Eastern Tn logging on the DG CC & W RR 1928

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
SML A-1 CC EH 3 drs.jpg SMLA-1 CC eh int  -9.jpg It looks like my last post didn't take, it will probably show up a day late, and give me an annoying duplicate,


I got the other two door openings closed in in the southern side of the engine house. four door openings to go.


I'm going to have to make a special tool for opening the doors when they are closed.


Bill Nelson
 
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Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Great pictures Bill. Those doors look good. I also enjoyed the interior shot with the posts and beams. Very nice and a very strong looking structure.

Keep up the good work.:thumb::thumb:

Doc TOM
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
with the roofing starting to go on, it is getting dark in there. the LEDs will be needed to get good interior photographs


I have some two wire plugs, so I will be able to fix the LEDs on to the post and beam framing, and still have that framework removable.

The nearest 12 volt lighting lead is in Harlow, so I'll need to run a long lead over to crooked creek. I figure the sawmill might get lights someday since I have a Keystone band saw carriage, live rolls and cut off saws. If they go in the sawmill it will need lighting too.


Bill Nelson
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
with the roofing starting to go on, it is getting dark in there. the LEDs will be needed to get good interior photographs


I have some two wire plugs, so I will be able to fix the LEDs on to the post and beam framing, and still have that framework removable.

The nearest 12 volt lighting lead is in Harlow, so I'll need to run a long lead over to crooked creek. I figure the sawmill might get lights someday since I have a Keystone band saw carriage, live rolls and cut off saws. If they go in the sawmill it will need lighting too.


Bill Nelson

The LEDS will really light up those nice detail parts you are planning on placing in the engine house.

Good idea.

Doc Tom
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
SMLA-1 0-6-0T  @ log reload.jpg SMLA-1 Log trload @ Rdgmnt..jpg My Hon3 0-6-0T is finally reliable enough to get out of the shops ( see the Hon3 engine shops thread over in narrow gauge land).


I had been hoping that it would like the track at the log reload in Ridgemont, and it does. One possible assignment for this locomotive would be to work the log reload in Ridemont. the Hon3 track at this location is rough, built largely as a static display, and later hooked up to a growing narrow gauge operation. the narrow gauge- standard gauge crossing is particularly challenging, since the standard gauge track is on a down grade, so the narrow gauge track is not level at that locatiion.

fortunately this locomotive doesn't mind any of the irregularities, and it is very handsome, so it will look good, parked by the log dump.


Bill Nelson
 
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Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
Looking at mail from Micromark, I saw they now sell sets of rare earth magnets in assortments sized like the magnets used in the old Pitman open frame motors common in old brass locomotives. these new magnets are many times stronger than the stock magnets, and are supposed to make a sizable improvement in performance.

Many of my old brass locomotives have had their original motors worn smack out, but I know I have two consolidations in the shops for paint work, that could use this treatment, and my #9 Heisler, and #14 climax could use this tratment, as well as an ancient Tycho 2-6-2 I have been working on for the club, I was stuck trying to replace the motor, but perhaps I can get away with replacing the magnet instead.


Bill Nelson
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
Can you do it with a switch motor of some type?


I doubt it, they come in an assortment of sizes that match the magnets in old Pittman open frame motors. most of the old switch machines I've seen were solenoid type devices, which are a completely different animal.

Bill Nelson
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
I doubt it, they come in an assortment of sizes that match the magnets in old Pittman open frame motors. most of the old switch machines I've seen were solenoid type devices, which are a completely different animal.

Bill Nelson

Sorry - I was referring to your earlier problem with opening engine house doors. :cool:

However, I recently read an article by a guy who powers his little locos with the vibrator motors from cellphones. :thumb:
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
Sorry - I was referring to your earlier problem with opening engine house doors. :cool:

. . . . . . . .. :thumb:


That would be cool, but with a large layout, I'm not interested in the extra complexity. I did see, years ago a guy who had an Hon3 layout with a round house. when he powered up a track into the engine house, it turned on a tortoise switch machine that openen the doors to the engine house for that track, and once the doors were opened the track power was turned on.


The guys locomotives all ran very well at slow speeds, so he could show off, opening engine house doors, and crawling a locomotive out, putting it back in the engine house, and move to the next track.

I have enough stuff to build and fix as it is right now.

Bill Nelson
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
Isn't that what they make little toggle switches for? My experience has always been that complexity begins in the mind of the builder - hence the KISS acronym...Keep It Simple, S..... :cool:

Sounds like you're just a tad over-committed. It's supposed to be a hobby, not a job. :rolleyes:

I'm animating some things on my layout, and my plan is to control those items individually as desired, not automatically through some BRANIAC circuit. Easier to trouble shoot, too.
:cool:
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
Part of the issue relates to the railroad room itself. The railroad room is in a 1980's addition to a 1960's addition to a 1870 farmhouse. we wanted to add bedrooms for the kids, and a garage, Our architect did not like the roof line of the old addition, which was lower than the main house's roof, and did not match the pitch, so the roof was torn off the old addition, and a new roof was installed, that matched the roof line of the original house. This gave me my attic RR room, but the long walls had lots of cross braces that tied the short walls to the floor joists. on the east wall I just enclosed them behind a knee wall, but on the west wall I built in a shelf about three feet high and two feet deep , into the wall.

Crooked Creek is on that shelf. crooked creek is 30 inches deep, so there is only easy access to the first six inches under the layout, and the engine house is up against the back wall. it is possible to fish wires out, but building or mounting any mechanisms under there isn't going to happen.


If I had a smaller layout, or were this area more accessible, no telling what I would do, as it is it took me twenty years to get this building past the mock up stage as it is.


Bill Nelson
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
SMLA_! frms fr pnt shp.jpg SMLA-1a pnted frms..jpg back to locomotive work

This thread has been relatively inactive_ I have been very busy working on narrow gauge locomotives ( Hon3 locomotive shops in the narrow gauge section- if you are interested in improving locomotives, there is some good information there) and with projects for the club.

I have pretty much run out of salvageable HOn3 locomotives to work on, and have gone to work on standard gauge locomotives. There are four on my work bench right now. an MDC 0-6-0T mechanism, that is getting a new motor, it will probably go to Bob at the club, for use on his home RR and or his newly reworked branchline at the club.


I am also working on a Tycho 2-6-2 , which is an early model that has a good Mantua mechanism, with working valve gear. it's Achilles heel was the old 1950's style open frame motopr, which performed poorly on DC, and was wholly unacceptable for DCC. Dave at the club , had picked this up at a yard sale for $5.00, and I have just puzzled out how to install a GM surplus power rear view mirror motor.

I am also working on replacing the motor in a PFM/ United Ma & Pa 2-8-0, which I acquired from Mack Montgomery's M & N G. It looks like it is from the 60's or &0's. United built excelent mechanisms, but like the Tyco locomotive it had a massive , inefficient , open frame motor. I found a can motor that will fit. I used to paint locomotives all at once, but for good results they must be totally disassembled. When I remotor with can motors it is hard to build a motor bracket that is just right; but it is easy to fool around and get a motor alignment that works smoothly , and the glue the can motor in place with silicon tub caulk.

I am painting the frames and cylinders of the Tyco and PFM/United first, so I can get the mechanisms set up and happy before painting the rest of the locomotives and reasembling them.

for painting complete disassemblely is needed I soak the parts in boiling water with detergent for 15 minutes, and then rise two or three times with boiling water. then I soak the parts in vinegar for 15- 20 minutes, ( the vinegar is a mild acid and will etch the metal slightly to allow the paint a rougher surface to latch on to); and rinse with boiling water. from this point on I have rubber gloves on when I touch any of the parts to prevent the oil in my skin from messing up the job.


then working with a fat roll of masking tape, and a razor knife, I cut pieces of masking tape that I sue to mask the journals, necessary electrical contact points, and the United builder's plate .

Once masked I use spay paint, starting with a good quality red auto body primer, and then a black satin , I used to like flat black, but now I want my locomotives to have a little shine, and the satin works well.

I have had some good results with cheap spray paints, but the more expensive brands have better nozzles, and are more consistent, so I like them better, when painting locomotives, that tend to be way more expensive than the paint.

Also on my work bench is my current #6 a NSWL Sierra # 18 a ridiculously small consolodatin with tiny wheels > I am considering making the United 2-8-0 my #6 , and putting a can motor, and a Tsunami sound decoder in the Sierra #18 model, Which has had it's steel cab replaced with brass casting for a wood, cab, and is no longer easily recognizable, and taking it to the club. I had a analog sound system in it back in the 1970's, so I have already hacked up the brass tender. The tsunami decoders are dual mode, so I don't yet know If I will letter the newly painted and rebuilt locomotive for the DG CC & W RR or for the J. E Patterson Coal and Lumber Company.


also the NWSL locomotive has sprung drivers. most sprung drivers have springs that are so stiff the wight of the locomotive doesn't compress them. I NSWL sells springs in several strengths, and I have some wimpy springs to replace the springs with, so i will get the full benefit of sprung drivers ( better electrical pick up and increased pulling power). I don'r yet have a replacement motor, so I need to order one from NWSL. The mechanism on this locomotive is excellent. when I bought it, it was the best running rod locomotive I had ever seen , so there is a lot of potential there.

with the Sierra # 18 locomotive I also have a stack issue. I came with a shotgun stack. I removed that when I went to a wood cab, and a oil headlight, and have since had four stacks on it without satisfaction. My shay # 15 started life with a Radley Hunter, and now has a cabbage stack I'm temped to put the Radley-Hunter from #15 on the consolidation, we will see.



Bill Nelson
 
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Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
another video


I got the motor installed on the PFM / United Ma & PA 2-8-0 frame and it looks promising, here is a video link
 
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Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
SMLA_1 cnsldtn rpo #1b.jpg SMLA-1 Consldtn  pro #1a.jpg busy

I have been busy, with a trip to Houston TX, to visit my daughter, her fiancee, their dogs, and my in laws. Also with my 1978 Kubota tractor finally working again, I have been trying to the farm neatened up some, tough, cause it was very overgrown.

I have taken a little time to work on the MA & Pa 2-8-0. I have the frame painted, and the new can motor installed. In advance of painting the body, and putting it together, I am doing some electrical work, adding electrical pick up to the insulated side of the locomotive, and adding a two wire plug to get the connection to the tender upgraded so when I add pick up to the insulated side of the tender, I will have wires to support it. Also the tender will be hard wired, and won"t rely on the slip joints, that have been such a pain over the years.


I will use phosphor bronze wire from Micro-Mark for the pick ups, and I will be soldering them to little pads I made out of some PC board. I am thinning them by sanding some of the epoxy off of the back side of the board, and will mount them with some JB quick.

I used J B quick to glue a lead weight between the frame rails near the front driver to mount one pad, that will support a pick up on the front insulated driver. I'm thinking I may mount the other to the gearbox housing to support pick ups for the center two drivers. Clearance is very tight around the motor, so I may leave the rear wheel without pick up.


I have not worked on the NWSL Sierra # 18 much yet. I'm trying to decide between two NWSL replacement motors, one will be an easy fit, but is rather small, and the other is a lot bigger, but will be a tricky fit.
 
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Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
SMLA_! insl pds  fr  wprs.jpg the pads are on

I got the pads on, there is also a blob of JB quick that holds the gearbox in the position relative to the motor, where the universal coupling is the quietest
 
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