The Adirondack Line
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Construction Room Preparation Before the benchwork was started, I swung on the rafters of the shed and installed a suspended ceiling. This is constructed with a 2' x 2' cross aluminium framework into which are inserted ceiling tiles and fluorescent lighting fixtures. By using the same size tiles and lighting squares, I can move the lighting around, or add further as needed. I have not yet finalised the method of lighting under the upper levels to light the lower levels - a 'wait and see what is needed' policy has been adopted The walls will be completely painted 'sky blue', before the lower level benchwork has been completed. In addition, once the lower level benchwork was built, a ring mains with plugs for tools every 4 - 6ft was run around the room - I hate tripping over cables. Sequence of Build The layout is planned so that the Water Level Route on the lower levels ( 1&2) can be constructed to provide operation as soon as possible. I then plan to start The Adirondack Line (levels 3 - 6) with the climb up the walls and the central peninsular to the summit. To provide operation up the line as I go up the hill, I plan to use a movable 6 ft yard that can be plugged into the end of the currently built Adirondack Line and act as a temporary staging area. Benchwork
The helix, which can be seen in the photo will have a 1/2" circular base and top, with screw thread rod supports to enable the helix to be supported. The helix is made from 1/8" Luan (plywood) which has been cut in half circles. These will be overlapped by a 1/4 of a circle and glued and screwed to provide additional rigidity, supported by 1/8" hangers onto the screw thread rod. Part of the planning cycle was the consideration of where cables had to be run, DCC buses, switch machine power supplies etc. The cross members have holes through which these pass, avoiding the need for cable conduits etc. Ignore the date on photograph - I had the camera set-up incorrectly - it was July 1998. More photos to come.
Track Base All of the track will be mounted on 1/8" cork, either sheet in the yards and staging areas, or individual split roadbed for the main lines. The track will be glued down using Evostick impact adhesive. No track pins will be used to reduce noise transmission through to the plywood which can act as an amplifier!! Track All of the track is PECO code 55 N scale track. The majority of the switches are large radius, with only medium used in industrial areas. Each of the switches have been modified to become DCC friendly!!. That is, each of the switch rails are bonded to their respective stock rails to ensure good electrical continuity with an electrically isolated frog with the frog switched from the switch motor. I plan to install a auto tail light bulb in each of the frog feeds to avoid shutting down the DCC booster through a short circuit, should a train run into a incorrect facing switch. A tip from the Chief Designer of PECO (Bob - personal friend) with respect to all PECO switches. Whilst these are made to tight manufacturing tolerances, very small high spots can occur during manufacture across the whole switch. The tip is to install the switch as normal, get a really good new file and 'draw file' it across the switch. Draw filing in this context is to file (slide) backwards and forwards across the switch from the frog end to the other end, not across the switch from stock rail to stock rail. This aligns all wheel contact points with the stock rails and removes all high spots that may exist - frog point, check rails etc. It really does wonders for the switch - I suppose it would work with other manufacturer's switches as well. Another tip when installing flex track on a curve. I find it is always difficult to get the actual join on a good radius. Cut the ties 6 - 9" from the end that is to be joined on the curve and slide them off. Bend the whole track and the bare track at the end to the required curve and then reinstall the ties. In this way you will get a good radius on the join. Bob's recommended test of good trackwork is to run a 50 x 40' car freight train through all switches and track at a considerable speed - BACKWARDS!!!. If it will do this, it is considered bullet proof and acceptable. He can do it on his layout - why shouldn't I? - Hmmm! Switch Machines I plan to use a mixture of both Tortoise and solenoid switch machines. Both will have electrical switching capabilities. These, where possible, will not be install immediately under the switch, but will be located for easy access and adjustment towards or on the front of the benchwork, linked by 1/8" copper tube with 1/16"stainless steel wire inside acting as the adjustable link. Manual switches will be electrically controlled by those slide switches that have usually DPDT connectors under them. These will be linked to the switch again using tube and wire coming out to the fascia with a knob of some sort. |
The benchwork constructed
from 2 x 1 lumber standing on 2" square legs, and is the traditional mix of
'L' girders with cross members to support the roadbed. The roadbed is 1/2 "
plywood, supported by risers and hangers where required. This provides an open framework,
to enable scenery profiles to be constructed. All of the benchwork is screwed together
using Phillips head drywall screws.