NTS&B Merry Christmas 2011

Another year has passed, and the layout has not progressed much. I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and Happy and safe New Years.

This years pictures are from the Lights Of Life, again.

NTS&B 2011 Piedmont Pilgrimage Open House

This was my second Piedmont Pilgrimage open house. Everything went well, with only minor problems. I had one or 2 accessories and 1 passenger car that decided to give problems, but that was about all. We only had 47 people total this year (including 5 'workers'), as opposed to 52 last year, and had a few repeats from last year. It was loads of fun watching the expressions on the kids faces (even the big ones). Note for next year-Put goody tables in garage instead of on back patio.

This year I also had three visiting trains. John R brought his Illinois Central GP-9 which had not been run in something like 25 years (I had a lot going on, so my facts may be a little off). He also brought a kit car that he built and some scratch built loads that he had never seen run. Unfortunately, I just realized I didn't get any pictures of this very nice train.

Wayne C. brought a Williams E8 Bright Red Texas Special AA set with 4 - 18 inch passenger cars. Boy was she pretty. This one was my personal favorite, since I really like colorful passenger trains.

The star of the show was Wayne's Lionel Spirit of 1776 set produced in pieces from 1974 to 1976, that had never even been taken out of the boxes (yes folks, a brand new still in the box 37 year old train). The set included the U36B Seaboard Coast Line Engine, Caboose, and 13 cars (one for each of the original 13 colonies). Since the engine only has a single motor, it didn't have enough traction to pull all of the cars up the helix, so we double headed my engine to go with it. Here is what it looked like, and a short movie going down the helix.

NTS&B Jamaica Station Update

Most of the time when I ask someone if they noticed the Jamaica Station, they say no and immediately start looking at the top of the layout (I kid you not, even X New Yorkers). I decided to add a platform at the front edge of the station, to try to get people to notice it easier.

NTS&B Bigville Underground Station

The second underground passenger station (Bigville) is now open for buisness. It looks kind of empty, but has 40 passengers in it so far. Still have to add the station signs, posters, and other decorations, but that will have to wait for another day.

NTS&B Tunnel Signal

Another thing thats a lot of work, with very little progress indication was the tunnel signal. These LEDs use the same circuit as the Subway signals, but are wired differently to limit the number of wires to the power and track points. The LEDs are put in sockets robbed from an old Christmas Light set.

NTS&B Starting Year 5

Its hard to believe that I started the first (non helix) module of the actual layout 4 years ago. Last year didn't see a lot of progress. I mainly worked with adding buttons for lighting, and trying to finish up the Helix end of the layout when you first come in the door.

The old layout down was torn down, and parts are now in use in Tennessee. I also worked on the TMCC signal some and it is working fairly well on the Helix loop, but not so well else where. The Lego subway was installed, and the walls and lights were put in on the Helix end. Also, the subway track signals were completed. I am getting ready to work on the Bigville subway station.

We also participated in our first Piedmont Pilgrimage last Oct. Every one had a good time, and I am getting ready for the second one next month.

During the year we had a couple 'play days', in which a couple club members brought over some very nice trains to run.

This year I'd like to finish up ALL of the subway loop and lighting, and get the some more bench work done. Before I can do that, I still need to get that other side of the basement finished.

NTS&B Accessory Buttons

Some things take up a lot of time to do, but don't really show up as progress on the layout. Switches to operate accessories are in this catagory. This month I added 8 new buttons, for a grand total of 18 buttons. In most cases, the buttons are overridden by slide switches at the control panels, for my viewing pleasure when no one is around to push the buttons.

NTS&B Subway Signals

Quite a while ago, I came up with a simple LED circuit to use as block signals in my underground loops. The first one worked perfectly, then remaining kept blowing LEDs. I finally figured out that I had to add a resistore on the track side for that problem, but then one LED stayed lit. This turned out to be caused by the operating voltage being much higher than the track voltage. Once I set them about the same, everything started working, and I fixed the other 3 to match. Here is pictures of two of them. The boxes are made from extra battery holders from $1 Tree Accessories.

NTS&B Mainline progress and another problem solved

The layer between the mainline and winter level is now adjusted, attached and painted. For now, the replacement plaster wall is on hold. A little over 1/2 was ground off the winter table using a belt sander, and now the long car finally has a little clearance (see picture below). A column was added to upport the hanging trestle member and some moss was added by the wall. A panel was finally added to the subway, to give it more of a sense of 2 stations.

NTS&B New Old UP 2x6x6x4 Class A

A UP 2x6x6x4 Class A spent the night in town, and caused quite a stir with the morning passengers.

Jennifer and Bruce bought me some used engines for Fathers Day. One is a Class A, which was made from 2 2018 engines. After a bit of tuning it runs on 0-72 track. When I get time, I will try to make it run on a smaller track.

NTS&B Some more visitors

I am finding out that one of the things I like most about having a layout is having friends bring their toys over to play. Here are some pictures of the latest "play day".

Wyatt's #4501 Southern 2x8x2 Mikado from 1991

Les's 2368 B&O Dual Motor F3 A/B from 1956

Les's 2383 Santa Fe Dual Motor F3 A/A from 1958

Les thinking 'Boy I sure hope that bridge stays up there with my F Units'

Wyatt & Roger having similar thoughts about the other bridge.

NTS&B Progress

Referring to the previous post. I replaced some of the cardboard between the mainline and winter layers with some of the backdrop material from my Temp Layout. Although this looks much better, I still might go with some kind of plaster between layers to make it look more natural. There is also one clearance issue with Scotties Monster car. If I go with the plaster backdrop, and can make a bit more room. Otherwise I may need to move a track about 1/8 inch, which may cause clearance problems with the next track.

Layer cover using from backdrop from temp layout

Clearance issue. Ohhhhh so close :(

My Temporary Layout

My temporary layout actually started out in Bristol Tn in the mid 90's. It was then moved to Ga in 1998, and setup in 1999. The idea was to use it for a couple years until the other side of the basement was finished, and a new larger layout started. 12 years later, this has finally happened, and the layout has now been torn down. The layout's life is not totally over. A little of the backdrop will be used on my new layout. The remaining bench work and most of the track will be on its way back home to Tn for my daughter to reconfigure into a new, smaller layout. Below are a few pictures of the layout then, and now.

Tn Layout before moving in 1998

Layout in GA in 2005

Layout in GA today

NTS&B Some more challenges

It's been a busy month, so not much visible progress has been made on the layout. Instead, I have been concentrating on a couple operation issues. First my friend Scottie brought over a 'little' train car so I could check for clearances. The car is a scale model of a modern Pulp Wood car, and is about 19 inches long, with the trucks right on the end of the car. My clearance checker is about the same length, but has the trucks set back in like a passenger car. His car has much more overhang, so caused me quite a bit of grief. It caused me to move a couple bridges on the outer mainline, and some support for the upper tracks over my figure 8 loop. Other than the inner main line, it will not run on any other loop at this time, and it is doubt full it ever will. A picture of the car, along with 15 inch aluminum and more normal 12 inch passenger car is shown below.

Monster pulp wood car next to 15 inch and over 12 inch passenger car.

The second problem I had I noticed during the last club meeting held here. My winter area accessory lights kept cycling on and off. The problem was caused by 2 houses containing color wheels to give the affect of Christmas lights were drawing too much current. My first attempt at a fix was to run separate power to them, and using an HO transformer to power up only those 2 houses. It turned out that the 2 houses alone were causing too much current for that transformer, also. I then resorted to changing out the light bulbs in the houses. It turns out they were both using high intensity 10 watt halogen bulbs. I swapped them out and used the standard Lionel 'Christmas Light' bulbs that are used in the newer engines, and putting the houses back to the original transformer. The bulbs draw a whole lot less current, and are still sufficiently bright enough to create the desired effect. The picture below shows 1 of the houses with its original light bulb.

Christmas house with original bulb

NTS&B Two ugly light bulbs for a neat picture

A few years ago, Kathy bought me this neat picture of a 60's diner with parked cars.

The sign and cars all have LEDs in them, and it really looks sharp with the room lights on.

When I hung it in the train room, I discovered the problem that when you shut the room lights off, all you see is the LEDs.

The diner picture was taken at dusk, and the walls behind the picture are white, so it is very dark and hard to illuminate picture without lighting the whole room. After multiple attempts I finally decided to use a K-Line 2 light spotlight tower (#22326), and replace the bulbs with 2 Radio Shack 276-0017 high brightness (7000 mcd), low angle (30 degrees) LEDs. The result is shown above.

I started out with 2 burnt out light bulbs. I broke the glass out of them using a pair of pliers held in a trash can and wearing safety glasses. I put a piece of small diameter heat shrink over the wire going to the center post of the socket and soldered one side of the LED to the wire. I placed another piece of heat shrink over the other leg of the LED, and soldered a 2.2 K Resister to it. Then I soldered the other end of the resistor to the outside of the socket. I did not shrine either piece of the heat shrink, which allowed me to push the LED into the socket while keeping the wires insulated. The results was one ugly light bulb !!

I then screwed the LED into the light tower socket. I cut a piece of large diameter heat shrink (shown), and then placed it on the LED (no heat) so only the front of the LED is visible.

A view of the light Tower from the front. Notice the LEDs are very focused, with very little light from the reflectors. The left one does not have the heat shink sleave applied, and there is still very little light bouncing off th e reflector. The tower is in approximately where it will be permanently located.

View from side of tower with sleaves over both LEDs. Notice there is hardly any light visible from the side of the LEDs.

NTS&B Subway Progress

Had a little time over the holidays, so started working on the walls around the Jamaica Station. The concrete walls are made from styrofoam sheets with the groves cut into them using a foam hot knife. The lamps were made from Model Power HO /N 12 to 16 V Wheat bulbs.