Freelance 2019-1
#1
The streetcar phase is going to end soon. I miss switching and smooth running engines. Both is conceptual hard to do with streetcars and the Luna track system (German fora are full with warnings to use Luna tracks. I ignored the warning and learned they are very valid the hard way).

I will go back to a freelance switching layout. The row of the urban buildings will be moved to an elevated background. The design point of simple hand thrown switches with dead frogs will be kept from Freelance 2018-1. But I am going to try Peco this time. Two sets of #5 and #6 switches and some flex tracks have been ordered an hour ago.

I hope to get the streetcar installation clean and easy off the bench work some time during next week.
Reinhard
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#2
Reinhard,

Would like to have your motivation and modeling budget.Misngth  Looking forward to seeing what you come up with next. Icon_e_smile Waiting

Bruce
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#3
(01-25-2019, 04:13 PM)bdw9535 Wrote: ....have your motivation....

Having the Luna track system is a very strong "motivation" to replace it asap  Icon_redface but I enjoyed building the urban scenery  Icon_e_smile
Reinhard
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#4
2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 2285_ 

Tom
Life is simple - Eat, Drink, Play with trains

Occupation: Professional Old Guy (The government pays me to be old.)
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#5
(01-25-2019, 04:13 PM)bdw9535 Wrote: Reinhard,

Would like to have your motivation and modeling budget.Misngth  Looking forward to seeing what you come up with next. Icon_e_smile Waiting

Bruce

I agree with Bruce about your motivation and modelling budget, and always look forward to your new projects.

Wayne
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#6
Freelance 2019-1 Day zero. The moment when everything is pure imagination.

I will use Sunday to make a temporary connection with Atlas tracks to run trains through the staging yard around the room while waiting for Peco tracks to arrive.
A layout must be operational all times (even as a simple circle)  Icon_e_smile

May be you remember the layout base was installed in early 2018 with a simple swap of scenery of this part in mind. The four track  staging yard at the north side and the connectors with hatches at the west and east side are not affected at all. The two tracks feeding the scenic part are well visible. Furthermore had the trolley layout no ballast and green glued to the base. The mess was absolute minimised. 

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ps. I saved all urban buildings from the trolley layout in the basement. Many of them got side walls and a roofs made of cheep foam board. That was easy to remove and the remaining front walls do not use much space. It all fits in two shopping baskets.

pps. 9 pm Could not wait to see a train running. The temporary track is installed, the loop is closed and the very first train is running ..... Icon_lol
Reinhard
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#7
(01-26-2019, 12:22 PM)faraway Wrote: .....9 pm Could not wait to see a train running. The temporary track is installed, the loop is closed and the very first train is running ..... Icon_lol

Why am I not surprised? Icon_lol Icon_lol Icon_lol

Wayne
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#8
My very first Peco #5 and #6 insul switches and tracks arrived. The quality is very good and the train runs very quite over the switches.
Started playing around  to find my track plan.

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Reinhard
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#9
If you put a little white glue down and set some weight (like a book or what have you) on the track over night you wouldn't need those big nails. If you want to redo the track at a later date just mist it with some warm water and let it sit for a few minutes and you can pull it right back up.
Mike

Sent from my pocket calculator using two tin cans and a string
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#10
You are kidding me aren't you.
I love the thumbtacks for temporary track laying during planning. The spring in the Peco switches permit full test operation at this very early stage of planning. That is very convenient.
I had to move the most right switch due to limited under floor space for switch machine installation.

ps. I have an iPad and a MacBook Air. Are those valid "books" too?  Icon_lol
Reinhard
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#11
Next iteration improving the track plan.

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Reinhard
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#12
Nope not kidding been doing that for decades and been reusing the same track all that time! Not sure what your p.s. is about?
Mike

Sent from my pocket calculator using two tin cans and a string
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#13
Ok, some misunderstandings.
1. I use white glue like you to lay the track at a later stage. In this very early stage are thumbtacks more flexible. I am still moving the tracks around.
2. When fixing the tracks with white glue in the final position are the thumbtacks still in place and no weights/books required. I do not put the white glue under the track but a thin line on both sides and push it with a small bruck against the end of the ties while the thumbtacks hold the track.
3. I have a bunch of old hard disks as weights but use them mostly while building structures.
4. The "ps" was a nasty reflection of books as weights. I love to read on my iPad this days. The US model railroad magazines are late and expensive while their online version are worldwide available at the same time and I save lots of bucks for shipping paper. The iPad has also the advantage to have lots of reading material during flights.
Reinhard
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#14
I usually don't use weights either. Normally I use push pins but of course you can't run the trains until the glue dries and the pins are removed. I don't think the thumbtacks would work with N scale as the tack would probably touch both rails at the same time causing a short. The p.s. is actually pretty funny now that I know what it's all about.
Mike

Sent from my pocket calculator using two tin cans and a string
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#15
(02-01-2019, 07:28 AM)Tyson Rayles Wrote: .... I don't think the thumbtacks would work with N scale as the tack would probably touch both rails at the same time causing a short.....
Yes, I measured my thumbtacks and they are the perfect N-tool to make a solid short. May be we can offer them on eBay as special N scale over current test equipment.
Reinhard
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