My Problem Child .........


goscrewyourselves

goscrewyourselves

I'm the one
This is the "Test Track" I had put together ages ago while I was trying to work out my (then) new Layout Track Plan ... this is what I am now trying to consider with my new Track Plan ... whether to rip it up OR incorporate it in the "new":

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So, just to confuse things a bit more - until I decide what I am going to do - I'm going to maintain my interest by continuing the work on this on the off chance I do/can incorporate it into the new - make sense? No, oh well - that's what makes life interesting :)

By the way, that is what was buried beneath all of this an hour ago:

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So @Lynnb am I now moving fast enough? :)
 
Well, after much consideration I really don't have a choice. As much as I would like to retain this "section" of track work and scenery, I'm afraid it has to go, and for one very good reason - wiring!

This was suppose to be nothing more than a test track - something to keep me occupied while I was figuring out my (then) new layout so it was wired for DC and not for DCC. There are only 3 or 4 feeders providing power to the trackwork as it stands. For DCC, I run feeders to each and every section of track work (length of Flex Track) to ensure connectivity. The thought of having to drill through 4 layers of foam, one layer of ply wood, X amount of plaster doesn't really thrill me all that much. In short - I will be starting from scratch, start anew so it is back to the Design Board and try to come up with a decent, interesting and challenging track plan.

PS: @Rico - Your mum says HI! 😁
 
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Good choice.

To be quite frank there really wasn't much there as far as complexity. The scenery wasn't finished, the track was simple, buildings can be moved to a new/revised/enhanced scene. Having had bad experiences with clubs that tried to recycle sections of older layouts, I am very leery of trying to recycle layout sections that are not completely bulletproof and absolutely essential to the new design. If you are spending more time figuring out how to incorporate or worrying about incorporating an old layout section than it would take to rebuild it, probably don't need to recycle it.
 
@migalyto

That is now the plan mate - start from scratch. All I have to do is work out a decent, interesting track plan. The two I have up in my "The Next Layout" thread are a start but I think I need to add to them for more interest and challenges. Not sure about anyone else, but I take into account the scenery when I design a layout trying to imagine where the towns will go, how hey will go, hills, rivers, lakes roads etc - it all goes into the design stage for me so it tends to take me awhile to get anything down :)
 
wombat457 said:
@migalyto

That is now the plan mate - start from scratch. All I have to do is work out a decent, interesting track plan. The two I have up in my "The Next Layout" thread are a start but I think I need to add to them for more interest and challenges. Not sure about anyone else, but I take into account the scenery when I design a layout trying to imagine where the towns will go, how hey will go, hills, rivers, lakes roads etc - it all goes into the design stage for me so it tends to take me awhile to get anything down :)
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I can't remember which design program it is, possibly Anyrail ( someone will correct me if I'm wrong) that will allow you to add 3d tunnels, elevations, buildings etc. to the plan and get an idea of how your layout will look and operate, might be worth a punt at any rate.
 
Smudge617 said:
I can't remember which design program it is, possibly Anyrail ( someone will correct me if I'm wrong) that will allow you to add 3d tunnels, elevations, buildings etc. to the plan and get an idea of how your layout will look and operate, might be worth a punt at any rate.
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Sorry mate - I use a thing called SCARM and it does allow me to do all those things, for example:

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Patrick said:
Interested in seeing what you come up with! But agree with starting over.
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Starting over is the plan due to this being built for DC and NOT DCC.
 
@Smudge617 - I tried Any rail as well but went back to SCARM. While it (SCARM) may not be the most advanced or technical of programs, it works well enough to give you a usable plan. That being said, you DO need the paid version unfortunately as the "free version" restricts you to a set number of pieces.

Anyway, what I meant to say was, what problems were having with it, maybe I can help?
 
Well, my "Problem Child" really has become a "Problem Child......." in a way I never thought of.

I use a CMX Car to clean my track and figured I should probably give the track a clean, not that it needed it per se but just to "shock it back into full life". So, I load up the CMX with Acetone (yes you can use acetone to clean track with and in a CMX Car), got out my old reliable F7, attached the CMX and ran the combo as slow as I could to ensuring forward momentum. I watched as it did a full lap of the out side track, my main priority, to make sure it didn't snag at the points (turnouts) and then let it run. Normally I'll make it do 3 or 4 laps, then take it off.

So - last week my wife (Toot) and I had to put my MIL into a nursing home - long story and doesn't matter where this is concerned other than to say, the home called us this afternoon and I got side tracked trying to figure out the issues with my mil and the home; subsequently, forgetting all about my track cleaning. It was only a few minutes ago that I remembered and checked on how things were going.

To my horror F7 and CMX had stopped on a turnout but my DC Controller was still showing it was being powered to run ....... ooops! I took a close look at the F7 and the CMX to discover the CMX had run out of fluid and the cleaning pad had become dry, apparently heated up and - yep - melted on and into the turn out while trying to cross it.

So, I now have to do one of two things - try to clean out the turn so the wheel guides are not clogged so as a train will pass through it properly OR, wait for it ...................... replace the turnout - hmm decisions decisions.

Add this to the camera order debacle and I am NOT having a very good day :oops:
 
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