Building a new model railroad.

[rogertra]

As I've run out of right hand Atlas Super Track No. 6 switches, I think today is good time to take my old three stall Walthers roundhouse I used on the old GER and expand it into a six stall roundhouse  using a second kit I bought a couple of years ago with this project in mind.

First.  Using the Dremal and a cutoff disk, cut through the rail joiners that connect the rail glued to the roundhouse floor to the track that connects the roundhouse to the turntable pit.  That was painless!

Second, carefully remove the old roundhouse from it's module base that was used on the GER.  Yes, it had been screwed down and, of course, the scenery glue had crept under the roundhouse floor gluing it to the sub-roadbed.  Tricky but that's done.

Third.  Find the spare roundhouse kit.  Done that.

Forth.  Find glue to assemble new kit and modify and repair existing kit.  Ah, there's the bottle of Tenax plastic cement.  Damn!  The bottle has evaporated.  Ah well, there's always Plastruct Liquid cement.  Damn!  That evaporated as well.  No liquid cement anywhere to be found.

Nearest hobby store is a 40 minute drive away.  Look out window, it's pouring with rain.

Put old roundhouse safely on shelf.

Put un-assembled kit, still in it's box, back on shelf.

Open beer and fire up the DCC and bat a few cars around with the sound equipped 2-6-0.

[Jhanecker2]

Know the feeling .  I used to do plastic  models in my youth ,  packed away the equipment and models moved a couple of times and never got the models back out of the storage boxes .  Got into model railroads and had a lot of tools to work with but found out that I needed more .  Got around to building some of the things I needed to do a better job and with all things you end up doing , a lot of things sometimes have to be done before you get to doing the project you started .  But it is still a great deal of fun , you end up with more tools and get all kinds of new knowledge. J2.

[Doneldon]

J2-

Every project -- model railroading, putting in a new faucet, installing ceramic tile, changing a light fixture -- EVERY PROJECT -- worth doing should leave the doer with at least one new tool. What's the point of fixing, building or remodeling stuff if you can't add to your tool collection?

                                                                                                                                              -- D

[Desertdweller]

Gee, I like your thinking!

Les

[electrical whiz kid]

Last year, I got really ambitious and daring, and decided to build my twelve year-old Korber roundhouse.  This beauty came with the complimentary spare stalls, so I incorporated them into the mix. 
never being one to leave well enough alone, I just HAD to modify the kit with a humongous clestory running the complete radii.  Not only was that on the aqenda, but I had a really neat menage of Don Tichy's industrial wondows, so I gave them a find and designed them into it.
I don't know about the other roundhouses on the market, but this jewel is a monster!  Having the room to accommodate it is a blessing.   I "propped" up the 2X6 module to be used and temped out the buildings, including said RH.  It does seem to have some promise, so let's see what happens when it all goes together.
Rich

[rogertra]

Sounds promising Rich.

[captain1313]

Never met I tool I didn't like.

Kevin

[rogertra]

Work is progressing on expanding the Walthers roundhouse, saved from the previous GER, from three to five stalls.

Sadly though, the usually reliable Walthers 90 foot turntable has given up the ghost.  It was working fine until I decided to service it.  It hasn't worked since.  I've tried all the recommended fixes but nothing.  Walthers advise me to return the turntable and control box to them.  Hopefully, they will have more success.

[ryeguyisme]

Never met I tool I didn't like.

Kevin

In my generation, a tool is an individual who sells out

And Roger, I had the kit 90 footer and a builtup one which I never used and sold off, the kit's pit is just one big disappointment, I'm at least going to use the bridge to make a halfpit half above ground turntable so its not a total loss.

I also have a 140 footer (I think) bridge from a nice guy on the forum and called walthers for a pit to go with it, yanked the electronics out, wired it my own wayand for under $100 I had a decent manual turntable, I really don't care for the digital mod cons when it comes to turntables

[rogertra]

And Roger, I had the kit 90 footer and a builtup one which I never used and sold off

I also bought the kit and it's now free for the cost of postage as I never used it either.  Yes, the bridge looks great but the pit, what a disappointment.  But then again, I'm usually disappointed with Walthers kits as they are poorly designed, poorly made and do not go together easily.

Unfortunately, it's my 90 "Built Ups" table that is toast.  I'm sending it back to Walthers as per their instructions.

[Doneldon]

I'm usually disappointed with Walthers kits as they are poorly designed, poorly made and do not go together easily.

Roger-

Can you say more about this? I've been happy with Walthers products overall but maybe I should be alert for something. Thanx.
                                                                                                                                                                                           -- D

[rogertra]

I'm usually disappointed with Walthers kits as they are poorly designed, poorly made and do not go together easily.

Roger-

Can you say more about this? I've been happy with Walthers products overall but maybe I should be alert for something. Thanx.
                                                                                                                                                                                           -- D

All the Walthers kits I have ever purchased are poorly engineered.  They use simple butt joints, parts fit poorly, there are few or poorly designed locator tabs, no corner reinforcement (See butt joints above) etc., etc..  And these remarks apply equally to building kits as well as the few rolling stock kits I've purchased.

Over all, not impressed with the engineering quality.

[electrical whiz kid]

I have purchased a goodly amount of Walthers kits; all with the thought in mind of modification.  To me, I would not put my faith into plastic for any moving parts, I don't care who the manufacturer is;, unless we are talking about engineering quality plastic.  Simplex clock mechanisms make good turntable motors, as their gearing is about right-to me.  I am not comfortable with nylon gears, etc, but brass gears are a good design component.  I want something that is going to work admirably well, leave me alone, and not pulling the grass out of my squash and muttering some words I have never heard before...
Rich

[ryeguyisme]

My turntable moves using a 0-5-0 and has a eyeball indexing feature

[rogertra]

Progress to date.

From this May 19th 2012 photo showing benchwork completed: -



To this stage as of Thursday June 14th.



Yard trackage complete.  Now to work on the west end industrial area, behind the camera in the lower photo.

Roundhouse, in the far distance, will have to wait repairs to my 90 foot Walthers Build-Up turntable which has sadly died.  An electronics guy who does work for me maintaining my workplace electronic gear will look at it on Monday.