The Home Machinist!

Kudos Charlie, I have always been a big fan of the earlier "Arch on Top" truck. Looks really awesome.
JP

I always kinda liked "North west Frontier" AKA Flame Over India. That and Von Ryans Express are the best.

How are the prototypes set up?
JP

Why have the signals at all if you are sectioning.... The signals are there to prevent three things, front end collisions and rear end collisions and derailments from too much speed in a route change. So I have to ask, if you not going to stop at a red signal for the occupied block in front of you, ...

Yep, The poles are larger than you think. they are 2" scale 30' poles (60 inch) and 40' poles (80 inch) this makes it high enough not to be a tripping hazzard, its about waist high. I got a lot of push back when these telegraph poles were originally assembled. Some people just can't help but te...

Moving the signals... At EP on our legacy track warrant system we put cat 5 and 14awg 120vac in conduit. This has worked for several years. We have done some direct burrial but the rodents never seem to read the varmint resistent ratings on the cable. For the new ABS block I am planning on running a...

I have a 5 gallon bucket of the Mobile 600. Never had any success getting any kind of composition information, specifically tallow content. I am sure the oil is heavy enough but would like to know if it really has all the other stuff that is needed for live steam service. Just because it is steam ra...

RKC Yes, these run of the mill ice cube relays. About $20 each for the base and relay... not cheap but that's the cost of standard din rail mounted industrial components these days. Following industrial practice the relays and bases are standard and easily replaced when broken. I like this stuff cau...

Another question for the professionals.... In my neighborhood (Augusta, Ga) I have seen several mainline CSXT signal heads that have 4 lights; Green Amber Blue and Red. The lunar is used few and far between but when it is, it is used to indicate a main line switch (with throw detector) to an industr...

John, could you enlighten us as to what relays you are using? Rkc, The relays are nothing special DPDT from Mcmaster. You can use singles, but for what they cost you can buy the doubles. I am trying to build my system using only electric parts (relays, lights and resistors) similar to the prototype...

Well, my next question to the pro crews is: If sectioning is scheduling thing (1 logical train, but broken up into 1 or more physical trains), Does dispatch routinely allow more than one train in between the head blocks? I mean, what would be the point? All you would end up doing is stacking up and ...

Sure it is. Most mainline signals are permissive, which definitely makes it within the realm of possibility that two trains could simultaneously be in the same block. The permissive concept is intended to keep trains moving. Blocks signals are not anything like highway traffic signals and don't tel...