

[rogertra]

Thanks, Roger.

To create to road surface, I placed a large sheet of paper over the trackwork, then used a pencil on its side to do a "rubbing" of the rails' edges.  The individual areas were then cut out and traced onto .060" sheet styrene.  The between-the-rails portion of each track was traced and cut out in the same manner, then I used a set of dividers to scribe both cut edges to a distance equal to the thickness (width) of the moulded spike heads of the Atlas track, and used a utility knife to remove that material. 
I then cemented .020x.080" strip styrene to the tie tops between the rails of each track, one strip butted-up against the spike heads of each rail.  The trimmed portions of street were then cemented atop these strips, leaving flangeways for the trains wheels.  The portions of street outside each track were cemented directly atop the spike heads - solvent-type cement works well, as the Atlas ties are styrene - and the expanses  between the various tracks were cemented to the plywood layout top using contact cement.  This method puts the road surface about .003" below the rail tops - helpful if you need to clean track.  The roadway between tracks dips down slightly, then rises at the next track.

Wayne

Thanks Wayne.

Now I have to rip out my grade crossings and copy your method. 


Cheers

Roger T.

[electrical whiz kid]

Roger;
From what I have seen of your work, it is top quality workmanship, and Wayne's ideas MIGHT enhance your layout, but I'd take both layouts on parity any day!
Wayne; the idea of 'tracing' is excellent, and it does work.  The only thing I had always been bothered with is the detail-work on the track itself.  I got around that by sort of reversing what you have; that is, take .040" strips on the ties to be "paved" over, then lay down the finish layer.  Everything is flush. 
I am getting set to start laying track.  A part of the concept here is using "Central Valley" turnouts on the front edge, and .070 rail.  I have a mental image of this track-work, and it appears to look really good.  Have you any feedback on using this product?  The late Jack Parker's layout was an excellent one.  A lot of his products are great, like the tie strips, as well as structure product.

Rich C.

[electrical whiz kid]

Addendum;
Len; thank you for the feedback concerning those Century units.
Rich C.

[electrical whiz kid]

Wayne;
Thanks for the feedback and info.  I am going with 2003 and am going to try code.070.  Jack had routinely mentioned a product called 'Barge Cement'.  While I have never seen this stuff, from his description, I am going to assume it is a little like contact cement.  Well, like they say; nothing ventured...  I know that contact cement is usually let to dry-both pieces, so I will guess that is the tricky part.  Two stainless bars, similar to steel guitar tone bars with grooves cut into them to match the rail-width @ CV tie strips and set into a jig, should help do the trick.
I have never built a turnout, but then again, I have never ran from a challenge (real or imagined), SO...Onwards and upwards, 'we are the navvies, etc...'

Rich C.

[WoundedBear]

Barge Cement........it's more a brand name than a "type" of cement......but "contact" would be a good descriptor. Walther's GOO should do the same thing as would any other contact cement designed for the materials you plan to join.

http://www.bargeadhesive.com/products.html

Sid

[electrical whiz kid]

Sid;
A can of Weldwood@ cost about the same as a tube of 'Goo".  Not to offend; I just look at the logistics.  I also have found in the past, that contact cement will attack the tie material.  In a way this is good, as it sets up 'tooth' to grab the mating surface.   I have a tube of 'Goo" and it does definitely have it's place-just as a bottle of ACC does.
OK; with any luck, Sunday will be THE day...

Rich C. 

[railtwister]

In order for the "finger flick" to work, the switches have to be spring loaded in order for them to stay in the direction they are placed. Peco switches are spring loaded to start with unless the spring has been removed so they operate with switch machines (manual or electric) as are Atlas "Snap Switches". If your switch is not spring loaded, here is a video on how to manufacture a spring to make them so. It is for N scale but should be easily adaptable for HO.
https://youtu.be/9rfZpe1LNjk

These springs are commonly referred to as "over-center" springs, and usually are set up to use the spring's compression to keep the points pressed against the stock rails. I've seen this done using either coil or hairpin type springs (but always with the spring in compression). Recently, I read of someone rigging his own over-center linkage that used rubber bands to provide the spring tension. Sounds like a great idea, but I don't know how he did it, since rubber bands only work in tension, not compression (still trying to figure it out). Anyone else have any ideas?

Bill in FtL

[electrical whiz kid]

Twister;
If the switch has retained it's "detent" feature, then one can use a rod or other stiffer wire, springs attached on either side of the switch and the rod, and when pushed or pulled, the switch will be pulled into it's respective position.
Many years ago, Linn Westcott had devised a method in which a slide switch was incorporated.  When the switch was moved from a remote position by means of-again-stiff wire, the slide switch would also serve as a 'detent'.  Now, the slide switch business was intended for a turnout like an atlas, Shinohara, etc; with no integral means of detention.
I hope I explained myself correctly.  This 'rod' system, if installed correctly, is a great way of switching remote turnouts.  You probably know this, but interlocking towers sometimes used the same idea.

Rich C.