Nucor

[Glorious NSE]

Quick update, with a big thanks to Mel from our group, we got the track for the main and yard in today. I've also mocked up the main buildings (using the Walthers parts as templates) - partly for effect, partly so we can look at whether the operators can reach when it's up...need to get some wiring in next!

[Glorious NSE]

Less than a week to go, of the 4 boards that need wiring, two are complete and tested, the other two have their droppers in but I need to dismantle them to add the bus wires (don't fancy doing that upside down!) - Hopefully I can get enough space to do that tomorrow, then re-assemble and test...

Think i'm going to make it!

[Glorious NSE]

Wired. Tested. Works.

I've used suitcase connectors to join the droppers to the bus for the first time, I think they will work out okay but can always replace by a soldered joint if needed...

I did a bit of work on the mockup of the works so there will be something to see at Christow, and also so I can hopefully transport it without trashing it! 

[Allegheny1600]

Hi Martyn,

I like suitcase connectors, I think the trick is to make sure the dropper wires and the main bus are roughly the same size so there is the same "bite". I do this by folding over the dropper wires several times and it seems good so far.

However, this is for my static layout, not a transportable one, I must admit.

Cheers,

John

[Glorious NSE]

It all seemed to work fairly well at Christow, and it gave a nice opportunity to talk through how best to use it with other guys from the group, either at modular meets, or maybe even occasionally in combination with a couple of our other modules at a show.

I've also had the offer of hand-building the leads into the works in situ by Ian from our group, the upshot of that is that I should be able to get a much better flow of the tracks approaching the building, and I think some impressively complicated trackwork too.

So here's the mockup drawn this evening of what that should look like....



Christow also gave me the chance to try out how it fits in the car, with a view to seeing if I can extend the interchange yard (capacity of the works at present is about 16 cars, capacity of the yard supporting it is only about 13!) - whilst an extra pair of 3' boards would fit in the car, not much else would!

Current thoughts are that I might be able to fit in a pair of 18" long boards which could box up quite small, they would bolt together to become an extra 3' of yard, that would take the capacity up to about 25 cars, which is probably in the ballpark of where it needs to be.

[Glorious NSE]

Updates - Ian did a great job on the lead trackwork, I got the board back a bit over a month ago with it all installed...since then, point motors have been installed and wired, for the moment they are wired to switches on the boards - a little like oversized point levers maybe! (A panel exists, but I didn't fancy wiring it all back to a panel in the timescale I had!)

The rest of the track is in, and the basic frames of the main mill structures have been built to give some impression of the finished item at Armitage at the weekend.





 

[Glorious NSE]

Some pics of Nucor at the Armitage freemo meet. I think it worked okay - a few minor tweaks needed, the only major one is it did confirm that it needs more yard space, I just need to work out how best to extend the yard in such a way as I can transport it all!

Also came home with a Bachmann sound value Alco switcher, which will be a handy reserve/alternate plant switcher for the resident MP15. I need to work out whether to repaint it into Nucor house blue or green, or another colour. The current orange/black frame stripes (it's in SP Tiger stripe) might work nicely with an orange body...