Senior Member
I feel your pain for when stuff goes in that big hole in the Kato turnout side. I came up with a solution that covers up the hole yet still allows it to be operated. I found some strip wood approximately the size of N-scale ties. I cut them in to appropriate lengths and then glue one to the ballast just below or above the hole depending on which side it will normally be viewed from. I then cut a notch in another tie the size of the black switch in the hole. Carefully glue that tie to just the black switch. You need to position it so that in either position, the hole will still be covered. It is very common to see ties on the side of the tracks so scenically it fits right in. Liquids can still get in but most ballast won't. I color them a brownish black with markers. This is a relatively cheap solution.
This first photo shows the turnout aligned for the straight route and the ties are aligned. Next shows the turnout aligned for the diverging route and the ties are mis-aligned. These ties are a little long but long are used on turnouts. The third photo shows a smaller set. This works whether you power these turnouts or operate them manually. Hope this helps.
Cheers! Maurice
20230429_131622.jpg20230429_131701.jpg20230429_131522.jpg
Attempting to apply the K.I.S.S. principle to Model Railroading.
Senior Member
Cool idea! Have to try that.
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
Its taken a few days but i finally got the yard leading up to the logging camp about as done as i can get it. I hate tearing up track. but i can run engines across the track without any issues now. After much soldering, hot glue and rusty rail paint i can call it done. Next will be the track leading from the yard to the trestle. After that its just clean the track and i can run trains up there. Will be the first in over a year. Most of my work has been on the main line. I pretty much have that down! shots below, smoke
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
I knew that i had some issues with the track up to the trestle. I had some plaster cloth and drywall compound on the edges around that mountain or tall hill. I cut through it because i didn't want it in a tunnel. The main line goes thru the tunnel. most logging camps didn't use tunnels unless there was just no other way to get around it.I found two soft spots on that hill. one is close to the trestle entrance to the trestle. I am thinking that i will try some plaster cloth and fill as needed with drywall mud to smooth it out. i hate to have to do scenery back in but thats how it goes. right now i am having to wait for a mechanic to come out to fix the washing machine. I might have to get a new one so that said there goes my funds for the layout. shots below, Smoke
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
If you were really dedicated to N scale, you wouldn't waste money on a washing machine, @OleSmokey. You would spend $10 on a washboard and do laundry in the bathtub. That should enhance the experience of the "Good Old Days." Very period and prototypical!
Senior Member
hehehe, My mother didn't do that!!
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
I like your choice on a cut vs tunnel there.
Senior Member
yep, i did too. Now to clean up the mess, get the track down on the board and finish the clean up. oh, ballast too. I'll get it, i just never say no. I am thinking about another short add-on to the control panel and the train station. I just don't like the way it looks. more on that later. Smoke
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
I have about half the track up the hill down. The ballast is another thing. I have been playing around with different grasses earth and cinders and just for kicks grey Kato brand ballast. It looks pretty good. Shots below, Smoke
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
I have been having bad back issues. seeing the dr. next week. I have been working on the lower mountain and the sawmill area this week. the sawmill area will be done later when i can get behind the layout. It took around three days to get this part done. Shots below, Smoke
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
Maintenance of Way needs to get a weed sprayer out along that track! Hope your back feels better soon.
Senior Member
If it wasn't for bad luck... anyway, i finally found some time to play around with the layout. lately its been run a few trains around the layout and thats been all. I covered the turnouts in the logging yard and started putting down grasses and ballast around the main parts of the track in the yard. I had masked the turnouts so i wouldn't mess them up and laid out the ballast and grasses. Before i took pictures i pulled the masks off. I am going to have to do all those turnouts a bit at a time. Maybe i can get that part done this week. Thats later for sure. shots below,
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
It doesn't have to be fast progress, it's still progress. Coming along nicely.
Senior Member
Senior Member
i know but i like to make weekly progress. Maybe tomorrow, i will get the turnouts finished and then it will look way better. I need to make a way to get to the back side of the layout. If i was in my 20's no issue, but i am in my 70's so its a pain to get there. I might be able to get Deb and Robert to help me turn the layout sideways or all the way around so i can get to it. that is if there is enough room in this room. basically its a 4X9 foot layout. hard to move around in a 10 X 12 room full of stuff. maybe if i can fine someone to levitate it around....
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
Well, summer is about gone and fall is supposed to be coming but it still feels like summer here in Texas. 100+ have become the norm here and the a/c's are busting to get summer over with. I lit up the layout and i found some new things littered around the layout. we had a kinda snow storm in the form of lint. So..its time to break out the vacuum and air compressor and get rid of it. Note to myself to cover the layout when summer comes next year! anyway the clean out has begun. another thing i forgot was i didn't plant corn for the cattle. and i started that this weekend and should get that planted this week. I have enough corn left over to plant some over in the back yards of the houses. I think they would like some sweet corn on the cob!! I got the main line cleaned up and have run a few trains on the main. Hope everyone had a safe and fun summer. shots below, Smoke
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
i finally got a chance to do some work on the layout this evening. i got the first rows of corn down and planted. shot below. more later,smoke
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
I have been real busy today. i got the second row done with the corn field. I also did vacuum and air blowing to clean up the layout. Found several areas that the roofs had paint spotted or overspray on the roofs. been cleaning it all up.
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
test, having issue with keyboard and seems to be working right now. Fixed
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
Senior Member
i founf damage to the engine shed that needs fixing. so that is the next on the list. Be glad when this side is caught up and i can start working on the back side. one shot of the engine house repair
Then the train was gone,and there was nothing but rails, the earth, the moon, the river and strong silence-and the haunting and immortal visage of America by night
Thomas Wolfe
donzi, Heiko, Rook, Silent1961, SP-Wolf
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