For me atleast. Im an outdoors kind of guy, so you could assume that when Spring/Summer in New England rounds the corner, i put the trains on hold.
Here we are, October 6th. Although the suns out, and theres no clouds to be seen, Its only 51 degrees here.
Yesterday, i spent my sunday unpacking my trains, touching up the newest 2x4 N Scale layout, and making a list of items i will be needing when i head to the LHS.
As this is my 4th layout, this will be the first that i will be using DCC. I see it as more practical.
The list, goes something like this.
A DCC system, Digitrax? Bachmann? Im not sure…
Rail paint. Im looking for the old, rusty effect.
A Signal System, Atlas? Again, Im not sure.
A Car Card system. Ive tried a few different ways, i just cant seem to get things right.
It feels great to be back in the train world, as i do miss it over the summers.
If anyone can help me pick and choose the right things i need that are on my list, it will be greatly appreciated. [bow]
I choose my DCC system with what my friends and model railroaders use around me. That way, i can run my stuff on their layouts and vice versa. I chose the Digitrax super chief R but the NCE system would have been a close second.
I use two methods of painting rail. One, using a 00 brush I just paint the rails with floquil’s rail brown with a touch of grimy black in the paint. The other method is by using rattle can paint. i’ll paint the rails primer red, the track ties flat black, and then give it a hint of primer gray in random spots to tone it all down. (Be sure you have plenty of ventilation using the rattle can paints.)
My signalling system is a mixture of tortoise relay contacts for absolute signalling (I scratch build most of my targets from brass, leds, and styrene and for an ABS system I normally use train detection circuits made by DALLEE electronics. They are real easy to install, work with DC and DCC, and you can’t beat the price. The starter train detection circuits come with a D/C filter and three TDC’s for a little over $100.00. Oregon signals are also good target signals. I also have some Circuitron flasher circuits to drive flashing crossbuck highway flashers which work in conjunction with the dallee TDC’s.
I too use a car card system and as long as the cards travel with the trains with waybills they don’t get too messed up. The only problem i have with a car card system is if i return a car to the wrong siding in the yard and place the card in the wrong slot. a bit of care is needed to keep a car card system in order. I run a double main, so a time schedule really isn’t necessary unless i’m running opposing trains on the same track…chuck
I’m on the same schedule! And now its Fall! Time to get workin on the RR! My first order of business is to move most of my tools and workshop type things across the hall to a (now) vacant room which will become a dedicated workshop. I’ve wanted to do this for quite some time and the move is well underway. It’ll give me much more flexibility and free the layout room from undue clutter. Then…my “to do” list includes:
Backdrop painting
Fascia
Small layout expansion to provide room for a small town scene and, in another location, a quarry.
Structure building
Getting my act together as regards working out ops (paperwork, procedures etc.)
As usual I’ll work (and run trains!) steadily till about mid to late March when the outdoors begins to beckon once again. I’m glad its train season now. I’m ready.
Winter is ski season. We spend most of our weekends sliding down a frozen mountain with boards strapped to our feet. That doesn’t leave a lot of time for railroading. I get more done on rainy fall and spring weekends, or really hot summer days when I hide inside with the AC on.
I’d also rather do my spray painting and Dul-Cote-ing outdoors, so it doesn’t smell up the house. That’s not something I want to do with a foot of snow on the ground, temperatures in the teens and a howling wind.
Keith, As far as the DCC goes, I have a Prodigy Advance system & love it, but if I had to choose between Digitrax and Bachmann, there would be no choice - DIGITRAX!!! The original Bachmann system was poor in more respects than space here allows!! Two different friends had it & dumped it!! I don’t have experience with the new Bachmann system, but the control layout seems awkward, and it’s so different than most of the other systems that I doubt it will “catch on” as well as the others, Digitrax, Prodigy, NCE, etc.
Rail paint - you could use any brand of the standard RR paints, Floquil, Poly S, Accucolor, etc, but my choice is the new colors that come in a magic marker pen - Floquil I believe - mine are packed away. Much easier to control than a brush (especially with 66 year old hands!) and not as messy as trying to control an air brush!
Although I have no signaling system on my present 4x8 (seems silly to me) when I move next year, Atlas is the one I’m planning on.
Car cards - again not using and not likely to in forseable future.
This is why i love this place, i get helped so much. Thankyou guys.
So ive heard that the Digitrax Zephyr is a great system, for a GREAT price.
Ivanhen - A buddy of mine told me as well today, that even the new bachmann DCC isnt worth the price, in his exact words, “save 50 extra bucks, and purchase the good ol’ zephyr”.
As for the rail paint, do you all paint the rails, and then sand the tops of the rails?
Signalling, ill be using the Atlas system. Decent price, great reviews.
Car cards - Just might not be a neccesity at the time, especially on a 2x4.
I appreciate you all helping me, and again, thankyou. [bow]
Welcome back Keith! I’m a Digitrax user myself (super chief) but NCE is also very good. I’d find out what most of the other modelers in your area are using (Digitrax or NCE) and go with that, so you can call somebody local for tech advice if you need to.
As for painting the rails - I’d try to avoid getting paint on the top surface, and if you do, use something soft but firm to rub off the unwanted paint, like maybe a piece of cork roadbed. You do NOT want to use sandpaper - that will put big scratches on your rail surface and make it alot harder to keep clean.
Since I’m modeling the B&O [and its “grandchild”, CSX] I’m using Tomar color position light signals. Not cheap, but they’re the best-looking CPLs I’ve ever seen in HO scale. I’ll probably control them manually in the beginning, using stationary decoders. I’m not quite ready to tackle train detection technology just yet…
