Union Pacific's N Scale Canyon Division....

Sumner May 6, 2022

  1. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Backdrop Part 4:

    Time to bring this part of the backdrops to an end but there will be more once I get the upper level track surface in place and know the vertical dimensions for the backdrops.

    When I place the Masonite on the framework more uprights will be added for screws in the right places and where the seams will be where the panels butt up against each other. Similar to laying out a wall to put sheetrock on. At this point the uprights are there to locate the backdrop panels, especially on the curved sections. Also the panels will need the uprights on different centers on each side since it is further around the outside curves vs. the inside curves.

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    Time to move onto the upper level track surface ...........

    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
  2. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    A look under the layout:

    Before moving on to the upper level I thought I'd share a few photos of the 'forgotten' underside of the layout. When I started to design the framework for the layout I decided to try a few things I hadn't seen before (doesn't mean someone else hasn't done this).

    It is common to use individual risers for track running at different heights above the layout framework. Usually though a portion of the layout (especially the town and yard areas) where it is flat the track surface lays flat on the framework. A problem that can arise is that if you are placing switch machines or other devices under the layout frame members can be in the way.

    I decided that I'd have 'all' of the track surface at least 3 inches above the main framework for clearance under it. To do this I'm using risers that can be placed on any member of the main framework and also moved to any location on the framework. If at any point a riser is in the way one only has to unscrew if from below and move it a few inches out of the way. More on the framework ( HERE ) and risers ( HERE ).

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    One of the keys to the open under layout space is the use of the upright assemblies shown above. Simple and cheap to make out of 1 X 2's and 1/2” CDX (exterior sheathing) plywood. As an assembly they are a lot stronger than the individual parts. They take up very little space under the layout but are strong enough that at 185 lbs. I've been able to walk on the top of the layout when installing the backdrop down the center of it.

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    OK now time to move onto the upper level track surface ...........

    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
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  3. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    Sumner,

    Nice solution to keeping direct layout support independent from the layout base, and easily adjustable to clear under-layout obstacles (like tortoise switch machines.)

    But I noticed an awful lot of secondary (lower level) girders that seem unnecessary, given the upper girders spacing in support of the layout deck.

    Of course I'm not suggesting ripping out unnecessary lower level girders, but folks copying this technique might take note that much of the lower level girders can be eliminated, saving time, effort, weight and material cost. What are your thoughts?

    If you had/got to do it over again, would you reduce the number of lower level support girders?

    I know that's a loaded question, since most of us learn as we go, and would alter our approach next time, given the lessons learned this time.
     
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  4. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    No, I went out and counted and there are 5 short about 18 inch crossmembers that don't have risers on them and thanks for getting me to look as I think there probably should be a couple more risers in those areas. I think all of them except maybe 2 are the plywood crossmembers. Remove those 5 and I'd save less than $5 to $10.

    Going in I wasn't quite sure where I'd needed the risers, they aren't equally spaced any place so were put in as needed to support the track surface. Also since I wanted to be able to reposition them if needed maybe I might of had to use one of the cross members that isn't being used now. I already took out about 20 risers after I put in the side supports and moved others so glad for the flexibility of having the crossmembers where they are. Also moved one of those when dealing with the track elevator install. Moving these items has been easy since everything is attached from under the layout. If I would of had scenery it would of still been easy to do and the scenery wouldn't of been disturbed. I wanted the framework to be as flexible as possible for any changes and it has been that.

    Another factor is those crossmembers aren't only holding the track surface up but in unison are creating a very stiff frame that can hold a lot of weight if needed, like me walking around on it as I have a couple times. They transfer weight to the longitudinal members that are attached to the upright assemblies. Also they keep those longitudinal members from flexing side to side making it easier for them to carry the load.

    Of course anyone is more than free to design their layout as they see fit.

    Sumner
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2022
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  5. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    Sumner, thanks for the explanation. I'm not used to thinking about accommodating under-table switch machines, or their placement, since I use Unitrack with switch machines built into their attached roadbed. Unitrack is not as nice or prototypical looking as well laid and ballasted flex track or hand-laid rails, but it works well for my needs. My temporary, proof-of-track-plan layout (folded-dogbone) is just Unitrack directly on an HCD, with Unitrack viaducts/bridges on inclined pier sets. I'll harvest the Unitrack from the viaducts for the final layout. As it is, it is quite (not quiet!) noisy; HCDs make great sound-boards!
     
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  6. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Upper Level Part 1:

    Time to move on to the upper level roadbed. I have the elevator set up to raise the train 10 ¼ inches. I'm setting the upper level to the same and it will basically be flat at that level with canyon/mountain type scenery. I considered having it climb a little higher so that it could go over itself once but decided against that. I'm still trying to make this a simpler layout than I might of attempted 10-15 years ago when I was still in my early 60's but that isn't the case. Also there will be a number of turnouts and a few sidings on the upper level. I didn't want the turnouts on a 2 percent grade and wanted to be able to park a train and/or cars at any location and not have to worry about them rolling one way or the other.

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    To be continued ...........

    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
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  7. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Upper Level Part 2:

    On to the other side of the backdrop uprights.

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    To be continued ...........

    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
  8. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Elevator Approaches Part 1:

    On to finalizing the upper and lower approaches to the track elevator.

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    To be continued ...........

    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
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  9. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Elevator Approaches Part 2:

    This page will be about how one approach is built. The others are the same or at least similar in design.

    All the track on the layout will be laid on 1 inch foam board. I really liked using it on my test layout. A good surface to glue the cork roadbed to and I can cut some shallow scenery features into it easily. I did want the final few inches of the elevator approaches and the elevator itself to not be covered with foam. The reason being, I'll make the final section of track to the elevator and on the elevator sections of track that I'll modify so that I can screw them down and be able to adjust them to some degree if needed for alignment now and in the future by loosening the screws and adjusting the track section slightly.

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    To be continued ...........

    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
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  10. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Elevator Approaches Part 3:

    More elevator approaches. A number of pieces required for each of these.

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    To be continued ...........

    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
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  11. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Elevator Approaches Part 4:

    The end of the construction of the elevator approaches.

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    To see a video of the layout at this point in the construction click ( HERE ) or the video above.

    To be continued ...........

    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
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  12. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Upper Level East End Part 1:

    Part 1 of the upper level build for the east end of the layout. The upper level here will be mostly over the hidden staging tracks and the hidden tracks that go to and from the coal mine complex.

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    To be continued ...........

    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
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  13. sidney

    sidney TrainBoard Member

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    man thats a lot of work , but its coming along nicely. i would love to own that shop. oh what i would give for that much room an tooling.
    saw mill area looks like its gunna be great.
     
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  14. Dogwood

    Dogwood TrainBoard Member

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    The documentation is already a lot of work. Everything very well thought out. Great.
     
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  15. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Upper Level East End Part 2:

    Moving the upper level into place and connecting it to the upper level on the rest of the layout.

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    Using the risers, as explained ( HERE ) has worked out really well and makes it easy to make support changes as needed to either level.

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    In the image above the plywood span will come out later. There will be a high bridge/trestle in that area. The two main line tracks going in opposite directions on the bridge will come out of a tunnel to the right on the left side of the backdrop/divider there. At the other end of the bridge one track will go into a tunnel at the backdrop/divider that will be constructed there and the other line will swing away to the right and enter a tunnel there. This will be a narrower scene where the upper and lower bridges are between the two backdrops, When one looks past it they will see the coal mine complex with tracks coming and going to it from the far side of the layout.

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    To be continued ...........

    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
  16. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    A Slight Diversion:

    In Sept 2022 we went to Phoenix to visit family and help a friend with a health related situation for a week. The week turned into almost 2 weeks as the situation changed. I got to thinking about which of the switch machines that I've made and that can be 3D printed that I wanted to use above the hidden staging area on the layout. There is about 10 inches between the bottom of the upper level and the hidden staging tracks.My servo switch machine with the ….

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    .. 3D printed mount ( HERE ) and …....

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    ...... my 'Gravity Switcher' ( HERE ) both mount to the bottom of the layout with screws. Normally this is fine but to install them with only 10 inches of work space would prove to be difficult. To overcome this I thought …..

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    .... I could install a mount under the layout that could be easily positioned and glued/caulked into place.



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    Next I could put either the Servo Switch Machine or the Gravity Switch Machine into the mount and ….

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    .... slide the securing clamps over that hold it in place and the switch machine would be in place.

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    It is easy to locate the mount with the tool shown above.

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    Insert it into the mount after applying a little caulk to the mount (keep it away from the hole for the piano wire). Pull it up against the bottom of the layout after rotating it into position using the directional wedge at the top of the tool. With it in position the caulk should hold well enough that you can remove the tool and put a 1/4” bolt in its place. Tighten the bolt and pull the mount hard against the bottom of the layout and let the caulk set up and then remove the bolt.

    Using the mount and mounting tool means you don't have to do anything under the layout to install either the 'Servo Switch' or the 'Gravity Switcher' and now also the 'Spring Switcher' (if it works). Another nice aspect of using the mount is that if you have a problem with the switch machine down the line you can slide the clips back and remove the switch machine from the mount and install a different one. You could move from a servo operated one to the gravity one or the 'Spring Switcher' that has been shown in the pictures. I've used a mounting system...

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    ...... shown above, that makes it easy to mount the 'Servo Switcher' or 'Gravity Switcher' mainly from above the layout. It makes it easy to locate the pilot holes for the screws used to hold the switch machine but you still need to go under the layout to drill those holes and to put the screws in. You also need to have room to get a drill in place to drill the holes. The holes might be able to be drilled from above but if you have foam over plywood above drilling an accurate hole through all of that would be hard.

    I'll soon have the print files up on my thingiverse.com account ( HERE ) and to use the 'Gravity Switcher' there will be new print files for it also with the only change being made to the mounting part of the switch machine so that it fits into the new 'Holder'. If you don't want to use the 'Holder' the old files that are up now will work fine.

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    Next up I'll show what I've come up with for the 'Spring Switcher' that has been shown in some of the images above and which at this point is untested. Might do that before posting them. Here is a sneak preview of the design.

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    The 'Spring Switcher is very similar to the 'Gravity Switcher' and used much of the latter for designing the former. So far on my test layout I love the 'Gravity Switch'. Easy to install, no electronics except for a limit switch to control frog polarity if you want that and has proved to be very reliable with my hand-laid turnouts. There are a number of options for controlling it and they all pull on a line from the switch machine to the side of the layout. Simple fishing line run through eye hooks. I'm hoping the 'Spring Switcher' works similar.

    It uses a 'soft' spring on the one side and a control line on the other side similar to the 'Gravity Switcher'. The nice thing about the line, at least so far with the 'Gravity Switcher' is that is is very easy to run to the side of the layout about any place. It is common fishing line and you can run it through eye hooks in about any direction. At the side of the layout I have a number of controls that can be used to pull on the line and throw the turnout. All are 3D printed and you can see them ( HERE ). Also if you don't have a printer there are other easy options to making a control to pull the line and hold it in position.

    To be continued ...........

    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2022
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  17. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    I got a chance today to print out one of the switch machines I designed while away from the house in Phoenix. I'm pleased with it after the first test...



    ... When I get a chance I'll work on testing it with some of my other turnout controllers ( HERE ). Might have to tweak them a little but think they all could work. This needs the control to be set up a little more precise than if you are connecting to the 'Gravity Switcher'. With the 'Gravity Switcher' you only need to lift one of the weights. Not critical on how high you lift it so lots of leeway with how the fishing line is set up. The 'Gravity Switcher' is pretty bullet proof but you need room under the layout for the weights.

    This switch machine will work in a tighter location but needs the line set up so that you don't over-pull the line. When I get a chance I'll put up a page on my site describing it better with more pictures, info and links to the print files. I also printed out the....

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    ... switch machine holder that makes it easy to place the switch machine under the layout without going under the layout. It will also work with my servo bracket if one wants to use servo turnout control and also the 'Gravity Switcher'.

    I've seen other switch machines with a spring so don't claim to be inventing something new here but hopefully having print files up eventually will help some of you.

    Sumner
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2022
  18. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Upper Level East End Part 3:

    Kind of splitting my time designing the 'Spring Switcher' switch machine, printing test ones and also working in the shop of the layout.
    Moving on to the uprights for the east end backdrop/divider. Some what a repeat of the uprights for the main backdrop/divider that is explained starting ( HERE ).

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    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
  19. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Been a while since I posted on the layout build. Got sidetracked on designing a truck stop, restaurant, hotel, gas station and some different servo mounts. Have accomplished some on the layout in the last two months so will try and catch up some here.

    These are track approaches to the track elevator that can lift the train a little over 10 inches up to the second level. Most of the layout is ME code 55 flex track but the elevator and some other hidden track is ME code 70. The track approach on the layout side of the gap at the elevator transitions from code 55 to code 70. The three elevator approaches on the other side of the gap are code 70.

    The approaches all have a piece of printed circuit board ( PCB ) next to the gap. I'll drill holes in the PCB and screw it to the elevator and layout surface. I want to be able to adjust these one way or the other and/or up and down if needed over time. I've added guard rails to the sections and have flared the rail ends out slightly to help if there is any slight misalignment of the tracks when the elevator is up or down. So far the elevator seems to land in a pretty precise/same location in the up and down position each time.

    Hopefully the following images explain how these were made.

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    Above (if it doesn't play click) ( HERE ) is a video of testing the track approach at this point. The approach shown on the elevator here actually will end up going on the layout side as it transitions from ME code 55 flex track to ME code 70 flex track.

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    Above (if it doesn't play click) ( HERE ) is a video of testing both track approaches

    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2022
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  20. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    --- Backdrops Pts. 1 & 2 ---

    ============== Part 1 – 10-26-2022 =================


    Going back in time to document putting up some, but not all, of the backdrop sections before and during the period I was designing the 3D buildings and servo mounts ( HERE ).

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    I had some worries about bending the Masonite in two areas with tight bends in the framework but after seeing Larry Puckett's ( The DCC Guy) YouTube video and trying what he suggests it went really easy. If you have to do this look at his video ( HERE ) and give it a try.

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    ============== Part 2 – 11-18-2022 =================

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    If you came into the build here you can find the main index for the build ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     

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