’20s & ’30s Win Big at the National Train Show

The ’20s & ’30s display at the National Train Show in Anaheim this weekend is a roaring success. Set-up went smoothly and although there were some problems with radio-control interference, they were easily solved once we and the others figured out how to work on different frequencies. The new curtains look great thanks to Linda, Mike and Rich.

On Saturday morning, our club was awarded First Place in the modular model railroad group category. My Las Palmas module earned Best of Show in the modular model railroad individual category. Dave and Lucy had pizzas delivered for lunch — perfect!

Visitors were very appreciative of our efforts. We received many compliments from both NMRA members attending the convention in a nearby hotel as well as the public.

Thanks to the hard work of all the club members (and many of their spouses and family) we’re having a great time!

Charley

It’s curtains for the club!

Mike and Linda, his new wife, have graciously searched out the material and sewed it into new curtains to hide the legs of our modules. Rich has taken them to a firm for fireproofing. We’ll see them in use for the first time at the NMRA National Train Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on July 18-20. Thanks to all for helping make the club display look first class.

Charley

MODULE PROGRESS

I’m plodding along. Leslie has finally graduated from USC and now I have more time to “play”. I’ve resumed the ground cover and hope to have more overhead wire hung in time for the Anaheim show. I enjoyed the article in “Railmodel Journal” , May 2008 issue. I sent a correction on the size of the module and the fact that all the travkwork was hand laid, not by Richard Orr. Anyway, it was quite an honor to be included in the magazine.

David McCanne

Wig wags on the club “city” corner are working again

After much fiddling and monkeying around with a model airplane linkage and homemade bell crank, I’ve gotten the wig wags swinging like they’re supposed to. The signals (with the dummy control box at the base deleted) and the motor drive unit are from American Limited kits while the detector units are infra-red IRDOT circuits from Micro-Mark. A tiny spring inside the wig wag signal head pulls the target away from the pole. A piece of black thread attached to the top of the target shaft runs over to the pole and down inside it. Under the layout, the thread makes a ninety-degree turn and connects to a bell crank. A rod transmits back-and-forth movement to the bell crank from a lever that follows an eccentric cam rotated by an electric motor. When the detectors tell the wig wags to shut off, a circuit in the drive unit keeps the motor powered until the targets are hanging straight down as if by gravity.

Charley

More publicity for the modules

The magazine has an eight page article on street trackage with several pages showing the modules of Dave McCanne and myself along with some how-to information written by George Huckaby and me. Also mentioned is that we expect to set up at the National Train Show in Anaheim this July (the magazine went to press before we received confirmation).

So screw it, let’s build

That’s from a recent ad from Harley-Davidson except that I changed the last word from “ride” to “build.”

Here’s the full text:

“Over the last 105 years in the saddle, I’ve seen my share of conflict in the world, but every time this country has come out stronger than before. Because chrome and asphalt put distance between me and whatever the world can throw at me. Freedom and wind outlast hard times. And the rumble of my engine drowns out all the spin on the evening news. If 105 years have proved one thing, it’s that fear sucks and it doesn’t last long. So screw it, let’s ride.”

The idea is the same, though. We can escape from the horrible things going on in the world — at least for a little while — by working on our railroads.

I made some progress this weekend. For details, see the updates to “Charley’s module…” and “Club module…” posts farther down.

1930s images for reference

For the past several years, I’ve been swiping photos and documents off the internet that relate to the time (1939) and locale (greater Los Angeles, California) of my Las Palmas module. Those items also include mass-produced or published items that reasonably could have been in L.A. at the time, such as motor vehicles, magazines and pop culture items. I’ve amassed several hundred, perhaps over a thousand, such images that I’m willing to share for your personal use. Want to know what the cover of Superman comic #1 looks like? How about a 1936 tow truck…or a traffic signal…or a crew loading automobiles into a double-door auto box car? Maybe a Pacific Electric 1506 steam loco? Perhaps the most useful ones are signs from the era such as Crosley Radio, Pabst Beer, Packard automobiles, and everyday street signs like “Dead End” and “School Zone.” If you’re a ’20s & ’30s member, send me an email. If you’re not a member, leave a comment with your request for one or two items and I’ll post them here for you and others to enjoy. Here’s a 1939 safety poster.

Charley

modular dcc with three pwr sections

GEO KING, JOE MARTINEZ, MEL JOHNSON have setup and run a three pwr section DCC array at Mel’s house. It seemed to power up ok. Using a device that Joe made, the track peak to peak voltage was found to be not the same for the three sections. Adjustments were made to set the voltages equal and at 16 V. Setup cables are now completed and we are GOOD TO GO for the big show. JOE invented a simple circuit board device to make cable assembly to the Digitrak connectors very easy-it’s neat. Mel has made a simple four pin connector-loco drawbar device to finish the installation of a sound system in one of Rich’s locos. The loco is now being wired. Mel’s modules are in the process of repair and general cleanup (which they need).

Mel

Chuck and Dale’s module progress

Our “Darby, PA” modules are in need of serious work. In fact, I’m advocating to dad that they be totally rebuilt. After all, we already have the expensive stuff (turnouts and switch machines). Also, while we don’t have DCC (yet!), adding the capability for full-module DCC is a no-sweat mod. The modules will be exactly the same, except they will have flat, straight (non-drooping) trackwork. Also, the hill to the lumber yard and coal distributor will be less steep. I think it’s safe to say that these modules will not be ready to display by the National Train Show, but one never knows….Keep on chuffin’

Dale

City corner module progress

May 18: I made some progress this weekend. I repaired a broken wire in the wig-wag circuit to get the detector/motor functioning again. Each of the wig-wag signals has a broken thread inside them so the next step will be to take them apart and replace the threads. At the hotel Mel built I’ve added a guard rail around the parking lot, repaired broken fire escape platforms on the rear and started a walkway along the river side. When finished, the hotel’s “door to nowhere” will have a narrow passage cantilevered out over the river that will lead to back of the building.

March 28: My primary task for the corner is to get the wig-wag crossing signals functioning reliably again. After that, there are plenty of scenery repairs to make and details to add. I’ll probably follow Peter’s suggestion to add a window on the blank wall side of the Packard dealer’s showroom so visitors can see in better. As for actual work, I haven’t done anything since our set-up in March.

Charley