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Thanks Mark! What was the other site. I'd like to check out the work.

 

Before getting to work this afternoon (my wife cracks up when I refer to this as "work") I tried to pin down why that E8 B unit is tracking badly. I took the hood off, rolled it across the bridge area and watched one of the trucks binding. It appeared that the blind wheel set was riding off the rail and binding. I then measured everything with the digital caliper. Everything checked out and was within tolerance of the other truck's wheel sets AND the A unit's which showed no tracking problems. I then removed the bad truck and rolled it separately. I wasn't able to actually figure out what was happening but it seemed to be rolling better. 

 

So I started to reassemble. I looked up and saw the dummy coupler sitting on the work bench. What was that doing there? I hadn't removed it. It was there because the casting had fractured and the mounting boss had split in half. I must have put undo pressure on it during the reassembly. Darn!

 

E8 Catastrophe 1

 

It's probably not going to ultimately work, but I decided to J-B Weld it back together just to see. I'm probably going to have to spring for a new truck so I might as well try it.

 

E8 Catastrophe 3

E8 Catastrophe 2

 

It takes a full 24 hours for this stuff to cure. Then we'll see. It has to support the whole pulling strain of a passenger train up a 2% grade. I'm going to research getting the new truck now since I want to prepared when it fails. J-B Weld is amazing stuff, but there's little surface area here and the excess has to be on the bottom, not the mounting surface for the coupler. I may go back and put and second layer to build up the casting a bit more. The connector screws to the face of this casting and that can't be too fouled by the resin. In looking at my picture, I'm wondering if I can add a washer underneath and J-B that also. It would greatly reinforce the joint. I may have to refit the connector's circuit board so it would clear this. I'll wait till it cures, level off the bulge on the bottom and add the reinforcement.

 

After all this tumult I got back to building Gravely's. I only got the tar paper roofing on the stair well and built the railing and installed it. For the last month I've been using the recumbent bike and the elliptical apparatus upstairs in our bonus room. Both my wife and I want to lose some weight, but more importantly, I just want to get in better shape so we can go hiking on vacations without passing out. With that, on exercise days I only have a couple hours to work downstairs.

 

Gravely Bldg 30

 

There's little cap pieces that go on top of the railing posts which will go on next session.

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Images (4)
  • E8 Catastrophe 1
  • E8 Catastrophe 3
  • E8 Catastrophe 2
  • Gravely Bldg 30

Before getting to Gravely's, let me update everyone on the fix for the broken coupler boss on the E-8. Like I noted when posting yesterday, the surface area of the broken casting was maybe a 1/32" thick and wouldn't handle the stress of pulling a train, but while writing I thought that if I could J-B Weld a washer to the underside of the lug it would multiply the surface area many times. Today I found a washer that not only was the same diameter as the lug, but had a hole of sufficient size to clear the screw head that holds the coupler to the top side.

 

Before putting the washer in place I took the Dremel with a diamond, tapered grinding burr and leveled the cured J-B weld. Doing this in two steps made sense, since it was good to have the lug solidly fixed to the truck body before fixing the washer with more J-B.

 

E8 Fix 3

 

The washer just dropped in place and fit perfectly.

 

E8 Fix 2

 

I checked to make sure the bracket holding the umbilical socket would clear the washer. It it didn't I was prepared to shave a little bit off the bracket's top. It actually clears which makes me think that the lug could have been engineered with a little more material in it.

 

Here's the washer with the J-B in place. Tomorrow, I'll reassemble the whole deal and put some more weight into the car body to help in tracking.

 

E8 Fix 1

I'm pretty sure that this fix will work. If it does, it's another positive reason why I spend the time making all these journal entries. Besides giving others ideas, I give myself some too.

 

Now back to Gravely's. I put the railing post caps on and did minor touch up painting on the rails. I then air brushed all the laser-cut roofing materials weathered black and then a coat of Tamiya Flat Spray. I was using my trusting Model Tech Weathered Black which I can only buy directly from Badger Air Brush Co., and ran out halfway through so I mixed my own. It's just a dark gray.

 

I then roofed the right-side add-on first to get a feel for the self-stick shingle strips before tackling the main roof. It went quickly.

 

Gravely Roof 3

 

I hadn't painted the primed-white roof prior to shingling and the white was showing through the starter row of shingles in their laser-cut slices. In all other rows, it's hidden by the previous row. So I hand-brushed this area along with touching up the edges.

 

For the main roof I pre-shaded the edges with the same black so I would have to worry about white showing through.

 

Gravely Roof 4

 

You will also notice in this picture that I installed counter flashing where the roof meets the siding. As usual I overdid this a bit using individually cut pieces of pre-stick roofing scrap to stair-step the flashing up and down both sides of the roof.

 

Putting on the shingles themselves went smoothly and I was able to complete one side before ending today. I also primed a metal smoke stack that goes on the add-on's roof. I'll paint, weather and install it after the roofing is complete. There should be a bracing wire to the building halfway up. That's a simple addition. I also found an extra Grandt Line chimney that will look nice on the high roof.

 

Gravely Roof 2

 

All this black roof will respond nicely to some mild weathering.

 

Here's the progress shot:

 

Gravely Roof 1

 

Getting near the end.

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Images (7)
  • E8 Fix 3
  • E8 Fix 2
  • E8 Fix 1
  • Gravely Roof 3
  • Gravely Roof 4
  • Gravely Roof 2
  • Gravely Roof 1

Gravely's is almost finished.

 

The E-8 J-B Weld cured rock solid and is probably stronger than the other intact truck. 

 

E8 Fix 4

 

As planned the screw fit perfectly in the washer's hole and I was able to re-install the connector's circuit board without having to shave any material off of it. The wire harness was pressing pretty tightly against the washer, so just to be safe I cut a circle of electrical tape and placed it on top of the washer to isolate it from the wires before tightening down the connector. 

 

I also added some weight to the unit. I added probably 3 to 4 ounces of lead weight to the speaker housing (it's a dummy B so it's just an empty detail) to keep the center of gravity nice and low. And the unit tracked perfectly. What ever I did seemed to solve the tracking problem. I took a quick little video showing the lash up crossing the out loop bridge.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...eature=youtube_gdata

 

With that out of the way I got back to Gravley's. I was about 1/2 done the second pitched roof and realized that I was probably going to run out of shingle stock. Sure enough, I was 4 rows short. Why? Partly because I spaced my shingle rows a little tighter than I should have creating more rows, but also because I chose to shingle the add-on building's roof which used up shingle stock. 

 

What I was left with were little bits of the ends that I pieced together to make two more rows. Bummer!

 

Gravely Roof 9

 

 

Gravely Roof 8

 

For the last two rows I used the cut off edges of the shingle stock and cut my own shingle slices. This completed the shingles.

 

For the peak cap I again used some of the "tar paper" stock and made cap shingles that were twice as wide as the body shingles. These were overlapped and bent over the peak on both sides.

 

Gravely Roof 7

Gravely Roof 6

 

I was also afraid that I'd run out of tar paper stock, but I had a stash of this from the Idaho Hotel. I used Evergreen Styrene standing seam roofing for that project and saved all the self-stick tar paper strips.

 

With the peaked roof complete, I went onto the flat roof. I had to air brush more tar paper stock with the weathered black so I also quickly shot the roof too and the back off the false facade on the building. This turned out to be pretty dumb. First of all there was the over spray which I was able to quickly re-paint, but then I used the hot air gun to force dry the roof and inadvertantly melted one of the side windows. It's in the window shade area and is what it is. I tried to remove the window, but I reinforced all the window's corners with CA and would have destroyed the window in trying to get it apart.

 

Gravely melted window

 

The tar papering went nicely. I ran it up each side wall of the parapet as would be done in practice. I also ran it up the end wall a bit.

 

Gravely Roof 5

 

This picture is upside down!!!

 

After roofing I finished up the facade with the addition of the decorative panel, the corbels and the roof topping. I added the remaining trim pieces all over the model and did some more touch up painting. 

 

So... other then some add on details (stacks, chimneys, vent pipes, etc.) and light weathering, Gravely's is almost done.

 

Gravely Bldg 31

 

It is a nice building with lots of character.

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Images (8)
  • Gravely melted window
  • Gravely Roof 5
  • Gravely Bldg 31
  • E8 Fix 4
  • Gravely Roof 9
  • Gravely Roof 8
  • Gravely Roof 7
  • Gravely Roof 6

Gravely's is finished except for final siting on the layout. Added some details, signage, stacks and chimney. All in all it's a neat kit. Bar Mills' stuff is engineered so well that if something doesn't fit, the builder has put it together wrong.

 

I had some fun running trains for almost an hour today and made a longer composite movie on the iPhone showing off some more engines. This will be the last movie I make until I get my son in law's GoPro camera and mount it on a flat car. I have an Ap on the phone to control the camera remotely. I'm also limited when making the movies by myself since I can't operate the trains, features or switches and hold the camera at the same time.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...eature=youtube_gdata

 

 

Gravely Finished 02

Gravely Complete 01I did some mild weathering mostly on the roof and the rear. The signage was printed paper included in the kit. I followed their instructions by first thinning the image by sanding on the back and the embossing and then slicing the glued-on image along each clapboard. This gives a nice painted-on illusion. I then used Dr. Brown's weathering powers to bleed the colors down.

 

Before putting the signage on the building I placed it where it's going to end up on the layout.

 

Gravely Trial Fit 2

Gravely Trial Fit 1

 

The final location will be more to the left than it the above. There will be a walkway and maybe a drive between Gravely and Night Hawk's.

 

Meanwhile, another horror reared its ugly head. As I was putting the model into the town I wondered why some of my sewer inlets were now way below street level. How did they sink? They didn't! The edges of all the laminated Bristol Board/foam streets were delaminating. ALL OVER THE PLACE! Some are fixable and I began a campaign to do just that.

 

Street Repair 1

 

It's not a sophisticated fix. I just squirt gobs of Aleen's tacky glue into the gap and load the thing up with all the weight I could find. In a half hour, the edges are firmly glued. I did four edges today and will do more in the next few days. Of course some are not so easy to access—like the seams in the middle of the street.

 

Street Repair 2

 

Speaking of access... I'm seriously thinking about making an access hatch in the middle area of the city. It's really not easy to get to the middle, and I worry about putting too much weight (me) on these streets and foam panels. I did some surveying and there is an area that may be cut out without too much surgery. 

 

Again... and this bears repeating. I made two errors on this layout that I now regret. First using just the 3/16" Masonite to save $$ and effort of paving an 8 foot circle with the 1/2" OSB. To build up the correct rail height I used the foam insulation. This meant that the streets needed to be built up also and that led to blunder number 2: using Bristol Board to surface the foam instead of just painting the foam directly. This lame process cost me many, many prep hours and didn't produce the results I wanted. And now I have road maintenance!

 

 

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Images (6)
  • Gravely Finished 02
  • Gravely Complete 01
  • Gravely Trial Fit 2
  • Gravely Trial Fit 1
  • Street Repair 1
  • Street Repair 2

I'm leaning in that way too. Using EZ-Line, which is a very springy polymer, makes great wires, but they're taut. The HV lines are so small in gauge in 1:1 scale that in our scale really would be invisible. On the other hand, I bought two kits several years ago from Valley Model Trains which are super detailed house/transformer service hookups including a miniature electric meter. I'd like to use these on foreground buildings. But if I use the service hook ups how can I not wire the poles too?

Yes! I can empathize with that. Before retirement, all the train work had to be done at night when I could barely function. When I first put up the trains in Germany, it was when my wife made a 6 week journey back to the USA. I could do one of two things... go to bars and girlie shows or... build my dream layout. There simply was no debate. So I was able to come home from work, grab dinner and then disappear into the basement without any concerns about bed time until I couldn't see straight. Now, I get down to the shop at least four days a week usually for 2–3 hours. It's great to see how much progress you can make when you keep providing slow, but steady force on something. Literally every day I can see something happening.

I started, and almost completed, the second pole. I'm working myself up the learning curve. I'll have it all figured out by pole number 4 I figure. The first thing I did was add a mounting system for pole #1. Ashe Rawls admonished me to not permanently glue things to the layout, including telephone poles. Instead, he cements a sleeve onto the pole and glues a telescoping larger sleeve into the layout. The poles are inserted in the sleeves and can be removed whenever needed to be. I don't believe he strings wires on the poles and I don't think I am either.

 

T-Pole Mounting

The only complication to this scheme is the inch and half depth of the sleeve and the 1/2" depth to the building bases I'm using. This means that the external sleeve would penetrate below the building board into the sub-surface foam and beyond through the Masonite. Since I don't want to permanently fasten the buildings to the layout, I'm going to have to be careful to only glue the sleeve into the building board part and not to the substrate below. To keep the pole from falling all the way through the outer sleeve, I crimped the end of the brass tube slightly to act as a stop.

 

For pole number two I changed the following:

  • Pre-coloring the poles with thinned Tamiya paint rubbed on with a paper towel and then wiped off. It's thinned with alcohol so it acts like a penetrating stain. Already looks better.
  • I used all the smaller sized NBW castings.
  • Used a fine-toothed razor saw to start the notches for the cross-arms and finished with a Xacto and then minor filing. 
  • The small Tichy NBWs are so small that you can't hold them to file their backs flat so you need to mount them using their attached spindles. This required drilling a .030" hole right through the junction of the diagonal braces into the wood below. Really delicate operation.

The results look even better (to me) than the first iteration. I'm going to make this pole without a transformer. Probably every other or third pole should receive one.

 

T-Pole number 2

 

All I need to do to finish this one up is paint the metal parts a weathered aluminum/NATO black mixture and then add some weathering powders.

 

The diagonal braces are still a little to wide, but the narrower strip that I have is so fragile as to be unworkable for this application.

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Images (2)
  • T-Pole Mounting
  • T-Pole number 2

Before working on T-poles today, I did this:

 

GoPro on TrainThat's my son in law's GoPro Hero2 mounted to a MTH heavy duty flat car. I used a piece of Flexibed roadbed underneath to isolate the camera a bit and then sent it on its way. I made 8 takes and then used MicroSoft Movie Maker to edit it down to something workable. I'm still learning how to align switches on the layout. As you'll see in the YouTube video, there's a lot of different routes you can take on the inner loop. I didn't run trains on the outer loop this time since I had my hands full with camera and train ops. I have a GoPro app on my iPhone which allows you to control the camera via its own WiFi connection. Pretty slick!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...eature=youtube_gdata

 

After doing this for about an hour I started working on T-pole #3. I'm still moving up the learning curve and with each on I build I'm getting faster and more accurate. I upload more pics tomorrow. Grandson #1 is coming over tomorrow and we're going to work on trains together. We have a little time together between school and camp.

 

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Images (1)
  • GoPro on Train

Thanks all! Regarding speed... I didn't realize how fast it looks until seeing the footage. The camera was set for "medium" viewing angle. Even at that it's still a very wide angle shot which both distorts horizontal lines making them curve and makes things much longer looking and going by faster. Those E-8s on the hi-line looked like "E-10s" going on seemingly forever. The next time I do it will be with the train switching between outer and inner loops. And I will go slower.

Happy Father's Day Y'all!

 

I was supposed to have a shop day today breaking the "No train work on the weekends" rule, thanks to my wife granting a reprieve, but I got started so late today that I just chilled and didn't do any work. I'm on T-pole #6 which is all I'm going to make for this batch and then I'm turning to the Substation project.

 

Meanwhile, there's one more tiny detail that I'd like to add to the three poles that have transformers: it's the "fused cut-out" that you see on almost every service pole with a transformer. It's operated with a long insulated pole with a hook on the end to shut power off to a transformer that needs service AND it provides the last-ditch protection to the transformer in case of surge especially from lightening strikes somewhere along the line.

 

For something so simple, consisting three basic parts: an insulator, some contactor hardware and the fuse, they have lots of details.

 

T-Pole Fuse C.U.

 

The insulator is attached at its mid-point to the T-pole's cross arm. There's one for each phase. We've all seen them, but probably haven't given them much thought. I ride around looking at poles all the time now while in this phase of the project.

 

Here's another diagram.

 

Pole Mount Fuse Cutout

 

On this plan it gives some approximate sizes and since I'm modelling 10,000 VAC primary power the insulator's are 11". So the whole deal is about 1/4" sq. in O'scale. They're not big, but would add a lot of interest if the poles are near the layout's front.

 

The contactor mechanism is complex, but the detail would be invisible in our scale unless you were holding it in your hand under a magnifying glass so it would just be approximated. I think the insulator could be the thread parts of a 2-56 machine screw. It could also be made with styrene rod with some grooves cut into it. In real life, the upper part housing the switch points is complex due to giving a spark path to extinguish the arc that occurs when you suddenly try to turn off 10,000 Volts.

 

Pole-mounted Transformers 4

 

In the above you can see the fuse cut-outs feeding the primary lines to the transformers. 

 

I'll play around with different approaches and see what comes up. It would be a nice piece that could be lost-wax cast out of brass. All you'd have to would be paint the insulator gray or white and the fuse gray and leave the rest natural metal. But I don't believe those details exist outside of my head.

 

Tomorrow, I'll get back to "work".

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Images (3)
  • T-Pole Fuse C.U.
  • Pole Mount Fuse Cutout
  • Pole-mounted Transformers 4
Last edited by Trainman2001

Thanks guys! Actually Mark, they're probably the ONLY miniature FCUs you've ever seen. It's not something that model railroaders usually build (other than slightly crazy people like me). I'm probably compensating that I don't have two-rail, hand-laid, scale 125 pound steel track. From the outset, I said that I was going to try and create as realistic a railroad as I with the limitation of having hi-rail, over-sized, three-rail track. Onward and upward!

I think it's a form of neurosis... AMS (advanced modelers' syndrome). I showed pics today to the guys at Roundhouse Trains and they all said that I shouldn't be doing that since I running 3-rail, and that I have too much time on my hands. It's the blessing of being retired AND being in good health. As to the 3-rail... I've never seen it written any where that we 3-railers can't do cool stuff.

Originally Posted by Trainman2001:

I think it's a form of neurosis... AMS (advanced modelers' syndrome). I showed pics today to the guys at Roundhouse Trains and they all said that I shouldn't be doing that since I running 3-rail, and that I have too much time on my hands. It's the blessing of being retired AND being in good health. As to the 3-rail... I've never seen it written any where that we 3-railers can't do cool stuff.

AMS!  I love it!

I agree with you.  Those guys at Roundhouse Trains are just jealous.  

Last edited by Mark Boyce
Originally Posted by Trainman2001:

Thanks guys! Actually Mark, they're probably the ONLY miniature FCUs you've ever seen. It's not something that model railroaders usually build (other than slightly crazy people like me). I'm probably compensating that I don't have two-rail, hand-laid, scale 125 pound steel track. From the outset, I said that I was going to try and create as realistic a railroad as I with the limitation of having hi-rail, over-sized, three-rail track. Onward and upward!

Love the progress! I can only hope mine turns out a fraction as well.

Your poles and fused cutouts, etc., are all great looking.  I really enjoy this thread and your work and look forward to every new post.

 

I'm upset with myself that I can't find better photos of the two electrical poles I scratch built.  I thought I saved them but half an hour just now could not find them.  I removed them during some building relocation two years ago  . . .   I built and wired those two by the book (the Lineman and Cableman's Handbook, from the 1970s, my training book back then).  In this one fuzzy picture you can just make out the FCUs out of styrene - tiny little dots on the crossarm, and I created and wired to an entire three-transformer Y-bank and the service wires to my train station.  I actually modeled the fuse barrels and the frame as you did, and wired it all correctly including even the grounded wire down the pole, etc. 

 

I think a lot of us like to go "overboard" with details that matter to us.  It's yet one more aspect of the hobby I really like. 

 

Pole

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Images (1)
  • Pole
Last edited by Lee Willis
Originally Posted by Trainman2001:

Thanks all!

 

Lee, from what  . . . . 

I'll cut the heads and tails off, drill the end for some brass rods that will serve as attachment points, and leave them black which is prototypically correct.

Thanks!  Nice detail is some of the photos.  And the idea with those plastic screws is great.  I love it!  

 

I think I still have the two poles I made - have to find them - they will be in a box or low shelf somewhere.  I have wanted to make some H-frame structures, too.  I've designed many transmission lines in my time, and we have a hole sectino of people at work who walk ROWs and inspect and categorize old ones for repair and refubishment - whoe just finished do that to 1,130 of them.  They are near and dear to my heart.

Thanks Lee. It's great to hear from folks who have REAL experience in these things. A long time ago and far, far away, I worked as a mechanical technician at a company named American Electronic Labs, AEL for short. They're still in business owned by a large British military conglomerate.

 

Anyway... they made all kinds of sophisticated communications and electronic warfare stuff and had telephone poles in their back lot on which they mounted experimental antennas and stuff and we had to be trained to climb them. They taught me how to use pole spikes and I was terrible at it.

 

It was a summer job while I was in college so they really didn't want me up on the poles anyhow. I worked there from the summer of my freshman year until a year after I graduated. Each summer I got a raise until I was receiving journeyman's wages at the end.

 

The fellows were highly talented and could do literally anything. They could machine, weld, work precision sheet metal, install, wire, do field work...anything. And they were very helpful in teaching me. When I became a shop teacher, that vast generalist experience really paid off. 

 

The time was 1964 through 1968 so Viet Nam was really heating up and their business was booming.

 

 

Over the course of a lifetime, one can see how past experiences can be used much later in life.  It is good you were able to pass some of it along to your students.  While I was exposed to the power poles and towers, I will be more in my element once you get to building your substation.  I spent 13 years in substations in my younger days, both climbing the structures to replace insulators to working on the controls as a field engineer.  Now I have been in Telecommunications for 18 years where I started out in the mid '70s.  With 4 layoffs to my 'credit' I always seemed to wind up in the utilities business one way or the other.  We even get into video now, so you will need to add copper twisted pair cables, television coax, and fiber optics to your poles.    Just kidding.  I think the power lines and equipment is the most visible so they convey the illusion of a complete utility system on poles.  Only Lee and I will be scrutinizing them to the hilt, and I must say, you are doing the best job I have ever seen!!  I probably will never get to the point of doing anything more than the basics.  Too much time for work, too little time for O gauge railroading!!  Keep running those trains too!

Trainman 2001 would you consider making 24 of your FCUs for sale to me? I already have been making the poles myself and did not think of things like this for added realism on the layout. When I put my poles together I drilled holes and used wacko glue (crazy glue) HA-HA with sewing pins and just cut off the extra length. The insulators are plastic see through that ( I bought two types ) are green and the other ones are A light blue to try to match the old insulaters. While looking at your photos the nut and bolts look so much better than the pin heads. I was not aware that anyone made such small nuts and bolts. Fine job on the poles and on everything you are doing. Choo Choo Kenny

First of all, thanks again to everyone for the support.

 

Next. Lee and Mark, I will be calling upon your expertise when I get into the substation construction. I assure you.

 

Kenny, ideally, I need to make a perfect master and get them resin cast. To hand build all 24 isn't something I'm looking forward to since it basically took a week to build 9 of them. Let me find out if I can get them case and then we can discuss what to do.

 

I built 3 more HV towers today.

 

 HV Tower 05 

I changed my method a bit. Instead of notching the poles, I sanded a curved notch into the cross pieces. This simplified construction and allowed me to use the Dremel to make the cuts instead of sawing in the miter box and hand carving the notches. None of these poles support any kind of load so the strength of the glue joints is not that important. It's not like I'm building a working trestle which will support dead and live train loads.

 

 

HV Tower 04

 

I found out that I was rushing a bit when the glue joints fell apart when I was lifting the assembly away from the pins to turn it over and put the diagonal brace on the other side. I then re-glued and used clamps to let the glue set properly.

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Images (2)
  • HV Tower 05
  • HV Tower 04

Finished all five of the HV towers and got to work on the insulators. Here's the first one completed.

 

HV Tower 06

 

I sawed off the screw head, sanded both ends flat and square on the True Sander, and then drilled an 0.032" hole on both ends to accept the .032" brass wire. I flattened the external wire to make it look like the hanger that screws onto the HV conductor.

 

For those that would like to duplicate this kind of "insulator", here's a shot of the packet it comes in. I bought it at Lowes. It's in one of the fancy drawers in their screws and bolts dept.

 

Fastener Label

 

I only have 10 of them so I'll have to go back to the store and get a lot more. They're not cheap, so for the sub-station, I may have to revert to machining my own out of either brass or aluminum. Since I know how to do this now, I'm not worried about it.

 

In looking at it some more, I realize that I need to put the NBWs to finish them up. I'll do that tomorrow.

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Images (2)
  • HV Tower 06
  • Fastener Label
Last edited by Trainman2001

I'm glad to be missed. We were on a 10 day trip back East to visit with family and friends. We did the 4th at State College, PA where my son is an eye doctor. They have great fireworks for a small town. I'm back now and went to Lowe's to pick up more of the "insulator" fasteners. I needed 6 and they only had 4 in stock. All the way to Philly and back I was checking out all kinds of power lines. I found some that were almost exactly what I was building and also found many different styles. Almost anything goes. I did notice that my HV towers are a bit too heavily built. I could have used thinner stock for all the cross pieces. My diagonal braces are about the right size. Tomorrow I'll be back on the bench.

I'm glad people are paying attention...;-)

 

I have slacked off a bit, but that stops tomorrow. I had to buy more "insulators" and dowels which I did today. I want to make 3 more plain t-poles and then get onto the substation. I still haven't decided to use the MTH plastic transformer load from the heavy-duty flatcar and get something else to put on the car, of scratchbuild my own transformer for the substation. Modifying the MTH unit would probably go much faster, but making my own would enable me to enhance the surface detail a lot. I decide once I get into the project.

Originally Posted by Trainman2001:

I'm glad people are paying attention...;-)

 

I have slacked off a bit, but that stops tomorrow. I had to buy more "insulators" and dowels which I did today. I want to make 3 more plain t-poles and then get onto the substation. I still haven't decided to use the MTH plastic transformer load from the heavy-duty flatcar and get something else to put on the car, of scratchbuild my own transformer for the substation. Modifying the MTH unit would probably go much faster, but making my own would enable me to enhance the surface detail a lot. I decide once I get into the project.

Yup, we are paying attention.  Glad you are back on it.

Back to work...

 

I finalized the detailing on the HV towers and added the last two insulators. I added some NBWs on the big timbers and then added the "guard wire" insulators to the very top. The guard wires are a ground that's designed to thwart lightening strikes and protect the HV lines. Again, I don't think I'm going to string lines, but if I do, the insulators are waiting.

 HV Tower Complete

I then started on the substation. While still not deciding to make a scratch-built Xformer or use the existing MTH Xformer.

 

I began work with the coolant tank since this seemed like the most challenging piece on the Xformer and if comes out it bodes well for the rest. I drew a four-part bracket that's "welded" to the tank's bottom. To form the tank I found a mailing tube I had laying around that's the perfect diameter. Around this I formed a jacket with 0.010" styrene sheet and glued the edge with solvent cement. The seam's big and it meant adjusting the bracket that sits below it, which I describe in more detail further on.

 

Xfrmr tank 01

 For the ends I cut circles out of 0.020" styrene and solvent glued them to the wrapper. The mailing tube was inside.

 

Xfrmr tank .02

 

For the brackets I used 0.020" sheet styrene for the frames and 0.010" X 0.080" strip styrene for the webs. I laid the pieces out by hand (instead of my usual pasting the drawings directly on the plastic) since I didn't print out enough copies of the plans and was too lazy to go upstairs and print more copies.

 

I drilled out the corners to make them rounded and then cut the material between the holes. I then cut the part out of the sheet. Doing it this way made it easier to hold onto the part while I was working on the inside profiles.

 

Xfrmr tank 05

 

The webs were solvent glued to the center. This was easier to do than it looked.

 

Xfrmr tank 03

 

For the upper bracket I did it the same way as the lower bracket.

 

Xfrmr tank 06

 

The upper bracket has to seat tightly against the tank for a good glue joint. Since the seam is going on the bottom so it won't be seen, the bracket's contour had to be adjusted to fit it.

 

Xfrmr tank 08

Xfrmr tank 07

 

Tomorrow I'll put the webbing on the upper brackets and then decide on what XFormer body to use. I will also install some styrene angle cross bracing between the tank brackets to stiff it up. I'm also putting a horizontal piece under the tank where the brackets join to further strengthen the structure.

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The transformer is coming together nicely. I made my decision... in order to ensure that the Conservator Tank is properly attached to the transformer's tank, I'm scratch-building the entire transformer using dimension from my plans and the MTH existing one.

 

Before getting into that, I finished up the Conservator. After putting the webbing on the upper brackets, I added a piece of 0.040" X 0.080" of styrene between the upper and lower brackets to reinforce that joint, then glued the upper and lower together. I marked the location on the drum where the brackets would go and then carefully held each in place and tack glued to the jacket with solvent and the Touch-n-flow applicator. Once in place I sprayed the joint with accelerator and used medium CA to reinforce this delicate joint.

 Xfrmr tank 09

I added some additional cross-bracing with some small styrene angle and a couple more braces at the top for further reinforcement. I then added some of the same 0.010" X 0.080" thin stock used for the webs as the strapping that encircles the conservator tank. Again, I tacked one end, wrapped it around and tacked near the other end. Once it was stable I trimmed the banding to fit tightly against the brackets. Finally, I put a thin bead of liquid cement around the band's perimeter.

 

Just to see how it looked I laid it on the MTH transformer.

  

Xfrmr tank 10  

Xfrmr tank 11

At this point I saw that the gluing area on the MTH unit was small and I would have to add material. With that, I decided to just go ahead and make another unit. I took the measurements directly off the MTH unit and will make it almost the same except for the surface details. Instead of molded on conduits and other items, they will be separately added. I'm going to add a substantial control box on the end under the conservator. I used my corner clamps to good use on this project since I'm basically making a box.

 

Xfmr Body 01a

After edge gluing the 0.040" pieces of sheet stock, I added 1/4" sq. corner reinforcements. I then went back and added longitudinal reinforcements on the top and bottom flush with the edges to both make the sides straight (they were a bit bowed) and to increase the surface available for gluing on the top and bottom plates.

 

Xfmr Body 03

I measured and cut the top and bottom (they're the same size) and briefly clamped them to ensure the glue was setting properly.

 

Xfmr Body 04I designed the XFormer to sit on I-beams so I cut up some Plastruct I-Beam stock. I used three longitudinal members and then cut a bunch of stub ends to simulator I-beam cross members. A transformer of this size with all the attachments would weigh over 300 tons and would need substantial footings to support it. 

 Xfmr Body 05

 Xfmr Body 06

For the side reinforcement I used a Starrett Surface gauge on plate glass. I took the measurements with the MTH transformer sitting upside down since there are two lugs protruding from the bottom that keys it into the flat car body. I don't want to take them off. I then transferred the measurement to the new Xfmr sitting on its top. The groove made by the gauge's scribe made a convenient lip to align the piece of 0.040" stock that I cut for the reinforcements.

 

Xfmr Body 07

Here's the first three in place.

 

Xfmr Body 08

After putting the 3 bands on each side, I added more that will serve as the mounting for the conservator brackets. This will ensure that there's sufficient glue surface for a strong joint. Notice the size of a scale figure. It's a big transformer.

 

Xfmr Body 09

Tomorrow, I continue adding surface details and start working on another challenging component: the radiators and their fans. If you all remember, I bought HO gauge EMD radiator fans that will serve as the fans on this project. While they're a little different, they're highly detailed and will look very convincing.

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Last edited by Trainman2001

Trainman, I got caught up with all of your activity for the last couple of months. Always great stuff. What I most like is when things happen you always see this as challenge and an opportunity to come up with solutions. It is one of the values that I now apply to my own layout build, because as you know, many plans never go according to form. Anyway, hope to get an opportunity to talk in person sometime while I am in KY.

Ken

Thanks guys! Other than the Conservator, this was the easy stuff. The radiators and fans will challenge as will the lightening arresting stack on the other side. I'm deciding whether to use the other larger plastic screws or machine my own insulators (bushings) for the primary side. I now know that I can machine a decent looking insulator, it's just going to take a lot of time and effort. I could make them tapered like many are. If I can nail the Xformer I'm sure that the other switchgear will be much easier (famous last words).

Originally Posted by Lee Willis:
Originally Posted by Trainman2001:

 . . .  If I can nail the Xformer I'm sure that the other switchgear will be much easier (famous last words).

Looking fantastic!   Conservator and everything so far is superb detail.

 

I think you are only sort of correct.  The switchgear (breakers, manual switches) is only a little more complex than a transformer but smaller - I'd say its a wash overall  which is more work to model, a simple, dead-tank breaker (the type of make unless it is new technology) or a transformer.  

 

But for me what was always the most difficult to model, well, was the buswork itself (the skeletal frame that stands over and around the transformers and breakers and holds the HV and MV buses up, etc., and the attached manual switches and all the tiny little ancillary equipment.  There is just a lot of it and its more complex than it one might think. Most of the insulators in a substation are in the buswork.

 

I have attached a.pdf of aseminar workshop slide set that has pictures ofalot of this stuff.  You probablyknowall this stuff but in case the pictures help . . . .

I agree with Lee, the structure supporting the the buswork, switches, etcetera, can be very complicated.  If you want something less complicated, low profile bus work can be done, but that is a more modern look.  Something like Page 106 and 107 in Lee's excellent presentation. I don't know if there is a different name; we called it low profile.  

 

It's funny, I started my career in telecom for a power company 38 years ago this Saturday, then I moved to the fault protection and controls in substations and power stations.  I was laid off after 20 years.  I then found a job with a Telecom, taking me back to my early career, and have worked in telecom for almost 18 years now.  When I worked in the field for this telecom, I often went in the substations for trouble calls.  I can't get away form it. 

Last edited by Mark Boyce
Originally Posted by Mark Boyce:

Lee,

You named the presentation Part 2.  I am curious what is in Part 1.

Thanks.

It is a six part course the company I founded offers as an introduction to the power industry, designed for new employees at utilities.  We give it in house to, for example, 60 new employees hired this year into the engineering department of a large utility.  Part 1 is basically Alternating Current 101 (a majority of new engineers hired by electric utilities have never had a single course in power!), another section covers the organization of the utility industry, who regulates and how, etc.  Other parts talk about how a utility works inside, different departments, etc.  I haven't taught this course in several years but its one of my favorites because its broad, the students are young and eager, and its fairly easy to teach.  

Originally Posted by Lee Willis:
Originally Posted by Mark Boyce:

Lee,

You named the presentation Part 2.  I am curious what is in Part 1.

Thanks.

It is a six part course the company I founded offers as an introduction to the power industry, designed for new employees at utilities.  We give it in house to, for example, 60 new employees hired this year into the engineering department of a large utility.  Part 1 is basically Alternating Current 101 (a majority of new engineers hired by electric utilities have never had a single course in power!), another section covers the organization of the utility industry, who regulates and how, etc.  Other parts talk about how a utility works inside, different departments, etc.  I haven't taught this course in several years but its one of my favorites because its broad, the students are young and eager, and its fairly easy to teach.  

That sounds great.  I know most graduates don't know anything about the power industry nor telecommunications either.  We had some basis of understanding when we graduated years ago.  I do get impressed with the enthusiasm younger engineers have.  Soon they are able to run circles around me.

Really great stuff Lee! In my research I had found many of the details you included, but still learned more. The Xfrmer I'm building is probably too big for a distribution station, but I'm going with it anyway. You're right about the bus system, but I'm going to simplify it a bit. I noticed in your course you didn't talk about lightening protection. It seems that a lot of the details around the substation are lightening related.

 

Today Number 1 grandson was here so besides working on the transformer, we put the first coat of paint on his F-22 kit and I worked with him to perfect his ability to use an air brush. It's coming out as a nice model and he's been working on it, on and off, for as long as I've been building the railroad.

 

I finished the radiator "boxes". I now have to figure out how to best simulate the actual cooling fin portion. It's been a nice scratch-building sub-project that had its own challenges.

 

I shaped one end plate by first locating the position of the oil manifold's 1/4" holes. I pilot drilled them and then used my battery DeWalt to drill the hole in the 0.040" styrene since I could control the speed very carefully. Then I trimmed the angle cuts at the ends. It looked right so I needed five more. Grandson suggested stacking them and cutting them at once. He's a good problem solver. I have to admit that I already figured that out, but gave him credit for a good idea. 

 Xfmr radiators 01

Again I drilled the holes first and then trimmed the ends using a razor saw over my bench hook.

 

Xfmr radiators 03

 

The ends had tapered a bit so I did a touch up job on the belt sander. With styrene you have to sand very gently since you'd end up melting more than sanding if you lean into it too much.

 

The front ends of the radiators get a overlay that adds some interest to the assembly. I'm using thin, 0.010" styrene for this. I tried to drill it, but regardless of how I turned the drill, it chewed the heck out of it and was a total fiasco. I realized I had to punch the holes. A #6 drill was the diameter of the end curves so I did one of my jerry-rigged, poor-man's punch scheme. For punching soft materials this method works pretty well.

 

It goes like this. First grind the back end of the drill to a punch shape. In this case I held the drill at 45º to the corner of the grinding wheel to impart a v-shaped cut to the drill's end. I grind until the newly ground surface extends to the entire edge of the drill.

 

I then take the drill to the drill press and using the "normal" end, drill a hole in some convenient piece of metal. Since I was punching styrene it didn't matter that I used aluminum. The workpiece should be clamped securely to the machine's table.

 

Now, take the drill out and insert it upside down into the chuck. Don't tighten it yet. Since you're trying to tighten it about the flutes, the drill isn't actually round and will clamp at any any and will not re-enter the die hole that you cut. So to ensure that the drill will re-enter the die, let the drill drop into the hole and bring the chuck down until the drill bottoms out in the chuck. While holding everything in this position, tighten the drill in the chuck and the punch is ready.

 

Xfmr radiators 04 05

 

The only thing I would do differently if I were to do this again would be to get a bit more sophisticated in how I positioned the work piece under the punch. In this case I just eyeballed the punch over a couple of cross hairs. It needed a fence where I could actually keep the holes on each end aligned.

 

Xfmr radiators 02

 

To complete the detail I just carefully cut the material between the holes and cleaned it up with a half-round file. 

 

This overlay was attached to the end cap with liquid cement with the touch-n-flow.

 

Xfmr radiators 07

 

I didn't want to waste too much material making these radiators. They don't need much structural strength so I used a wood block cut on the chop saw to the inside dimension to hold the end caps apart. After carefully positioning the end caps onto the block using a 1/4" dowel to align the oil manifold mounting holes, I glued it all together with thin CA and accelerator.

 

Xfmr radiators 08

 

I was skinning this with 0.010" which is very flimsy, so I added some cross members flush with the end caps. I then glued the thin sheet to the sides. The first piece I left the end really long thinking I'll just trim later, but I quickly found out that the angled ends made cutting it more difficult. From then on I pre-trimmed the skin close to final length and trimmed the remaining 1/32" with a razor blade.

 

Xfmr radiators 09

 

With the skins on I measured and cut each top piece so it was a snug fit between the end caps. This step was a bit finicky and took some time and many scrapped pieces.

 

Xfmr radiators 10

 

After the glue dried I took a sanding stick and filed all the edges so it looks like a real full-size assembly. By the end of the work session, I had all three radiators housings finished waiting for the detailing on the two ends that are actually going to be visible.

 

Xfmr radiators 11

 

I'm thinking that I'm going to fabricate the radiator fins by carefully alternating thin pieces of styrene standing on their ends and then their sides. I'll also have to made a standoff to support the fans.

 

Just as a refresher, here's the plans I drew for the transformer.

 

Transformer Project p 1

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  • Transformer Project p 1

Thanks gentlemen!

 

I blog this journal on two forums; this one and the World Affairs Board. I got onto that one when I was building the battleship Missouri and when completed and mentioned I was rebuilding the trains, they asked me to keep blogging this project also. Anyway, one of the readers suggested using small styrene or Plastruct angles glued together to do the radiator cores. A brilliant idea which I am going to apply.

 

It's all the great input I get from all of you that makes the effort to enter all this data worthwhile. I like the compliments too.

Originally Posted by Trainman2001:

Thanks gentlemen!

 

I blog this journal on two forums; this one and the World Affairs Board. I got onto that one when I was building the battleship Missouri and when completed and mentioned I was rebuilding the trains, they asked me to keep blogging this project also. Anyway, one of the readers suggested using small styrene or Plastruct angles glued together to do the radiator cores. A brilliant idea which I am going to apply.

 

It's all the great input I get from all of you that makes the effort to enter all this data worthwhile. I like the compliments too.

Trainman,

The pleasure is all ours reading and viewing your project descriptions.  Sounds like a good plan for the radiator cores.  I agree your transformer is a bit large for a small distribution station, but it doesn't matter on the model, the overall effect will be a winner!

The ballast is roofing granules. I bought it in pails at a Louisville roofing supply house. You can't get it at the home centers. They apparently make it in many colors, but I was only able to get "white". It's actually a light gray. It cost about $20 for 50 lbs so it's quite inexpensive. It's a manufactured product, not small stones. It also contains an iron compound as a mold and mildew inhibitor and therefore is SLIGHTLY MAGNETIC! This means that it can (and will) be attracted to the wheels (and gears) of locos with Magna-traction. It did this with my Lionel late-model F-3s and stopped the engines from running. If you run non-magna-traction engines it's great stuff.

 

For the yard ballast, I used alcohol plus India ink for the wetting agent before adding the scenic liquid cement. This dulls down the brightness a bit.

De Nada! Well... today I had a rare Sunday work session. I was champing at the bit wanting to try the radiator fin idea. I had a partial package of the 0.080" Evergreen Styrene angle. I first scribed the center-line and then an offset line 1/2 the width of the angle's flange. I used the surface gauge to ensure it was parallel to the edge. I then clamped a steel rule to the offset line and glued the first angle to the radiator.

 

 Xfmr radiators 12

 

(Can someone please explain why this web site sometimes turns pics 90º on its own.

 

To make the fins symmetrical I then glued a piece of 0.020" strip stock to the other side of the angle forming a 0.080" channel forming the center rib.

 

 

Xfmr radiators 13

 

I added angles each facing the center ribs so the spacing would remain consistent. I continued adding angles on both sides until I reached the edges and then trimmed them flush with the angled ends. Here's the finished product. If you're clever, you'll see that something is just not quite right here...

 

Xfmr radiators 14

 

It really looks great! Unfortunately, IT IS ENTIRELY WRONG!!!!!

 

I glued all these pieces on the wrong face! Doh!

 

Xfmr radiators 15

 

In my haste to get started, I never actually checked to see which face was getting the fins. So much for my "awesome" scratch-building skills.

 

Luckily, the liquid cement had not completely fused and with the judicious use of a razor blade I was able to slice/pry them all off without wrecking them. I followed the same process as on the WRONG SIDE and reattached them correctly this time.

 

Xfmr radiators 16

 

For the edges I added some 0.040" X 0.080" stock which will serve as a secure mounting for the fans to come.

 

So here's the first finned unit sitting on the transformer. I added the trim pieces to the inner facing surfaces too so the units will look symmetrical. You won't be able to see the fins on the inside faces so I only have to fin the exposed surfaces. 

 Xfmr radiators 17

Tomorrow I'll go to the hobby shop and get more angle and some 0.020 X 0.080" strip too. I had to double the pieces that I used to make the inside channel since it was 0.010" stock and the angles have 0.020" thick flanges. The fins will be painted dark gray first and then I'll dry brush aluminum onto the exposed edges of the fins to highlight them. It should stand out nicely.

 

With the fins well in hand, I'm going to build the fans and then construct the radiator hangers, the oil manifolds and machine some flanges for mounting it to the transformer body.

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Last edited by Trainman2001

Let's keep it going... I got to work on it late today and then did some rare evening work. 

 

I finished the fins on the other end and the trim around the inner sides of the radiators. Then I decided to mount them together in preparation for building the mounting system that will hold them to the transformer tank. 

 

I didn't have channel of the right size. The Plastruct channel I did have was left over from the bridge project and was just too big, so I substituted some strip stock. I knew where these would have to align so the brackets could properly support the assembly, so I placed them onto the tank and used a couple of strips of Tamiya masking tape. I did some layout on the tank and then used a small dot of old fashioned Testor's Plastic tube cement to tack the middle radiator in place.

 

Xfmr radiators 18

 

With this in place, I did the same thing with the two outer radiators. I carefully pulled the masking tape out from under the radiators and removed the array. I then went back and re-applied liquid cement to completely glue the radiators to the back support.

 

Xfmr radiators 19

 

It's looks like they're not spaced evenly. They're actually better than it appears since the radiators (unfortunately) are not completely square. The front gaps are much more regular.

 

Now it was time to start building the oil manifolds. I cut the 1/4" styrene tubing and squared the ends. The front of the manifold needed to be closed so I cut some squares of 0.010" styrene sheet and cemented it to the tubes.

 

Xfmr radiators 20

 

While this was drying I started turning the mounting flanges that will trim up the place where the manifolds enter the transformer tank. The tubes will enter the tank about 1/4". The flanges will increase the gluing surface and make a nice strong and square joint with the tank. I'll use CA to hold the styrene to the aluminum.

 

Xfmr radiators 21\

I was running out of time so I just trimmed up one tube end and spun it on the lathe to sand the styrene end flush with the tube. The idea worked well and when painted the ends will appear as part of the tube.

 

Xfmr radiators 22

 

As an aside, it seems that anytime I crop a picture, this site turns it 90º. I don't no what the engine driving this site sees in the image that makes it do that. It's annoying.

 

Tomorrow I'll finish turning the flanges (one more to go), and then start laying out and drilling the holes in the tank to accept the manifolds. I'll then build and install the mounting brackets that will also support the radiators. When that's done I'll build and install the fans. The brackets will be difficult to align and if it proves too difficult I'll leave them out since the manifolds themselves will be sufficiently strong to support the array without the brackets. They'll be difficult to see anyway.

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Originally Posted by trainroomgary:

To Trainman 2001

 

This is an excellent post & the photography brings it all together.

Your step by step procedures & drawings tell the "Saga"

I am only on page 3 & I have a lot more to read & look at.

Thanks for all the time you have put into this layout tour & objectives.

 

Gary,

I found Trainman's thread last winter, and I too went back to catch myself up.  I find his thoughtful ideas as to how to solve a problem like this one fantastic.  He is also very honest to tell us about his mistakes and what didn't work.  Besides that, his documentation of his projects are worthy of publication in my opinion.  He has given me the inspiration to do the same when I start building my next layout hopefully in a year or two.

 

Originally Posted by Lee Willis:

I love this project.  The detail you are posting is really interesting and useful.

 

Thanks!

Lee,

I totally concur.  Since both of us have some background in the electric power industry, we can see Trainman is doing a great job 'engineering' his model based on drawings of the real thing.  That is what I have come to expect on all his projects.

 

Originally Posted by Putnam Division 

This is simply fantastic!

 

Peter

 

Peter,

It certainly is!!

You guys are too much! 

 

Trainroomgary... I received 110 eMails this morning. Yikes! Then I realized that you clicked "like" on many posts. Each "like" creates its own eMail. I am not complaining. I really appreciate the comments from all the folks that pay attention to this.

 

I also posted the entire construction sequence from "empty room" until wiring was complete on the Layout Design Forum under 

 

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...-build-thread?page=1

 

This thread "the Continuing Saga..." is "Part II", which—I'm hoping—will go on for a couple of more years. 

 

I got the inspiration to post an entire build in all of its gory details from a wonderful RC aircraft site, RCScalebuilders.com. In that site, some of the best RC builders in the world blog entire construction threads on all sorts of large scale flying scale models. Some of these threads have run for more than 10 years. I posted my construction of a 1:16 scale B-17 that I built for commission. It inspired me to continue this practice.

 

As I've said numerous times, it takes me about 1/2 hour to 1 hour per session to capture all the details. Besides the thinking time that this process gives me to uncover possible challenges and solutions, the suggestions and encouragement I receive from others really makes the effort worthwhile.

Last edited by Trainman2001

Progress today!

 

All of the oil manifolds are on the radiator assembly. I wish the radiators themselves were just a bit more square. I thought that using the wood blocks internally would square them up, but they're just off enough that the tubes don't align to my liking. I glued the tubes with liquid cement and then went back and filled all the seams with medium CA.

 

Xfmr radiators 23

 

I used the machinist square to hold the outboard end proud of the radiator by about 0.040" Before painting I'll sand the CA a bit to blend it a little better.

 

I then held the assembly up to the tank and marked where the tubes would go.

 

Xfmr radiators 24

 

I drilled a pilot hole and then used the 1/4" drill in the DeWalt to slowly bore the holes. I knew there would be a problem when I was using the pilot drill. There's a 1/4" piece of reinforcement under the edge of the tank face. Drills hate to go through work pieces with various thicknesses and as soon as the drill hit the thick stuff that was about halfway across the future opening, it wandered South. The 1/4" drill followed the same course. I didn't have a choice so I finished all the drilling and would tackle the off-set and misshapen holes afterwards.

 

Xfmr radiators 25

 

This out of focus picture shows the thick stuff and how the hole deviated from it.

 

I used the Dremel flexible shaft tool with a carbide mill and removed all the thick stuff blocking the hole. This created some awfully big holes. Most of them were successfully covered by the aluminum turned flanges, but two were ever bigger. I filled these gaps with a combination of medium CA and accelerator until they were sufficiently closed up so the flanges would hide them. 

 

Xfmr radiators 26

 

The excess CA was filed to level it with the surrounding plastic. You have to be careful sanding CA since it significantly harder that plain styrene.

 

I tried the radiator assembly on for size.

 

Xfmr radiators 27

 

And then established the mounting locations for the brackets that I decided I would also build.

 

The brackets are 0.040" sheet cut as triangles and then hollowed out with 3 small holes and then removing the excess stock again with the Dremel and the carbide mill. A touch up with a half-round file cleaned up the bumps. Here's the bracket without the edging sitting over the plan.

 

Xfmr radiators 28

 

BTW: I figured out why this site turns the pictures. It's the way the picture was in my iPhone. Even though the picture editing software I use had it as landscape horizontally, the camera had it vertical and that's what this software is reading. Mystery solved.

 

I edged the triangles with 0.030" X 0.100" stock. I do one leg on each and let it dry a bit, then the next leg on each, and let them dry again. I left the ends long as you can see in the upper brackets in this picture, then clip and finally finish sand the to diagonal ends and glue on the hypotenuse. As seen on the bottom bracket.

 

Xfmr radiators 29

 

Again, I trim the excess with the flush cut cutters and finish sand it on the NWSL Precision sander.

 

Xfmr radiators 30

 

I then fit one in place to see if it looks right. Everything here is loose. I'm not putting the oil manifolds into place until the backs of the radiators, that side of the tank and the brackets are all painted.

 

 

Xfmr radiators 31

 

To add additional gluing area, I filled the area between the reinforcement bulges with more 0.040" sheet stock.

 

Xfmr radiators 32

 

The brackets are glued in place. Of course it was the end of the afternoon and I was rushing... I first glued them up too high flush with the top edge of the bolster, but when I trial fit the radiators, the attachment bar in back didn't align. I removed the bracket (just one) and this time actually measured where the contact point would be, marked a line and then glued them all on. Then I noticed that the one on the right was glued with the short leg against the tank. Whoops! I quickly removed it and re-glued it correctly.

 

Tomorrow, I'll locate the bottom brackets and glue them on. Before painting I need to lay out and add any conduits and piping that will go behind the radiators. Then it's onto the fans, control box, power bushing and build the lighting suppression system on the other side. Moving along though.

 

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  • Xfmr radiators 23
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Finished preparing the radiator mounting and then built the fans and got them ready for mounting also. Lastly I built the control cabinet and mounted it to the Xfrmr tank.

 

First the radiator fitting. I put the radiator assembly onto the tank and inserted the bottom brackets until they aligned with the radiator longitudinal support bar. I marked this position on each end. After removing the radiators I drew a line across the entire tank and clamped a straight edge on the line and glued the three bottom brackets. This is the radiators in final resting position.

 

Xfmr radiators 33

 

With the radiators positioned as above, I slide the flanges down to contact the tank and locked them there with a drop of CA. This means that when the sub-assemblies are painted, I just have to slide the radiators back on until everything seats and hold it all together with either CA or plastic cement or both.

 

Here's the flanges in their final position.

 

Xfmr radiators 34

 

With that done, it was time to start on the fans.

 

The fan kits are HO EMD diesel fans (late model) and consist of 6 pieces, two of which are photo-etched. I treated the PE with a dip in vinegar and then a water wash and dry. This micro-etches the surface and provides a little better "tooth" for the Krylon gray primer. After force drying it with the heat gun I got to work. The plastic parts had a lot of flash and they're delicate.

 

Xfmr Fans 01

 

I assembled the first unit and set it on the radiator to see how it looked. It looked exactly as I wanted it to.

 

Xfmr Fans 02

 

I constructed the other two, but noticed that one inner fan hub was missing. It apparently was missing in the package since I searched everywhere and couldn't find it, so I had to make one. I measured it to 7.0 mm and had a 7 mm drill already with the tail end ground to a "poor man's punch", so I drilled a steel plate and punched out a few. The center hole was a #52 drill. This piece faces downwards and will not be seen so the color didn't matter. 

 

Xfmr Fans 03

 

All three fans were now prepared and set on the radiator for another look.

 

Xfmr Fans 04

 

I laid out the spacing for the cross-bars that would secure the fans and then painted the inner fin areas flat Tamiya Nato Black since this area was under the fans and had to be painted now. 

 

The fan's mounting flange was very narrow, so I glued one bar in position, and with a machinist square pushed the other bar up under the fan's flange and while holding it all in place, added liquid cement to that bar. This ensured at the bars were correctly spaced to offer the most contact for the fans.

 

I cleaned of the paint from the gluing areas and mounted the three bars. Again the fans are just sitting there.

 

Xfmr Fans 05

 

I trimmed and sanded the bar's ends and then sanded a bit of chamfer at the end just to dress it up a bit.

 

Xfmr Fans 06

The fins and these bars will be hand-painted. I'll dry-brush aluminum on all the fins to highlight them. The fans will be air brushed Tamiya Sky Gray (along with the rest of all the electrical apparatus) and will be CA'd to the bars near the end of construction. 

 

I set this aside since I can't do any more with it until the added details are put on the transformer tank especially any that goes behind the radiators. But, I was able to cobble together the control box. After cutting the pieces of 0,040" styrene on the duplicutor, I added a piece of 0.010" veneer on the top and front to both hide the seams and create simulated doors. I engraved the center line seam and then etched the push-in door latches. 

 

Xfmr Control Cab 1

 

From the plan I took off the location and glued the control cab to the tank.

 

Xfmr Control Cab 2I think I'll add a couple of snips of brass wire to the outside edges to simulate hinges and that will be that. Up next will be several things: surface details and gizmos, power bushings up top, and the lightening suppressor array on the opposite side. That's a bit complex so I'll think I'll tackle that next.

 

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Images (10)
  • Xfmr radiators 33
  • Xfmr radiators 34
  • Xfmr Fans 01
  • Xfmr Fans 02
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  • Xfmr Fans 04
  • Xfmr Fans 05
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  • Xfmr Control Cab 1
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Last edited by Trainman2001

We had a number of stations that were at 500KV.  The devices in the second photo look like capacitive coupling potential devices CCPD.  They are used to give a highly reduced sample of the power line potential that could be safely used in the substation for metering and fault detection.  The meters on a 500KV line would read on the 0 to 5 volt scale.  This voltage along with a current sample from current transformers which are coils around the bushings like donuts.  You measure the potential, current, and the phase angle between them to give the reading on the line.  We had relays that were set to trip when the current got too high at a test voltage.  We used the old I lag E vector analysis.  The last I saw of this work was in 1993, and we calculated with a simple scientific calculator.  They probably have computer programs the engineers run on laptops to test everything now.

 

More information than you wanted to read, and less interesting than Lee's story, but it paid the bills.  

Lee, your experience is priceless! A "Farraday Cage" sounds very exotic and a bit scary. 

 

Mark, as far as I'm concerned there's never "too much information". That's how I learn. My first gig after leaving public school industrial arts teaching was the training manager at Fischer and Porter. They were a well-known instrument maker. I was well versed on the other end of the measurement business and 1—5 volts was the standard analog power to do all kinds of measurements from various transducers. I worked there from 1974 through 1980 and witnessed first-hand the transition from discrete panel instruments to computer control. A 1-meg hard drive was available as an option on the computer systems and would set you back $10k. It was 2 feet in diameter and was sealed in an evacuated aluminum dome. Boy... we've come a long way baby! It looks like the measuring stack is before the primary side breakers. The tall thing that's mounted on the side of the transformer I think is the suppression stack.

Last edited by Trainman2001
Originally Posted by Trainman2001:

Lee, your experience is priceless! A "Farraday Cage" sounds very exotic and a bit scary. 

 

Mark, as far as I'm concerned there's never "too much information". That's how I learn. My first gig after leaving public school industrial arts teaching was the training manager at Fischer and Porter. They were a well-known instrument maker. I was well versed on the other end of the measurement business and 1—5 volts was the standard analog power to do all kinds of measurements from various transducers. I worked there from 1974 through 1980 and witnessed first-hand the transition from discrete panel instruments to computer control. A 1-meg hard drive was available as an option on the computer systems and would set you back $10k. It was 2 feet in diameter and was sealed in an evacuated aluminum dome. Boy... we've come a long way baby! It looks like the measuring stack is before the primary side breakers. The tall thing that's mounted on the side of the transformer I think is the suppression stack.

Yes, in '93 I moved from the substations to the power station to help install a computer control system,  I didn't learn much about the VAX computer, but I tested plenty of 1-5 V or 4 to 20 ma transducers depending on how you looked at it.  Once all three 900 MW generators were converted and the bugs ironed out, they had a big layoff at the end of '95.  I then wound up at the telephone company a year later coming full circle where I had been  20 years earlier.  The lord closes some doors and opens others.  I'm glad you appreciate the information.  I thought you would.

That sounded like fun...;-). In my college years, I spent the summers working as a mechanical technician at American Electronic Labs. They were a sophisticated contractor making military communications and electronic counter-measure equipment. In their lab they had an anechoic chamber where they tested antennas and detectors where no extraneous EMF could get in. The door, like you Farraday cage, had copper fingers that made a completely EMF proof. The walls were line with those black foam pyramids (facing outwards) that absorb all kinds of radiation including sound. The room was so quiet, all you heard was your blood hissing in your ears. Now that I'm older I hear that hissing much more than I would like (too many years playing electric guitar and running engines and machines...).

 

Got a late start today. The days that I work out I don't get to the shop until later in the afternoon, but I did get some stuff done.

 

First of all, I'm doing more research on the switch yard itself and was looking for different designs of the various components and found these Hybrid units by ABB. They have the breaker, earthing switch, current and voltage transformers all built into a single, interesting looking unit. Some had 3 insulators per phase and others had two. The difference, I learned, was the 3 insulator version would span between two feeding buses and would switch to the other instantly in case of a fault thereby ensuring no break in service. Since I am not having a dual bus switch yard, and will only have one power transformer, I'm going with the simpler version.

 

Even though the actual building of this ABB Hybrid PASS as a model might be challenging, not having to build all the other separate components will ultimately make it easier, or so I'm hoping. These units were designed specifically to outfit substations where real estate is scare. Nothing describes a substation on an O'gauge RR better.

 

I'm also going to go with aluminum tubing bus bars instead of wire since I think they'll look better at 1:48 than simulated wiring. Here's the new design with my rendering of the Hybrid breaker.

 

New Switchgear Design

 

Even its base is simpler since it has only two legs supporting all three phases with some channel spanning all three.

 

After drawing all those intersecting tubular objects to make my working drawings, I realized that I could scale the PDF and print it at O'scale right out of the printer. The ABB print showed a scale of 1:40. I assumed that this wasn't a copy of some other larger drawing. So 1:40 scaled up to 1:48 is 120%. I set the printer to output the PDF at 120% and voila! It came out within a half of a millimeter over the stated fulled size dimensions. BTW: the dimensions are all in MM. I've included the actual PDF.

 

I put this all aside and got back to the transformer which is far from finished. I shaped and attached the 8 lifting lugs on the tank. I didn't have strip of the correct size (0.187" X 0.080"), but I did have 187x40 so I glued the strips together to get the thickness I needed and when dry, drilled, cut, and filed the pieces. I then measured the MTH transformer lug locations and transferred them to the new tank and glued the lugs on.

 

 

Xfrmr tank 12When they're set nice and strong, I do some light finishing around them.

 

The side opposite the radiators needs an array of lighting suppressor towers that are supported by a set of brackets, channel and cross-pieces so I had to make more brackets. I won't detail this task since you all know what it entails by now. Here they are with the hypotenuse still needed to be sanded off.

 

Xfrmr tank 13

 

When fully dry I'll sand of those little tails, locate and attach them to the tank.

 

I was also expanding my reference library of transformer pictures to do two things, determine the best kind of bushing mounts for the transformer, and understand what kind of surface details and simulated wiring I want to add. Some of the surface detail on the MTH transformer may work, but I not sure.

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Last edited by Trainman2001

Thanks Lee!

 

Today got some more interesting stuff done. I built the support system for the Xfrm lightening suppressors, worked on more primary bushing bases and turned some current transformers to go at the base of the primary insulators.

 

I glued some extra reinforcement ribs onto the tank to provide more gluing surface, but after laying out where the supports for the lightening suppressor towers would go, I realized that the mounting point for the bushing bases was not where the lightening towers should go. They needed to be in line with the actual insulator top tips and since the outer two are canted outwards, there tips are much closer to the tank edges. I found this out AFTER I glued on bracket in place. I got it off and added more reinforcements closer to the edge, did another layout and glued the brackets in place.

 

Xfrmr tank 14

 

Since the reinforcements were glued in to stay, I just left them there. It's looks like they're meant to be there for some strange reason.

 

The brackets needed something to tie them together and act as a base for the lightening suppressors so I cobbled together a channel using three pieces of .080" X .187" styrene strip stock. I wanted people to see that this was not just a solid bar of plastic so I wanted to install it face up. But that presented a problem having the channel collect rainwater. This is a no-no when dealing with high voltage so I laid out and drilled some drain holes. I know... I know, it was an AMS recurrence. I think they'res some pills for that.

 

I cut pieces of the same material and built up a little pile under each place the tower should go.

 

Xfrmr tank 16

 

It was time to get back to the primary and secondary bushings. I wanted to make some current transformer to sit on the primaries and turned them from some nice aluminum stock that I had. I machined a small taper and after checking my breaker plans figured that a 1/4" thickness would look right. I made 3 of them so far. this will cover the transformer needs. I'll need to make six more for the insulators on the hybrid breaker.

 

Current Transformers 1

 

I next started shaping the outboard bushing bases. I don't know the actual angle. I just took the shape directly from the print I made. I made the first, it looked right and made the second one the same way. Here's the first bushing in place and glued with the CT on top. The CT and insulator are not glued yet.

 

Bushings 1

 

All this time, I'm assuming that I'm using the Hillman auto push fasteners as the insulators. Even though they're not completely round, they do look the part once you move away a bit.

 

I need to buy more of this size since I don't yet have enough for all I need. For the substation interconnecting tower insulators I'm going with the same ones I used for the HV transmission poles. I need more of those too.

 

I also did a drawing of the transformer foundation. It will consist of a simulated concrete pad in a containment rectangle with a perimeter curb. I looked a lots of pictures of how these big machines are actually implanted and this seemed like the way I'd like to proceed. This area may or may not be gravel filled, but the area outside of the dam will definitely be gravel. All substations are graveled to provide the least conductive path to ground for people safety. I'll also make individual simulated concrete pads all the other equipment, but no dams. That's to capture transformer oil in case of rupture.

 

Transformer Pad

 

Tomorrow I'll continue working on bushings and everything else. As I complete each part, it's becoming more and evident to me that I will complete this project exactly as envisioned. 

 

Meanwhile I have to rebuild the Victorian Station's loading platform. It's still be impacted various locomotives and was clobbered by my J1-A and then by my N-S Executive F-7s. I then ripped the whole thing off and will have to reengineer it. It needs to be a 1/4" narrower on the track side to avoid this nonsense in the future. This is what it looked like when the F7s hit.

 

Big Whoops

I had already pushed the loading dock back into position when I took this shot. As it stands the entire platform is disconnected from the station and the base board.

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Images (6)
  • Xfrmr tank 14
  • Xfrmr tank 16
  • Current Transformers 1
  • Bushings 1
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  • Big Whoops

Trainman,

Your transformer becomes more impressive as you proceed.  While reading, I thought of a couple of war stories.  ;-)

 

About 25 years ago, we had a 115 KV / 230 KV transformer that connected the two switch yards at a power station.  The transformer ruptured, and had to be replaced.  Fortunately the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac RR ran right past the station.  In fact the road went over the railroad right before entering the gate.  I was there the day they brought the new transformer in.  It was a huge one.  It came in on a depressed flat car, which was pulled onto the siding.  Then the riggers came to lift the transformer onto one of those flatbed trucks with lots of axles that independently move to the variences in the road surface.  I had seen smaller transformer lifted with cranes and others slid along rails with upside down channels between the transformer and rail.  For this one, they lifted it ever so slightly and slid sheets of plywood that they had rubbed Ivory soap all over the lower surface under the transformer.  Then they put sheets of plywood on the trailer and rubbed Ivory soap all over the top of the plywood.  Then they slid the transformer onto the trailer with the two soaped surfaces sliding against each other.

 

Once secured, they had to drive up a little knoll to where the transformer was to be positioned.  It took probably an hour to go about 100 yards.  Fascinating!

 

The other story concerns the dam for spilled oil.  We didn't have any.  One day a 115 KV capacitor bank blew up.  It threw debris everywhere.  Also I spewed mineral oil in probably a 50 foot radius.  This when they still had oil with PCB in it.  They had to hire a crew to come in and remove all the gravel, the earth about 2 feet deep, the debris, and the concrete pads.  This was taken to a hazardous material dump.  Then they scrubbed all the adjacent steel, breakers, etc down with something to neutralize.  Then they had to rebuild everything.

 

As before, excellent modeling.

Originally Posted by Lee Willis:

Oh my!  That is a terribly disturbing picture.  I hope the locos are okay.

Yes it is.  If they are damaged, Trainman will make them as good as new.

 

Do you see the crates that were thrown over into the parking lot, one hitting a car.  ;-)  My brother always teased me when we were kids that I should stage train wrecks like Gomez Aadams.  That is a terrible thing to joke about.

I hope your faith in my skills is not misplaced. The locos were fine, but I need to do major work on the loading dock. Thanks again to Ashe Rawls for convincing me to never glue building into the layout. All I have to do is disconnect the two leads for the lighting and the entire structure with its base lifts right out. This lets me make any repairs at the work bench instead of laying across the layout.

 

I'm gong to have dams. I don't want any PCB spills on my layout.

 

Today, while it wasn't a particularly long session, but did see some progress. All the primary bushing bases are installed and I'm doing some work on the lead input ends of the insulators.

 

Bushings 2

 

I wanted to add some aluminum doodads on the insulator lead ends. All of the ones I've viewed have some kind of aluminum structure to hold the primaries and guide them into the insulator. I turned down the tapered end of the "insulators" to a nominal size about 1/8". It's Delrin (or some other engineering plastic) and doesn't machine really well. Regardless of the final size, I just select a drill that fits. I use my number drill gauge to final size the turned end so the finished cap just presses on.

 

Bushings 3

 

I turned the bushing tops down to about .265" which is the o.d. of the "insulator". I face and drill one end. The depth is measured directly from the turned end of the insulator. I tried making a formed cutoff tool that would both cut the piece off the aluminum stock and also impart a domed top. This didn't work so well since it kept binding and stalling my little lathe. So I used my regular cutoff tool and just stepped it towards the headstock a couple of times as I was penetrating the work so the final surface had the look I wanted.

 

Bushings 4

 

I finished two and the third is still in the lathe waiting to be finished. I think I'm going to leave the insulators black so the discontinuous nature of these body screws is less noticeable. What to you guys think?

 

I'm going to do the same thing to the breaker and suppressor insulators. I'm also going to add aluminum rings at two locations in the lightening suppressor stack. Having a lathe is great! I'm also thinking about getting a new air brush compressor. My current one is 37 years old, and is a simple diaphragm compressor with no pressure regulation or reservoir. It's done yeoman service, but it's really not sufficient for the kind of work I want to do. I also want a spray booth. Santa's going to be busy this year.

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  • Bushings 2
  • Bushings 3
  • Bushings 4
Last edited by Trainman2001

Thanks Lee!

 

Because #2 grandson needed something to do in the shop, I had a chance for a rare Sunday work session, a stone wall over Serpent Gulch. He molded it and today he painted it. It's the wall in Clifty State Park (Madison, IN) over which my wife's cell phone flew. Now we have to find some folks which we can modify with the shock and disbelief my wife and I had when the phone was on its way to doom.

 Serpent Gulch Wall

While he was painting I finished the last bushing cap for the transformer primaries and then started working on the lightning suppressors. They'll require three GM push fasteners each (I currently have 6) and I'll need another 6 for the hybrid breakers. I cleaned out two Lowes last week and tried to find them on line, but it's not as easy as it seems since the Hillman Part # doesn't even come up on the Hillman Fasteners site.

 

Here are the three bushings complete with their current transformers and caps.

 

Bushings 5

 

In looking at lots and lots of pictures I'm finding that most bushing sheds are gray and the lightning suppressors are going to be red brown. 

 

For the suppressors I'm making mine according to this illustration. I'm building the tallest one and will attempt to model the corona shields too.

 

Lightning Suppressors

 

I wanted to make a facsimile of the intermediate separators so I was back on the lathe. Because this piece has two tapers coming from different directions, I was precluded from using the compound feed on the lathe, so I ground another form tool to make the tapers. One end of the tool has the right side taper and the other end the reverse. I'm keeping the maximum diameter the same as the insulators; 0.265". To make the tapers I carefully plunge cut using my slowest RPM. I also cut the gap a little wide on the inside taper and then feed the tool to the right a bit. The tool is ground with a radiused indentation on top (top rake) for cutting aluminum. If I was cutting brass, the top of the tool would be sloped towards the work piece (negative rake) since you don't slice into brass, you scrap it. If you slice, the tool digs in a makes a mess.

 

Lightning Suppressors 02

I'm using some heavyish brass rod to connect all the pieces so I through-drilled the aluminum and corresponding holes in each plastic "insulator". Here's two parts assembled. The pointy end will the corona mounting cap.

 

Lightning Suppressors 03

 

 

Each stack will be three-high with another aluminum flange at the bottom with a single taper. Tomorrow will be more of the same. The top cap on the suppressors is tapered also and has a mounting surface for the corona ring. I'll take suggestions on how to form and what material should be for the corona rings. Since it's going to have to drill with 0.020" holes for the support wires, it can't be too tough.

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Images (5)
  • Bushings 5
  • Lightning Suppressors
  • Lightning Suppressors 02
  • Lightning Suppressors 03
  • Serpent Gulch Wall
Last edited by Trainman2001
Originally Posted by Trainman2001:

Thanks Lee!

 

Because #2 grandson needed something to do in the shop, I had a chance for a rare Sunday work session, a stone wall over Serpent Gulch. He molded it and today he painted it. It's the wall in Clifty State Park (Madison, IN) over which my wife's cell phone flew. Now we have to find some folks which we can modify with the shock and disbelief my wife and I had when the phone was on its way to doom.

 Serpent Gulch Wall

 

Oh my!  Well, that place has special memories for you and your wife.  What a wonderful time to have with you grandson!

 

Your transformer is looking so good.  The attention to detail is fantastic!

Ken, that's an excellent idea. I will check out some sources here in town. Meanwhile, Home Depot doesn't carry any of these kinds of fasteners whereas Lowes has them, but I'm not sure how often they're restocked.

 

Thanks Lee. I'm trying... There's lots of second level details that I may or may not attempt to include, i.e., rivets, screw heads, access panels, plus I'm not sure how much weathering to include. Most images show pretty clean units, but then, I'm getting the pictures from Siemens and ABB sites so they're showing newish installations.

 

I still haven't attempted to take my own pictures locally. I get worried that I would be targeted as a terrorist taking pictures of power installations.

Originally Posted by Trainman2001:

Ken, that's an excellent idea. I will check out some sources here in town. Meanwhile, Home Depot doesn't carry any of these kinds of fasteners whereas Lowes has them, but I'm not sure how often they're restocked.

 

Thanks Lee. I'm trying... There's lots of second level details that I may or may not attempt to include, i.e., rivets, screw heads, access panels, plus I'm not sure how much weathering to include. Most images show pretty clean units, but then, I'm getting the pictures from Siemens and ABB sites so they're showing newish installations.

 

I still haven't attempted to take my own pictures locally. I get worried that I would be targeted as a terrorist taking pictures of power installations.

Yes, I don't take photographs of much of any man made structure or railroad any more.  All I take are of scenic or tourist attractions.  Power facilities are definatly on my no-no list.

Thanks!

 

The lightning suppressor stacks are for all intents and purposes complete. I finished making all the aluminum doodads (that tech speak for insulator spacers), and fixed the height problem by shortening the bottom insulator. I primed it and while drying starting working on conduits and cable runs.

 

In this picture, nothing on the suppressors is glued so they're very floppy. After painting the finish gray coat on the insulators (I'm leaving the doodads bare aluminum) I'll assemble them in some V-blocks so they'll be aligned and nice and straight.

 

Lightning Suppressors 04

I left the brass rod that holds it all in place long at the top to serve as a place to attach the aluminum hi-voltage conductors from the field and terminating at the primary bushings. 

 

I thought it best to prime the insulators first since they are some kind of engineering plastic, and after removing the aluminum parts, held them together with the 1/16" brass pins. I drilled some more holes in a piece of scrap wood, put it on the lazy susan and shot it with Krylon gray primer direct from the can.

 

Lightning Suppressors 05

 

Next session I'll air brush them with Tamiya sky gray which is the color the transformer will be.

 

For conduits, I'm using 1/32" brass wire, bent to shape with a pair of surgical loop forming pliers. They make it very easy to get precise bends exactly where you need them. MicroMark sells these pliers and while not used a lot, when used are really helpful.

 

First I just got the pieces in place.

 

Details 01

Then I went back and made some junction boxes with pieces cut off of .080 X .125 styrene stock to make little square boxes. Before cutting to length I drilled the holes to accept the brass. The horizontal holes go clean through, and the vertical meets them. The blocks are glued to the transformer tank and a piece of styrene tubing with a 1/32" hole already formed in it, served to terminate the conduit at the control box.

 

Details 02

For clips to hold the conduit near the surface, I'm using wine bottle lead (or whatever) found around the corks of wine bottles. You can cut it with a scissors and it conforms to surfaces very well. It's held in place with CA.

 

Details 03

 

Next time, I'll continue adding lines from important places (radiators, radiator fans, conservator, Bucholz valve, etc.) until the piece looks nice and intricate. I also have to make the secondary bushings and don't expect any difficulty with that. There are also access panels that can be added if I feel like it. Then it will be off to the paint shop and final assembly.

Attachments

Images (5)
  • Lightning Suppressors 04
  • Lightning Suppressors 05
  • Details 01
  • Details 02
  • Details 03

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