I have one of the 800 Watt APC battery backups on each computer. Lasts about 30 min if I am on the computers and a couple of hours if I am not. I have them connected to the computers and programmed to shut down the computers after 30 min of inactivity when running on the batteries. This way the computers will shut down normally and not damage anything.
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Why do they call it "Common Sense" when it is so rare?
Ron,
Here are some pictures of the train layout. Like I said it is just getting started.
Here is the whole layout from the doorway of the room. It is 8' x 4' the layout is in "N" scale (160:1)
This is an up close picture of the locomotive I bought. It is a 2-8-2 replica of the Mikado heavy hauler used in the US plains for many years.
I built a drawer to house the controls and the master power switch I talked about. I built the front of the drawer to swing open to make it easier to operate the controls when seated.
I also took a quick video of 1 lap using my camera, but it is not good at taking videos. The microphone really amplified the buzzing noise the loco makes. It really does not sound this loud in there. Actual running speed I intend to be at about 1/2 of this speed. It is going so fast, you can not really make out the motion in the wheels.
As you can see, I still need to do the trim work on the bench, but I am leaving that till later as I may find I want to use the scenery to trim out the wood, instead of making it look encased. I am undecided on that one still.
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Why do they call it "Common Sense" when it is so rare?
Last edited by Joe Wicked; 02-16-2009 at 12:06 PM..
That is going to be a very nice layout. What are you using under the tracks to simulate the gravel? I like the hinged drawer to hide the control panel. Are you going to have scale model cities and trees?
The track has the gravel attached. It didn't come out as well as I thought it would in the pictures, but if you look closely at the locomotive picture you will see that the main bit is a gray with specks of black, white and some clear ones that kinda sparkle in the light. They also make the same thing in individual "rocks" that can be used to fill areas All the power and switching tracks have the little humps (you can see it in the loco pic as well) for running the wires. I elected to not use them and route the wiring under the table. I plan on shaving that part down and filling it with the rocks. I will wait until my finishing touches for that as I don't want to waste it by knocking it around.
As far as scenery, I plan on putting a few more buildings around the small train yard in front (Engine Garage, refuel/rewatering station, etc...). Just behind the train yard area will be an industrial area with a factory, some warehouses, and maybe start the residential area. Just behind where the train yard first starts the center loop area, will be a "downtown" with more residential behind that. Off to the right, it will be open countryside. My wife is planning on building a ranch taking up the right front corner. The back will have either some hills with tunnels or maybe the start of a mountain, that is just cut off at the edge of the layout. Undecided on that as well. I think a large hill that the train enters a tunnel and maybe a small farm that is actually on top of the hill above the tunnel, but I am not sure again. Other than the general plan for the large areas, I am not planning anything. I am letting this come together as it comes together. I wanted at least 2 loops before 1 lap was completed, and I pretty much have that. I played with track layout for 3 weeks before I settled on this. Pretty much a project that is more it feels right, right now. Not modeling anything specific, and there will be things that don't match (cars, buildings, wrong era for locomotives, etc...) but I am just doing what I like. I figure this will not be "done" for a few years.
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Why do they call it "Common Sense" when it is so rare?
It is looking good to me and I was wondering if you would use the back by the wall for some mountains and tunnels. Now you have me interested in going to the hobby shop and see what kind of layouts they have here as I have a garage that is mostly empty.
It can get expensive real quick Ron. I decided on today's quality leader for track. The brand is KATO, out of Japan. At first glance it looks to be the same as the Bachmann EZTrack system, but there are tons of differences. First the connectors are removable, there are many different radius curves available (there are 3 different radius curves in my layout, 9 3/4" 11" 18") . The "gravel" looks real where as the Bachmann does not. In the track and 3 switches for the train yard area, I have about $350 in it. The Loco cost $150 and I spent about $30-50 on building supplies. We have a local discount store for model trains and so far everything I find there is cheaper than what I can order online. There are a few things they do not carry though, so I will have to order some things I want.
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Why do they call it "Common Sense" when it is so rare?
Those aren't bad prices at all for what you have. It talked to a guy here yesterday that has a small HO Gage setup and he said he gave over $300 dollars for a steam engine like they used to use over the Grapevine. Every hobby can get expensive quickly. I would like to collect 40 pound Gold bars but can't afford to.
The low hills around the lake have about 1 to two feet of snow. We never received any here at the house as I am about 100' lower than the hills. But it is still raining this morning and is supposed to rain until around noon and then start clearing off. I have to take the dogs in for their teeth cleaning this morning and of course the rain will probably quit while I am on my way home. This is the most rain and snow we have had in the past two years.
Going to a busy one today. High winds blew shingles off many roofs around here again last night. Looks like this house is missing about a half square or so.
Today was their first time and they are 2 years old. Sweetheart was 2 on the 13th of this month and Frenchy was 2 on December 10th. And their teeth weren't bad at all. Just a very little stain showing. It rained hard all the way up there and back and now that I am home the sun is trying to come out and the weather just said this storm is moving East and the next few days will be sunny. But we did get a lot of rain and the mountains got some good snow so that is gong to help.
Joe
Lookin good. Wish I had all my American Flyer Trains that I had when I was a kid. Price of the nice steam engine I had (liquid smoke) is now about $600. When I was in my 20's, I gave all the train stuff to my older sisters kids. Stuff is long gone.
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Warren
'Liberals are maggots upon the life of this planet and need to get off at the next rotation.' (Jamo 2008)
Ron,
I am surprised at the prices of the local store. Even the discount online stores are more than this place. Average price is around 65-70% of retail prices.
Warren,
I have never had the pleasure of the American Flier Trains, but I have heard that they were the peak of quality in their day.
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Why do they call it "Common Sense" when it is so rare?
Was your American Flier a two track or did it have the middle rail? I had one that just had the two tracks but it wasn't a long layout. I asked my cousin if he still had any of his and he said no, he had given it away a long time ago. Man, if we just had the toys that we gave away and couldn't wait to get rid of back then, none of us would be in trouble.
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