bobcatt's 2 bits

new SIG

2012-01-28T13:29:00.005-05:00

A new, NMRA affiliated Special Interest Group has been formed. It is the S Scale SIG, and can be found at http://sscale.org/. The executive has already created a nice website and forum for discussion of "scale" related, as opposed to "gauge" related (American Flyer, et al), topics in 1:64.

The site is also intended to become a directory of all available equipment and material for S scale, and will electronically publish a SIG newsletter.

fellowship

2012-01-28T13:24:00.000-05:00

Last weekend was the first gathering of 2012 for one of our local Model Engineers groups. This group was formed by a few experienced machine tool users several years ago to offer a forum for discussion and information sharing, plus a chance for informal social interaction. These meets are always fun and informative.

New and old participants got a good look at recent additions to our host Brian's much modified Taig lathe and his tidy, compact shop. Brian does work of high accuracy and finish, showing that a self-taught machinist can still be a great craftsman. You really have to pay attention to catch some of the subtle features of his projects.

Andrew demonstrated a charming Stirling engine made from soda cans and other recycled materials, powered by a tea-light candle. He showed us plans for this project that can be found on the 'net.

Members of this group have displayed a variety of workpieces and projects at the Kitchener Wood Show for the last few years, and this year will be no exception. We made some plans for who will be at the show and what pieces would be on view. It remains to collect these items and make some provisions for operating any steam models on air pressure (if possible).

Geoff mentioned picking up some Accusize DRO's from a local supplier to fit on his milling machine. Just before this meet concluded, several of us discussed the perennial problem of how to attract new people to this hobby when there are so few avenues left to get access to, and experience on, machine tools in the traditional education streams.

Kirlin Scale Models

2012-01-28T12:44:00.006-05:00

Had a very good conversation with Dan Kirlin on last Sunday afternoon. Among other things, we discussed efficient workshop design, layout planning, modification of brass models, DCC decoder installation, the relative merits of DCC manufacturer's offerings, Lenz' RailCom feature, various operation sequences for production lathes, restoration of vintage tools, the fear of brass (Orichalcuphobia?), work shop safety, alternate methods for threading for those machines without leadscrews, and 3-phase AC power in residental applications.

Dan has manufactured many HO scale detail parts and models, and builds models of his own in S scale. He is an authorised Soundtraxx installer and a Lenz DCC dealer. He is also a skilled machinist, fabricator, & custom painter, and has performed many repowering jobs on brass models.

follow me

2012-01-28T12:40:00.002-05:00

Despite being a techno-weenie of high standing, I've avoided certain applications of tech purely on principle. For the first time I let a GPS do all the decision making for a trip to a clocation I had never been before. It is easy to see how this technology could make people into lazy thinkers and poor planners. It is no substitute for knowing how to read a map, however it was very useful at night when I would normally find myself slowing down and squinting at poorly lit, low contrast street signs & house numbers. It really needs a new mounting method, so a small project will be to make up an adjustable bracket for the truck. Not sure if it is best situated on the A-pillar or above the rear-view mirror. Either way, something better than the suction-cup and plastic arm should be developed.

narrowly escaping

2012-01-07T15:20:00.002-05:00

A conflict has arisen that will prevent me from attending the Schomberg, Ontario Narrow Gauge Madness Show this year. Turns out it's the same weekend as Supertrain in Calgary, Alberta. I can't be in both places at once, and I had panned to make the trip to Calgary this year for a long overdue visit to a very good friend.

That said, there are several other shows coming up that I hope to at least drop in and look around:

Copetown (currently being run by the Canadian Association of Railway Modellers)
K-W Woodworking Show (at Bingemans, helping at the machine tool display rather than trains)
Ottawa Train Expo (new, and hopefully vibrant)
Port Hope (a small show but outside my normal area)
Picton (probably helping out with Dad's 0-16.5 layout)
Whitby (instead of the Toronto Christmas Train Show)

mystery multiplication

2011-12-18T13:26:00.004-05:00

Earlier this year I set out to clear some space on the book shelves. Duplicates & the merely unwanted were to be done away with. This newly freed space would allow for the excavation of boxes containing my long buried books. There were more books than free space, I'm afraid.

The first batch was easy; about 3 cubic feet of duplicate Model Railroader & Railroad Model Craftsman magazines, mostly from the 50/60/70's timeframe. They went to a single mum's 12 year old railroader. Apparently the first thing he did was start sorting them into the correct date order...

The next batch was a whopper; about 10 cubic feet of MR, RMC, Model Railroading and Railmodel Journal. With the pending release of the MR DVD set, there was no need to keep the paper versions on-hand despite a preference for the tactile experience of reading the real thing. These all went to a young pastor who's just starting out in the hobby. I thought this was the last of them.

Early last week a pile of boxes were shuffled to reveal another 3 cubic feet of MR from the 80/90's time frame. These went off to the first young recipient, who by now has finished perusing the older issues and passed quite a number of them on to an 80 year old modeller who has a decided preference for the older columnists and authors.

Just today, a final pile of boxes was moved to reveal yet another cache of MR, RMC, and miscellaneous railroad titles. Oddly enough, I have no real recollection of these arriving on site. Some of the RMCs have taken residence on the shelf to fill in the gaps, but the rest are going to have to go. 4 more cubic feet; 20 in total.

I am not about to calculate the remaining (wanted) publication's space consumption; questions you don't want to hear the answers to shouldn't be asked...

a new blog

2011-12-03T22:05:00.001-05:00

The S Scale Workshop, returning victorious from their recent trip to Milwaukee's Trainfest, thought it would be nice to have a group blog to collect progress reports, share information, make product announcements and so on. I've set one up here -
http://sscaleworkshop.blogspot.com/
- so please drop in and say hello if you get the chance...

re musings

2011-11-28T16:55:00.001-05:00

It may be obvious to some that the subject of modular, portable layouts weighs heavily on my mind.

I have been posting my thoughts on the matter and these, while not definitive or exhaustive, represent the lessons learned from a few years of effort (and numerous observations) in the field.

The most recent posting are, as yet, very rough. I wanted to get them out depsite incompleteness. Sometimes it helps to actually see what one is thinking about in order to better organise thoughts.

I will be editing these entries to add more content, links, and (hopefully) diagrams to clarify and expand on various points.

the incredible shrinking train show

2011-11-19T23:03:00.003-05:00

The 2-day Toronto Christmas Train Show has diminished in size yet again. Fewer vendors, fewer exhibitors, and fewer attendees. The admission price remains high, and the on-site food remains poor value for money.

The organisers saw fit to call it quits at 4:00 PM today, an hour earlier than usual. No reason was given.

At least one vendor was overheard to say, 'if this year is worse than last, it's my last show here'. Not a good sign.

Due to overlapping schedules this weekend, for once I wasn't present for assembly and will not be there for tear-down of the layout. I managed to make enough time to operate (to allow for a break for the other guys) and share a meal with the crew today. I enjoyed the partial day out with my friends very much, but the meager offerings and reduced overall footprint this year is the least inspiring yet.

With the recent demise of the CHRA Spring Train Show, this is the last big event left in the area. No attraction sets it off from other shows. Little or no promotion seems to be done to encourage attendance. There is no incentive for exhibitors to continue their efforts. What is there to tempt any but the die-hards?

If this is the Christmas Show, where is Santa? Ah yes, he's off at his parade downtown. Perhaps this show could be better timed to ensure his availability? Maybe his people could contact the show people and make suitable arrangements...

Why so few vendors, exhibitors and attendees? It's a good bet that half of the candidates were at the other end of the city, visiting the 2-day Whitby Train Show which, for some bizarre and unfathomable reason, is scheduled to occur on the same weekend for the 3rd or 4th year in a row. How this benefits either event is entirely beyond me.

I greatly doubt that anyone will mourn the ultimate loss of this particular show; it has virtually ceased to serve a useful or constructive purpose. A shame, really. Most of the locals used to look forward to this annual event.

modular musings, part 3 (electrical)

2011-11-19T08:26:00.001-05:00

If you can't get the control signals or power to the locomotives, all the mechanical construction effort is for nought. I will discuss electrical aspects with DCC in mind.

You need to have robust connectors, able to manage the high current draws:
Anderson, Cinch-Jones, trailer
Each have their beneifts and drawbacks. Any one of them can be "bad" if they are not used properly.

What about power districts? Modern sound equipped locos can draw significant amounts of power, adn having a short at one end of the modular layout should not disrupt activity at the other end.
- maximum track buss length from each booster should be less than 50'

Employ 'unique' connectors at the interfaces to prevent mix-ups. Throttle buss, track buss, and accessory power buss should NOT be able to be connected to each other. Throttle buss cabling is usually something like a Telco RJ12, so that's not too difficult to keep apart. However, you must bear in mind that there are 'straight through' and 'crossover' versions of typical Telco and Datacom cables - beware mixing them in a daisy-chain!

http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/utp.htm
http://www.vif.com/users/r-rhurlbut/On30-Modules/GM/03.pdf

If you choose to use something like an Anderson Powerpoles for both the track and accessory wiring harnesses, ensure that you use different dovetailed plug arrangements for each.

Hermaphrodite connections saves 1/2 your material costs for electrical hardware, and is especially useful in Free-mo 180° end-for-end flip situation.

Make troubleshooting provisions from the beginning. Nothing takes more time than tracing an electrical fault. Employing quick disconnects, terminal blocks, and nicely dressed colour coded wiring will help but remember that each break in the wire (for a connector, plug or whatever) is another potential point of failure. Also, DO NOT make something that only one person can fix, and DO NOT rely on proprietary "gizmo" solutions.

- buzzer box
Radio Shack buzzer + 2 alligator leads for track laying
see "Testing" section of http://www.wiringfordcc.com/track.htm

- buss run AWG
Heavy, stranded, Landscape wire (designed for outdoor use, thick insulation, high amp/low volt)

- track buss taps
3M IDC Suitcase connectors,
Telegraphers "tap" slice

- track feeders AWG
light, short (less than 6"), solid

Keep accessory power draws OFF the DCC buss! DCC is for loco power & layout communication only! If you're wondering why you loco is behaving erratically, maybe you should disconnect the 'welding flicker' and 'telegraph sounder' from your track buss. Electrical noise coupled-in to the command signals is BAD. The decoders determine what to do through edge-detection in the DCC signal. Don't add to the noise by tacking on a bunch of animated elements. A DC or AC wall-wart adaptor, or an old PC power supply (with PWRGOOD mod) will run all your online accessories.

- Loconet buss termination
A properly sized resistor at the end of the track buss will help reduce or eliminate ringing & overshoot of the DCC signal. Early Tsunami decoders were susceptible to overvoltage/spikes, causing premature failure in some cases. Spikes can hit over 22V on a DCC system set for 16V output.

- communication buss
With the advent of full-duplex radio, it may be that you don't need this on the layout. However, there is no need for the expense of radio throttles at yard locations. Adding a few plug-in throttle jacks won't hurt, and may help to reduce radio interference at larger shows.

If you are going to add throttle jacks to your modules, put two at opposite diagonal corners of the module set. This ensures that, whatever the orientation, there are jacks at even spacings around the layout. You won't have far to move if you need one.

- DCC vs DC
will depend on # of simultaneous locos & operators

- getting power to the layout
anti-trip mats to run power cable through, do not daisy chain extension cords, multi-tap AC cords

- turnout power
local adaptors, low volt AC buss, low volt DC buss, Tortoises vs solenoids (CD, SwitchWitch or Circuitron), servos (TamValley, AneModel)

- turnout control
DCC throttles, momentary buttons, toggles, computer, hand thrown, Pete's panel

- cables
making your own, 3-pair telco, x-over vs straight through, proper crimping tools

- test equip
RRAMp meter, Telco cable tester, hooking up UP5 LEDs, buzzer box, Digitrax LT1

sites for further study:

http://www.wiringfordcc.com/
http://www.powerwerx.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_termination

Circuitron "Snapper" cap-discharge solenoid driver:
http://www.circuitron.com/index_files/Tortoise.htm

Tractronics "SwitchWitch" stall motor driver:
http://users.rcn.com/weyand/tractronics/articles/articles.htm

RRAmp meter for DCC testing:
http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/rrampmeter.htm

series 302 Cinch connectors:
http://ca.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Cinch/P-302H-CCT/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvlX3nhDDO4ACp%252b9pCER64wSkfV%2Fj%2FSjMo%3D

Anderson Powerpole connectors & accessories:
http://www.powerwerx.com/

R/C servomotor controllers for turnouts:
http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/
http://www.anemodel.com/product.html

IDC Scotchlok connectors:
http://tinyurl.com/bwrr4rw

Misc:
http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/paasurvey/elec/lesson5/lesson5.html
http://www.amhobby.com/products/tech/generic/wire_sizes.html
http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/3073
http://www.dccwiki.com/Wire_sizes_and_spacing

modular musings, part 2 (mechanicals)

2011-11-19T08:24:00.002-05:00

The enemy is variation. Avoid dimensional softwood lumber for portable applications; continual changes in temperature and humidity wreak havoc with it. You may be well served to seal any wood to limit the effects of moisture (something like sanding sealer or shellac, perhaps); beware of acrylic coatings, the painted surfaces can stick to each other after being clamped together.

Goals are fast and repeatable setup, and optimal strength-to-weight ratio. Heading straight to "lightweight" can lead to fragile construction. It won't matter if it's light if the first time you clamp it to another module the endplates flex or rip right off, or you drop it and it turns into a pile of kindling.

Track expansion. Attach rails firmly above the interface (soldered to PCB tie plate or brass screws), and allow for rail gaps somehwere inside the MODULE confines.

PC board tie plates (Free-mo)
http://www.bnm-hobbies.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=20_21

Thought points:
- (Simon's) profile blocks to ensure consistent rail height at each joint.
- A single socket directly below the main line. Fit pin as needed to align to next section or module.
- Minimum number of tracks crossing any joint.
- Solid vertical member under the subroadbed itself to prevent sagging.
- Track must be 90°to both the horizontal and vertical planes at each INTERFACE.
(an INTERFACE differs from a SECTION JOINT, as a MODULE differs from a SECTION)
- Maple Leaf Mafia aluminium CNC frames

Avoid using porous material in the subroadbed, especially if you use the water soluble method of applying ballast or scenery near the track. Absorbed water tends to swell and distort the material. Using soap or alcohol to cut surface tension just makes it easier for the water to get in.

90° ends are critical everywhere. Setup & check your chop saw carefully. Verify the alignment with a proper try square. Cut matching sides and ends in pairs (at least). Mark what they are for. Clamp up and assemble frame pieces on a flat surface. Check 90° Horiz & Vert again. Get the frame dead square! Apply top and/or corner gussets. Route off edges of top with laminate trimmer bit (if it has a flat deck).

The primary mechanical goal is to ensure accurate track alignment across the joints. The secondary goal is an even fascia for the sake of appearance. Scenic continuity can be accomplished through application of loose material along the joint after assembly. Keep some spice tins or shaker bottles of each type of material handy in your toolbox for shows. Accuracy can be a problem if many people are making their own modules; everyone executes cutting and fitting tasks at their own skill level.

Low density self-adhesive foam weatherstrip can be used to take up the eventual (hopefully minimal) gapping at the joints. This stops loose scenic material placed on the joint for exhibition from falling through to the floor. Do not use thick or high density foam, you don't want to make the gap bigger (foam tape the perimiter of the end board to create even compression).

Pierre Oliver, master carpenter and owner of Elgin Car Shops, recommends cabinet grade plywood ripped to appropriate widths for all framing members. There are no voids or inclusions, and the multiple plies offer greater dimensional stability.

Creating the boards: Take the ripped plywood and make a frame. Add braces across the width. Stanley corner brackets or gussets should be applied to ensure squareness and add screw locations. Keep clamping & cable area at MODULE and SECTION joints clear.

Fastening the MODULES or SECTIONS together: Quik-Grip clamps. Try to clamp immediately below the track itself. C-clamps need more clearance for the lever arm. Loose bolts, washers & wing nuts - adds to part count and things that can go missing. T-nuts (or threaded inserts) and furniture bolts can strip out or seize at inopportune times.

quick-attach adjustable legs - single pipe with foot, interchangable, retained (bayonet, squeeze fit, spring pin)

http://home.online.no/~bjornrl/modulebuild.htm

Lee Valley dowel pins, leg feet:
http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware/page.aspx?p=40145&cat=3,43586,43588,40145
http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware/page.aspx?p=41865&cat=3,40993,41283

patternmakers pins, etc.:
http://www.stationroadbaseboards.co.uk/menu_fittings.htm

make an accurate drilling jig, use drill bushings, store safely:
http://carrlane.com/catalog/

More thought points:
- dropping the egg crate example
- French cleat vs ledger board
- protect root of cleat (cover/scraper?)
- legs/supports
- tool-less height adjustments
- height adjustment at the top of the leg
- pads to protect floors (gymnasiums, churches, etc.)
- crowd barriers
- concrete post bases + ABS 'tees' with rope on a spindle (Jim)

a traumatic idea...

2011-11-18T22:52:00.006-05:00

...for a portable exhibition layout.

It's always a bother to drag legs, skirting, and the boxed-up sections of your exhibition layout out, using a hand cart or simply lugging the dead weight of it all. Often you have to make two trips back and forth to the vehicle.

How about using an ambulance gurney frame as the basis of the layout? The rolling chassis would fold up as you shoved it into the back of your van or pickup, and unfold as you dragged it out. Then it would be easy to roll it from the parking lot up to the venue and into your assigned spot. Just lock the wheels and drop some skirting around the edge of the frame to cover the chassis.

The frame would support an approximately 24" x 72" layout. Plenty for an HO or OO shunting plan, or an N terminus or single industrial complex. You should even be able to make a nice O14 or O16.5 scene in this footprint.

But where would you buy a used gurney?

modular musings

2011-11-13T09:28:00.024-05:00

Half of the S Scale Workshop crew are exhibiting at Milwaukee's TrainFest this weekend. The rest of us, being un-retired, are occupied with domestic chores and household tasks that are forcibly compressed (by dint of regular employment) into the weekends preceding the first major snowfall.

I am the group's primary nerd/geek. Knowing that I wouldn't be there to assist if the DCC system decided to throw a fit, I prepared some documentation for the guys to take with them to both simplify the setup and aid in troubleshooting. I also played a role in determining the electro-mechanical standards at the group's inception. After examining dozens of modular standards, we distilled what we considered (at the time) to be the best practises to follow in order to meet our needs. For the most part, we succeeded.

The absolute necessity of following proven methods for building a modular system cannot be overstated. Any flaw in a module will affect ALL of the others. "It ain't no fun if the trains don't run". Each module must meet (and preferably exceed) the minimum requirements in order for the whole system to work as intended.

No skimping on wiring or structure; no corner-cutting on fittings or fasteners. The pennies you save up front will be spent a hundred times over during the life of the project, and the aggravation caused will haunt operations to the bitter end. If you don't know how to do something that's been agreed to by the group, ask for help or have someone do that bit for you in exchange for you doing stuff they can't manage. Each person has a distinct skill set and no one can do everything perfectly. Share the load.

Things to consider to ensure consistency:
- settle on ONE coupler type, ONE turnout type, ONE turnout mechanism (Caboose Ind., Tortoise, Bullfrog, Bluepoint, etc), ONE wheelset; supplying spares is much easier if there aren't a mish-mash of choices
- buy components IN BULK and distribute as necessary; it saves money and time
- make JIGS to cut and drill components the same way each time; store these carefully between uses
- cut ALL of the module end plates at once; make a few extras for future expansion
- make ALL of the legs interchangeable; no "specials"
- use the PROPER crimping tool(s) for electrical connections; don't make do with generic pliers (or a hammer)*
- use ONE type of fastener for all of the legs, carrying cases, backdrops, section joints, etc; same head type and length**
- INSPECT & TEST each module as it is ready to put into service; don't simply assume it's been done right***

Things to consider to make life easier:
- DON'T design & build a module that you can't transport or erect safely
- make a CHECKLIST of everything you need to take; do not check off a box until you hold the item in your hand and put it in whatever carrying case is going to the venue
- TEST your power and DCC cables as part of preparing for a show
- bring SPARES of your fastener and cables
- TEST your module regularly; things get broken/come loose in transit

If you aren't having fun at the shows you attend with your modular group, you're doing something wrong. Figure out what it is and fix it. There's no sense in continuing the misery. If it's a systemic problem (like undersized wiring) schedule a group work session and get it ALL done at once. If it's a single bad turnout, a dip in the roadbed, a gauge problem, kinks in a curve or whatever - repair it before the next event or don't bring that section out to the show.

* Electrical problems, especially intermittent ones, are the MOST ANNOYING and time consuming problems to solve. You often can't see the fault because of insulation, backshells, or accessibility (under the deck or in the framing). Yes, some crimping tools are expensive, but it's a one-time cost that saves hours or days of future frustration. How much is your time worth? How much more do you value the enjoyment of your hobby time over that of the daily grind?

** Pierre Oliver, of Elgin Car Shops, is a Master Carpenter and theatrical set builder. If there is someone who knows more about constructing and moving robust sub-assemblies around, I haven't met them. This is his idea and I can find no fault with it. Hex head (Allen) furniture bolts are available (nearly) worldwide. Forget slot head and Phillips; too easy to slip or strip out. The Robertson head is superior, but isn't universally available.

*** Many people get bent out of shape when they are subjected to the indignity of a "quality check". TOUGH. Your components have to be "known good" in order to ensure a favourable experience for ALL of the participants. If you want to work with a group, put your primadonna attitude aside. You are not immune to errors, and you don't get to do something different (non-standard) just to show everyone how clever you are. It's a collective effort and you need to conform for the sake of consistency, reliability, ease of troubleshooting & repair, and the overall enjoyment of the group.

too bad, so sad,

2011-11-12T15:41:00.006-05:00

bye bye.

The newbie's hand-me-down layout was not worth saving. It was a 5'x9' Granite Gorge & Northern from Altas' old "6 HO Railroads You Can Build"

When it was prepped for storage or moving, almost all of the wiring was torn out from underneath, the control panel was disconnected (cable cut) and the many bridges across the middle joint were very roughly removed. In the process, several sections of cork and track were damaged. The track was a mix of brass and nickel-silver; likewise the turnouts were from various manufacturers, in various states of repair.

I wasn't confident that this could be repaired easily. I knew the fellow was eager to run some trains, and it would be many hours of work for a newcomer to get this thing back in decent shape (if it could be saved at all). Frustration could set in very quickly, and I wanted to avoid yet another bad experience for a beginner.

Based on our discussion of what he was interested in (and his skill level), my recommendation was to scrap the top and replace it with a flat deck. Then obtain a starter set of either Kato Unitrack or Bachmann EZ-Track, a Bachmann Berkshire with DCC, and an NCE Powercab.

I found out that the local hobby shop had a single Kato World's Greatest Hobby starter track plan set left in stock and suggested that purchase to him. It was still in the shop on Friday, so I'm not sure where he's at with his activities.

tinkering, thinkering

2011-11-12T10:22:00.004-05:00

I have been mulling over the idea of a "participatory event", hopefully assisted by the local hobby shop. The concept is to pre-package enough plywood and track for anyone to build a T-Trak module in N scale. It wouldn't be a contest so much as a way to develop modelling skills and encourage a bit of diversity within the area's exhibition landscape. At the end, all modules would come together in a group display. Perhaps a popular vote would be held, but certainly a reward of some kind would be dispensed to all participants.

Many newcomers to the hobby are overwhelmed by the idea of a large, home layout. Some intermediate modellers stall in their thought processes. Long-timers may wish to dabble in something else; "a change is as good as a rest", it is said. City dwellers and young people relying on public transit find it difficult to move large modules. All of these people would (likely) benefit from interaction with like-minded modellers. A small project like this would offer a kickstart or development platform.

T-Trak offers an incrementally-sized base to build upon, starting at about a foot square. The material requirements for baseboards are minimal; no legs and only a simple box frame. Track requirements are similarly light; parallel (at each end) Kato Unitrack components. It may be possible to provide a kit of essential parts for as little as $25. Modules are connected together on, and supported by, the ubiquitous 30" high folding-leg tables lurking at exhibit & conference halls.

The event organiser would have to provide four corners and one straight section in order to guarantee that any number of participants could be provided for during the culminating exhibition. Tying-in with a large local train show would be the best course of action; many modellers would be in attendance anyway, and the display could be seen by the largest number of visitors. I would recommend the "33mm spaced centre" version of the T-Trak build, so that many of Kato's accessories could be incorporated without modification.

Kato's track products are, frankly, some of the best in the hobby. My recent experiments with their N Unitrack sections have proved pleasant and trouble-free. I was able to have a long-idle locomotive running on a loop of track in mere minutes. While the pre-ballasted track sections are not preferred for many advanced techniques used by "serious" hobbyists, they provide a good looking basis for reliable and consistent running - minimising disappointment and maximising the fun factor; crucial elements for newcomers to the hobby.

coulda, woulda, shoulda, didn't

2011-11-05T17:12:00.009-04:00

I actually turned down the offer of many dozen Railfan & Railroad magazines (in proper binders) the other day. Who would have thought I'd reject yet more reading material? Could've taken up the space I just emptied last week...

Did receive 3 volumes published by Wild Swan in the UK from a bookseller I haven't dealt with before, British Railway Books. Great service. Two are by Gordon Gravett on 7mm Modelling techniques, and the third is about Narrow Gauge Modelling in the British style. If I was ever required to get rid of all my reference material except one source, I would keep the Wild Swan books.

Missed a chance to buy something that is now out of stock everywhere. Hadn't thought a mass-market item would disappear so quick. I guess times really are changing; even large manufacturers are no longer making thousands of the same SKU only to have the remainder sit on their shelves for years. Should get stuff while you can.

A portion of our S Scale group will be in Milwaukee for Trainfest next weekend. I expect about 30' of modules will make the 800+ km journey to the show. I didn't book time to go, as I couldn't justify the trip; too many other things requiring attention and funds at the moment.

space, man

2011-11-01T15:47:00.003-04:00

As in "making some".

Finally divesting myself of all my Model Railroader magazine back issues. The disappearing paper spans the 1957 through 2009 timeframe. This equates to about 10 ft³ of volume that can be used for other things or, indeed, for nothing at all. I may obtain the entire MR collection on DVD at some point in the future. The Trains! collection on DVD is a useful reference, but I don't find myself accessing it as much as I had thought.

I still obtain the Kalmbach Special Issues and Model Railroad Planning annuals; they are good distillates of theme-based material.

The recipient of the magazines is looking forward to browsing the many articles and photographs. He's new to the hobby and is eager to devour any information he can find. I will have to point him at the searchable indices online in order to help him find articles by topic. His plans at the outset seem fairly modest; focusing on the 1950's era with no particular prototype in mind (yet).

I've offered to cast an eye over the 5'x9' hand-me-down layout that he recently obtained; may be better for him to start fresh than try to resurrect it - I get the impression this pike has seen better days. I know he'd like to have a train running sooner rather than later.

socialites

2011-10-16T18:14:00.004-04:00

Had a great time at the 2nd annual "CanAm S Scale Social" near Port Dover today. Fantastic to see so many S Scale modellers all in one place. Must have been 2 dozen of us from the northern US and Ontario, Canada gathered in fellowship to celebrate our shared interest. On hand were some great examples of modelling skill, ingenuity, and perseverence.

A homemade luncheon was provided and everyone were able to spend time furthering international relations. It was very nice to see some attendees from last years event, become acquainted with some new people, and finally put faces to the names of long-time correspondents.

I was able to obtain some much-needed detail parts and a passenger car for a future project bash. Other swap'n'sell table items certainly tempted, but forbearance was the watchword.

This event, organised by a local enthusiast, has all the makings of an eagerly anticipated yearly pilgrimage. Indeed, thoughts of what could be done for "next time" have begun to percolate in the ol' brain pan.

more and less

2011-10-04T21:46:00.003-04:00

More of the outside clutter is slated to disappear. Prime among them is a vintage garden tractor project that, while desirable and useful, has simply proved beyond my capabilities. Also exiting is a generously donated riding mower carcass that turned out to have more wrong than right. The latter will go quickly; it's free after all. The former must beckon the right soul to restore it to its former glory. This project vehicle has a number of lusted-after accessories which may be more of a lure than itself.

Progress was also made in the clarity department; I recklessly spent one of the last best days of the season gutting 1/2 the garage to install heavy-duty shelving to organise and gain access. However, it still looks like nothing was actually accomplished. Sad results for a long day of exertion.

I'm forced to wonder what this effort is indicative of. Rather than aging gracefully, I feel rather like an old ringer-washer perched precariously on the edge of a staircase; still mostly functional (and somewhat tough on clothing) but could go any minute, making a hell of a noise in the process. Pushing hard after years at a desk job is not necessarily the smartest course of action. However, I've seen what happens to people who don't, can't, or won't clean up their crapstacks in a timely fashion. It ends up being hell for themselves and those around them. Actions are often taken in an ill-considered panic instead of after measured thought.

There is a movement called The 100 Things Challenge which, at its core, promotes the idea of simplification and reduction. I am not saying that I'll ever get down to 100 things (I doubt that many Westerners would or could, given our culture of rampant acquisition) but I can appreciate and admire the ideal.

Reduce, Refuse, Resist, Reject, Repurpose, Recycle.

in & out

2011-09-30T18:20:00.003-04:00

Over the past week or so, many things have changed hands.

Outgoing, a hard-to-find locomotive kit that I may possibly slightly occasionally regret parting with later but is now in better hands. Several pieces of RTR rolling stock and a few kits that never quite "made the grade" are also gone. My S scale module has found a home with a new owner and, outside, a nettlesome pile of scrap metal has moved on to the big rust pile in the sky. Existing books and magazines have been thinned, if only a bit.

Incoming, a lovely On30 caboose built by Jeff Young rests on the shelf next to a hard-to-find copy of Bob Turner's "Skyline Limited" book on the Kaslo & Slocan Ry. A significant pile of pine 1x? lumber has taken up residence in the garage pending future uses too numerous to mention. On the floor, not quite underfoot, sits a mint condition MIG welder and a plethora of accessories that I won't even be able to put to use until new wiring is installed out to the breezeway. To cap it off, an ex NorTel 140 lb black granite surface plate made it down the stairs and into the shop. However, for some odd reason, roughly 75 pounds of printed periodicals showed up in five boxes while my attention was momentarily elsewhere.

This is all leading towards a future state which I'm fairly certain will be beneficial and more satisfying than the current one.

Sort, Stabilise, Shine, Standardise, Sustain.

it's the most wonderful time...

2011-09-25T20:31:00.003-04:00

Well, it could be the most wonderful time of the year.

Train show season.

That is, if the shows were good. Most of them are not. Sad but true, for our locale anyway.

The same tired displays, the same tired exhibitors, and the same tired excuses.
No shopping deals, and no squeals of delight from any but the youngest attendee.

Planning to make it to the Brampton show next week for a brief visit. This was a decent event last year so I am looking forward to the upcoming one. The 2nd "S Scale Social" looms in October, but this is not an 'open' soirée. Certainly there will be a regular visit to Copetown and a return to Narrow Gauge Madness in 2012 (but that's an eon away).

The Christmas Train Show, on the other hand, does not beckon. It desperately needs a complete overhaul of its premise, presentation, and participation. With the demise of the Spring CRHA Show, this is the only big event in the region. For at least the last two years, the event planners have managed to arrange it for the same weekend as another train show at the other end of the city AND the primary Santa Claus parade for the whole area - thereby splitting the attendance of vendors, exhibitors, and punters. The entry fee remains too high, the on-site food price remains too high, and the consideration for the exhibitors remains too low.

The trouble is, a group of people who are going to put the hobby ahead of the pure profit has to step up and do what's needed to sort this all out...

up 'n running

2011-09-25T00:16:00.006-04:00

Dad had converted an On30 Bachmann 0-4-2 to a more British looking engine using a number of 1:43 Bagnall components from KeyKits in the UK (now sadly closed). He followed the general process outlined on Brian Fayle's website for the conversion itself.

The Bachmann porter has a number of features that make it a desirable engine, but also some that make it a royal pain in the posterior. One of the worst aspects is the close clearance of the rods to the cab structure. Over time the motion has become sloppier, resulting in reduction of free space between the moving and non-moving parts.

Finally, the engine just stopped moving, but the motor kept running. Essentially, because of the rod ends constant banging into the underside of the cab floor, the wheels got so badly out of quarter that the siderods jammed up and the drive gear on the axle spun. Not a good situation.

After a suitable period of squinty-eyed consideration, I was able to requarter and regauge the wheels, add a drop of CA to the ends of each axle, and grind a pair of clearance slots into the underside of the cab floor above the left and right rod ends. Reassembly yielded no unexpected spare parts and the engine actually runs better than it did when new, as there is no longer even a slight drag of the rods on the structure.

OO yes

2011-09-21T20:38:00.004-04:00

A brass kit in OO scale, 3' gauge. It represents a Schull and Skibbereen railway coach from Ireland. The kit is available from Worsley Works in the UK.

Wheelsets, journal boxes, and buffers are extras; the kit is a pair of flat panel etched frets intended to get you going. The pieces are being joined together using acid flux and 63/37 solder.

Lots to learn putting together a kit like this. Most short run North American model kits are resin rather than brass, and the assembly techniques required are a little bit more esoteric than I am used to. It's been fun so far and, now that I've obtained the proper wheels, I can continue with the undercarriage pieces.

Lake Erie Aggregates

2011-09-21T20:22:00.004-04:00

Here's a shot of my talented friend Jim Martin's On30 "Lake Erie Aggregates" micro layout. It won a top prize at last year's Schomberg Narrow Gauge show. The overall layout only measures about 2'x4', and is a point-to-point arrangement, in a "U" around the central backdrop. The careful thought Jim put into the planning and execution translated into a layout that looks bigger than it actually is, and successfully conveys a sense of place.

Jim is currently co-hosting The Model Railway Show podcast, and was a veteran radio broadcaster in his previous life. He's also building an S scale layout in his basement, incorporating the Port Dover module set which formerly accompanied our modular group to local shows.

wind from divest

2011-09-21T19:50:00.004-04:00

Last weekend I packed up the S scale module set and carted it off to another caretaker. As part of the recent space-gaining process, I've found a new owner for the nearly 10' siding "S" curve. This doesn't mean a total withdrawal from S, or from the modular group. However I need to get on with certain tasks around the house, and the module sections were sitting smack dab in the middle of the projected work area. Mind you - so are a lot of other things, but the module was by far the biggest and most awkward to keep shoving around. It was going to get damaged or thrown out in a fit of pique.

Future state demands a smaller vehicle to offset rising commuting expenses, which would leave the module stranded in any case. At that point I'd be even harder pressed to be able to transport it to a new home. Better that someone has use of it than to have it idle or inadvertently injured. At some point after the purchase of an alternate vehicle and its capacity is assessed, a new module may indeed be built. Lessons learned from this build will help ensure a better product.

blog roll

2011-09-21T16:55:00.004-04:00

New blogs to watch:

I've mentioned Trevor Marshall's new adventure story at:
Port Rowan in 1:64

Now Jim Lincoln has begun a record of his Proto48 efforts;
Deleware-Lackawanna in P48

I subscribe to many more blogs and, for the most part, enjoy the content. Better than traditional magazines in many ways because the material is likely to match my interests; after all I hunted down the blogs by keywords in the first place.

good, better, best

2011-09-20T16:42:00.006-04:00

One of my former bosses once told me, "perfection is an obstacle to progress." To a certain extent, I have come to agree with this statement. Constant iteration of a single item in pursuit of the 'perfect' object means, effectively, that this item is never finished or (in some cases) ever brought to a useable condition. The idea that the NEXT instance of the item will be better than the last should not be ignored, however. There is no reason not to incorporate improvements in material, technique, or functionality when creating subsequent renditions.

I've also been battered about the head and neck with "The 3-Foot Rule". This states that if it looks OK from 3' away, it's good enough. This philosophy I have more of a problem with, as 'good enough' is a purely subjective measure. Also, the viewing conditions and eyesight of the beholder will vary, especially if the item in question is in any way portable or subject to public scrutiny. I maintain that, in order for it to look good at 3', it had better stand up well to even closer examination. We have no scale-sized atmospheric haze to soften the edges and dull the colours no matter how small we make our models, and the camera tells no lies.

'Good enough' is, at best, a sliding scale. Certainly something that was good enough when you were a relatively unskilled teen is not the same as good enough when you are a more experienced person? Surely no one pursues sport or games of skill with the battle cry, "Only as good as I did last time!" For my own part, I try to learn something from each endeavour that can be applied to future endeavours. Sometimes I have to look pretty close at what I've done to get a useful lesson out of it, but it's always in there - somewhere.

There is a sense of personal achievement in hobby pursuits that is often sadly lacking in most daily occupations and, it must be said, we need all the positive feedback we can get. Exercising the hands & the brain, shaping raw materials into finished objects that delight & inspire, teaching &/or learning new skills, possibly even creating a little order from the chaos - all laudable ways to spend time and energy - a lot of the experience can be transferred to other areas of your life in a beneficial manner.

However, if the goal of a pursuit is merely to kill some time, then you might as well have someone nail your box shut now and get it over with.

tick the boxes

2011-09-17T14:11:00.003-04:00

In an effort to focus, pare down, and lighten up I've been considering what I like most in the hobby; a process brought on by having too much to think about, too much to choose from, and too much to complete. There is a primary pattern to the result, and it's narrow gauge. The themes include logging, mining, and industrial topics. There is little desire for a basement-filling empire, but a strong inclination to start the garden railway as soon as next Spring rears its head (and the ground dries up).

I'm much more interested in individual models than complete systems, and more inclined towards the critter than the Challenger. There are plenty of opportunities to work on other people's layouts, so not having anything more substantial than a micro or a few modules will be fine. Electrical, benchwork, and tracklaying tasks will all present themselves in sufficient quantity regardless of the scope of any one project. The decision to build kits rather than buying RTR has also allowed me to decide what stays and what goes.

Scale is not important on an individual level, as the large layout scenario is unlikely. Being able to dabble in 16mm or 7mm, 3/16" or 1:76 as the mood strikes has very broad appeal. I suspect that a display cabinet (or two) for finished items, coupled with a portable micro, a pair of modules, and a garden patch will be the end result of the soul searching...

project shuns

2011-09-17T10:12:00.006-04:00

There are a few projects which I feel must be completed before too long. The first two, small efforts involve 3D modelling and brass kit building.

The former relates to the WDLR (War Department Light Railways) steel and wood wagon bogies. There are a few modellers who would like to be able to buy (nearly) RTR bogies for their 7mm scale models. I will be converting the available 2D files into 3D, and uploading them to a 3D print service. With planning and a bit of luck, this should be a straightforward excercise (despite a certain rustiness with the 3D side).

The latter involves a long-overdue review kit that was sent to me for evaluation. Apparently I was the only one foolish enough to think burnt fingers and strained eyes were a desirable experience. It is an Irish OOn3 (1:76 scale, 3' gauge) coach. The sides and ends of the structure have been cut away from their frets and soldered together with minimal damage to the thin plates. The under frame is awaiting W-iron and wheelset installation. I was fortunate to obtain properly gauged wheelsets and accompanying bearings from the UK.

Mac attack

2011-09-17T09:59:00.003-04:00

Neglected to specifically mention that the G5 Mac power subsystem packed it in. After deliberation, and the trial of returning to daily WinTel usage, a Mac Mini was purchased. The recovery of all data from the Time Machine drive was so painless, so effortless, and so quick that it practically offset 1/2 the cost of the purchase purely in lost time savings. I had alloted 3 entire evenings to restore, reload, and reconfigure the data and computer to the previously known state - based on previous experiences recovering from WinTel failures. Much to my surprise and delight, the data reload, OS & application update, and Mail sync were all complete before 8:30 PM the first evening. Bewildering.

Of course, Apple has subsequently released an even better Mini but this is to be expected. I received sterling service from Computer Systems Centre on College St. in Toronto for both the LaCie Time Machine drive and the Mac Mini purchases.

It remains to be seen if the G5 can be economically repaired; it is still an able machine despite its age. The susbsytem fault could be on either the motherboard or inside the power supply itself; it is a known condition on certain builds. It is an intermittent fault condition and cannot be triggered at will, making diagnosis time consuming and tedious.

spatial opportunity

2011-09-17T09:45:00.004-04:00

The impending release of Kalmbach's Model Railroader DVD set bodes well for the volumetrically challenged. Experience with the previously released Trains DVD set indicates that the useage pattern is reference and research, not relaxing reading. The intergrated ability to search the content is invaluable; offering an improvement over the online database searches which require you to then paw through the pulp stacks looking for the elusive issue. Switching to digital in this case should save me between 6-8 cubic feet of shelf space; a valuable commodity. If RMC, Mainline Modeler, and the NG&SL Gazette were similarly offered, a further 8-10 cubic feet could be reclaimed.

milestones

2011-09-15T17:14:00.003-04:00

The Model Rail Radio podcast enjoyed its 2nd anniversary yesterday. A few hundred hours of model rail content now reside on the net for comment, conjecture, and consideration. It's been a blast talking to modellers from all over the planet; I've made many new friends and learned many useful details to aid my own efforts.

The 1st anniversary of The Model Railway Show rapidly approaches. This Hallowe'en will mark the occasion. A different approach to model rail audio, this professionally presented podcast is short and sweet. Many leading lights in the hobby have already appeared on the show, offering commentary on the past, present and future of our beloved pastime. I wish I could take credit for the content itself, but all I need do is nudge the odd electron or tweak the odd byte.

hack 'n slash

2011-09-15T17:04:00.005-04:00

It must be that time again. An end of days for Trevor Marshall's On2 S&PCR model railway (rev 2) was marked by the destruction of the original piece of the first On2 layout. While I did my best to carefully unscrew the various electrical fittings, Tortoise machines, and pattern-makers alignment pins from the layout's shadow box frames, Trevor bashed mightily on the upper surfaces with hammer and cold chisel to release the signature structures so laboriously built and blended into the scene.

While this incident ends one saga, it begins another. I have been priviledged to work on several projects with Trevor, and the latest one will prove as rewarding as the preceding. Our involvement with the S Scale Workshop has exposed us to the wonderful modelling that is possible in 3/16" scale. Coincident with the acquisition of suitable motive power, Trevor has decided to assay a CN themed point-to-point and has begun to assemble a fleet of cars. You can follow this latest adventure at Port Rowan in 1:64

.

flea bitten

2011-09-15T16:48:00.004-04:00

A second, semi-annual flea market has come and gone. Numbers do not tell the whole story. More material changed hands than the first event, but the volume occupied did not decrease as much as hoped. A reduction by 20% (one empty box of the 5 taken) will have to suffice.

Sadly, items anticipated as wanted did not move. Pricing was within market norms for most of the goods on display but I cannot yet bring myself to release certain pieces for virtually nothing. If I cannot recoup the amount I desire, I simply won't sell them.

The next market day has already been announced. Table price has increased. Past experience shows that the usual crowd of attendees are not looking for the goods I am selling, being somewhat esoteric compared to the regular fare. In a veritable sea of HO and N RTR plastic, I attempt to vend brass Sn2, non-Flyer S scale, On30 kits, detail parts, and niche magazines. A mug's game.

A more suitable venue must be found; it's simply not cost effective to sit largely idle for most of a day in the vain hope that someone equally offbeat and fainitly masochistic will waltz in and be smitten by a pretty pile of trinkets.

more of...

2011-09-15T16:37:00.004-04:00

Many months of apparent intervening inactivity. Several things have come to light in the interim. The two main points:

1) More space is required, and
2) more time is required.

In order to make more of the first, certain things are being sold, donated, or simply discarded. A bit of progress with each facet has freed a portion of the total volume. More to come. The process of choosing what to rid oneself of can be painful, remorse-laden, and time consuming. The benefits, however, should outweigh the penalties.

You cannot make more of the second. There isn't any extra to be had - only what you are alloted by a higher order of being, or eke through pure luck of the draw. You can, though, reduce the demands on precious time by eliminating commitments, combining activities, and improving efficiency. I cannot honestly say that I have had much success in any of those avenues but, with further effort, I should gain ground in each area.

divide and conquer

2011-03-23T21:12:00.003-04:00

The semi-annual Model Railroad flea market approaches. A table has been booked. A variety of items are gathered in boxes to be carted out and, with any luck, transferred to the possession of someone else. Just freeing up the space consumed will be a benefit, however a monetary gain will certainly be realised.

Recent consultations have all pointed to a need for tighter focus and drastic reduction in excess inventory. There simply aren't enough years in a life to undertake all of the projects one would like. Removal of distraction will, no doubt, be liberating.

A discussion overhead by a coworker has yielded an opportunity to provide a younger hobbyist with a significant amount (30+ pounds) of previously enjoyed reading material of the periodical variety. He'll have a big box of MR to peruse by tomorrow night...

on a positive note

2011-03-11T20:12:00.003-05:00

public display failure
neighbourhood power failure
ABS plumbing failure
drainage failure
tractor drive belt failure
laptop battery failure
iMac power supply failure
medical system failure
appointment scheduling failure
employment ethics failure

but, frankly, the bacon was absolutely delicious

I'll be Mac

2010-12-20T16:48:00.002-05:00

I'm now a month or so into the iMac experience. The OS has been upgraded to 10.5 Leopard (top version for a G5 PPC), 50% of my images have been transferred from the WinPC, iPhoto and Mail have taken over from Image Browser and Thunderbird, while Time Machine chugs away in the background managing past configurations. Both mail and primary picture archives remain on the WinPC for the moment.

The WinPC isn't seeing a lot of use except for image edits and CAD, as I don't have comparable image manipulation software on the iMac (yet). Not a problem except for some shared directory issues still to be resolved to simplify transfers between machines. Not entirely happy with the still camera sync to iPhoto; it wants to download all images in the camera - even those that have been already transferred in previous sessions.

Oddly enough, the USB teleconferencing camera from the WinPC, which was a bit of a pain to set up under XP, worked flawlessly when plugged into the iMac. As a bonus the iPod, which has been reformatted and reloaded, no longer hangs up when finishing its sync process.

Plans are to replace the generic USB mouse, add a powered USB hub to expand connectivity, and pick up a general text with a decent 10.5 overview (likely "the Missing Manual" for Leopard).

casting about

2010-12-19T18:52:00.005-05:00

The final podcast of Model Rail Radio for 2010 is done. N scale was the primary thread of conversation, and several guests stopped in to chat about both model and prototype topics. The long format conversation lends itself to exploring many facets of each discussion point.

The Model Railway Show now has 4 episodes posted for your listening pleasure. Be sure to drop in to hear from some of the leading lights in the hobby. These are short and to-the-point interviews with publishers, manufacturers, and authors.

pole position

2010-12-19T18:11:00.004-05:00

Bachmann's On30 trolley is a decent little model. It runs well and is reasonably priced. With a little redecoration, it will serve admirably on small a display layout.

I found that (as purchased) the pickup pole itself did not go high enough to contact the overhead wire at the recommended height (20' = 5"). It was a simple matter to remove the two springs, push out the pivot pin, and file a little off the foot of the pole to allow more vertical travel. This increased the angle of elevation from about 25 to 40 degrees.

But, in the end, there may be no easy way to make the factory pole to collect power from the overhead wire...

aftermath

2010-11-27T13:44:00.002-05:00

The Christmas Train Show is now over and there has been time for some reflection.

1) If our group ends up in front of the 18' high roll-up door again next year, I'll simply turn around and head home. I have no desire to stand in near-freezing wind for 4+ hours trying to set up the modules for a third show in a row. Someone else can have their turn, or the organisers can re-arrange the entry and exit of vehicles from the exhibition space.

2) Attendance this year and last seemed less and, in fact, it was. Turns out that another 2-day train show at the other end of the city has been scheduled for the same weekend as the TCTS two years in a row. This splits the attendance of vendors, layouts, and the public. Oh, and a number of other, 1-day shows in the general area were held on either the Saturday or Sunday. Having the show on the same weekend as the Santa Claus Parade smacks of poor scheduling as well.

3) Other than the presence of the various club displays, there is very little to draw a crowd of enthusiasts. Certainly the general public comes by to bring children to see the trains, but very few modellers outside of the exhibitors themselves seem to attend. Very few 'show specials' from vendors, no large manufacturers, no flea-market tables.

Without serious changes in the approach of the organisers, the show will continue to decline to the point where none of the vendors or exhibitors will attend.

cutting the cords

2010-11-27T13:37:00.003-05:00

Just transferring all of the iPod content from the PC to the iMac via my LAN. This will be the ideal chance to organise the many "miscellaneous" files into a better structure.

My address book has already been transferred from the PC (Thunderbird LDIF export & import). iCal is being filled with dates & times for various events. I'll finally be able to sync those important details to the iPod; no straightforward way to do that on the PC.

*EDIT* The transfer took much longer than expected. Cleaned up many duplicate files and shuffled appropriate collections into folders. Added a pile of missing album art (more still to do) and restored the iPod to factory defaults before the resync. Just under 3800 items to copy over at USB2.0 speeds. I'll find something else to do for a couple of hours. *EDIT*

service survives

2010-11-26T22:43:00.002-05:00

Again, I've had two excellent customer service experiences...

1) Broadcast Systems & Equipment - John Waling of BSE took the time to understand the type of hardware I needed to add extra functionality to an audio mixer. He deals with much bigger customers all the time, but he still made the effort to locate, hook-up, test, and allow me to hear for myself the hardware in question. Brilliant.

2) Long & McQuade - the staff at the shop helped me to quickly locate the cables I needed to hook up the new piece of hardware (BSE makes cables to order on a per-project basis) and had me on my way in minutes. No wasted time, no blank stares in response to my questions.

finally fun

2010-11-19T19:55:00.003-05:00

After the demise of the Commodore Amiga, there remained only two real choices of computing platform. The Intel-based, so-called "IBM compatible" personal computer, and the underdog Apple Macintosh. At the time of the Amiga's passing, monetary restrictions prevented the exploration of the latter path. Experience with the Mac OS (5 or 6) via a hardware emulation board on the Amiga gave a sketchy impression at best. Pending employment in a DOS/Win environment equipped with x86 hardware cinched the decision. The MS route was followed, and computing operations proceeded in a predictable fashion thereafter.

At last, however, the situation has righted itself. Thanks to a combination of good fortune and excellent timing, a G5 iMac has been obtained. Many of the hardware related frustrations associated with the MS OS and firmware tomfoolery has vanished overnight. Every peripheral transfer (often without any drivers or software) to the new machine has taken less time than its initial installation with accompanying discs and documentation on the 'PC'.

Despite virtually identical specifications of 2GHz CPU/2Gb SDRAM/250Gb HD, comparative functional testing of the two units (using identical applications) reveals a significant improvement in performance in favour of the Mac. Using the new machine is a real joy. Computers are finally fun again.

once more unto the breach

2010-11-19T19:31:00.003-05:00

Another Christmas Train Show is once more upon us. As usual, the last-minute rush to complete outstanding work on the display elements threatens to deaden the mood. How events unfold over the next two days will dictate future participation.

There remains to emerge a truly great train show in this region. The last one of any magnitude or consequence was in 2003, and that one very nearly didn't happen at all due to politics and knee-jerk reflexes.

It is sad to realise that, in an urban locale with 8+ million souls within reasonable driving distance, we cannot collectively attract more than a few thousand largely passive attendees for an annual exhibition. Perhaps it is because the displays do not change appreciably from year to year, or that the vendors fail to offer any real bargains. Perhaps it is because the major manufacturers choose to regularly absent themselves from the event, and the minor ones cannot afford to attend.

Frankly, there are other annual activities occurring within this timeframe which are becoming more appealing...

podcast premier pending

2010-10-19T20:39:00.002-04:00

The Model Railway Show launches November 1st
Free podcast engages model railroading enthusiasts in thought-provoking, fun-filled journey

(Toronto, Canada) – November is National Model Railroad Month, and we’re celebrating with the launch of The Model Railway Show. The first episode will be available November 1, 2010.

This free podcast follows the classic radio newsmagazine format, featuring the hobby’s best-known enthusiasts, along with the hard workers and innovators that keep this exciting hobby moving ahead.

Each episode of The Model Railway Show will run approximately 20 minutes, with quick yet informative interviews with a pair of guests. Topics will cover the full spectrum of the model railroad hobby – ranging from interviews with authors, editors and publishers, to chats with officials at the various organizations that keep the hobby growing, in North America and around the globe.

The Model Railway Show will broadcast twice a month over the Internet as a podcast. Listeners can subscribe at no cost via iTunes and have shows automatically delivered for listening on their computer, iPod or other digital music device. Alternately, listeners can monitor the show’s web site and RSS feed for new episodes, which can be download directly from the show’s servers in mp3 or m4a/AAC formats.

Details on how to listen by either method are provided on The Model Railway Show web site:

www.themodelrailwayshow.com

The Model Railway Show is hosted by Trevor Marshall and Jim Martin. In addition to being lifelong model railway enthusiasts who have worked in a wide variety of scales and gauges, Trevor and Jim both bring professional journalism, writing and radio backgrounds to the show.

petrol powered plethora

2010-08-27T19:52:00.004-04:00

All of the necessary gasoline powered devices are now functioning. Two push mowers, two tractors, a rototiller, and a trimmer. Now I can finally get rid of the two duplicates and spend less time maintaining infernal combustion engines.

What a sight it would be; a 1/6th scale traction engine hauling a brace of reel mowers at a stately pace across the greensward!

negative posting

2010-07-01T18:56:00.005-04:00

Spent 1/2 the day removing six posts from the back yard; two were set in concrete. This is on top of the two something-stronger-than-concrete-embedded 4"x4"s already removed. None of these gave any real clue as to their intended purpose. Well, the 4"x4"s might have been used to support a hammock, but it would have been in full sun and usable by no one taller than about 4'6".

Getting the metal posts out seemed like it was going to be a problem; they were sledgehammered in and there was really nothing to grab hold of. I ended up cross-drilling the posts 7/16" and fitting a 4"x3/8" SHCS through the holes. The SHCS was passed through a length of chain, then through the post, the through the chain again. This made a loop of chain for grip. I was intending to borrow my neighbour's 2T engine hoist to extract the posts but, alas, he was away. Two of the posts came straight up with leverage from bent knees under the forearms. Two more came up using the block of cement as a fulcrum for a class 2 lever. The concrete posts required digging out on one side, hauling back-and-forth with the chain, then pulling straight up.

Oddly enough, that's when my neighbour came home. Ah, well - I needed the exercise.

Subsequent to this, four spikes were made from two 8' pieces of re-bar. An angle grinder (thanks, Bill!) halved them nicely. A small sledge formed a hook at one end of each with only one mashed finger to show for it. These spikes were then shoved and pounded obliquely into the ground at each corner of the gazebo frame. Often the winds whip through this area with some speed. The piddling 6" toothpicks provided with the gazebo would offer no resistance to anything stronger than a cool breeze.

surprising service

2010-06-03T19:18:00.003-04:00

I recently had occasion to order a couple of hardcover books via Alibris. I chose the vendor a) because the price was reasonable, and b) because they were in Canada so there would be no Customs clearance fee. Shortly after agreeing to the price I was contacted asking for extra funds to cover the shipping; it seems the quoted price was for a single volume. I must admit feeling a little put out by this request but, as the total cost was still going to be reasonable, I agreed.

The package that arrived (swiftly, I might add) was excruciatingly well packed. I immediately realised that this vendor really cares about the handling of books. Each volume was crisply wrapped in its own kraft paper sheath, and the pair were swathed in heavy duty plastic film. The shipping box fitted the volumes without slop and was heavy enough to pad the corners against all but the most serious impact.

The vendor is Burton Lysecki Books, of Winnipeg. If I ever get out that way, you can rest assured that this is THE place I will stop and visit.

to cure the obscure

2010-05-11T20:48:00.004-04:00

I picked up a bigger drill press (than my 8" Delta 11-951) as part of a job-lot of machine tools. It's a solidly built, Yamaguchi YD-350A bench top model that was actually made in Japan, with all signage lettered in English, which I'm guessing dates from about 1950. It has just 3 speeds but runs without vibration. The problem I found was the chuck runout was about .030" (measured via a dial indicator at the end of a 5" length of 3/8" drill blank). Removing the chuck from the spindle revealed that it had obviously spun out at some point, as the male and female J6 tapers were both badly scored and galled. I was able to clean up the spindle taper and read ~.0005" runout on it alone. The female taper in the chuck body, however, is proving more difficult to correct. Using a d-bit as a scraper, I was able to remove most of the raised burrs on the inside. With the chuck fitted back on the spindle, the runout was now on the order of .010"; not bad for woodworking but miserable for metal. Since I don't know how accurately the chuck ran prior to the spinout, I can't say whether this is the best it will ever be. I'm digging around for a 'known good' chuck to try for better results. If it can reach .001", I'll be more than happy.

yakkity yak

2010-04-02T20:01:00.007-04:00

I've been very lucky to be able to participate in a great number of Model Rail Radio podcasts over the last couple of months. The audio police have yet to come banging on my door in the wee small hours demanding that I stop hemming & hawing while I talk.

Topics vary widely, from benchwork to DCC to planning to updates of various ongoing projects. Content is largely generated from listener feedback; I'm never quite sure what will be discussed.

light work

2010-04-02T18:34:00.007-04:00

Imagine my horror when I took the module set to the most recent exhibition, only to discover that the scenic work I'd done was completely the wrong colour under proper lighting conditions. So much for 'making do' with what I had.

Installation of two single fluorescent fixtures, equipped with daylight tubes, over the modelling bench in the shop has revealed exactly what I suspected; namely, that it's a miserable dark pit. I'll need at least one more single fixture to provide ambient light just for the bench area.

The daylight tubes certainly render much better colour than the mishmash of incandescent bulbs which were in the track lighting that I tore out. In addition to the overheads, there are two daylight incandescent swing arm lamps pointed directly at the bench's work surface which are the all-important task lighting part of the equation. There's no sense in mixing colours from the various bulbs in the shop itself so I'm trying to install all 'daylight' sources regardless of fixture.

A tawdry chandelier (? = don't ask) still has to be removed, and three or four more fluorescent fixtures will have to be installed to provide ambient light the lathe & mill end of the shop. Proper task lighting will still have to be situated at each tool to brighten the jobs at hand.

It may seem like a lot of bother to swap out light fixtures and add a bunch of goose-neck or swing arm lamps but, in the end, if you can't see what you're doing the jobs will be that much harder to complete.

absence

2010-02-23T15:49:00.008-05:00

Not a lot of posts lately; too busy with a variety of domestic tasks.

The workshop has languished largely unused. Recreational project progress is virtually non-existent.

However, a certain amount of work was accomplished in preparation for the 2010 Copetown Train Show. The fact that the module carrier I had devised did not fit through the back door of the new house necessitated a rebuild of the unit to permit movement in to and out of safe storage. This was accomplished using scraps of material saved from other fabrication jobs. The three-section module is now handled in two carriers, each of which are manageable by a single person.

Also, in preparation for the show, a mock-up of the sugar beet loader was made using Mt. Albert strip wood and a slightly modified O scale "Red Devil" coal loader. A liberal amount of artistic license was exercised in the creation of the basic structure, primarily due to space restrictions on the module base.

In spite of a tight fit, the loader gives a suitable impression of the method of loading the rail cars for shipment to a processing facility. It is a shame that the local sugar beet industry essentially died out in the late 50's.

end - cycle - begin

2009-12-10T06:45:00.001-05:00

Months pass, as usual, between postings. A seemingly chaotic array of activities fills the intervening gap.

The last step of a long undertaking approaches. A positive outcome is virtually assured.

Winter, at last, closes in. Effectiveness of long effort will be determined; new tasks will arise as results are tallied.

Fresh opportunities and involvements emerge from both long standing and new interactions.

Goals to be set. Plans to be made. Actions to initiate. Rewards to reap.

a real pane

2009-09-11T20:36:00.004-04:00

All of the glass in the new (old) house is the original single pane double-hung wooden windows with aluminium storms. And, to put it mildly, their maintenance has been neglected. I took advantage of the fair weather this week to scrape, re-caulk, prime, and paint the frames so as to make it through to next spring/summer. At that point, I should be able to replace a number of them with double glazed equivalents.

bang up job

2009-09-11T20:14:00.004-04:00

Having blown the connecting rod out the side of my 11HP garden tractor I decided that I'd undertake a motor swap. The noise associated with the rod leaving the block at speed was considerable. Luckily, a piece of garden furniture was the only casualty caused by the flying starter motor. The fact that I have little to no experience with infernal combustion engines should deter me from this repair, but the sensible approach seems to elude me lately.

An almost identical (used) motor in running condition has been found locally and brought home. I was told to drop the carburetor bowl, clean any gunk out, replace the pan gasket, drain & fill the oil, and make sure that mice hadn't made a nest in the head cooling fins under the shroud. Most of these tasks were completed this evening.

First, however, I undertook to remove the existing motor from the chassis. The remaining oil was drained (frankly, it seemed like a lot to me) and I managed to figure out where the bolt heads were underneath the frame to free the block. Somehow I kept my wits about me and didn't try to hacksaw the pulley assembly off the drive shaft when no visible means of attachment was evident. There was, in fact, a recessed bolt to remove the pulleys.

In the process of all this I determined that the motor in the tractor a) was not the original motor, and b) had a carburetor and throttle plate from the 12HP version from the same manufacturer. The replacement motor has a different throttle motion with integral choke actuation. With any luck the existing throttle cable will have sufficient range of motion to do the job.

The wee beastie sans propulsion unit:

getting a handle

2009-08-23T17:38:00.006-04:00

In the process of setting up and testing the newly acquired lathe:

I went ahead and turned some aluminium pieces to repair a useful but poorly made rolling cart. The plastic handle had cracked where it met the telescoping tubes coming out of the body of the cart itself. The plugs are 1/2" diameter, 1-3/4" long blanks sawn off a rod, faced, drilled & tapped 1/4-20. They are cross-drilled and tapped 10-24 to re-attach to the tubes. The handle is a wooden dowel shaped on a disc sander and counterbored to accept the plugs. 1/4-20 countersunk bolts were used to connect the plugs to the handle. Since everything fits, I can take it apart to polish the aluminium and varnish the wood.

and, speaking of print...

2009-08-14T16:49:00.004-04:00

Peter Jones' book, Building Small Steam Locomotives, has a title that means what it says. The book reviews the nomenclature, planning, and process of building your own steam loco, either from commercial components or from raw materials. While no specific plans are printed within the covers, you are given just enough information to help locate all the bits & pieces (including drawings) to begin construction.

eMedia

2009-08-14T16:10:00.005-04:00

It's difficult to accurately categorise the newest generation of online "publications" as direct replacements or even competition for traditional magazines. They exceed the capabilities and features that mere paper can offer. As such, they may not replace the old ways very quickly or completely.

Both Model Railroad Hobbyist and The Modeler's Guild (sic) offer a familiar format of articles, reviews and photos but also provide streaming video, user conversation/interaction, and reader feedback options not possible following the print paradigm.

one corner of the promised land

2009-07-30T22:07:00.009-04:00

That is to say, land that I was promised. Finally, the workspace begins to take shape. A little more elbow room and a little less worry about dropping pointed, heavy, or glue-covered stuff on the floor.

More bins will have to be added to hold detail parts, and a rack will be made to hold both wood & styrene strip. Currently envisioned is a set of 12" long plastic tubes (2.5" or 3" diameter) arranged in a "wine-bottle" style matrix.

One issue that needed immediate resolution was that of humidity. Having noted rust on several steel surfaces, purchase of a decent humidifier with a continuous drain occurred forthwith.

Still outstanding are a powered vent for solder/paint fumes, and flat storage for sheet goods & drawings. Existing ceiling lights really need to be replaced with something that actually illuminates; the camera flash is deceptive.

the best laid plans...

2009-07-14T20:46:00.003-04:00

...are apt to go astray.

Things are not as they should be, but they are tolerable for the moment. The pursuit of things train-like is on hold while domestic chores take their place at the top of the "to do" list.

Managing the property is consuming more time than planned, mostly due to several unexpected situations that manifested all at once. Solicitor Murphy will have his little jests. Getting over the latest batch of hurdles will take a bit more effort.

On the shop front; there is actually a shop space. It is a little jumbled at the moment, but I have successfully assembled the drill press and put it to use punching a number of 3/8" holes in an 18" length of 1/2" x 2" mild steel for a rototiller "digging bar" (wish I knew what it was actually called). I was also able to add some fore-aft stays to the arches of a garden arbour by cross-drilling two lengths of 1/4" steel rod and fastening it all together with some washers and cotter pins. A bit more like blacksmithing than machining, but you have to start somewhere.

It looks like there will be space for all of my machine tools, however, room for an indoor layout will not be available for some time :-(

to thine own self...

2009-05-24T14:11:00.004-04:00

Solid reference material like this article on Byron Henderson's blog, will get most people moving down the right track in terms of their own layout planning. Note: make sure you follow along to the subsequent parts of the article series to get full benefit of the material; it's well worth the time invested in reading it.

Having spoken to a number of people (of various experience levels) about their layout plans, I've noticed one very important factor. The more honest you are with yourself with respect to an analysis of your own abilities, disposable cash, and overall goals, the more likely you are to build a satisfying layout. This seems like a "duh" point at first but, having now seen the results of the planning and execution of several layouts - and getting the back-story of a few more layouts during operating sessions, a definite pattern is emerging.

Those people who ignored finances (I never have enough money for gas, but I'll need 33 extremely rare brass locomotives for this plan to work) skill level (despite the fact I can't tie my own shoes, I'm sure I'll be able to cut my own offset mitre gears for an N scale Climax one day) or goals (I'm a confirmed and grumpy loner but my design requires 7 to 9 tightly-knit operators to make the sessions work) have generally built layouts that make them unhappy to own and operate.

Notice I've used the qualifier "satisfying" instead of "good". A good layout is not necessarily one that receives critical acclaim for its clever use of materials or 100% adherence to prototype track arrangement, but it certainly is one that brings you joy to use and is not a unbearable burden on your time, a regrettable use of your space, or an onerous money-pit that can't be finished without depriving yourself of food & clothing.

almost, but not quite, entirely unlike success

2009-05-24T13:19:00.003-04:00

The progress bar is at 99.9%. Legal eagles have taken their pound of flesh, inspections are acceptable, and the final few arrangements are made. Receipt of keys is pending, and that appears to be clear sailing at this point.

So far, so good. Only a few crashing breakers to spoil the otherwise feathery chop of waves.

Construction of a layout will not be the 1st priority, but it will be nice to be able to erect (and leave out) the S module set for repair and further additions to scenery and structures as time permits. It's always been a problem not having a protected space to work in while being here at the condo. The cats would have a field day with the field grasses, and I'd never see the scarecrow again...

down to the wire

2009-05-03T11:33:00.004-04:00

We're cutting it close. Things are happening on the home front but, as usual, not as quickly or smoothly as we'd like. The process of changing locales must have been deliberately made painful to discourage the average person from confusing civil servants with their whereabouts.

If everything works out according to plan there will be room for a workshop, a large garden, and our endlessly growing library of books. The kitchen is merely adequate as-is, and must be renovated to meet our future needs. If it all happens on time there will be barbeques and a garden party of some sort while the weather is still nice.

First steps will be familiarising ourselves with the perculiarities of the new house, getting used to new traffic patterns, and learning where all the local shops & markets are. A bit of painting & mending will see us through the summer & autumn.

The lot size is ample enough for even a garden railway venture should "planning permission" be given for such a folly. Proportion for native equipment would be 1:19.1 on 32mm gauge track, however, a dual gauge 32/45mm right-of-way would be built in order to accomodate visitors.

pack mule

2009-03-16T06:36:00.002-04:00

It's long past time for a change. This means departing the current residence and finding something more appropriate for an inveterate tinkerer and budding gardener.

The unfortunate side effect is that virtually every tool, except those suitable for domestic renovations, is packed away out of reach. This has been going on for long enough to cause withdrawal symptoms to kick in. Patching gypsum board, replacing electrical fixtures, and fitting trim around non-90° angles, is not an effective substitute for "proper" fabrication.

Subject to all basic requirements of a new home being met, the #1 priority for the new location is a proper workshop. The #2 priority is a good kitchen layout. Somewhere in there will be a library/reading room, a home cinema, and a place to sleep.

As far as a workshop goes, I'll actually need two. It is anticipated that many fabrication jobs will have to be undertaken to improve the new house. A good number of bespoke cabinets, shelves, and other wood furnishings will need to be designed and built. Experience has shown that woodworking and metalworking tools do not live well in the same space. Reference material has been gathered and sketches are under way to plan best use of expected available spaces (single car garage, basement room, shed, etc.)

servos you right

2009-02-10T12:00:00.003-05:00

Duncan McRee has developed a DCC accessory decoder to enable R/C servos to control turnouts.

He is offering the schematics and source code free at the moment. I understand that pricing for pre-assembled units is to follow soon. The possibility to control other devices (turntables, signals, gates, etc.) is also present with code modification.

A short video of a beta unit in operation is available courtesy of the Model Railcast Show.

iPodius

2009-02-04T22:59:00.005-05:00

The Model Railcast Show is coming up on episode #50. Recent podcasts have covered benchwork construction and DCC topics.

The informal, ad-lib presentation style may not appeal to every taste but there is certain charm and spontaneity that you simply won't get with a script. Listening to the show often feels like you're just having a bunch of (knowledgable) guys over to your basement layout for a work session.

I have to applaud the primary host, Ryan, who is sticking his neophyte neck out every single show - letting everyone know he is not an expert model railroader. The honest (and sometimes basic) questions he asks his guests have forced me to re-think some of the things I "know" about the hobby and how to approach it. This has improved my understanding of areas I had taken for granted, and made me appreciate many aspects in different ways.

I find myself looking forward to each weekly installment. You do not need an iPod to listen to the programs; Quicktime, iTunes, or an mp3 player will do fine.

what?

2009-02-04T22:36:00.005-05:00

There continues to be a lot of discussion about what it really means to be a model railroader. Frankly it's going mean a different thing to each person. It doesn't follow that any one approach or definition is going to be better or worse than any other.

One could argue that someone who only buys RTR is not really a model railroader. Unless, perhaps, their efforts are focused on modelling operations rather than equipment? You could also argue that someone who only builds models of equipment and doesn't have a layout to run them on isn't really a railroad modeller, just a model builder, right?

It really is too bad that so many people are spending so much time in specious arguments backed with dubious data. In the end, it's the person who isn't spending all of their time yakking it up in the discussion forums who is actually getting models built and running trains.

And that's what this whole exercise is supposed to be about, isn't it?

down time

2009-02-04T22:16:00.003-05:00

Circumstance has temporarily dictated sedentary pursuits.

Having some time not otherwise occupied, I finally had a chance to hook up a LocoBuffer-USB from my PC to a Digitrax DB150 command station/booster. The free JMRI software allows you to program decoders, control the command station, operate virtual on-screen throttles, create CTC panels, and many other functions. Full details of hardware & OS support are on the website.

My main reason for implementing this software and hardware is to program decoders. I have one diesel, an S Helper Service SW9, with two decoders (Lenz Gold-JST & Soundtraxx DSD100LC-EH) which is a particular pain to program and keep track of the CV values. Hopefully I will be able to synchronise the sound & motion better using the graphical programming "DecoderPro" portion of the JMRI package.

I did notice that there is a mechanical problem with the diesel that I was unable to see or hear in the large auditorium of the last show. I will have to disassemble the loco to check out the issue. It seems that one of the pickup wipers is "clicking" during the wheel rotation.

questions, questions everywhere, so let's just stop & think

2009-01-08T12:12:00.007-05:00

There are a lot of questions flying around in discussion forums. Regular appearances are made by the likes of "What size turnouts should I use", "What colour should my fascia be", "How do I lay track", and "What rail code should I buy"? Reference Byron Henderson's slightly tongue-in-cheek post What sized t-shirt...?.

What can be considered very basic questions are asked for a variety of reasons. While some instances are a real search for answers they can also arise from pure laziness, the desire to pontificate, or even attempts at bushwhacking the self-proclaimed experts who populate all corners of the Internet.

A real tyro needs this basic information just to get started. Magazines like Model Railroader & Railroad Model Craftsman and 'getting started' books by Kalmbach & Carstens Publishing excel at presenting introductory material in an easy-to-digest, highly pictorial manner. The big trouble you run into on a typical forum is that one seemingly simple question will generate dozens of responses, often contradictory or even incomprehensible to a newbie. It's great if the inquirer can manage to sift through the resulting text to figure out what to do but it may leave them more confused and worse off than they started.

For many of these questions, the answer is going to be based on personal preference (what scale, what colour, what era) and no one (especially a stranger, even an expert one) will be able to tell you what your personal likes and dislikes are. The newbie will simply have to decide for his or herself. This will require personal effort in historical research, visits to clubs/layouts/real locations, watching videos, and simply reading books & magazines on the subject(s) coupled with some trial-and-error, hands-on work in order to get some idea of what's involved and how capable you are.

Once the initial hurdles of a) simply understanding model railroad specific terms and phrases, and b) learning about your own preferences are overcome, the newbie will be able to ask some informed questions and (hopefully) make better sense of the answers. Choice of an approach (freelance, prototype, protolance) and an honest evaluation of your own skills will shake out some of the remaining details (era, theme, turnout #'s, rail code, etc.)

The Internet has made it tremendously easy to cast a question out into a vast pool of knowledge but it useful to remember that, when fishing in a pool, you do not always hook into something you can digest. Don't rely on others to tell you what to do, or expect the "right" answers to arrive at the surface without getting your own feet wet.

audio tracks

2008-11-25T18:47:00.005-05:00

Some interesting material on the Model Railcast Show. Think of it as Model Railroad Radio. A number of episodes are available for on-demand listening.

They've had some great guests on for "Roundhouse" discussions regarding planning and design issues that are typical hurdles for modellers of all scales.

I was fortunate enough to be asked to speak about S Scale in show #40.

lineside structure redux

2008-11-15T13:09:00.005-05:00

The shed is complete enough to appear on the layout. As a concession to available modelling time, the tarpaper roof was simulated using 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper, cut grit side down with a guillotine. Gray dust is Bragdon Enterprises weathering powder.

Very glad I checked the paint scheme before painting; only the window sashes were Yellow, the window frames were #11 Green. Once the proper style of window has been obtained, I'll be able to add the sash details.

Possible & probable improvements/additions:
- correct 3-tab shingles
- oil tank & chimney (Scale Structure Ltd. p/n #2411 HO tank casting)
- replacement of side-sliding windows with proper, 6-pane style
- window glazing (microscope slide covers)
- sign board
- rain gutters/eave details
- a speeder to pose in front

I took some liberties with the construction; not having pictures of the structure in the timeframe being modelled forces me to fall back on both typical & assumed building methods of the era.

a tinkerer's tale

2008-11-15T09:52:00.008-05:00

I am not a prolific modeller. I do not manage to complete a project a week. I tinker. I fiddle. I skip from task to task as thoughts prompt inquiry or shed some light on a hurdle to be overcome. Being surrounded by people who can produce large quantities of material on a regular basis can be daunting & intimidating. This is a constant source of irritation and distress, expecially when something really needs to get done.

Over on Mark Making Things, Mark talks about "Cheating Time" by breaking up a project into smaller and smaller discrete chunks that can be completed in very short time frames; a great approach to achievement.

Due to various space constraints (i.e. too much stuff, too little room), I cannot leave tools & projects out in the open. In-process work is therefore not readily available for short bursts of activity. If I find that I have 1/2 hour available, it may take that long to dig out what I need to proceed, only to find the sand in the glass has run out.

Think of the little (non-electronic, pre video game) puzzle composed of 16 spaces and 15 tiles. You shuffle the tiles around until a complete image or numeric sequence appears. Picture living in the one empty space, and having to shuffle all of the tiles (equipment, tools, projects) every time you want to do one little thing. It rapidly becomes easier to do nothing at all.

Activity is underway to correct the problem of space for the long term. Meanwhile, I have been gifted with sufficient room (and generous assistance) to put up my module set and work on it with an arranged schedule.

I always resort to to-do lists in order to codify what needs to be done, prioritise the sequence, and identify materials that need to be gathered. It can be a cumbersome method but, for those of us with atrocious time management, it can be enough to keep moving forward. Items are not listed with time estimates, simply the order in which they need to be completed. You slough along with whatever is current, until it is done.

That said, the MoW/speeder shed is nearing completion. Also, all the little paint touch ups on the module fascia, additional foliage, and the critical repair to the track alignment & elevation are done. Time before the next show may be running out, but the list of outstanding items is also diminishing at a gratifying rate.

"Why are you wasting precious time writing a Blog"? I hear you cry. Frankly, I find it helps to clarify my thoughts. It doesn't really matter if anyone else reads the content; it is available for my own review at any convenient Internet access point. It has always been meant as a journal or logbook rather than a publication. I can use it to remind me of things to do or methods to follow. In addition, it builds into a record of achievement which can be helpful when it feels like nothing has gotten done.

to air is humane

2008-11-07T20:10:00.005-05:00

I felt that the speeder shed needed better treatment than a brush-coat finish so I unpacked one of my old airbrushes (a Badger 350) and cabinet, fitted the coarse tip and had a go at it. One of the traditional complaints about airbrushing is the amount of prep and cleanup time & effort compared to the actual time spent painting. Using a single-action brush saves a lot of hassle and, unless you are doing very delicate weathering that requires minute paint flow control, is perfectly adequate for most hobby work.

The cabinet is made from a clear plastic, flip-top storage container which lies on its side. Furnace filter material is tacked over a frame in front of the extraction fan. The fan is an amazingly powerful, squirrel cage blower that came off a huge piece of stone-age computing equipment. The fan is attached to one end of the container where a circular hole is cut, and exhausts through flexible dryer vent tubing to a multi-flap dryer vent. The vent body is stuck through a piece of 1.5" thick extruded styrofoam sheet which is cut to snuggly fit the window opening. When the fan and compressor (Badger 280-1) are running it is bearably loud and there is absolutely no paint smell.

Badger ModelFlex CN Red #11 was used straight from the bottle. For future work I'll need to punch a larger hole in the top of a Badger #50-2016 "in-jar paint filter" as this version only fits the old, smaller diameter siphon tube. Having to strain the paint is a royal pain but it's a good way to keep the airbrush from clogging up as you work.

The shed trim and window frames will be painted Polly Scale ATSF Catwhisker Yellow, which is a near match to CN's off-white colour, prior to installation. This saves a lot of time-consuming masking and makes for a cleaner finish.

A separate base for the shed has been built and blended into the scenery on the module, along with a short stretch of code 55 trackage. The shed will be removable for protection between shows.

domestic break

2008-10-26T16:37:00.002-04:00

Just bought a nice, 15 light French door at the local "Re-Store" to use in one of the bedrooms of the condo. The door's surface has quite a lot of dent and scratch damage caused by mis-handling during salvage, but all of the glass is intact. Since the door will be painted, these cosmetic flaws are unimportant.

I was able, with the aid of a long metal straight edge and circular saw equipped with a planing blade, to cut 1/8" off each edge of the door to get it to fit into the existing door frame. This allowed for fresh dados to accomodate the hinges and kept everything nice and symmetrical. A quick trim of the top and bottom of the door completed the re-sizing.

The only major stumbling block is the height of the passage set. The position of the new door handle is lower than the existing door frame location. The door frames in the condo are one-piece metal assemblies. The strike plate location is fixed and cannot be moved up or down without a great amount of grinding, welding, and cursing.

The easiest solution is to raise the handle position in the door. Using a trepanning cutter in the drill press, I produced a number of pine slugs to fill in the existing holes. These have been glued and clamped into the body of the door, then shaved flush with a broad chisel. Using an appropriate hole saw and spade bit, I will re-drill the door at the new passage set location. Any remaining voids, dents, and scratches in the door will be filled with wood putty, sanded, and primed.

a small lineside structure

2008-10-25T15:58:00.006-04:00

This speeder/MoW shed is based on the one at Madoc, ON. I've added an extra window to the back wall of the "lunchroom/office" end to add a bit of visual interest as our modules are viewable from both sides. Siding is 6" wide scribed sheet that I found in a box of leftovers. Door and windows are Grandt Line castings (note the especially old black plastic door).

In the 50's the shed was heated by an oil stove so a suitable oval tank will need to be built outside the structure and a metal chimney will be poked through the roof. Later in life the shed lost the chimney (for unknown reasons) and the sides were covered in Insulbrick. Luckily, I'm modelling the 50's so I won't have to deal with the incredibly ugly appearance of Insulbrick siding.

portly porter problem?

2008-10-20T11:56:00.005-04:00

Dad purchased a Bachmann On30 porter (0-4-2) to use on his proposed 7mmNG, Welsh quarry inspired portable layout. From KeyKits in the UK, we obtained suitable Anglicising pieces (Wrightlines W996 cab kit and W963 chimney). The conversion itself was prompted by Brian Fayle's 7mm micro-layout workhorse and other examples from his website. The Bachmann chassis is a known "good runner" so we anticipate good service.

It did run well right out of the box, however, once the whitemetal cab pieces were substituted for the plastic details, the ends of the siderods started banging into the underside of the cab floor. "Too much weight!" was the initial thought but, upon partial disassembly, it was observed that one of the rear axle U-grooves in the plastic frame was deeper than the other. This caused the rear axle to tip out of true with respect to the front axle and the engine developed a list to one side.

This tilt caused the engineer's side of the cab floor to interfere with the siderod motion. ACC'ing a ~.015" thick pad of shim brass at the bearing surface of the over-deep U-groove solved the problem. Now the engine sits level on its axles and travels without any apparent binding.

The new cab assembly is secured to the stock footplate with flat head 1-72 machine screws countersunk into the underside of the floor. A stemwinder brake stand has been added to the footplate. The Bachmann steam dome needs to be removed from the saddle tank, and a simplified water fill hatch needs to be fabricated. The engine can then be painted and lined for service.

more dip than a cocktail party

2008-10-16T19:28:00.005-04:00

Well, not anymore. With judicious assistance, I finally managed to remove the pronounced dip at one end of the S scale module. Several possible approaches were considered before undertaking the work.
1) lever the extruded styrofoam "bedrock" up from below <- brute force and stupidity
2) hack into the structure sideways at the base of the ballast slope and jam in some shim material <- messy and imprecise
3) strip the rail off the affected area, stack new ties on top of the old, and carefully sand level. <- least destructive and easiest to verify results.

Ultimately choice #3 was pursued. About 2'4" of rail was removed and new sugar-pine ties were glued on with full strength Weld Bond adhesive to fill the depressed area. The opportunity was taken to re-align the rails slightly to eliminate a drunken wander in the main line. 50 grit paper was Super 77 spray adhered to one side of a 4" wide, 2' long, flat plank. 150 grit paper was likewise stuck to the other side of the plank.

The glue was allowed a long cure time before the ties were attacked with the 50 grit until nearly down to the original tie height at both ends. Sanding strokes were made perpendicular to the right-of-way to limit stress on the small gluing surface areas. Frequent checks were made to ensure that the new ties were not getting a crown or being tapered towards one side or the other. Once the old tie colour started to show through the thin skin left by the new ties at the extreme ends of the fill area the 150 grit side was used to clean up and de-fuzz the surfaces.

You can see how pronounced the dip was close to the module end by the rapid increase in fill-in tie thickness. Next the ties were stained with Floquil's "Tie Brown". What remains is the careful replacement of the rails to ensure they meet up with the previously marked positions at the end of the module, and the re-application of ballast around the new ties. A quick trip under the module with a soldering iron will re-attach the buss feeders, and re-testing will be done well in advance of the Christmas Train Show.

Why did the dip appear? Based on the sunken appearance of the ballast along the centreline of the ROW, I can only assume that the eye-dropper application of thinned adhesive was too agressive and the Tentest subroaded contracted as it dried up. This pulled the cork and ties downwards immediately after the end of the trapezoidal pine profile block at the end of the module (which remained flat & level).

Near the siding end of the split-rail fence, a copse of evergreens has sprung up. Short lengths of styrene tubing have been glued into the foam base to ensure rapid installation and removal of the trees for transport. There are twelve MountainView Depot conifers which are a far better looking and more consistently produced than anything I can manufacture.

Here's a product shot from the MountainView Depot gallery:

I'll need more of these, in various sizes, to add depth and texture to the rest of the module. In addition, a good number of flowering shrubs and low scrub will have to be applied to balance the scene.

time to don the brass goggles

2008-09-23T17:25:00.003-04:00

Maybe I've been asleep; I missed the beginning of this whole movement. It's called Steampunk, and it's amazing what's being achieved by its enthusiasts. The only way I can describe it is "Victorian aesthetics" meets "high tech" meets "steam power". Maybe if Jules Verne's ideas had become reality within his own lifetime...

Check out the Projects section on the Steampunk Workshop blog. These objects appeal to me in a manner which I'm finding very difficult to come to grips with. There just aren't enough hours in the day to delve into all of the fascinating aspects of creative pursuit.

Also look into Brass Googles and Crabfu SteamWorks to see other examples of the genre.

peg leg

2008-09-23T16:33:00.007-04:00

I've now managed to adjust the mill in a satisfactory manner. Not perfect, but adequate to task for the time being.

Started in on the current project; it's for an MV Agusta F4. I need to fit the footpeg from a 750cc model to a 1000cc model (again, don't ask). The 750 peg is wider, so it has to be milled down on either side. Trouble is, it's shaped like a banana. Coming up with a safe way to hold it during milling was interesting. I thought of a dozen bizarre and overly complicated approaches until finally settling on this:

It seems so simple in retrospect.

Cuts were .005" per pass, and the material came off in little shavings, but floated around like powder. Had to take a little over .030" off each side. Not sure what the alloying elements are, except that I was assured "no magnesium". The thinned 'peg fit nicely into the intended bracket width, except that the inboard radius is too large to admit the pin:

Must now mount the rotary table (finally, an excuse to use it) and come up with another, hopefully elegant, way to hold the 'peg securely while reducing the radius. Only the simple fabrication of a pin remains after that.

now what?

2008-09-19T19:18:00.008-04:00

The column is now vertical (within acceptable limits).
- DTI held in headstock via collet, tramming up & down a right-angle (1-2-3 block) sitting on table.
The dovetail mount is parallel to the Z-axis travel.
- DTI held on table, clocking off bearing face of dovetail
The ER16 headstock is clamped to the dovetail and the vertical (fixed) face of the headstock body is parallel with the Z-axis.
- DTI held on table, clocking off fixed face of headstock body.

However, the spindle axis does not appear to be parallel with the Z-axis.

When sweeping the table with the DTI over a 10" radius, a difference of .006" is registered between the tops of the 1-2-3 blocks on each side of the table.

Possible sources of the error:
- ER16 spindle ball-bearing bores not parallel to bearing face of dovetail
- dovetail mount not true
- buildup of measuring errors

A 5/16" piece of drill rod through a collet gave visual indication that the spindle was, indeed, slightly off vertical compared to a square on the table itself.

The whole purpose of the tramming the mill is to ensure that the cutter is running truly and the headstock moves accurately with respect to all axes of traverse.

A simple expedient to deal with this last error is to snug up the dovetail mount cap screws and tweak the headstock while sweeping the table, then re-tighten the cap screws. Luckily the SHCS's are accessible with the headstock mounted.

Should be OK to go ahead and re-mount the motor and start cutting again, but these errors and faults will all need proper correction (possibly through re-machining or grinding) at some later stage in the game...

here we go a-trammelling

2008-09-18T18:36:00.006-04:00

I've spent some time re-tramming my Taig 2019CR mill. So far it remains unconverted to CNC. Well, I never said my time management was anything to be proud of.

It is critically important to get the vertical column ways (Z-axis) dead square to the table surface (X-axis) and, at the same time, get the spindle centreline parallel to the Z-axis travel. All sorts of odd errors creep into one's workpieces if the latter is missed; the most prevalent being a dished surface when flycutting during an X-axis traverse.

Similarly, the Z-axis ways must be square to the table surface (Y-axis) otherwise more unwanted errors creep in. This goal is harder to achieve due to the the Taig's column-to-base design. Suffice to say some shimming can be necessary if adjustment is required. Make sure the mating faces of the column and base are scrupulously clean before assembly.

My column is tipped backwards at ~.001" in 3" slope. Due to workspace constraints, I cannot readily correct this fault. This will manifest itself as a small positional error when moving the spindle downwards over long distances. Since the Z-axis is limited to 6" of travel, this effect should not prove too great an inconvenience. However, it can also generate a ridge in the milled surface (along the X-axis) when surfacing with a large radius cutter. Since inserion of the shim to correct the front-to-back error would disturb the current side-to-side setting (error ~.00025" in 3") , I will forego the adjustment for a short time.

I have read online forums that suggest shimming under the spindle mount dovetail to correct the error. This will address the "ridging" problem, but not the positional error created by Z-axis downfeed.

portable ponderings, part 1

2008-09-12T20:59:00.004-04:00

Over time, I've been involved in many discussions regarding transportable (and fixed) layout construction. This has, of course, generated more than a few pro-and-con debates over the various approaches that can be taken to create the displays.

It might help if the process of creating the display were treated in a more methodical manner than is often employed. Each of the factors listed below have an effect on the finished product. Some consideration should be given to each point in turn.

WHO will be building the display?
- expertise
- free time
- workspace
- fabrication tools
- vehicles
- budget

WHY are you creating the display?
- to promote your aspect of the hobby (scale, gauge, era,
location, theme)
- to enjoy the fellowship of like-minded hobbyists
- to operate your equipment

WHAT would be desirable features of the display?
- quick setup
- reliable operation
- low maintenance
- easy to build
- easy to transport

HOW will these goals be obtained?
- thorough planning
- standardisation
- simplified electrical & mechanical connections
- robust wiring
- solid framing
- good trackwork
- minimum tool requirements

WHAT will you need to achieve the goals?
- jigs & fixtures
- setup diagrams
- setup checklists
- equipment checklists
- electrical connections either clearly coded OR
only one mating plug per interface
- one type of fastener for everything
- spares!

Further thoughts and discussion points will be posted on each of the above items as time permits. You may wish to reference the Layout Design Primer for in-depth analysis of a variety of topics.

going loco

2008-09-11T18:50:00.006-04:00

On the subject of getting lucky, after three-plus years of searching I was finally able to acquire an unbuilt S Scale Loco & Supply 2-6-0 Mogul kit (by Simon Parent). If I don't make a complete hash of the assembly, it should look something like this when finished:

Loco variety seems to be somewhat problematic in the S Scale world. There are not nearly as many choices as in almost any other scale. This leads to a lot of modification of ready-to-run hi-rail equipment into simulacra. For the most part, this is an acceptable approach to increasing one's roster. It can, however, present a problem when trying to achieve maximum fidelity to the prototype.

Once the Mogul is well underway (or indeed complete) I will be looking to obtain one of the MLW Services 4-6-2 Pacific conversion kits. The larger engine would be necessary to pull the heavyweight style passenger equipment typical of the mid 50's timeframe.

getting lucky

2008-09-11T18:34:00.005-04:00

Sometimes you get lucky. I was recently able to acquire a 1952 vintage Myford ML7 lathe. It is in good shape for its age, but still requires some TLC before returning to active service. The lathe came with many accessories that were purchased by the original owner. generic ML7 info

Once I move into a larger workspace, the lathe will be set up and put to use. It has several advantages over the Taig lathe (small size is NOT one of them) including self-act longitudinal feed, screwcutting via changegears, and a geared headstock capable of low RPM parting & turning.

Model-specific reference texts were obtained from Camden Miniature Steam Services and the requisite English-spec gauges, taps, & dies from RDG Tools in the UK. Service was excellent from both vendors.

chop, cut, rebuild

2008-01-05T16:34:00.001-05:00

After much consideration and contemplation, I've decided to get out of On30 entirely save for one super gift from my better half.

On30 is an insidious and pervasive devil. It leeches time and effort from your primary interests. It's SO inexpensive, SO nicely detailed, SO reliably running, and SO damned cute. It's almost impossible to resist the lure. Before I knew it I had made far more expenditures than originally intended, and the resultant collection could be best described as "Miscellaneous" !

Because I realised that I had actually succumbed to the evil, I tried to resist - but you can't do it! MicroMark would have a sale on logging equipment; the local hobby shop would receive a new shipment; another article would appear on extraction of ore using irresistably battered critters. What a farce!

Despite resenting the time it takes away from "real" modelling you try to justify the purchases and the hours you spend dabbling in a "less serious pursuit" of the hobby. "It's just a bit of fun!", you say - deceiving yourself. But, in the end, it's neither fish nor fowl. It's not 2'. It's not 3'. It can be made to look something like either one, but it always takes more effort & hourglass sand than you planned to invest. And, ultimately, it never really looks close enough to the D&RGW or the SR&RL. The bodies are too high, or too wide, or not long enough, or the trucks are not the right ones for that RR. The details are too fine, too coarse, or not the right version - so you buy bags of Grandt Line, Precision Scale, or Coronado parts to super detail the rolling stock, and realise you've spent $50 to spiffy up a $25 car. Madness!

You try to divide your time and cover all of the bases, but you have to go to work, or school, or participate in the bliss of domesticity and wedlock and there just aren't enough hours in the day for both On30 and "real" modelling. Meanwhile all of your shelf space is consumed with rectangular green boxes and transparent bags of laser cut wood. You'll keep all of this stuff for "someday" when you have more free time, but meanwhile your precious and hard won hobby capital is tied up in great wodges of plastic and oddly shaped tongue depressors with burnt edges.

The final blow comes when you realise that some of the most vocal and active pursuers of the On30 muse are seemingly infatuated with whimsical models of outhouses on flatcars, "Flatulene" tank cars, "Stumpidium" and/or "Unobtainium" mines, rolling whorehouses, or trying to fit 18 linear feet of 9" radius track into a large (and possibly odorous) pizza-box.

The End?

Only of this chapter...

pressing business

2008-01-05T16:06:00.001-05:00

I took apart an HO Model Die Casting 4-4-0 that was waddling down the track. Using a collet chuck and a DTI I was able to determine that the factory bored axle hole in one of the metal hubs was ~ .020" off centre.

I turned a cavity into a piece of 1" diameter steel rod stock chucked in the 3-jaw to form a cup chuck that the tyre rim would sit in without play. Loctite was used to hold the wheel firmly in place. I braced the wheel hub with the nose of the tailstock drill chuck overnight so it wouldn't shift while the Loctite cured.

Using a tiny endmill, I bored a new axle hole of larger diameter in the true centre of the wheel.

I then created a brass bushing to fill the gap between the larger hole and the existing shaft diameters from a length of brass rod held in an ER16 collet.

With my miniature arbour press (see previous post) I was easily able to fit the bush to the axle and the bushed axle into the newly bored wheel.

Checking with the DTI on the tyre rim I found the eccentricity to now be ~ .003", which was equal or slightly better than the remaining "stock" wheel measurements.

The locomotive no longer waddles but it does suffer from poor traction due to its rigid, uncompensated chassis design, light weight, and small motor. Unfortunately the driving axle is the forward one, which precludes any easy changes to the suspension which would improve operation.

getting steamed

2007-12-09T17:50:00.003-05:00

Over the summer I was able to attend a steam-up at a local enthusiast's home. Wow! There are some seriously interesting live steam engines out there; available either as kits or ready-to-run. The majority of the equipment at the event was 16mm scale (~1:19 proportion) and ran very well, often at surprising velocity.

16mm scale appears to be the ideal scale to pursue construction of the relatively small War Department equipment - a live steam, 2' gauge Baldwin is actually available in this scale (but I didn't dare ask the price).

level 8 complete

2007-12-09T17:14:00.001-05:00

Finished the final practical course for my Machining programme today. While it's a bit of a relief, I'll miss having access to the large equipment. Only classroom work is left to complete in order to obtain the certificate.

Shown here is the mini arbour press from Level 7 of the course. I'll be using it to fit wheels and gears onto axles of various railway models. I spent more time than strictly necessary on this project because I know I'll be making frequent use of it.

In general, the programme content was fairly good. In addition to both rudimentary and more advanced threading exercises we created a tap handle, C-clamp, screw jack, DTI holder for a 2" quill, v-block with horseshoe & strap clamps, and a 5" sine bar.

I'd like to have seen some specific projects in the early stages, like a machinist's hammer + prick punch + centre punch set, plus a scribing block & engineering scale holder for use on the surface plates. These items would serve as the introduction to basic turning, knurling, milling, heat treatment, and surface grinding; these basic tools would then be used throughout the rest of the course.

Through the programme we've made use of surface grinders, lathes, vertical & horizontal mills, drill presses, bandsaws, and off-hand grinders. Some of our workpieces were case hardened by the school staff - with varying degrees of success. As the machines are in use 6 or 7 days per week, they see a significant amount of wear and tear. It was once said that if one could manage to complete their assignments satisfactorily using these devices, working effectivly in the real world shouldn't be a problem.

customer service

2007-11-30T18:15:00.001-05:00

No, this isn't going to be a faerie tale. I want to make sure that two very worthy vendors get some public credit for doing a damned fine job.

1) Books for Business - This all sounds a bit unreal, BUT... Recently I wanted some books on machining techniques. I found a company in Toronto, Ontario called Britnell Books that had two of the three volumes I was after in stock at a terrific price. I called the phone number on their website and Books for Business answered. Turns out that they are co-located in the same building, and B4B answers the phone for Britnell after hours. Once I explained what I was looking for, the B4B staffer said she would pop into Britnell in the morning to see if the two books I wanted were still there. The next day I called to check if they were present. The lady said, "Yes, and there was a third volume by the same author on the shelf so I picked it out too, in case you wanted it." Brilliant! I had looked to see where they were located - right in the middle of the financial/legal district downtown. When I asked about parking in the area I was told, "We could just curbside it for you." ??? "Just pre-pay now and, as you are approaching the store in your car, give us a call and we'll step out onto the sidewalk and hand them to you." Absolutely amazing! B4B handled the transaction, was thoughtful enough to think ahead for my 3rd volume needs, and smart enough to come up with a lateral pass at the curb! All this for books that were not even in their own inventory and for a new and unknown customer. Frankly, I'm still stunned by it.

2) S Helper Service - I was looking for some components for a locomotive conversion project. I needed quite a bit of an SW9's running gear and realised I should go right to the source. Their product comes with a thin, but useful, illustrated instruction book/catalogue with all parts clearly laid out. I was able to contact their very responsive staff via email for answers to my questions, phone at a reasonable time to place the order, and received the parts with great speed via the US and Canadian postal services. At the time of the order, they were unsure of the shipping cost. When I received the parcel, I noted that the actual postage was $5 US. The receipt in the box indicated $15 Shipping & Handling. I had no problem with that whatsoever - I've been charged a much higher premium for attrocious service. HOWEVER, the very next day I received a letter from SHS with a refund of $10 US for the excess postage. Unbelievable!

Could it be that there are more companies like these two paragons of purveyance? I certainly hope so. This level of service demands some recognition and commendation. I heartily endorse them and wish them continued prosperity.

Toronto Christmas Train Show 2007

2007-11-29T22:32:00.002-05:00

Another year, another show at the International Centre. It seemed much less well attended than previous years however the aisleways were nice & wide and the hall was kept very clean.

The S Scale Workshop fielded 110' linear feet of Free-mo inspired modules in 1:64 scale. Many of the visitors commented favourably on the overall display quality. We realise there is more work to do, but we are very pleased with the progress to date.

The scenery on my own siding module turned out very well. The next show will be in Hamilton in 2008. This should allow plenty of time to make more progress with the structures and scenery.

finally, a little progress

2007-10-16T18:10:00.001-04:00

Time is not a user-friendly dimension. It's too short in one axis (lifespan) and too long in another (Vogon poetry readings).

Managed to make a bit of progress on the S scale module. The turnout and spur track is in place, with a capacity of about seven hopper cars (or 4 gondolas).

This unit will be ready for display at the Toronto Christmas Train show, Nov 24/25 at the International Centre.

you'd think I'd learn

2007-04-23T08:21:00.002-04:00

Overall, the 2nd Ontario Narrow Gauge Show went well. While not being attended by thousands of rabid modellers, the 130+ visitors, vendors, and exhibitors seemed to enjoy themselves thoroughly.

The continuous loop micro-layout form of display was the overwhelmingly popular format, and will likely continue to be so for the foreseeable future. Despite the limitations of the style (primarily lack of operational possibilities, very tight curves, and short length of run), the benefits of quick setup and unattended running are attractive to a great many builders - especially the lone wolves.

On the other front, the 3-section "Cooper & Sawyer" On30 display layout of Pete Reisiger was present next to his Creative Works 3D stand. Pete has indicated that he's thinking of trying a FreeMOn30 style replacement as the C & S is due for retirement.

The Peterborough Model Railroaders had a deceptive point-to-point on a board of about 3'x5' dimension (possibly smaller). It appeared to be a continuous run at first glance, but offered some shunting and short runs in a nicely sceniced package.

Our FreeMOn30 setup consisted of the large river gorge, loop & wye, and tiny creek scenes as only 3 members with modules could attend. The lack of the harbour terminus made it a "pointless to loop" arrangement, and required a quick stop before a train could take the long plunge to the floor. Our 4th member brought excellent scratchbuilt ore cars, flats, and a caboose all equipped with Sergent couplers.

Thanks to the Digitrax Empire BuilderII system and a passing siding on the loop, we were able to keep two trains in operation at all times. One with the BLI C-16 and the other with a Bachmann Climax equipped with a Soundtraxx PnP decoder. Four UP5 panels were arrayed along the layout using clamps under the fascia to provide throttle plug-in points.

Operationally, the major problems evidenced were with the long rigid wheelbase of the C-16 over the pointwork, and the pickup wipers on the virginal Climax which kept breaking contact on sharp radii. However, the worst offense was the overall alignment of the tiny Whisky Creek module. Thanks to the intent to build the unit as light as possible, a bow developed along its short length that resulted in unacceptable track humps at each interface. These were sufficient to cause uncoupling of the engine from its cars. It may be possible to repair the module, but it might not be worth doing in terms of effort. Likely it will be relegated to a display/photo stand.

It's possible that the show will now alternate with the Great British Train Show in a biennial cycle, with the NG Show on the odd years. This will allow for more progress to be made, or entire new layouts to be built in the intervening timeframe to encourage display variety.

prep for Schomberg

2007-04-03T09:49:00.002-04:00

More On30 module progress was achieved during this past weekend. Trackwork was re-checked and yet more spikes were added where necessary. The wye, gorge & curve module sets were connected together, and the fascias were cleaned up & primed.

Once the setup was checked for shorts, the Bachmann Davenport travelled over all the trackwork looking for areas where short-wheelbase locos might encounter problems with electrical pickup. Reversing the engine through the wye was tested several times.

To the best of all of our recollections, the outside-framed consolidation and the C-16 both successfully negotiated the least smoothly aligned leg of the wye (which still needs a short siding installed) during the Christmas Train Show. We have noted, however, that it is unlikely that the Forney or the K-27 will be able to travel over all of the trackwork in its current state.

Scenic treatment prior to the show will consist of mis-tinted acrylic paint covered in sand and/or sanded grout. Some coniferous trees have been purchased from MountainView Depot to "spruce" up the landscape a bit.

We are still debating the final fascia colour. The intent is to provide a surface that will present a uniform appearance, resist fingerprints & other marks, and keep the eye focused on the scene rather than the benchwork. We have it narrowed the choices down to a few very dark tones but are not certain whether a bluish, greenish, or neutral cast will be the best looking in the end.

More contour forms, rockwork and trestle bents need to be installed on the gorge set, the loop portion needs additional cleanup, and Whisky Creek definitely requires finishing and a new bridge deck but, we are probably doing OK considering how infrequently we manage to get together for these work sessions.

FreeMoS

2007-03-21T09:03:00.001-04:00

This years S scale modular display at Copetown, Ontario was again very well received.

Soundtraxx DSD and Tsunami equipped Moguls and 10-wheelers were pacing back and forth along the rails to the delight of the attendees, some of whom remembered the presence of steam on local rails. Even a Pacific travelled around the trackage for a while. Pete arranged a photo of it crossing Andy's causeway module.

today's On30 work session

2007-03-18T22:52:00.002-04:00

In addition to completing a few more bits of work on the stub turnouts of the wye, we managed to do quite a bit of rework on the river gorge module set. The alignment of the track is much improved, and the trestle approach spans to the bridge now have proper ties in place.

Despite our conflicting work schedules, we really want to have the modules in better operational shape for the upcoming Narrow Gauge Madness show in Schomberg, Ontario (April 21st).

I realise that the HO scale Weyerhauser boxcar is an anachronism in the scene, but we just wanted to test the setup with a piece of rolling stock attached to the motive power and it was handy.

It's almost impossible to get a photo of the river gorge when it's in the workspace; it's just too long. Both the BLI C-16 and Bachmann outside-framed Consolidation locomotives successfully negotiated the curves throughout. We were unable to test a K-27 due to an electrical fault in its wiring harness. Hopefully it will also run without the need for modification.

testing 1.2.3

2007-03-17T23:15:00.000-04:00

Trying the new Windows LiveWriter editing tool.

1/2"n2 chassis

2007-01-29T15:42:00.003-05:00

There is a space 1.74" x 3.48" clear under the tram body to permit the installation of a powered chassis. The only item that can stick up into the "control cabin" on the loco is the electric motor itself. None of the wheels, gears, or sprockets can protude above the floorplate.

The plan is to drive a single rigid axle using a 59:1 Falhauber gearhead motor through a set of 90º helical gears. Ideally, the second tilting axle will be connected to the first using Serv-o-link Delrin sprockets and chain. The helical gears will need to be enclosed in a small gearbox to keep them in proper mesh and reduce any strain on the motor shaft and/or bearings.

Drive wheels should be slightly larger than 14" diameter, but that will depend on the minimum size of sprockets that can be used. Bearing boxes will be hung on the ends of the axles. One set will be fixed, the other will be free to move in their vertical axis.

over compensation

2007-01-26T00:38:00.002-05:00

Current projects (on hold due to "real life" getting in the way) are to build or re-build three locomotive powertrains using proven methods of equalisation from the "Flexichas" booklet by Mike Sharman and "Principles of Locomotive Suspension" by Russ Elliot.

The first will be an 0-4-0 tram chassis in 1/2" scale on 1" gauge track in order to get my feet wet and prove a few points, the second a scratchbuilt chassis system for an 0-4-4 Forney in 1:24 scale on 32mm gauge track, and the third a rebuild of a solid framed MDC 4-4-0 kit in HO scale. There's an awful lot of work involved, but the predicted improvements in operation will be well worth it. Increased traction for a given weight, improved electrical pickup, and proper tracking through special work are all laid out in the texts.

I've also managed to acquire the following Wild Swan reference books:

Whitemetal Locos - A Kitbuilders Guide (Iain Rice)

Etched Loco Construction (Iain Rice)

Locomotive Kit Chassis Construction In 4mm (Iain Rice)

The 4mm Engine - A Scratchbuilder's Guide (R. Guy Williams)

Don't let the "4mm" reference in the titles fool you; the techniques are applicable in virtually any scale or gauge. These books go a long way towards demystifying proper locomotive construction.

I highly recommend Bott Books in the UK for their price and exceptional customer service.

real live steam

2006-12-20T00:23:00.001-05:00

I had a rare chance to work as a crew member on a preserved steam locomotive this past weekend. It was at the Maine Narrow Gauge Museum in Portland, ME. The engine was ex Monson RR #4, an 0-4-4 Forney built by Vulcan in 1918.

The hospitality, accommodation, and seafood in Portland were all great. The days were long and the work was dirty. Everything I wore was covered in coal dust, oil, and grease. That said, it was well worth the distance travelled and the effort involved in order to enjoy the experience. It was a privilege to be able to work with the various engineers, firemen, and museum staff.

If you get a chance to volunteer at a steam preservation line, please consider doing so. These pieces of history and the knowledge to operate and maintain them are slowly but surely disappearing. You may never get another opportunity.