What did you do on your layout today?

......and just by chance, the latest patient is a brass Weaver Hiawatha F7, with factory installed TMCC.  By the time the diagnosis of a bad tether was discovered, it was simpler to replace the entire CC assembly with a new harness and ERR Cruise Commander + big steam sound ( pictured ).  The original CC electronic equipment should be saveable, transferable and upgradeable with a Cruise Commander M.....with no shortage of patients on hand needing an upgrade.

Juggling components while finding optimum positions for each takes up so much installation time.  We're so lucky these days to have the compact components that fit into almost anything.  In 2 other installations I found the sounds could be enhanced by the addition of 2, 2W, 8ohm cube speakers (far right) in parallel with the Fatboy.  Both improvements in deep tones and volume are impressive.  I know this isn't proper speaker adaptation but it worked so well in my first upgrade ( MTH scale GG1) that I tried it again.  Hope I don't overpower the amp.

Bruce

...And here I am thinking I'm a hotshot when I get a postwar horn relay working right! 

Mitch

brwebster posted:

suzukovich posted:

Lee ,

trust me on a whole I have very little issues, But have upgraded engines over the years (PS2/3). Other than worm gear misalignments on the Lionel 6 wheeled trucks and the odyssey lurch or in the Atlas case, factory error. I have found that most of the causes were due to wiring being zip tied to tight. (MTH PS3s signal issues)..  In the FTs case I figured what did I have to lose. Either turn it into a dummy or send it out.

Other than inadvertently frying a board ( one R2LC down ), I've found that every non-Lionel TMCC issue could be traced back to continuity problems in the wiring.  When intermittent, they were awfully hard to diagnose.  Often the shortcut is to just re and re the entire wiring harness.  Pinched wires due to no wire ties can be just as frustrating, but it's always good to leave some slack in the ties and wire length.  Only one Lionel engine ever gave me TMCC woes.  It ended up being a loose rivet holding the common connection to the brush plate....almost a wiring issue.

Bruce

I guess the bright side of this is I have a U30C ( Odyssey 1)exhibiting the two of the same issues . Now that I know where to look I going to redress that one and get it running at a later date..

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

...And here I am thinking I'm a hotshot when I get a postwar horn relay working right! 

Mitch

But when it comes to saving the giraffes, your the man!!!!! 

I just posted photos for work  I completed on my "not quite a complete redo thread".  

I just cant believe this.. I needed this like I need another hole in my head. Atlas BN GP35s arrive. put on track to program and start it up,  will not move. Since I would have to pull the trucks to mount kadees anyway I went ahead and what do I find :

Below gear completely gummed up and grease had turned brown almost as hard as a rock( At first It looked like some had used super glue on the gear.as it was pretty hard to pull out.). Used my trusty WD40 and was able to get everything lose. Now I have to pull the other truck and also inspect.   What a pain in the ### to get to the rear truck assembly. Hopefully this fixes the issue.

I painted the framework today, painted the homasote a "dirt" color, and installed a "crashboard" around the edge. My grandson likes to run trains fast, and I do not want derailed trains falling all the way to the garage floor. The "crashboard" may prevent that. I hope. Might lay track tomorrow if I can finalize my trackplan tonight.

Jeff

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

...And here I am thinking I'm a hotshot when I get a postwar horn relay working right! 

Mitch

I have yet to revive a PW horn relay to anything resembling reliable.  Heaven knows I've tried, Mitch.  "Aren't you Tesla's apprentice? ", said nobody to me, ever! 

Luckily, the ERR kits and instructions are pretty straight forward.  The component placement, the new wiring and the inevitable mistakes take up most of the time.  The Hiawatha was on the bench for about 2 1/2 weeks getting the upgrade.  This afternoon I buttoned up the last of the lighting, and after a test run, consider the upgrade complete, until I decide on a smoke unit to replace the original Seuth.

Bruce

suzukovich posted:

I just cant believe this.. I needed this like I need another hole in my head. Atlas BN GP35s arrive. put on track to program and start it up,  will not move. Since I would have to pull the trucks to mount kadees anyway I went ahead and what do I find :

Below gear completely gummed up and grease had turned brown almost as hard as a rock( At first It looked like some had used super glue on the gear.as it was pretty hard to pull out.). Used my trusty WD40 and was able to get everything lose. Now I have to pull the other truck and also inspect.   What a pain in the ### to get to the rear truck assembly. Hopefully this fixes the issue.

 

Now that just Sucks! Where did you get the BN from?

mike g. posted:

suzukovich posted:

I just cant believe this.. I needed this like I need another hole in my head. Atlas BN GP35s arrive. put on track to program and start it up,  will not move. Since I would have to pull the trucks to mount kadees anyway I went ahead and what do I find :

Below gear completely gummed up and grease had turned brown almost as hard as a rock( At first It looked like some had used super glue on the gear.as it was pretty hard to pull out.). Used my trusty WD40 and was able to get everything lose. Now I have to pull the other truck and also inspect.   What a pain in the ### to get to the rear truck assembly. Hopefully this fixes the issue.

 

Now that just Sucks! Where did you get the BN from?

I got it off the bay. Been in contact with seller. Seems she bought it from a collector who she knew, told her it ran. When she told me that. I knew right away that this engine had been sitting on a shelf for a long time. Given the climate it came from it dried out and turned to solid. Even after spraying it, I still needed my needle nose to brake free the two mounts that seats on the truck assembly so the shaft would turn. Just finished mounting the kadee on that truck and had tested. Engine moved but needed a lot of power. Still need to do the front truck and think everything will be good. Good thing is the engine has little run time and it was the original grease from the factory that had dried out. I learned a long time ago that when ever I bought an engine that after a quick test, I always pull the motors and regrease everything. Especially off the bay or from an estate auction. From previous posts through out the last five years. This isn't anything new. It was just my turn. Seller is going to give me a partial refund which is fair. Funny I have had more issues with engines purchase from TRAINZ then the bay.  

If it makes you feel any better, an antique dealer friend who I was helping gave me an older, unused Singe sewing machine which I tried to break free.  Same kind of grease and it broke a plastic gear. Cost me $100 to get fixed. He said it was a common problem. Expensive lesson.

jim pastorius posted:

If it makes you feel any better, an antique dealer friend who I was helping gave me an older, unused Singe sewing machine which I tried to break free.  Same kind of grease and it broke a plastic gear. Cost me $100 to get fixed. He said it was a common problem. Expensive lesson.

I bought a weaver u25B at a one of those regal railway train shows. Same Lionel style truck assembly only the gears were part of the motor mount.  At the time I had just gotten back into the hobby and was defiantly wet behind the ears. Took it to a guy I knew and he showed me how to take it apart. The grease was rock solid and nothing was turning. Turned it into an expensive dummy.  

We are up and running!  Video to come soon.

Thaddeus posted:

We are up and running!  Video to come soon.

Congratulations!!

We only have one video that is small enough to upload, but we are an excited pair of kids (my son and I).  The inner main line is up and moving.  Even got the

control shelf hung and wired up a pair of #6 switches together

for one of our crossovers. 

Here is a better video of it running.

https://youtu.be/SyrAxXlZJZg

At one place I have 2 parallel tracks too far apart for a Lionel size signal bridge. I have always planned to replace the plasticville unit now there. I thought about buying another plasticville unit and bashing 2 units but I decided to scratch build using the PRR standard plan.  So today while I watch the KC Chiefs I am drawing the plans for a styrene or wood 12 inch bridge.

I have had a Lionel Standard gauge #515 tank car for a long time, think I bought it at a show. It is rust-free and complete but someone did a lousy paint job on it. Plus the railings were loose and a few othr issues. Today I finally broke down and completely tore it down.  Now to strip the paint, clean it up and do the fun part-put it back together  !!  3 inches of snow outside so the inside projects start.

Lionel slag cars.

Thaddeus posted:

Here is a better video of it running.

https://youtu.be/SyrAxXlZJZg

 

That was a great run!!  It helps to see the concept of your layout, and it looks like your son is in full control!

I was running trains with the MTH Wi-Fi ap.  This is so so cool.  I was running some new MTH Premier 3.0 engines from Mr. Muffin and Mario.  A lot of fun!!!!

As my original concept of having the center island of my layout serve as a yard facility didn't work out (the two O-72 wyes needed to enter and exit took up too much real estate, making it smaller than planned), I've had to do an add on. 

I was already a fan of Mianne benchwork from my original work, but this addition showed me just how versatile the system is. I sent Tim a rendition of a 30" by 11' addition I wanted, and he was able to pull up my original order and tie in the addition with no problems.

I have decided that my center yard will now be strictly an engine servicing facility and the addition will be a four track freight/passenger yard.

This is the design for my planned new yard:

The benchwork went together very easily and quickly (about three hours over a couple of days - I'm a slow mover!!!). Honestly, the worst part was cutting the plywood and homasote.

After Thanksgiving, it will be off to Grzyboski's for some more Fastrack.

This will probably be my only 3rail post here ever, but I pulled my first locomotive ever (from a Lionel set when I was 6) out of a container in the attic to place a replacement smokebox front I got from someone here to make it complete again.

I can't run it as this is the only 3rail anything I own.

I'm looking for a shelf to mount on a wall to place it on...

Started  a scratch-built stone bridge and road.  (Very rough prototype for scale). Finally getting cold outside- time to work on the trains.

Apples55 posted:

As my original concept of having the center island of my layout serve as a yard facility didn't work out (the two O-72 wyes needed to enter and exit took up too much real estate, making it smaller than planned), I've had to do an add on. 

I was already a fan of Mianne benchwork from my original work, but this addition showed me just how versatile the system is. I sent Tim a rendition of a 30" by 11' addition I wanted, and he was able to pull up my original order and tie in the addition with no problems.

I have decided that my center yard will now be strictly an engine servicing facility and the addition will be a four track freight/passenger yard.

This is the design for my planned new yard:

The benchwork went together very easily and quickly (about three hours over a couple of days - I'm a slow mover!!!). Honestly, the worst part was cutting the plywood and homasote.

 

After Thanksgiving, it will be off to Grzyboski's for some more Fastrack.

Paul,

The base for the yard addition looks great!!

I like your title "Techno-Peasant of the First Order"  I feel that way even though I have been employed in electronics in various roles for over 40 years!  

Today's project.

swapping a U28CG chassis to a dummy U30C so I can have a pair of C&NWs to pull trains

I modified the smoke unit in the swapped unit... not the 935 yet.

suzukovich posted:

mike g. posted:

Now that just Sucks! Where did you get the BN from?

I got it off the bay. Been in contact with seller. Seems she bought it from a collector who she knew, told her it ran. When she told me that. I knew right away that this engine had been sitting on a shelf for a long time. Given the climate it came from it dried out and turned to solid. Even after spraying it, I still needed my needle nose to brake free the two mounts that seats on the truck assembly so the shaft would turn. Just finished mounting the kadee on that truck and had tested. Engine moved but needed a lot of power. Still need to do the front truck and think everything will be good. Good thing is the engine has little run time and it was the original grease from the factory that had dried out. I learned a long time ago that when ever I bought an engine that after a quick test, I always pull the motors and regrease everything. Especially off the bay or from an estate auction. From previous posts through out the last five years. This isn't anything new. It was just my turn. Seller is going to give me a partial refund which is fair. Funny I have had more issues with engines purchase from TRAINZ then the bay.  

Well I am glad you know how to fix it and things are moving forward. Its nice seller is giving a partial refund.

I have some AF on my Lionel layout.  I put a new wick and wire in my AF 312 engine smoke unit.  Here it is apart before I did any work on it.

Smokes like a chimney now!

My Channel - Lots 'o' trains!

Upcoming projects bought on the Bay:

This is gonna go into a two-tone "Blue Comet" style paint scheme for Gi-raffe Express service. 

And speaking of which: 

Can you tell what's unusual about this 3376?  Not the missing bits; I have replacement parts for all that... 

Mitch

mike g. posted:

suzukovich posted:

mike g. posted:

Now that just Sucks! Where did you get the BN from?

I got it off the bay. Been in contact with seller. Seems she bought it from a collector who she knew, told her it ran. When she told me that. I knew right away that this engine had been sitting on a shelf for a long time. Given the climate it came from it dried out and turned to solid. Even after spraying it, I still needed my needle nose to brake free the two mounts that seats on the truck assembly so the shaft would turn. Just finished mounting the kadee on that truck and had tested. Engine moved but needed a lot of power. Still need to do the front truck and think everything will be good. Good thing is the engine has little run time and it was the original grease from the factory that had dried out. I learned a long time ago that when ever I bought an engine that after a quick test, I always pull the motors and regrease everything. Especially off the bay or from an estate auction. From previous posts through out the last five years. This isn't anything new. It was just my turn. Seller is going to give me a partial refund which is fair. Funny I have had more issues with engines purchase from TRAINZ then the bay.  

Well I am glad you know how to fix it and things are moving forward. Its nice seller is giving a partial refund.

Mike

Finished up the engine today. Had to let the front gear soak over night, Shaft turned but barely.  Reinstalled, tested it, then .finished the Kadee install on both the BN powered unit and dummy.  Put it on the layout and just let it run. Only issue left it seams the motors are weak. Eventually might have to replace them. Funny the BN units also look good on a winter backdrop. 2522 is and ex GN unit and 2526 is an ex CB&Q unit. 

Yesterday was a long interesting day for the club. With less than 2 weeks before our yearly Holiday Open House, we found a badly damaged track in the corner under the mountain. Not the best place to do repairs. A couple of members planned to go to the club Sunday morning to replace the track. We then got a call from the Long Island Newspaper Newsday. They plan on writing a feature article on the club and want to send a photographer on Sunday. Well, most of our members and the photographer show up ar 9:30 AM. Some repaired track, some spent time with the photographer. We brought down some train sets so she would have something to take pictures of. Some people tested and fixed other minor problems. I even managed to convert a block of 4 buildings to LED lighting. The photographer was there for 4 hours taking pictures. We made sure she got the access and that the trains were positioned how she wanted them. The track got fixed and other needed tasks got completed. I was one of the last couple to leave at 3:30. A long but fruitful day.

suzukovich posted:

mike g. posted:

suzukovich posted:

mike g. posted:

Now that just Sucks! Where did you get the BN from?

I got it off the bay. Been in contact with seller. Seems she bought it from a collector who she knew, told her it ran. When she told me that. I knew right away that this engine had been sitting on a shelf for a long time. Given the climate it came from it dried out and turned to solid. Even after spraying it, I still needed my needle nose to brake free the two mounts that seats on the truck assembly so the shaft would turn. Just finished mounting the kadee on that truck and had tested. Engine moved but needed a lot of power. Still need to do the front truck and think everything will be good. Good thing is the engine has little run time and it was the original grease from the factory that had dried out. I learned a long time ago that when ever I bought an engine that after a quick test, I always pull the motors and regrease everything. Especially off the bay or from an estate auction. From previous posts through out the last five years. This isn't anything new. It was just my turn. Seller is going to give me a partial refund which is fair. Funny I have had more issues with engines purchase from TRAINZ then the bay.  

Well I am glad you know how to fix it and things are moving forward. Its nice seller is giving a partial refund.

Mike

Finished up the engine today. Had to let the front gear soak over night, Shaft turned but barely.  Reinstalled, tested it, then .finished the Kadee install on both the BN powered unit and dummy.  Put it on the layout and just let it run. Only issue left it seams the motors are weak. Eventually might have to replace them. Funny the BN units also look good on a winter backdrop. 2522 is and ex GN unit and 2526 is an ex CB&Q unit. 

 

You have such a great looking winter layout I think anything would look good! But I do have to agree that the BN Green looks wonderful, then again I am partial to the BN green and would like it anywhere!

Continued erecting the subroadbed for the Cabin Lake Sub ... long way to go but we're making progress every day!

My 5 yr. old grandson was with us this weekend and we "ran the wheels off" of my VL Genset and Hiawatha...with an MTH Bavarian thrown into the mix at times.  Makes it all worthwhile.  I don't let him turn on the power but once it's on, he can sling the Cab2 and DCS remote with the best of them!  Today I just took delivery of the new Lionel Legacy Heisler, so, another excuse to run trains.  I have to be sure it's in running order for his return!  Oh, he like to run them in reverse for long periods of time and he likes them slow to moderate.  Once he realizes they can't fly off the table, I suspect speed will show up soon.  

Take care Yuze Gize and Happy Thanksgiving!

Pat Kn posted:

Yesterday was a long interesting day for the club. With less than 2 weeks before our yearly Holiday Open House, we found a badly damaged track in the corner under the mountain. Not the best place to do repairs. A couple of members planned to go to the club Sunday morning to replace the track. We then got a call from the Long Island Newspaper Newsday. They plan on writing a feature article on the club and want to send a photographer on Sunday. Well, most of our members and the photographer show up ar 9:30 AM. Some repaired track, some spent time with the photographer. We brought down some train sets so she would have something to take pictures of. Some people tested and fixed other minor problems. I even managed to convert a block of 4 buildings to LED lighting. The photographer was there for 4 hours taking pictures. We made sure she got the access and that the trains were positioned how she wanted them. The track got fixed and other needed tasks got completed. I was one of the last couple to leave at 3:30. A long but fruitful day.

Pat. Not only I sure took some great photos, but left with the knowledge of what it takes to operate and maintain such a layout. An insight  that no doubt made the shoot and article better.

Big Layout Update Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...04chlzogunrtj445nk0k

Big Layout Update Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC1zwXJwChk

Went to Menards (Got smart this time and had stuff delivered to the store so I could get the free box trucks) and picked up my Red Owl Store, and 3 diecast construction machine/vehicles.  

Also before going there I got some MAJOR inspiration for my layout as I was invited to see two friends layout.  I will respect their wishes for privacy but they are on the forum so just wanted to say once again THANK YOU, one of the nicest layouts I have ever seen.  Good luck with your project I think it will be very successful.   

Ran trains for about 45 minutes, took some photos too.

Yard work is hard work, but not for this locomotive. The Lionel Mikado builds its train from the yard with ease. If only raking leaves were this easy.

Just won a cheap tender on the 'Bay to go with my cheap Hudson:

Looks ratty but fixable, although the whistle itself is an unknown quantity at this point.  We shall see... 

Mitch