I am currently using Bachmann DCC Turnouts on my bench,   there is a area on my bench where I want to use the regular turnouts and was wondering if they are compatible with a total DCC operation.   Do they get all their power from the track for operation or do they have to be connected to a transformer as alot of traditional automatic switches need to be.

I know on my DCC Command unit there are no places to attach accesssories for power that I am aware of.   

Also, I read where the Bachmann No.44561  is a 18 in. radius turn and the No.44565 is larger.........is it a 22 in. radius does anyone know.

Thanks

Larry

For my waterfalls I use clear silicone caulking for tub and tile.   Running strips of it on a piece of waxed paper and then using a toothpick pull the toothpick thru the strands to kind of break them up a bit and pul the entire length of the fall.   I have found out the more strands you use and the thicker the water fall the finished result isn't as transparent and takes on a bit of a white effect.   Also If you prick the strands at the bottom of the fall you can make the splashing effect and some folks dry brush a bit of white paint on the water to get the white cap and foaming effect.

Larry

Good way of describing a helix  .......a slinky toy is a excellent way.

As others have explained, a nolix is basically stretching out a helix so there are more straight runs of track in the design.

I had started with a concept of a helix on my bench but didn't like it and started to stretch it out on the bench..........a friend of mine was the one who told me it was now a nolix.

Will try to figure out how to enlarge the pics before plosting on photo bucket.  As my bench progre4sses will be posting more pics.

If anyone wants me to send them a link to my album at picasson just email me and will send you one.     lwmlwm44@yahoo.com

Larry

Thanks Johnathan and Tim for your kind words................I know my bench is not of the quality of yours but am happy with it.    It has a long way to go yet.   This is my first attempt at building a permanent layout and at times I think I may have bit off a bit more than I can chew.    But I am having fun with it.    THe bench was built and re built a couple of times as I had to allow more width to handle the curves than I anticipated.   The nolix has been more than a headache..........................getting it to rise 26 in. from the bottom level to the top one.   Currrently I am at 9 in.......................yep still a lot to go.    I had hoped to use mostly flex trak but wasn't very good at laying it and had some derailment issues so switched to mostly Bachmann EZ track........................the long straight runs that are hidden in the mountains will be flex trak with the remaining track in view mostly EZ Trak.My rate of rise for the nolix varies from 1 in. for every 4 feet to 1 inch for every 3 feet........................so far my engines are all able to handle the incline pulling cars....................I haven't tried to pull a large no. of cars yet as I haven't gotten very many on hand.   Most of my old HO Cars have the hook couplers and the new DCC ones have the knuckle type\.   I have pulled 10 cars so far with the engines onthe incline with no troubles.......Am not really into long trains though so am happy being able to handle 10 cars.

I am wanting to keep some of the nolix in view......most modelers hide the helix or nolix in a mountain or elsewhere out of view.    But for the amount of work it is taking, I wanted it to be somewhat visible so went with the nolix concept rather a the traditional round helix style.   Besides I didn't have enough space in my area to hide a helix requiring at least a 22 in. radius circle.   My realestate is valuable and a bit limiited and doing this would have left not much room for straight runs and a yard.

Anyway, will see what I can do about enenlarging the pics they are to small to view properly I know. 


Take Care
Larry

Well I finally figured out how to add a link to my new photobucket account.

The problem is the pics are rather small and don't know how to make them any larger.   I tried to view them full size on my computer before adding them to the album but when I go to open them they are automatically added to the album, again as the smaller size.

If anyone has any tips please let me know...........somewhat new at computer stuff.    The pics are from my picasso web site album but not for sure how to link to that site from here............seems everyone here uses photobucket.

Regarding my bench..........it has beena long learning process.   The original concept for the nolix had to be abandoned as to the layout as it was more of a maze over the bench than what I had figured.   The new nolix plan eliminated most of the ramps so there is more of a open view of the bench rather than looking thru metal rods and ramps.  The pics of the nolix are of the beginning of the old method and was as far as I got before I realized it wasn't a good approach.  This has been removed and the new ramps are now installed on the right leg...........will be posting pics of this later.

Thanks

Larry

well i finally succeeded in getting the album posted so you can see it.


I have quite a few pics on picasso web site and these are mainly the highlights of the development of my small and not as fancy bench as most of you folks have.   But considering I have been viewing all you talented modelers out there I thought it was timely for me to post a few pics of my bench.   It is still in the development stape and am proud of what I have done so far..........it has been a long slow learning process as I have never attempted anything of this size or detail before.   Lot different than just putting some track up and running the train around the Christmas tree.

The layout when completed will have both dcc and dc incorporated on it all ho scale  the dcc is Bachmann ez command and track.   The engines are Athearn and Backmann and Proto 2000  A total of 8 DCC engines so fqr 5 diesel and 3 steam.   ALso are some old DC HO engines from the early 60s and 3 Marklin from the early 50s.   2 Eheim HO busses that run off overhead wires are also scheduled to be squeezed in somehow.


The DCC engines will run on both the lower and upper levels via a nolix.  The Marklin will reside in the center of the left leg and the regular DC HO will reside on the upper left leg.   There will be a DCC yard and round table and engine houses on the right leg and in the center lower bench will be a Marklin roundtable and 3 stall engine house ......not for sure where the buss will go yet.

one last time

Ok   think i figured it out had a 5 instead of a s   now lets see

This is a test to see if my photobucket album will post at the end of this message and if I got the link correct.

Great pics Ken    very nice modeling work by you and the hills and other scenery look grand

Larry

I see where Rusty gave his definition of a nolix.   I was told a nolix is nothing more than a helix that has been stretched out.  As a rule a helix is round shape going from a lower level to a higher one.a large spiral coil.

I have stretched the helix out so that ist is a series of ramps going from a lower level to a higher one.....some parts of it hidden in mountains and over half of it actually on view on the bench.  Some of my ramps run 12 feet long.  2 tracks running side by side for the trip up and the trip back down.

I had planned on building a traditional round helix design but came up with this shape and a friend of mine from FLorida informed me it was a nolix.

Larry

I have been using Clear liquid nails which seems to work good attaching the track to the vinyl road bed I added under the EZ Track which is also glued to the 2 in. pink foamboard base with liquid nails.

Larry

Well my layout, bench, pike or whatever folks like to call it is not as grand as most folks and not as large as I wish it could be but one has to restrain oneselves based on the space I have.


I have a extra bedroom at my house at the lake that is 13 ft 6 in by 3 ft 6 in square.
My bench is 2 levels and kind of a oval shape.  The lower bench runs 12 ft 2 in. along the back wall and 10 ft wide on the left side.   The right side is 9 ft 6 in wide since I had to make room for the entry door on that side.   The front of the bench is also 12 2 in. wide with a 28 in. opening to get thru to the center area where the control section is.   The control section is a somewhat tight squeeze and is about 30 in. wide x 30 in. deep.   

The upper bench width and side lengths are the same in the back as the lower bench but about 6 in. narrower at the front and along the inner sides where the control area is.

A nolix will connect the 2 levels together for the DCC Engines.   Currently I have 6 diesels and 3 steam.  The space between the 2 levels is 26 in. high.  The bottom bench sits about 2 feet above the floor.   Being a short person at 5 ft 6 I had to keep the height of the upper bench at a level where I could easily see all of it and also for access to the center areas.....still use a small footstool to stand on to reach the center of the benches.....hey I got short arms also.

The bottom bench is mainly DCC on the right leg and around the outer edges of the leg leg with my 57 year old Marklin HO on the remaineder of the left leg.

On the upper left bench will be my old DC HO engines from the early 1960's and part of the DCC this will all also run over the center section to the upper right leg.
I have a Eheim HO Bus that runs on overhead rails that needs to be merged into all this madness also on the top bench.


The majority of the bench will be a summer scene with the upper right bench being a winter scene   I plan on putting a turntable and yard on the right lower bench for the DCC and the same for my Marilin in the center area of the lower bench.

The majority of the track run is 2 tracks on the nolix with a small run  that has 3 tracks running side by side.   I havene't really figured out the entire track length yet but my closest guess for the DCC  lower bench is about 190 feet  which does not include the turntable and yard yet.

I am using mostly Bachmann EZ Track 28. 26 and 22 in radii with some Atlas flex track.....all track is code 100.   So far 3 Bachmann single crossover switches and 2 No. 6 switches....all DCC.

Progress has been slow but steady for the most part with a few rebuilds and redesign as I go along.   Putting in a nolix has been a challenge to say the least but it has been a worthwhile experience.   My grade is about 2 percent a 1 in rise for every 4 feet of track for the most part.

Larry

I was wondering what to use for a good snow effect on my bench and it looks like the sifted baking powder will do the trick.   Inexpensive also.
Inorder to make it stick to the bench better do you think using watered down while glue and spraying it would effect the color or texture of the baking powder or snow effect.   Also would help keep it in place and be able to build up snow mounds and keeping them in position.

Larry

Yep it is the 130 foot table............sorry about that my fingers hit the wrong keys.    I see in the instruction link you kindly furnished, that the table is completely wired to handle the reverse polarity so any extra wiring on my part will not be required.

I want to use the turntable to be able to move my 8 DCC engines to side tracks to park them when not being ran.......I don't know if I will have engine houses for all of them at this time.  With the option of the turntable I can run a engine clockwise or counterclockwise on my bench.   A few of my engines are over 12 in. lg so I need the 130 table as the 90 version can only handle engines a little under 13 in.   I know the tables require a lot of real estate and the area on my bench I have alloted for the turntable and a small yard is 34 in. wide by 6 ft lg. 

I had heard that the Walthers was completely wired to handle reverse polarity and the instructions confirms it.   

Thanks Rusty and HO Train Lover for you experiences and advice.


Appreciate all the help I can get from you more experienced modelers than myself.

Larry