...THIS AND THAT...
Someone asked me about the wiring/electrical stuff...
Is this sketch readable?
Simple electrical solution. I don't have DDC.
Did require good soldering skill and crimping
RJ-11 phone connectors, these link each section so that no continuity is lost.
I used Liquid Nails or Goop to glue down the micro-switches sideways, or I bent one mounting tab so it could stand up (some photos show this throughout this site if you look again closely).
Micro-Switches are local to each turnout and/or electrical block so the amount of actual wire is not a lot.
I soldered all rail-joints within a section, except for the ends, and except for the electrical blocks for which I used plastic rail-joiners.
I used Atlas 5 inch sections or 19in Radius curve sections to join each segment of the layout (adopted from N-TRAK).
Much simplified sketches...
Typical RJ-11 connector arrangement.
The whole electrical arrangement is basically simple.
Example of micro-switches arrangement for electrical blocks.
I carefully determine where to locate, then glued them with Liquid Nails.
Then route and solder one wire at a time.
Places where wire goes under track I made gaps in the plastic ties beforehand, or I routed under rail joints.
Also, look again all through this website, some photos show more Micro-Switches, it was hard to get good photos of the push-rods though.
Someone else asked how I made the Main Drawbridge
Is this readable?
Two main hinges, mounted to two blocks, which where glued plus screwed to the sides of a 1x3 piece of lumber, of which I glued cardboard sides onto, then added balsa ribs etc piece by piece.
Two bolt-holes on each end of the drawbridge make it align when it is down.
Then I connect the two RJ-11 plugs at each end.
Sort of shows some of the drawbridge.
Took about two or three weeks total.
Hopefully you can see the two drawbridge alignment holes.
These are at the hinged end of the bridge too.
Also, an RJ-11 plug-in, Micro-Switch, and a push
rod to the turnout (if you can make it out).
ALL TRACK: is temporarily tacked down. or held down with weights, then ballested, then GLUED with a mixture of Elmer's Glue (regular) plus about Ten parts water and a bit of dishwashing soap... and allowed to dry 2 days... so if I decide to dismantle it, all I need to do is add Water with a bit of Dishsoap, and the Ballast-Glue becomes soft and Track then comes right off, without ANY damage...
Many want to know about the "benchwork"...
Hope you can see this sketch.
Just one example of one section.
All major structure is 1x2's and 1x3's and 1x4's, then add enough styrofoam scenery to keep trains from falling off.
For curves, I bought two of each HO curved track 15, 18, 22 inch radius that I used only for tempates (my hobby-store sold them as singles), then I layed out and cut the lumber as needed to fit the curves.
Oh, don't use lumber wider than 1x4's because they tend to "dish" (warp), instead, for the wider areas like yards use 1/4 inch plywood.
Oh, by the way, I didn't use any drawings or sketches whatsoever while building this...
I only used a good 25ft tape-measure, a 45 degree triangle, a pencil, a handsaw, Elmer's Wood Glue, and a cordless Black N Decker screw driver fitted with drill bits for drilling holes.
Living in an apartment means I couldn't make lots of noise.
Hope you can read this sketch.
Two alignment holes at each end of each section.
That way each section can come apart and still go back together later.
Each section is 4 to 6 feet long, so in case I gotta move someday (heaven help me).
Hope you can read this sketch.
Typical post / layout support.
The "layout" merely rests on top of these.
They go at each major corner section and key load areas, however look throughout the website again for examples, I custom made amost every post.
Yard A posts are shorter, they support it over the kitchen counter and sink.
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