Track Planning in the Large

After we’d finished with the check rails for the staging yard last night, Andrew and I got out some paper and tried fitting templates around for the portable version. Bottom line: we think a 2×4 foot module is viable for the plan that I have in mind. So, now, I’m wondering if Prof Klyzlr was […]

I’d Like to Call a Friend

Work on the staging yard stalled for a couple of weeks. I got all the points installed almost two weeks ago, and then crickets. Well, it wasn’t actually stalled so much as waiting. In this case, I was waiting because I wanted Andrew to come and install all the guard rails. Of course, I could […]

Shapeways Turnout Control

Well, I finally gave up on Mitch’s FDM printer and went back to Shapeways. I tried a couple of different designs on the FDM printer, but they all came off the bed. Mitch has loads of success printing quad-copter parts, but they are substantially less complicated than what I am trying to produce. After the […]

Track Plans for Pembroke:87.1

I had a minor trampoline injury on Sunday evening, and so, I didn’t feel up to building anything. I used the time to dream about possible track plans for a display layout for RAMMA. As you can see, I started with the prototype, of course. This came from a diagram that is a little later […]

Force Majeure!

My kids like to play Zombie Apocalypse on the front lawn. I thought it was just them shooting imaginary zombies with imaginary guns. However, today Canada Post tried to deliver a turnout control from Shapeways, and must have run full-tilt into the apocalypse:

Staging point throw bars

Tonight, I finished all the staging point throw bars. This followed the same springing scheme I explored with a proof of concept a couple of weeks ago. As I was finishing the last one, I thought to myself that not only was I in danger of almost knowing what I was doing, but that perhaps […]

Thoughts on Shipping

The RAMMA thought experiment continues. If I were to construct a micro-layout for the show in Sedan next fall, how would I get it there safely? The Rexroth option, while interesting, sounds awfully expensive to me. Also, I would still need something on the sides to protect the layout. Then, looking at some other foamcore-based […]

Staging Yard Closure Rails

Last night we completed the closure rails in the staging yard. Also, Andrew prepared all the springs and throw bars for the switches. Tonight, I prepared the remaining points, ready for soldering up tomorrow or on the weekend. It was a good point to clean up and take a quick photo.

Parked

Before he left this evening, Andrew convinced me that it would be cool to see a train run on the other half of the layout. The only thing stopping it was a layer of glue and paint on the rail heads (I can hear you laughing, dead-rail people). So, I found a scrap of Arborite […]

Thoughts on Shipping for Pembroke 87.1

So far it’s just a thought experiment, but Dave Doe recently put me in contact with Maurice Hopper, who, it seems, is a bit of an expert on building layouts that really travel. When I mean travel, he doesn’t bung them in the back of his estate wagon and cruise out on the interstate. No, […]