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 Posted - March 10 2016 : 09:26:12 AM
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Fixed the discrepancies from the Tyco Expander track plan with a fitter here
and a fitter there. The published track plan did not match up, which I found
rather surprising. I thought maybe I was miscounting, but no, it required
an omission of a nine inch straight here and there and an addition of a fitter
there. I am thinking of cutting a ball in half and painting it white for the
nuclear power plant containment dome.
Edited by - Chops124 on March 10 2016 09:29:08 AM
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Posted - March 10 2016 : 10:37:42 AM
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| That looks to be making an interesting track plan Jeff. Gonna be fun to run some trains on. Does that track plan specify the track requirements anywhere?
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Posted - March 11 2016 : 8:33:31 PM
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Hm... Is that track all from the same maker? There can sometimes be discrepancies.. Heck, there can sometimes be discrepancies even with a maker's own products (Bachmann's 18" radius E-Z track curves don't quite match up with their pre E-Z Track 18" radius curves. And I'm not just talking about the tie spacing)
Feedback-hungry attention w****
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Posted - March 12 2016 : 4:22:48 PM
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Mostly vintage Atlas brass. Here and there a Life Like
piece has found its way in when none else was
available. The track plan was quite precise about
requirements, but places where it specified fitter bits
they were entirely inappropriate, in the longest siding
it specified a nine inch straight which blew the whole
thing out of proportion, so it was simply omitted.
I am struggling with roadbed at the moment. The
Expander catalogue appears to use a cheap composite
carpet pad cut neatly into two inch strips. However any
roadbed, be it foam, cork, or as I attempted, felt will
buckle in the 18 inch curves leading me to think that
some long ago artisan carved it carefully from a flat
sheet. I checked out different samples of carpet backing
and found it to be the right color and texture, but much
to thick: at least a half inch deep, and I had to buy a
humungous roll of the stuff at $40. So I tried a thick
felt fabric found at Walmart, gray in color, but the color
was too dark and looked muddy. So I went back and
found a section of leopard print felt which has a random
patterned look, but with a yellow/cream back color
which I hope will set off the track in better contrast
than the dark gray. The depth is good: just enough
cushion to even out the rails. It will be a version
of Dante's Hell to trim this stuff; it doesn't want to
behave and will require long hours of careful measuring
and careful cutting.
I am trying to keep any one component from exceeding
$20 in cost, except the lumber, but if push comes to
shove I will succumb to using plain cork roadbed,
which costs a lot.
I could just nail the track onto the grass mat, but I really
want to get the right 1970's look.
As to wiring the thing, I will probably end up using LED's
for building light effects because they are more reliable
(I think) than traditional bulbs. Jury is still out on that one.
I am dispensing with the fussy Atlas Selector for Cab A and B
operation because at the end of the day it will mostly being
just running vintage Tyco in circles for my general amusement
and snap photographs to annoy the Heck out of my TF
compadres. For the same reason, I am leaving the turnouts
manual.
I admire the night effects done by both Walt and WKS, so I
will be focusing my efforts on wiring to lighting up the
buildings. Probably won't be doing too many street lamps,
because Walt has sucked the HO world dry of those little
curiousities.
Edited by - Chops124 on March 12 2016 4:31:23 PM
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