Okay, so I was making good progress laying track today when @ 11:30am… No more rail connectors. Dang! Now I have to head 40 miles to the nearest LHS that’s open on Sunday… Also one I’ve not checked out yet, but good rep. So fine… it’ll be fun.
Well… those were some expensive track connectors. You see, they had a sale on P2K car kits going, so I just had to pick up a few. Then I noticed the Bowser kits for the Pennsy N5C caboose I been wanting. And the Walthers New River Mining Co. I’ve long planned as one of the two mines for the new layout, also on sale… Oy!
All in all, the good rep is well deserved though. I’ve finally found a well-stocked LHS not too far away.
In any case, got the connectors, got home, 2:30pm. Layed track all day. Finished the logging branch, HOO-RAH. Ran trains on the new layout for the very first time!!
Okay, so I only I ran a couple cruddy engines I haven’t converted to DCC using an old power pack alligator-clipped to the rails, but trains was a-runnin’ for the first time in nearly a year.
A few discoveries from first run:
Rivarossi passenger cars are not happy on Code 83 turnout frogs. They’re fine on track, but bumpety-bump through the frogs. Frogs check out fine on NMRA gauge, so it’s the cars. I see some frog-filing in my future… Or, finally bite the bullet and swap out all the old wheelsets. Haven’t decided yet (Ignoring question of why I was running passenger cars on the logging branch anyhow?)
The thing you hear about foam magnifying the track noise… They ain’t kidding! Most of logging branch is laid directly on plywood (no cork, loggin lines not being big on nicely graded roadbed). One section of the logging branch is laid directly on foam, again no cork. The first time a train hit that area, I slammed the power off thinking “massive derailment”… Nope. All was fine. Just a good 3-4x the noise on the foam section.
I personally never had the noise level magnify when I ran trains over foam but then again my foam is glued to 1/2 plywood. Also instead of cork roadbed I used Woodland Sceics foam road bed. Makes a diference I guess. But congrates on the runnin on the new layout.
Yup, people keep saying it but seems like it often falls on “deaf” ears. I had the same experience this weekend. Running trains at the “Great Train Expo”. One of the fellows built his section of the layout without any roadbed. Put the track straight on the foam. Everytime I wasn’t watching when a train hit that section, I would panic because I thought the trains were headed for the floor.
DON’T FILE YOUR FROGS!!! Change your wheels sets. (trust me!). I’ve done the same thing when I needed $3 worth of parts. Drive 60 miles and end up buying everything except what you went there for. Glad to hear YOUR experiance turned out OK.[^]
Yeah, I had some cars that did the same thing, until I checked the gauge of the wheelsets, and, sure enough they were out of gauge. Now, they run smoothly over ANY frog; double crossovers, crossings, turnouts, you name it!! [:D]
Check the wheel gauge - EVERY car I’ve ever had bump on the frogs has had wheels out of gauge. Although it it’s stock Rivarossi wheels - the flanges may have something to do with it. Best thing to do it re-wheel with better wheels. The correct size usually do not fit because of the brake shoe detail - IHC sells metal repalcement wheels that fit fine. They have 2 types - one is for the Rivarossi cars and the other is for the newer IHC cars.
I guess I’m one of those with deaf ears. My foam is NOT noisy. All I hear when I run trains is the wheels ont he rail, not these loud reverberating noise everyone seems to claim there is. Maybe its the way I build - you don;t just swap foam for plywood and build the way you always did. I built a standard grid of 1x4’s 16" OC. Glued the foam to that with yellow glue (which does dry solid - and works way better than Liquid Nails, can;t STAND that stuff. I used some Liquid Nails for another project not on foam and I think they need to change the directions to say 24 DAYS to dry, not hours. Anyway, for the track and roadbed I use the Woodland Scenics foam, and glue the roadbed and track with latex caulk, which does NOT dry hard as a rock. Between the foam roadbed and the caulk, I suspect that insulates the track from the pink foam somewhat.
I have a half piece of foam, 2x4, that I lay across a couple of sawhorses that I have used to experiment with things on. On that unsupported section, it was definitely louder than plywood when rolling cars back and forth - until I ballasted! This is opposite the usual theory that gluig the ballast down will transmit more sound, but there is a distinct ‘muting’ as a car rolls from the unballasted section to the ballasted section.
I don;t think my present foam-based layout is any louder than any previous layouts I built using wood and cork. And it certainly isn’t objectionable, it doesn;t interfere with ‘normal’ train sounds, and I can clearly hear my sound-equipped locos run - train sounds, not drumming over the base.
Tommy Gilbert’s in Gettysburg. When I say “good” I’m not talking price, really. More about large stock of parts. First of all it’s just a train shop, really no other hobbies represented. Certainly not your usual ‘hobby shop’ with a few Atlas gizmos, a bunch of Lionel sets and G-Scale, and a few model power buildings gather dust. Lots and lots of supplies - styrene, wood, paint, adhesives, etc. Sure, plenty of locos, cars, track, buildings and the like, but what I really appreciate is the obscure parts that I otherwise have to end up ordering.
Thanks for the input. They are original stock Rivarossi wheels, which is what made me think flange depth. But I will check wheel gauge before I do anything radical - in my maddened excitement over having them running, I hadn’t really thought it through yet. And I’m leaning toward replacing rather than filing if it is the flanges.
I wondered if that’s the shop you were talking about. I’ve been there several times. They’re relly good - if they don’t have what you want (and theres a pretty good chance they will - you’re right about their large stock of parts), they’ll be glad to order it. Great shop and great people!
