Strictly for entertainment

http://youtu.be/AjFRJB5t-Ak

I love the rail 'fan' at the end

And another one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfycNWFe8VA&feature=player_detailpage

smcgill,

(1) wow!  Awesome backyard layout
(2) love the inboard camera view
(3) snowplow is pretty ingenuous
(4) leaf blower - priceless

Can't wait for my grandson to see these

Good work

Quote from: Doneldon on October 28, 2013, 03:48:19 PM

Quote from: 8stargazer on October 27, 2013, 10:58:55 PM
Anyway, my 28 month old grandson loves watching 'choo-choo's' on here when he's around.  Normally a typical evening when he's here is to watch some real trains on youtube, mostly steam powered since that's his favorite. 

Lonnie-

That's a fine looking young man you have there. And I like him even more now that you've revealed that he's a steam buff. Diesels are fine -- they get the job done and many have great paint jobs -- but steam locomotives are the best. They're alive in a way that diesels can never be.
                                                                                                                                                                                   -- D

That is very true Doneldon.  For him, the steam, the chuffing, and the whistle are what excites him.  I was watching one video with him last spring and it was a Pennrail video talking about that very thing.  The steam locos seem 'alive' with all of the steam belching out, the smoke pouring from the stack and it's very movement down the track.   I bought the Dynamis for the wireless handset but the steam loco was the prize for me in the long run since I knew that little guy would go nuts

Quote from: RAM on October 28, 2013, 03:37:28 PM
He sure is small for a 28 years old.

ooops...  Well, he really doesn't each much...

Thanks Balrog 21.   Man I drool over the space and layout that you're building.  I've laid mine out with the possible expansion in the future by allowing an outbound and inbound turnout.

Anyway, my 28 month old grandson loves watching 'choo-choo's' on here when he's around.  Normally a typical evening when he's here is to watch some real trains on youtube, mostly steam powered since that's his favorite.  And then I come here to see if anything new is on here.  Always good to see your latest progress.  I have the blue/yellow Santa Fe and the Santa Fe caboose that you have.  I feel your pain in trying to video.  I haven't hooked up the two remote turnouts on mine but they are pretty easy to manage from the open end.  The two turnouts on the sidings are DCC.

Once I get done with the wiring and scenery I'm going to purchase some of the Santa Fe rolling stock similar to what you have.   I'll probably add another diesel engine, one that has sound.  I bought the blue/yellow Santa Fe since my wife is fond of that one (as am I) but it doesn't have sound.  I live in Brownwood, TX and the BNSF services this area.  We see the blue/yellow from time to time.  I spent most of my life near Tyler Texas in the eastern part of the state and grew up watching the Cotton Belt short line right down the street.  I've found a double diesel set that is DCC with sound and think I'll add that one in the future as well as some Cotton Belt rolling stock.

By the way, those are some nice steamers you posted Jonathan. 

Went to Lawton, OK this weekend to visit my son and daughter in law and the two grand daughters and newest grandson.  Stopped at the railroad museum in Wichita Falls on the way home and got a nice pick of Rylan, my 28 year old grandson and 'partner' in model railroading

I did some research on the site and found in some older posts that I'm not the only one having difficulty with EZ track turnout issues. 

I've been searching youtube to learn how to file down the points since I'm certain that is the main problem from what I've read.  I haven't found an adequate video as of yet.  Perhaps one of you can steer me in the right direction.

I'm traveling this weekend and think there is a hobby store where I'm going in order to find a NMRA standards gauge.

Thanks ahead of time

Thank you once more Doneldon.  I suppose my question wasn't worded properly but you did answer it.  All I wanted to do was have one power feeder to control the two turnouts.  They will be operated independently.  I simply wanted to keep the wiring to a minimum.  I have a place that is convenient to operate from.  If you remember the layout that you've advised on that is posted in the General Discussion, I only have on open end on the layout.   That's good to know.  I assumed one could plug them together since there is a male/female pin each side of each switch.

As far as adhesive, I will use DAP in the hand held squeeze tube.  It's pretty benign and it is an adhesive based caulk.

Lonnie

Jerry,

Yes it is a challenging layout considering the turnout situation.  It's about as good as I could come up in order to pretty much have and upper and lower level with 2 trains running on separate levels.  Of course it's pretty easy to let them follow each other.  The two terminal sidings have DCC control so that's pretty easy.  One came with the Dynamis set, the other came with the exact set of EZ track (completely new) that I won on an ebay auction.  I purchased the right turnout (seen) and the left turnout (not visible in the picture) as remotes since this is my first time with DCC.  The oddest thing is after I resolved some derail issues regarding the 2-8-0 steam loco, I discovered that I can leave the left turnout switched for the curve on the lower level, and the downhill train will travel right across it with no issues.  With that being said, I only have to deal with the right turnout.

Scenery:  (my wife is very anxious about getting the scenery started)  I wanted to get all of the design flaws addressed (several of you have helped in that regard) and all of the 'bugs' out before I got that far.  I'm going to build a 'mountain' in the far left and right corners.  Down the long side on the right, it will taper downward to ground level.  The lower track will have a short tunnel that starts on the left beyond the access hole and emerge at the back and beyond the access hole to the right. (The train on the high level will 'disappear' beyond the hill over said tunnel) We live in central Texas at the northern fringe of the Hill Country, and the terrain is very rocky with gray/white stones showing, several hills, and a lot of mesquite trees.  I want to duplicate that as best as possible with a few trees and ground cover here and there. 

I've used all of the track that I had (even all of the 3/4"-2" set I bought).  The main siding I will add 2-3 left turnouts in place of the straights and have 3-4 pieces of 9" straight directly from them giving me about 4 'industrial' sidings on the lower level.  I also plan to build a mountain where the high siding dead ends and have a tunnel from the far side with enough room for one ore car to go into.  Way down the road if all goes well, I'll eventually use this siding and bring it on down as part of an expansion.  On the other side I've allowed enough room to add a turnout that will be an exit from this layout with the the one on the right I just mentioned, as a return leg.  There is 12' of wall left and I'll want two tracks running to the other side of the room that will enter and exit from another 'town'.  Big plans I know.  For now, I wanted to get as much into and out of what I have.   

The last layout I built was mostly wood and weighs a ton.  From this board I've learned a whole lot in my short time here.  1" blue or pink styrofoam is our friend.

Lonnie

Thanks ebtnut:  I'm leaning toward the adhesive caulk idea since it would be relatively simple to do.  I'm in construction so I'm pretty adept with caulk from time to time. 

Lonnie

Progress so far.  Jward, I know that I have two of the 's' curves.  However, I have 3-4" between each one and have not had one issue at all.  I don't plan on having long rolling stock which I think will be ok in the long run.  I've ran both trains (as seen in the picture) over and over and over.  The only issue I've had is the turnouts that I addressed in the HO forum.  I may have to file the points as you suggested (I think it was you)

I even programed the two left DCC turnouts last night.  I did some research on here as well as the internet.  The manual is fairly brief on the programming.  I was glad to discover that the turnout being programmed needs to be the only one that is powered up on the track.  It took a couple of times but I managed.  A rookie, especially with DCC, was quite proud of that moment!

I'm building my layout with Bachmann EZ track and pretty well have the track laid.  I have a few elevations to finish as well as a tunnel.  I have two questions:

[1] On the EZ track turnouts 44561 & 44562, the switch unit itself that the user actually depresses to actuate the switch mechanism ---  Are they capable of 'pairing' together?  By this I mean only for the red feeder wire that supplies power.  As far as the switching goes, I will want them to remain independent.  They will join together on the sides, but I didn't want to try without consulting experienced modelers first.

[2] Once I get everything where I want it, I was thinking about fastening the track permanently.  Would glue here and there be sufficient?  I notice the tiny little holes at each end & center of the ties, but didn't want to deal with that. 

Any advise/suggestions are always appreciated.

Lonnie

Quote from: GG1onFordsDTandI on October 17, 2013, 05:23:59 AM

Quote from: 8stargazer on October 16, 2013, 09:42:13 AM
I gave my 28 month old grandson a few pieces of Lionel 027 track as well as a few train cars.  He pretty much did this on his own.  I did have to put a couple of pieces together since it's an odd shape he's put together and he had a couple of pieces upside down.

Not enough good can be said for exposure to toys, where kids are able to form geometric shapes and patterns. He's obviously focused on the geometry and lining up the pin couplings vs upside down track. Try making some 30 and 22.5 curves if you have some more extras around. Some half straights too. They will provide him enough flexibility to more successfully complete his more complex concepts. Show him the size, and new angles, with a side by side comparison, and stand back Being limited to 45s can be frustrating to a builder , even if you're 2yrs old...especially if you're 2     (I speak from memory )  

And save those pictures! They will need it for posts here in the year 2113!    

Lucky kids? Or lucky Grandpas!
   

I'd say lucky Grandpas.   He is a joy unto my soul.  I have 5 grandkids, the oldest is 11 and lives in Seattle (I'm in Texas)  The other three are in Lawton, Oklahoma-where I'll be this weekend.  But this little fellow is around me everyday.  I'm self-employed so all last week I kept him here with me and we played with trains.  I saw the picture of your grandson with that plastic set.  Yours is further evidence that if we as adults, give toys that stimulate the mind, we are doing a far, far better thing for them in the long run than handing them a video game - which I think dulls the senses in the long run. Keep at it utdave!

I finally got to examine the situation this evening since my grandson went home and I didn't have to entertain him while the train was running.  Here is what I discovered.  It went around all the turnouts quite well for about 3 rounds.  It then derailed on the 4th pass around.  I got it going again then diverted it to the lower level toward the back, where I have an access area from below.  It derailed on the only turnout there and here is what I discovered.  As I got it back on the track and without powering it up again, I slid it back and forth over the turnout.  It was on the straight section of the turnout.  And even thought the 8 wheels don't move freely, they will slide on straight track.  I noticed that it was like hitting a bump when it crossed  over the frog, which I think I'm correct in the term frog.  It is that black plastic area in the middle of the turnout that allows the wheels to 'jump' over the merge.  I noticed the main wheels were causing the problem, not the 2 guide wheels in the front.  They simply floated over it.  As someone said earlier, it is difficult to see clearly with the HO size and all.

I removed the loco and noticed there is significant 'play' in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th wheel from the front to back.  The third wheel didn't have quite as much play and I determined that it was the actual drive wheel (Am I correct.  I put the loco back on the track and slid it over the turnout again and with a flashlight, I noticed the front - main wheel wasn't seating in the groove of the frog for the wheels to travel over.  I pressed it toward me from the other side and it went through smoothly.  I'd say the play is about 1/8" - 3/16".    The loco went around quite smoothly after that, but it eventually derailed again, which would make sense with going through curves and so forth.   At least I've identified the problem. 

In the long run, I can probably deal with this time to time issue since as I expand in the future, I will be adding diesel engines to the layout.  This loco came with the Dynamis set I purchased to get into the DCC world, plus the little grandson loves the 'choo-choo' sounds better.

I'll be out of town for a couple of days and other than my iphone, I won't be logging on until I get back.  Thanks for all of the advice so far and the additional discussions on here have increased my knowledge as well.

Lonnie

I gave my 28 month old grandson a few pieces of Lionel 027 track as well as a few train cars.  He pretty much did this on his own.  I did have to put a couple of pieces together since it's an odd shape he's put together and he had a couple of pieces upside down.

Doneldon, Jerry,

Again thank you for the advice and suggestions.  The loco is indeed a new 2-8-0, as well as the Dynamis control system, the track, and rolling stock.  I'm building from the ground up with this HO layout.  I had a Lionel 027 set and I bought used items on ebay to build that layout and had all sorts of issues, especially with the older track and turnouts.  HO is relatively inexpensive so after previous experience, I'm sticking with new 'out of the box' products.  I might add used rolling stock in the future, but that would be my only exception.

Doneldon, you are correct regarding a new modeler filing on contacts.  I'm a self-employed cabinet maker by trade and I certainly wouldn't turn a new hire loose on doing something precise as this.

I'm really thinking it is the pilot wheels and I honestly wondered if the loco is too light in the front to hit the turnout correctly.  Again I point out, it is an occasional derailment and most of the time I don't have to realign it, the loco will resume on its on when I press the stop button on the remote.  I will add a little weight and see how that goes.  By the way, it is the two wheel pilot truck.

I examined the two turnouts in question and compared them with the two that haven't had this problem.  The points engage properly when I switch them and I don't see any debris, flaws, etc in the turnouts.  The switch mechanism works just fine.  And the GP40 has never derailed.  I removed the 2-8-0 and ran the GP40 for a considerable amount of time with about 8 cars behind it of various lengths and had no problem.  In my mind, this eliminated issues with the turnouts themselves.

jward- It enters from the point on one end heading from the straight section into the full curve (biggest occurrence of derailments are at this one) and at the other end of the full curve it enters the frog end heading into the straight section (least occurrence of derailment)

If adding weight doesn't help, I will remove the two wheels altogether and see how that goes.  I know it would take a way a bit of 'realism' but they are pretty small and the only reason I notice them is because they insist on being noticed at the turnouts in question.  

I live pretty much in the geographic center of Texas and the closest hobby shop is in Ft Worth-2 1/2 hours or Austin 2 1/2 hours away.  My laptop is my nearest hobby shop in these parts, which pretty much satisfies what I need.  I travel a lot with my business and next time I'm through the DFW area I do plan to make a stop at a hobby store that is focused on model railroading.

Thanks again everyone.  At least I'm not frustrated with the problem.  I just want to remove the problem as anyone would and have a smooth operation here.  

Lonnie