My crossing dilemma

I like diamond crossings, especially in industrial settings. They look neat and I made sure to incorporate one into my track plan. I will rarely be used and I added it more for its visual appeal than its operational potential, but it did actually have to function properly. Below is what I came up with.

I use Gargraves track and Ross Custom Switches, and RCS does make a 22.5-degree crossing. Unfortunately, it is ugly! The center has a large metal diamond casting held down by screws instead of individual rails. You can see in the picture below (which admittedly is of the RCS double crossing, but the diamond in the middle is the exact same) that there is just no graceful way to scenic it. I wanted to model this track partially buried in the dirt and weeds and there was no way to do that with that big frog casting. 

I understand that it is hard to fit three rails crossing three more rails in such a small footprint, especially since the outer rails need to be isolated from the inner rails to prevent short circuits. And you can't have the center pick-up roller drop down into gaps or lose contact either. 

So I talked with Steve, the owner of RCS, about this. I asked him if it was possible to remove the frog casting and then use a milling machine to remove portions of it so that it was less visually bulky. He thought it might work. (Note: I would never try that on a mainline crossing but for some slow-speed industrial track it might work.) But I had another idea to try first.

Atlas O also sells a 22.5-degree crossing. With its scale profile rails, more open appearance in the middle area, and smaller ties it looks a lot more realistic too. I found a used one on Ebay at a great price so I bought it to experiment with. I want to see if I can get it to work with my Gargraves track. The ties are smaller and spaced closer together so it doesn't match the surrounding track. But it presented me with a challenge: could I transplant the Atlas crossing (rails/frogs) onto new ties that were spaced like the Gargraves track?

You can see the Atlas crossing in front and regular Gargraves track in the back.

When I received it I noticed it was heavily used. Or maybe worn. Various areas were ground away and appeared light gray, which washed off like a powder. Perhaps it is the residue from plastic wheels banging into it. Also, it is made of at least four materials: plastic (ties), nickel silver (outer rails), copper/bronze alloy (center "X" rail), and some grayish-silver metal (the outer "v" rails"). It seems odd to use so many different materials.

I started by trimming off every other tie with rail nippers, and then used a chisel blade to carve away any remaining spike detail. 

I attempted to remove every other tie between the rails but all that did was cause one rail to pop out of the molded spikes. This required me to stop and repair it with superglue, and after that I decided to live with them. Moving on, I used stripwood to bulk out the ends of the ties. They aren't perfect but it was the best I could do. 

When it came time to wire it, I saved myself some wire and installed jumpers on the two outside rails for two of the legs. That resulted in me having only four feeder wires (one outer rail on each side, one middle rail on each side) of the two closest approach tracks. 

With the crossing flipped back over, I glued some thin stripwood onto the jumper with superglue to hide them. You can see one of my faux ties below, as it is the first tie to the right of the crossing guardrails. In the future I will plan where filler ties will go and then install the feeder wires between them.

Was the effort worth it? I think so. It looks a lot better than the Gargraves crossing and there is a lot more opportunity to scenic it. But it is a work in progress and I won't really know until it is finished.

Wiring up the layout

Up until about 20 years ago most O scale layouts were wired up using block control and toggle switches, very similar to layouts in smaller scales. Then, Lionel released Train Master Command Control (TMCC) and MTH released Digital Command System (DCS) and things changed. Both of those systems (which aren't directly compatible) operate much like a DCC system in that it isn't necessary to divide a layout into isolated blocks.

However, there are still advantages for doing so which include the ability to cut power to certain track to shut off the sound effects of engines parked on them; the ability to run conventional and command engines on the same layout in different sections without conflicting power signals; electrical troubleshooting; etc. 

Most of this side of the layout will be one large electrical block all wired together because I doubt I could operate two or more trains on them at the same time. But, I did want the ability to kill power to various sections so that I could park several engines on the layout at once. So, each of the three sidings has its middle rail (hot) wired through a on/off toggle switch.

The main layout's bus wires are 14 gauge, and the track feeder wires are also 14 gauge. This is pretty robust wire and should be fine for such a small layout as mine. Per Lionel's own blog, they recommend 16g bus wires and 18g feeders wires which means my choices are a bit overkill. That is okay.

Using old flextrack is a real pain and requires a lot of finagling to assembly, frequently with a hammer. During the process the feeders I had attached to the underside of the rail would occasionally fall out. They snapped in once, but after that the rail spread enough that they wouldn't stay in after trying to jam them in multiple times. So, for a couple I also had to solder them in place from below. For others, I was more careful to to avoid unnecessary maneuvering of the track before attaching the wires. 

All the same, if I discover a break in power in the future I can just solder a wire to the outside of the rail.

To remember where I dropped feeder wires I marked the locations with some beads painted either red or black and pinned to the track. 

Then, I made a diagram of the layout to record this information on the off-chance that it might be useful someday. As can be seen I installed a LOT of feeders now, but I would prefer to avoid messing around under the layout in the future if there is a voltage drop. It doesn't show the isolated three sidings (in blue) because I haven't laid that track yet.

To join the feeders to the bus line I used 3M #560 insulation displacement connectors (IDC), otherwise known as "suitcase" connectors. Some people swear by them and others swear at them, but since I had a ton of them lying around I used them. I first confirmed on the 3M website that they were rated for 14 gauge wire on both sides.

The only complication is that because my mainline has multiple feeders to the same section of track there are places where the same rail is being fed from multiple connections to the bus wires. Normally this is a good thing, but with MTH's DCS system it can sometimes result in mixed-up signals. If you Google "MTH Star Wiring" you will find many pages online about it (including this one) and the solution around this is to make sure that each isolated section of track only has one set of feeders to it. 

At this time I am not concerned with potential MTH DCS wiring problems. I don't have any DCS engines, and even if I did my layout is so small that the signals shouldn't get too confused. If it later proves to be a problem in the future I can deal with it then. 

I do want the ability to use Lionel's Train Master Command Control so I will make sure that the inputs to my layout's wiring can be toggled for that, but I will discuss that more in the future.

The ends of the bus lines terminate at heavy duty, 20AMP block terminals. I found some 12-screw ones for less than $3 each on Amazon so I used them, though I doubt I will need all of those contacts. However, it gives me options for future wiring.

I also used caulk on the underside of the benchwork where the wires came through the plywood. This not only secured the wires further (in case Harrison wanted to yank them out) and it filled the hole up which would stop any glue mess from dripping down when I ballast the track later on.

Organized chaos

Flextrack; cork roadbed; several types of caulk; caulking gun; Dremel tool; soldering iron station; lots of wire; various hand tools; multiple types of ballast; a couple of structure projects; various industry mock-ups; spray paint; glues; markers; assorted weights (gallon container, containers filled with lead shot); paper track templates; etc.

I love track laying, but it sure gets messy fast!

First track laid!

It's official! On 12/21/2024 the first track on the New England Northern Railway was laid. 

I started off by first painting the cork roadbed with cheap flat gray latex paint so that any spots in the ballast later on wouldn't show up as brown. I don't really know if this helps because when I weather the track it will cover most the gray but it sounds good in theory.

Then, some like-new sections of Gargraves track were tested in place. To minimize cuts and gaps which require a bit more effort than trimming HO scale track, I worked from the edges of each section to the middle. I clamped a piece of black Gatorfoam to the edge of the layout and laid the track to that with just a tiny gap (to allow for any future expansion of the rails). My bandsaw and Dremel tool made quick work of cutting the track where necessary.

I quickly learned that Gargraves track is nearly impossible to bend if it isn't brand new. Even the slightest amount of oxidation will cause the wooden ties to bind on the rails. You can spray it with WD40 to loosen it up, but that will later cause havoc if you paint the track during weathering. Forcing the track to bend and then securing it every few inches with screws works, but I didn't want unsightly screws (and the 2" of foam would have required me to use 2.5" long deck screws to reach into the wooden table top under the foam). Since I am mostly working on straight track right now I am relying on heavy weights to hold it in place until the caulk cures.

Before I could glue the track down I had to also wire it up. While it is possible to solder electrical wires to the sides of the rails, one nifty trick is to use uninsulated male quick connect tabs and snap them into the underside of the Gargraves rails. I went with 14g wire for the feeders.

You also must drill holes in the cork for the wires to pass through before securing the track. It is a slightly fiddly process. 

Gargraves track's wooden ties insulates the outside two return/ground rails from each other. This is advantageous for signals and accessories, but to ensure good electrical contact for the trains you want to power both rails. One way to do this is to solder jumpers between the two outer rails parallel with the ties. I was too lazy to dig out my soldering iron so instead I just dropped extra feeders. It also will avoid problems later on if I want to use one of the outer rails for triggering signals or accessories, as cutting the buried hidden feeders is near impossible.

Once I dry fitted everything to make sure it worked, I applied a layer of clear caulk and attached one piece of track down. I then heavily weighted it so it wouldn't budge. I ran out of weights pretty quick so I could only do one section of track at a time, but over the course of a weekend I laid the main line. It was a huge inefficiency in time, but I found it helpful because I wasn't used to working with Gargraves track before and I had to remember where to add feeders wires so the slow process was helpful. If I switches to long deck screws and washers I could use them between the ties and speed things up, and later pull the screws.

One benchwork joint required some light shimming with 0.030" styrene, that I caulked down and then flooded with superglue for extra security. 

Three-rail switches have a lot of extra pieces of rail in the middle area, and their frogs are unpowered plastic. That means that when a locomotive is passing through a switch there are opportunities for it to stall out (especially the middle pick-up roller). Operating locomotives with middle pick-up rollers spread far apart avoids this. To address this potential problem, switches can be purchased from RCS with pre-wired jumpers to avoid stalling. Below is a pre-wired switch. 

To be safe, I wanted the inner point rails also powered but many of the used switches I bought didn't have the jumpers, so I had to add them myself. Not having suitable solid core wire on hand, I used pieces of code 100 nickel silver HO scale rail. You can see two of them below, as well as an extra feeder wire I added as well.

After one weekend I had the 12' of mainline laid in place and I could start working on the passing siding. I couldn't believe how slow my progress was and how much more effort it took than HO track. I was learning new skills and also hamstringing myself by using caulk instead of screws to secure the track. But it was enjoyable too and Harrison had fun pushing a test boxcar along the track.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful and blessed Christmas this year. Don't forget the reason for the season.

Luke 2, versus 1-20

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

            14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. 

Playing with Grandpa's Lionel (1987)

While going through some old pictures from my grandparents, I found this one. It has a lot of great memories for me. The train is probably a Lionel #1543 set which came with the Lehigh Valley #627 44-tonner engine (perhaps the start of my love for GE centercab switchers), a flat car with pipes, a gondola with red canisters, and a caboose. The sets were released around 1956, though I don't know what year my grandparents purchased them. They bought two sets, gave one to my Uncle, and gave the other to the neighbor's son who couldn't afford one. They were low cost sets. I don't know how much my Uncle used it, but whenever I visited my grandfather he pulled out the plywood board painted green with a simple loop of track and one remote control track and off I would go! 

My grandfather later purchased some additional cars, including a red M&SL boxcar and a US Air Force boxcar with missile firing mechanism. Oddly, there was also an unidentified HO engine which is shown on the flat car that I later learned was a "Sakai" brand engine.

The Guidancetown buildings were also a lot of fun to put together and take apart every visit. Also pictured are some other notable accessories: giant orange, purple and yellow alien creatures (I think they belonged to my other uncle); a stuffed animal dog and Boo Boo; and and American flag. Oh the adventures we all went on.

Sadly, almost everything on the table is now gone. The train disappeared after my grandfather passed away, likely by a visitor who thought it was worth a lot. None of my immediate family would have taken it as they all knew I loved it. I have faint hopes that someday it will turn up. The buildings and aliens are long gone, as are the stuffed animals. But, in 2018 when visiting I removed the track from the plywood board. It was as rusty as sixty year old track can be but I managed to save most of it. I cleaned it up and use it today under the Christmas tree. So, part of it lives on.

Train show bounty

Two recent train shows allowed me to purchase some supplies that I needed for future projects. 

At the Polish Community Center show, I bought a set of sitting passengers from Woodland Scenics (A2759) for my Atlas passenger station project. I wanted some people that weren't dressed like they came out of the 1950s, or something too modern either, so hopefully these will look more 1960s-1980s.

I am always on the lookout for scale size freight cars and two friends were selling ones that I wanted. A MTH RailKing boxcar is scale size but has molded on details like grab irons and such, but once weathered I think it will look fine. I thought it was Penn Central but actually it was New York Central, so I may try and patch it before weathering. The other car is a MTH car lettered for Ralston Purina and I bought it because I think the red/white checkerboard emblem is sharp. I am planning on putting an Agway on my layout so this car might be a good fit for that industry.

At the second show a couple of weeks later, the Great Train Extravaganza, I spotted a Hornby O scale passenger car for $5 that looked lonely. It joined a few other cars I purchased this past spring at a train show in Toronto. A friend of mine also had an old Weaver troop sleeper car that I desperately needed for the trucks so he brought it for me. The Weaver cars are notorious for warping and zinc rot on the wheels and frame but this one was surprisingly in okay shape. I considered myself lucky to acquire it.

No one had any new Gargraves track but for $20 I found a pile of used track that I can hopefully find a few decent pieces in. If not, there is always Springfield in January.

Harrison was not forgotten, and between my wife and I we purchased a Thomas bedtime story book, many wooden Brio-compatible trains (a lot of oddball characters and freight cars to be sure, as we have most of the "main characters" by now) and  $5 Marx crossing gate for his Lionel layout that he will happily manually push up and down.

The highlight of the show was that my friend also brought a set of 710/712 pre-war passenger cars especially for me. I cannot afford a standard gauge Blue Comet set, nor do I have the space to run it even if I did own one (though my wife suggested acquiring it and sticking it in a display case... bless her!) so these are the next best thing. They were made by Lionel between 1933 and 1934, so they are possibly 90 years old. They are in nice shape considering, but I plan to have another friend give them a good look over and clean and repair them. But that is a future project.

Finally, this last picture is a bit of a reunion of sorts. In 2010 I saw an FM Trainmaster painted for the Delaware and Hudson #100 and thought it was really sharp even though it wasn't prototypical. It was a Williams engine custom painted by Frank's Roundhouse. I soon wanted to buy one (despite being an N and HO scale modeler) and looked online for more information. An inquiry on the CTT magazine forum provided some information. In 2011 I purchased one on Ebay, but since I didn't have an O scale layout I gave it to a friend a couple of years later. Now I have a layout and wanted it back, so I made arrangements with my friend to reacquire it.

Some of my purchases were inexpensive, and some were not. However, I have been writing articles for publication in magazines which has provided me some extra train spending money. I am very thankful for that, as well as for a supporting wife who encourages my hobby splurging.

That's all for now, as Christmas is nearly here and there are other priorities. But so far it has been a good hobby show season!