I was testing (really) the layout the other day and found two spots that were derailing the loco. So I tore out about a foot of track around the spots and replaced it. The majority of my layout is foam, so when you try and re-locate the track just a little, there is not much to hold it in it's new location. So I cut out an area centered on the bad spot to a depth of 3/4" and replaced it with wood.
Once that was done it was very easy to get the joint to align up properly and stay there.
I then ran both engines for a full hour with no problems at all. :Happy :Happy
To celebrate that event I went over to the local train store and could not resist laying down of a good chunk of change for this little baby.
It's an Atlas GP40-2 with DCC and a sound card. :doublethumb
I am tickled pink with it. It runs like a dream and slow to boot. I tested it at the slowest speed setting (20) that would go up the incline (2%). It took 11 minutes and 41 seconds to make a full rotation on the layout, and that's pulling 7 cars and one of them is a track cleaner. My previous slow time was 2 minutes and 50 seconds. So this is a dramatic improvement. Can you tell I like my trains to run slow?
I just finished a full hour of test running on the layout with this new addition. Couldn't be happier!
Hey thanks for the pictures ddolfelin & MikeC. Now I know how to dirty it up a little too.
It's amazing how close the model is to the prototype. Weather the model and put it in the same surroundings and I doubt if you could tell the difference.
I had a choice between road #'s 411, 412 & 415. They were all exactly the same with the exception of the road numbers.
I thought I would never find this thread! Three and one half pages down, there it was, just waiting for me to wake it up.
I just had to do some ground shaping around the Old Republic, so it just looked more like it belonged there. As large as I had made that hill, I almost ran out of room. :twisted:
It may be a bit snug, but it will do. You have to use your imagination as to the ground color. I have to wait for everything to dry before I can begin that.
I have just finished building the New Carlisle Water Works Building, with any luck I can get that posted here yet today.
Hey Petermac, how about this for a simple building? It only took me a day and a half to build and paint it!
This is the New Carlisle Water Works building. There is no such thing so it was real easy to build it. Nothing to copy! So don't ask me what that gadget is on the left side, it just looked good there! I had to take this picture with the flash because there just was not enough light to see any details. So pardon the brightness.
This is probably the only spot on my entire layout where I can take a picture and it looks like the entire layout is done. Just ignore the upper right hand corner. :shock: At least it shows you where the Water Works building is located.
It does look godd even if it is a simple building and the layout looks great at that point too - just the right amount of vegetation and the pipework set in the bank side looks very authentic. :pathead Maybe the little gadget on the side of the building is a water meter ………..:roll:
"It took 11 minutes and 41 seconds to make a full rotation on the layout, and that's pulling 7 cars and one of them is a track cleaner. My previous slow time was 2 minutes and 50 seconds."
All you need for total realism is to match that with an Amtrak train :thumbs