Refurbishing my Railroad

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NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Refurbishing my Railroad

Post by NP317 »

I'm enjoying your restoration reports. Thanks for posting them.
We'll make it out to Seaside to see your railroad. It'll be a great motorcycle trip!
~RN
SanDogDewey
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:57 pm
Location: Seaside, Oregon

Re: Refurbishing my Railroad

Post by SanDogDewey »

I'm planning on setting up this railroad on a 90' x 90' lot. I want to put a building in the center of the lot and run the train around it. What is the recommended minimum radius for the corners and switches? The switches will allow me to store the train in the building. I have approx. 430' of aluminum rail on plastic ties. I planned on keeping the train 4' from the outside fence and 4' from the building. Any other considerations I should be thinking about?
chooch
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Location: East Central Florida

Re: Refurbishing my Railroad

Post by chooch »

Just a thought. I had a small backyard RR and ran the track Close to the back fence. Each curve end started up for a raised back section about 10/12 inches. I made a small, short walkway as if going through the fence, But put a bridge there. Dressed it all up with an Arbor / trellis, a large upside down "U" that you walk through. with vines or flowers. You could also make half of a covered bridge--tunnel--train shed attached to the fence.
Just before the curves of the back fence I put switches for a by-pass station stop. Do some kind of landscape between the two tracks.
chooch
Added edit. Some shrubs/hedge type bushes and Maybe a short raised section with a short, 4 foot metal windmill you see often in garden stores.
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Refurbishing my Railroad

Post by Glenn Brooks »

SanDogDewey wrote:I'm planning on setting up this railroad on a 90' x 90' lot. What is the recommended minimum radius for the corners and switches?
You should ask RMI what their recommended minimums are for the engine. Probably the minimum is 20' to 30' radius curves...
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
Andrew Pugh
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Re: Refurbishing my Railroad

Post by Andrew Pugh »

The curves that it did run on look pretty darn tight...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandogdew ... 351950614/
SanDogDewey
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:57 pm
Location: Seaside, Oregon

Re: Refurbishing my Railroad

Post by SanDogDewey »

I’ve got the engine up and running and 3 of the 4 wooden gondola cars complete. Just finished replacing all the original aluminum rail with steel. Removing 7500 screws exposed to the salt air for 20 years was not fun. The main line is pretty much complete with a little ballasting left. I converted the 4th gondola car to a ballast car. Working on the crossings and siding that goes into the building.

https://flic.kr/p/2mhwcGv

https://flic.kr/p/2mhuX7Z

https://flic.kr/p/2mhuX92

https://flic.kr/p/2mhyL5o
SanDogDewey
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Location: Seaside, Oregon

Re: Refurbishing my Railroad

Post by SanDogDewey »

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Harold_V
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Re: Refurbishing my Railroad

Post by Harold_V »

Very nice!

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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NP317
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Re: Refurbishing my Railroad

Post by NP317 »

Looking good.
Takes a long time to build a railroad.
((-;
RussN
SanDogDewey
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:57 pm
Location: Seaside, Oregon

Re: Refurbishing my Railroad

Post by SanDogDewey »

NP317 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 11:13 pm Looking good.
Takes a long time to build a railroad.
((-;
RussN
Much longer than it should have…I initially put down the original aluminum rail and ordered steel rail to fill in the gaps. That order took 8 months to receive. We tried a couple cars on the aluminum and they kept derailing, so I ordered steel rail for the whole layout. Another 8 months to receive the rail. Working on the crossings now. Hope to be up and running before the end of summer.

Patrick
Seaside Shortline
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Refurbishing my Railroad

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Partrick,

Many things can cause cars to derail- out of gauge, small dips in the track, couplers binding to tight - lifting the wheels off the track in a dip, improper suspension and vertical wheel movement, etc. my favorite is couplers that are to tight and done allow each car to move up and down as you travel over rail joints. (Take a grinder or milling machine and smoothnoutmthe high pints in the pocket.)

There are a couple of recents threads here in Chaski on derailing that might provide some good background for things to look for, and how to correct.

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
SanDogDewey
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:57 pm
Location: Seaside, Oregon

Re: Refurbishing my Railroad

Post by SanDogDewey »

Got the train out on the track today! Still need to work out a few issues. The main one being the engine shut down after 3 laps. I’ve got a blinking status light (9 blinks), but I don’t have anything that identifies the fault code. (RMI Transfer Switcher circa 1998). The sprocket that keeps tension on the chain hangs too low and strikes the track when crossing the switch. Might have to remove a link or replace it if it is stretched.
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