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  The tortoise and the wabbit.
Posted by: OBJack - 05-18-2009, 03:59 PM - Forum: DCC - Replies (7)

Is anyone here familiar with the workings of a tortoise switch machine coupled to a Wabbit stationary decoder?

I am batting out of my league here and need some serious help please.

I have wired ( as per wabbit instruction booklet) some electro frog turnouts to enable auto throw to work.
The frog is isolated and is powered by the tortoise using connections 4 & 5.
Everything seemed to be going according to plan until I acquired a new loco whose pickup wheels all fitted neatly in the isolated frog area as it went thru the turnout.
As it did so, it stalled.
After much Curse Wallbang Nope I found that the voltage across the frog went from 15v - 16v to about 2v as the all wheels made contact, hence the stall.
The other locos etc obviously had pick up wheels longer than the isolated frog and so did not stall, however the frog's voltage still dropped to 2 v as each set of pickup wheels of the trains passed over.

What have I done to cause this problemo.

If it is any help ( and not adding more confusion ).... When the train is stalled on the turnout if I give the isolated trigger rail a shot of DCC current by "un-isolating".... it then away we go.

Confused ?

I would certainly improve my sanity if someone could take the time to think this thru and come up with an answer for me please.


Jack 219

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  "Going somewhere" contest, scale model entries
Posted by: ezdays - 05-18-2009, 12:54 PM - Forum: Contests & Challenges - Replies (13)

Post all your scale model entries for this contest here. Remember, please show what scale your pictures are of.

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  "Going somewhere" contest, full-scale entries
Posted by: ezdays - 05-18-2009, 12:53 PM - Forum: Contests & Challenges - Replies (12)

Please post all your full-scale entries in this thread.

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  "Going somewhere" photo contest
Posted by: ezdays - 05-18-2009, 11:08 AM - Forum: Contests & Challenges - Replies (5)

Yep, it's that time of the year again that folks are moving around, taking vacations and just going places that they wouldn't go to this past winter. Smart folks will take the train whether it be on an excursion trip or just to get where they're going. With that in mind, our new contest is going to be about passengers. We will have two contests and each person can enter either or both. They will both be about passenger trains. New trains, old trains, train depots, grand stations or just about anything to do with passenger service on the railroad. The first contest will be for the full-scale world, the second, naturally, is about the scale world.

Here are the meager rules, just to keep everyone on the same track:

  1. The theme of these contest is passenger service on the railroad.
  2. There are two categories, one for the full-scale world and one for the modeler's world. There are two threads started, one for each contest.
  3. Each entrant can post up to five pictures in each category. These pictures can be of different views of the same subject or up to five different subjects.
  4. Each person will be judged on their overall entries in each category.
  5. We will have two voting polls at the end of the contest, one for each category. Certificates will be awarded for the winners.
  6. Each picture must have been taken by the person entering it.
  7. The model category can be from any layout, just as long as you are the one taking the picture.
  8. In the model category, we do ask that we be told in the post, what the scale of the picture is, since this is a mixed scale contest.
The contest will start today, May 18, and run until the end of June. We will lock the contest threads early morning on July 1, sometimes during my second cup of coffee.

Here's a link to the scale model part of the contest, and another to the full-scale section of the contest.

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  What Think Ye?
Posted by: Brakie - 05-18-2009, 10:27 AM - Forum: US Rails - Replies (3)

Guys,

With the FT.Wayne connector schedule to start June first,is there any interest in a weekly report with some pictures?

If so,I will start a topic and use it as a continuing topic.

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  Walthers Exclusive; Sylvan Scale Models Great Lakes Ore Boat
Posted by: Trucklover - 05-18-2009, 09:15 AM - Forum: Lower Berth - Replies (8)

I have just read that Sylvan Scale Models has pushed a Great Lakes Ore Boat made exclusively for Walthers is due June 1st, 2009!! The boat measures 36" long (258' scale feet) and 6" wide!! It is designed for use with the Walthers Hulett Ore Unloader and Ore Dock kits. If a longer ship is desired, one can also purchase a add-on kit that includes a hull and deck section that can be added to the center of the ship to further lengthen the model. This kit is due June 15th, 2009.

The boat is not cheap, but man is it a BEAUTIFUL model!! Ill be ordering these when they come out to go with the steel series!!!

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/696-10501

Check it out!!!

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  Roll past at Jackfish Bay
Posted by: MasonJar - 05-18-2009, 05:23 AM - Forum: Shutterbug area - Replies (11)

Caught these pictures as CNR 1337 exited the tunnel and rolled along the northern Lake Superior shore at Jackfish Bay.

Bachmann Spectrum 10-wheeler, lettered as Canadian National Railways #1337
[album]1061[/album]

Flat with scratchbuilt lumber load
[album]1062[/album]

Stewart Hobbies 55-ton hopper with aquarium gravel "coal" load
[album]1063[/album]

Athearn flat with Walthers tractors
[album]1064[/album]

Proto2000 8,000 gallon tanker lettered for Shell Oil
[album]1065[/album]

Accurail outside braced box car
[album]1066[/album]

Reefer in CNR's 1933 experimental aluminum paint. Was supposed to keep things cooler than the standard paint scheme - it didn't, and the paint only lasted about a year or so.
[album]1067[/album]

Another outside braced box
[album]1068[/album]

An older Athearn (?) steel sided caboose. The CNR tilted wafer on green leaf is circa WW2, so a bit of a mismatch with the rest of the train, but I liked the marker lights so picked it up from the LHS bargain table anyway... Wink
[album]1069[/album]

Jackfish Bay is a set of two modules taking a single main line through a tunnel and across cribbed infill on the shore of Lake Superior in northern Ontario. Modelled by Jeff Hill, the modules now belong to <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.hotrak.ca">www.hotrak.ca</a><!-- w -->

Andrew

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  Is this cheating?
Posted by: Steve - 05-17-2009, 06:25 AM - Forum: Upper Berth - Replies (22)

While trying to decide on roofing material for my coalhouse trestle, I wanted to see what a shake roof would look like on it. I scaled down a roof picture, made multiple copies, and loosely put them in place. Looking at the results, I could see a wooden shingle roof would look pretty nice. After posting pics on my layout thread...a notion that I was not anticipating came up: Why not use the printed material?

Here are some pics of what I'm referring to:

[Image: roof072small.jpg]

[Image: roof070small.jpg]

[Image: roof064croppedsmall.jpg]

I have my own opinion about using the print-outs...but I would like to hear yours.

Please cast your vote in the poll

Thank you

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  TCWORLD- Quick summary of layouts.
Posted by: TCWORLD - 05-17-2009, 04:18 AM - Forum: N/Z and Smaller Modeling - Replies (12)

As all the layouts i have mad in the past (About 5 micro layouts), and my current Windowsill layout are all done i figured i would create a single thread with some pics of the all in it. As the majority are N or Z scale, N being my favourite as it is relatively tiny, so fits in my room.

So then, In time order, here are the pics:
First and foremost was the "N-Scale Disc" layout which started my building of layouts. The concept of it was to build as small of a round-and-round layout as possible. I was inspired when someone said that they used a CD-ROM as a turntable, at which point i thought - I know, why not build an entire layout on one. So the disk diorama series was born (A series of 4 layouts in 4 different scales, on 4 different types of disk - On which a train has to be able to run around it without and modification to the engine or rolling stock).
Here are some pic's: (More can be found on my website, as with all of the other layouts)
[Image: 2005450d5295b10f9.jpg]
[Image: 2005461deafc34d1e.jpg]
[Image: 2005461dea75e5392.jpg]

After the successful completion of the first disk, I thought, i can go smaller than this. The "Z-Scale Mini-disk" was born. An 8cm diameter mini-disc is now the home to a Z-scale addition to the disk series.
Piccy's:
[Image: 2005461decc2bf7b1.jpg]
[Image: 2005461dece64c86c.jpg]
[Image: 2005465b10afe0e47.jpg]

With the Z-Scale one out the way, i realised i couldn't stop. Bring on the LP's (Old Records). A 33RPM 30cm diameter LP has been converted into an OO-Scale Logging layout. As this one is actually alot bigger proportionally to the rest, there was alot more room to try my hand at a bit of scenic work. I managed to fit the entirety of a logging layout into the space, from the mining camp at the top, to the logging pond and sawmill (Which was scratchbuilt from a pile of old matchsticks).
Some pictures:
[Image: 2005455f8d151d0fc.jpg]
[Image: 200545467c1d01db5.jpg]
[Image: 200545aa1f5215fdc.jpg]
[Image: 200545aa1f35810df.jpg]
[Image: 2005461deb92b15e2.jpg]
[Image: 2005465b105bbd1a8.jpg]
[Image: 20054774440e35f36.jpg]

However i wanted to test how small the gauges could physically go. Bring on HO-Scale on an 18cm "Single." To my amazement, it worked. The scenery somewhat failed due to lack of space, but the purpose of diorama succeded.
A couple of pics:
[Image: 2005471ca3bb3a024.jpg]
[Image: 2005471ca3cc84e9d.jpg]

The disk series was then completed with a couple of none functional Dioramas. A pair of them on 3 1/2" Floppy-Disc's
Pictures:
[Image: 20054614f22fedf76.jpg]
[Image: 20054614f2402df8e.jpg]
[Image: 2005461671b23e4c1.jpg]
[Image: 2005461671a660eac.jpg]

There are however plans of the next great adventure. T-Scale. 3mm gauge 1/450 Scale. What disc could i possibly use. It has to be smaller than a Mini-disk, and cant be a floppy. I know, an SD Memory card.
(Layout coming to forums near you - when it's built that is, wont be for a while).

Completed Series so far:
[Image: 2005471ca3dd1af14.jpg]

After the disc series i made a small diorama as a Birthday present for my mum:
[Image: 2005484e8b1ce2e51.jpg]
[Image: 2005484e8b31c58a6.jpg]
[Image: 2005484e8b1ca88ba.jpg]

Finally, I come to my current layout. I have migrated from the miniature and gone for the Small. I wanted to build a large layout, however have no space in my room. As such I thought, I know, I'll build a layout on my windowsill. Interestingly, the first ever N-SCale train set i got (before I built any of the layouts), my parents let me buy because i convinced then that i could build a railway on my windowsill. I bought the set, and then did nothing with it (Except turn it into a tiny disc layout). But now, I've finally realised the dream, and my first proper layout is built. Of course I already have finished plans for the next one, but I'll stick to the current one for now.
Here is the general Plan:
[Image: Plan.JPG]
Followed by some more recent pictures of the thing completed:
[Image: 2005478b147f61899.jpg]
[Image: 20054793c8653487e.jpg]
[Image: 200547ed11917363b.jpg]
[Image: 200547ed0fd490606.jpg]
[Image: 200547fa672e3f68d.jpg]
[Image: 2005480e2ba08035f.jpg]
[Image: 2005482862dfcc5d5.jpg]
[Image: 2005483f3dd0085e7.jpg]
[Image: 20054842a78b2a843.jpg]
[Image: 200548924d9ce4047.jpg]
[Image: 200548924d9cafc5b.jpg]
[Image: 200548aac1db86e99.jpg]
[Image: 200548e7c4d5d07b3.jpg]
[Image: 200548e7c4ebb603a.jpg]
[Image: 2005490b3c9462db6.jpg]
[Image: 200549aa67477f25a.jpg]
[Image: 200549f8ae688f139.jpg]

Sorry about the lots of writing, I just thought i should introduce myself with an history of layouts. Anyway, I'll stop now before i accidentally lose everything i have just typed - knowing me that will happen if I'm not careful.
Bye.

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  Photobucket and Adobe Flash Version 10
Posted by: Ralph - 05-16-2009, 08:19 PM - Forum: Upper Berth - Replies (2)

Hi all,

I thought I might let you know that in case you recently updated to Adobe Flash Version 10 like I did you will have trouble copying and pasting pictures from Photobucket to the forum. Their system currently does not work with Version 10 but you can still post pics from Photobucket if you click the thumbnail of your photo and let it go big. Then you can click on the img code on that screen and the copy and paste functions will work.

I received a helpful and very prompt reply from the Photobucket staff today after i emailed them about my problem posting.

Ralph

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