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Post by BAZman on Feb 21, 2024 2:12:43 GMT -5
or x-acto blade. Watch out for very tiny components nearby.
Scrape some off (one or other or a little of both sides)>
Test if you are getting close by holding one corner of the board into the slot.
The board has to to go in all the way (the back of the board will have chassis standoff with a notch.
MAKE SURE THE DECODER MOTOR TAB(S) ARE NOT TOUCHING THE FRAME. There is insulation but loose. If you have a Meter (e.g. DVM with Ohms measure, put one lead to the frame and the other to the copper motor tab (top of board). Should not read anything).
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Post by BAZman on Feb 21, 2024 1:57:59 GMT -5
NO !!! You can NOT 'sculpt' . You can only put into mold or hand 'shape it (for a while). Dries SLOW. And just blob looking, like the expanding foam, a field of pea-size soft 'sorta-smooth' or lots of pointy peaks from where you took your finger/gloves away. A box cutter will try to slice in to it.
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Post by BAZman on Feb 20, 2024 12:30:14 GMT -5
I was thinking of just posting (mainly of ) AZL products that could help adapt to a road specific, additional details, etc. As long as the key words are included, it would be easy for one to seek. Links, of course, helps.
Many post about their desired roads that will never be made, with low resolution images. So this might make easier?
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Post by BAZman on Feb 19, 2024 13:13:10 GMT -5
I receive several magazine that have ads or reviews of new locos (and else). I find kind of exciting knowing history, usage, upgrades and details. This also helps people with vision issues too.
This month’s Model Railroad News (Jan 2024, Issue 1) has Hi rez SD40-2 pix.
Red GE U25B on front cover. Page 70 for Athearn.
So if you subscribe to any magazines that post or better yet, reviews that include multiple angles and closeups, post hem here.
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Post by BAZman on Feb 18, 2024 13:14:25 GMT -5
Great! Now I go all around the layout to pick up all the derelict trailers abandoned over the last 20 years !
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Post by BAZman on Feb 12, 2024 15:34:13 GMT -5
The model RR world is stuck on the HO Woodland Scenics molds. The smaller ‘chips’ on the molds are our size. In California, we have Bragdon Enterprise. www.bragdonent.com/100’s of latex molds but yes, not many can be used for Z and usually cutting off pieces off/out of one. BUT ! -> You <- can make your of your own with Hobby/Model/Art Shop liquid Latex. Find a rock formation you like and brush the latex on. It takes a few coats. Do not use Plaster as it is harder to sculpt and heavier than Hydro Cal. Paper Mache is another product but do not recommend! It is a fiber media that takes a LONG time to dry ( so warm days, lots of fans and thin layers) and near impossible to carve. It can also mold while drying, usually from outdoor water, humidity. You will still need to build up the terrain to support and the attach the castings. Once on, you can fill the gaps with hardware store hole path products, most in a small tub and ‘tooth paste’ tube. Use *only* Water color ‘paints’, *not* Acrylic that you easily in every store. Why? With water based, the ‘stain’ the castings, so you easily increase the density/overlap in various and even let the thinned ‘paint’ to gravity flow down and puddle like real world. With acrylics, you seal the surface so its really difficult to blend to natural. Remember to download the FREE Trainini magazine that has a Worldly image of great details for ideas. And Continental Modeler published by Peco. YouTube has Soooo many How-To’s. Here is an image of Torsja Moskaug’s ‘Needle Eye’ c.2004 with chiseled plaster: www.platelayer.com/bilder/zweekend2018web/These types of rock formations are commonly carved out of home construction foam (pink/blue) with a hot-wire and *sharp* Xacto blades although when I visited, Torsja was using small Tack hammer & Chisle’ like Michelengelo. This led to Jürg Rüedi to contract John Cubbin of US Z scale for Jürg to photo dozens of early AZL brass locos: zscalegallery.com.
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Post by BAZman on Feb 7, 2024 13:04:55 GMT -5
So you are NOT using DCC. Whice power are you using? Märklin You mention märklin rails (track) an feeder, that makes no difference.
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Post by BAZman on Feb 6, 2024 13:42:09 GMT -5
***AND*** make sure you pick the ENTIRE loco up INLINE (together) as that Universal drive shaft snap EASILY.
Don Fedjur has weights for both shells for very noticeable traction but I implore you to bide by David’s advise - don’t take it apart (until you have sacrificed 1 completely. donfedjur@aol.com
*note: he services them. But also has a job so and people before you so give a couple of weeks.
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Post by BAZman on Jan 30, 2024 18:07:53 GMT -5
Not really. All three axles are mounted to a horizontal "bearing" (hole in pickup strip). The axle is shear (not pointed) so rides straight through the pickup strip. The holes are slightly larger but perceivable. This is purposeful in maintaining traction, overall. If the holes were precise, there could be random stalling due to 'crowning'. This occurs when the middle axle lifts up between the outer axles when going over track that is not straight flat, like rail joints, points and frogs, etc. so even without a flange, it could still provide traction. However, there is no gear linkage to turn it. While a 3-axle design, it is only 2-axle driven.
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Post by BAZman on Jan 30, 2024 13:25:00 GMT -5
Either.
Digitrax is 2-Function (F0 Forward Light and F1 for Rear light)
TCS AZL4 is 4-Function (F0 Forward Light and F1 for Rear light) and F2 & F3. These 2 need wires to what ever you want to control, typically the 2 front Ditch Lights (for the appropriate loco) or maybe a beacon on top, etc.
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Post by BAZman on Jan 29, 2024 23:51:40 GMT -5
The märklin might be solved by lower inside plates, ala Peco, that as a slot behind the rail.
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Post by BAZman on Jan 28, 2024 13:45:41 GMT -5
Update: **** Note **** Under the Points, there is a *thin* plastic cap holding the Points together. (This pop’s out fairly easy, but can be pressed back in, after aligning the pieces) There is a barely perceivable shiny wire that is sorta bent over, just barely.It’ spring metal so does not bend, if you were thinking about it. And don’t try nipping with you rail nippers or it never stay together.
You must make a clearance pocket for were the Points assembly would go. Leave a solid surface under the rail where the Throw rod goes under to help keep ‘push-pulling’ aligned. And pocket out side the Switch where you mechanism is going to go.
I have talked with Atlas over the past couple of years about an Switch mechanism. They are looking into it. It would likely be their 2715 N version, like märklin.
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Post by BAZman on Jan 28, 2024 12:59:11 GMT -5
What’s the point of doing it? From side, you see the “same” wheel (less the flange, course). You won’t see it unless you are looking at on a shelf layout 5” away.
First you have to get a truck to get the geared axle. Electrical pick is the ‘same’
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Post by BAZman on Jan 27, 2024 13:29:55 GMT -5
The Atlas points move very little and are fragile, built with pop-off parts. The 206S (or 222-S same with adapters) move o.135” (3.5mm). WAY TOO FAR. You need Z-tension spring to collapse more. The Switch has an ‘over-center’ spring built-in so just a touch is all it takes (just like the märklin Atlas N whereas the CH significantly more.
The hole in the Switch Throw ‘rod’ is o.010, smaller than CH downward post so you will have to ream it open more. Make SURE you do not slide the Switch while modeling as the ends of their ‘over-center’ spring’s ends protrude just enough to pop them apart.
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Post by BAZman on Jan 25, 2024 13:46:59 GMT -5
Awesome! Great idea. Long time ago, König in Germany was CNC’ing just what you are doing (along with the spikes!) 🤪
I guess that one rail side is continuous under the rail and the opposite rail is just open gaps? (Can we see the underside?) If you make one rail with no connections between the spikes, that would make perception of well use, low maintenance rail line.
How flexible? The look of a low maintained route or 195-270mm?
Could you print the spices ‘over’ the rail foot on the visible side (opposite side no spike) so you could just slide inward press the rail? (I would think spikes not strong enough).
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