Rick McClellan's Northern Division

Discussion in 'Divisions' started by Rick McClellan, Jul 15, 2008.

  1. bob_wintle

    bob_wintle Member Frisco.org Supporter

    For some reason my computer will not allow me to post photos to a Thread, so I made an album under my user name (bob_wintle) entitled Ethans first Op session. Take a look and see how much fun all of us Frisco friends had.
     
  2. bob_wintle

    bob_wintle Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Ethan:
    When you tried to solder at home, Did you remember to "tin" the tip of your soldering iron before touching it to the top of the track? If you didn't put just a little solder on the iron before doing so you wouldn't get a good heat transfer from the tip of the iron to the track.
    Bob
     
  3. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Yes I did have the solder on the tip. The sectional track is giving me so much trouble that I have decided to replace it with flex track. 3 advantages of getting flex track on the layout: a. Smother running 4. no dirt or rust x. less soldering to do
     
  4. Boomer John

    Boomer John Member

    I posted a couple of weeks ago of having trouble with this. Took some advice from this website, now nothing to it. Just came up from the basement wiring four leads. Here are a couple changes I made.

    1) My iron was not big enough. Took the advice of Keith R and bought a 140 watt job.

    2) I remove some ties close to the solder, then glue them back in place
    with super glue after the solder.

    3) A put an alligator clip between the solder and the closest tie, acts as
    a heat sink.

    Good luck, if I can do it you can. I have no talent in this area.

    John
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 21, 2009
  5. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Oh, and I did take Rick and Bob's advice and I got a stand for my soldering iron. Only it's home made from a coat hanger. But it works.
     
  6. Rick McClellan

    Rick McClellan 2009 Engineer of the Year

    I think it's fair to say that everyone had a good time last Saturday. We were able to introduce model railroad operations to Paul and Karl Brand as well as Ethan Lawrence. I think they want to operate again. Talk about a small world (afterall) Paul lives only a few miles from me in Shawnee. I shot a few photos so check them out in the Albums Section.

    My Frisco hat is off to Eric and Cynthia (sp?) Lawrence who drove Ethan two hours to the Northern Division on a winters day to run trains with the KC crew and Karl. What a great set of parents.

    Not sure if this is what Mike Corley envisioned when he created the All Aboard website but it sure has become a great way to bring Frisco fans together.

    Action continues on the Northern Division as the 1950 equipment will find itself reboxed and stored for 2010. The 1978 (or so) equipment will be placed on the layout in the next two weeks in preparation for the first session in Jan 2010. Benchwork for the Ash Grove Sub and the Springfield yard will begin after Christmas and I will try to get some progress photos out on the website.

    Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and remember the real reason for the season.
     
  7. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Rick, you did get the spelling right on my parents names. Bob Mckeighan my apologies for spelling your name wrong. I was looking at Rick's album of Sat. and saw how your name was spelled. I will go back and fix it. I hope to be able to make it back in 2010 for another op session. I would offer to bring my Diesels with me, but it look's like you already have the ones I have, and then some. The one thing I recommend is installing (fully operating) gyro lights and roof beacons. I have them (installed by Bob Wintle before I purchased them) on my Atlas B30-7 and GP38AC and it makes the engines even more enjoyable.
     
  8. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    After cutting my operating teeth on the Claremore & Southern down here in Oklahoma, I'm definitely a proponent of operating with DCC. Now if I can convince the missus to allocate the funds for a system................

    1978? Now you're talking my era of Frisco modeling! I'd love the chance to run up that way on a free weekend & operate on the Northern Division. It would probably be spring before I get the free time to do so, but a short hop from Muskogee to the KCK area would be worth it, IMO. Besides, I could also do a little railfanning.
     
  9. rcmck

    rcmck Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Ethan -

    Don't worry about the spelling of the last name. I am glad that you were with us on Saturday - it was lots of fun!

    Bob Wintle -

    I agree whole-heartedly about the need for more young people in our group. They are (hopefully) the folks who will hand everything off to another generation of "goobers".

    Rick -

    Thanks for posting the pics and, once again, to you and Jo for hosting this event. This year, my enthusiasm for the hobby, and for the Frisco, has been rekindled.

    To everyone - a season of joy!

    Bob
     
  10. Rick McClellan

    Rick McClellan 2009 Engineer of the Year

    Bob T,

    Let me know when you are thinking about coming up to KC and I will do my best to put a session together. Hey I have run at Maulsby's several times and miss George at the train meets. He was always a gentleman to me. I bet you know Jim Senese too.

    Bob McK,

    Did I spell your name right? B-o-b? Glad you were able to operate.

    Steve M,

    Are you referring to Schoettlin our Ride Control Mgr?

    Ethan,

    Hmmmm plaster on tracks. Not good but very fixable. Two things.

    (1) It's better not to get plaster on tracks and the best tip I have seen (and done) is to cover the track with regular ol' masking tape then schlup the plaster on the scenery. When you are done with the plaster, simply pull up the tape the next day and you have clean track.

    (2) If you already have plaster on the track, I suggest spraying water on it to loosen up the plaster. The water will break down the plaster and it will get soft and gooey. You should be able to wipe up a bunch of it on top of the rails and ties. I suggest this method over anything abrasive like sandpaper or Briteboys because (I believe) they put small grooves in the rail and cause future electrical contact issues. Any plaster between the rails can be broken up with a small screwdriver/hobby knife and vacuumed up. Other thoughts?

    "A railroad with mostly older guys as fans?" In my brain I am 18.

    Rick
     
  11. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Rick, actually I meant to put it there. But I did not mean to have an extra 1/4+ inch of it over the track. I had pored it on there to make it look like an open shop. I have tried the water thing and it didn't work. I do have a scraper that seems to work, but I thought I would ask if there was anything better.
     
  12. Well I'm a teen railfan and I don't like any of the modernization that the Class 1 lines are doing. I'm more in the hisotry and the old ways the railraod was run and I really prefer to see a Frisco coonskin on a engine than a BNSF logo.:(
     
  13. SteveM

    SteveM Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Rick, don't think I know the "ride control" person. I meant that member of the crew from the group down here. Saw him and the darling Esther later Sunday. He said Joe K was making noises about wanting to see the Central Divisions operating. Guess I'm on notice. Can you two plan a trip? Bring Ethan? My "helper" last Hograils was a teenager, who's always ready to railroad.
    Murphy, maybe we can get you hooked up with someone coming up to operate sometime.
     
  14. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Amen. Like I said I use to be a fan of the modern day BNSF, because that's what I saw all the time.

    I wonder if we could get BNSF to change their name to Frisco and use the O/W paint scheme... :D:cool:;)
     
  15. Karl

    Karl 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    Thanks Rick for hosting a great afternoon and evening. It was a pleasure to meet more good Frisco Folks...Rick, Mark, Bob, Bob, Mike, Ethan (and parents), and John, and to hook-up again with Keith. Karl Schoettlin served as my patient pilot, and helped me get locals 140 and 141 from Ft Scott to KC and back to Ft Scott.

    Paul and I spent Sunday afternoon in the West Bottoms and along SW Blvd. Monday, I spent time between Lenexa and Olathe, and finally caught a train traversing the old Leaky Roof Connection in Olathe. That was a very, very rare occurrence back in the Frisco days

    Mark,

    Paul has a video from the old Frisco Museum called, Frisco on the River. It has lots of nose shots of Frisco E's, and those units most definitely used Mars lights and not Gyra lights.

    Merry Christmas to all.

    Off to Knob Noster

    keb & peb

     
  16. w3hodoug (Doug Hughes RIP 03/24/2021)

    w3hodoug (Doug Hughes RIP 03/24/2021) 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    Ethan, Rick and friends nicely baited the hook.

    Good job - enjoy a lifetime of MR operations.

    Keep track of time for the future NMRA CHIEF DISPATCHER Achievement Program award. There's a form to download from the NMRA web site.

    Ethan, many here on frisco.org have yet to experience an operating session.

    You are now one of the "SELECT".

    Congratulations, Doug (spelling Nazi)
     
  17. mark

    mark Staff Member Staff Member

    Karl,

    Thanks for verifying the types of signal lights used on the passenger E-units.

    Doug,

    We wish more members here would take the opportunity to operate on a regular basis. To me the ability to operate is what makes model railroading unique to most any other model hobby. Our models do not have to go on static or diorama display.

    Further, we can recreate and simulate many of the functions, paperwork and duties of the prototype in miniature. One might call this a hobby with a purpose. At the same time, we meet new friends, share information, develop new skills and all while sharing a common interest.

    Hopefully we can spread the word, get more folks involved and expand the number of operating Frisco railroads throughout the country. We like to travel and operate too!

    Ethan,

    How soon will you start applying some of the operating ideas we explored? Keith provided some car cards and weigh bills in the items he gave you. Have you started using them yet? Are you working on mastering the coupler pick tool?

    Hope this helps.

    Thanks!

    Mark
     
  18. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Mark, I have worked with the pick a little more. Most of my couplers are soft enough all I have to do is slip it in there and they come apart. I haven't set up the weigh bills yet because of how my rail road is designed. I will keep them for the future. I have designed that since I have a yard, I need to have a staging track, but I need to find room for it.
     
  19. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    I have put to gether a video of some of the footage I got while I was there. I didn't get a chance to shot a tour but I'll do that next time.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86k8W9TKnzU
    Note I re uploaded it because the first version was messed up by WMG
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 26, 2009
  20. Rick McClellan

    Rick McClellan 2009 Engineer of the Year

    December 29/30 saw a great deal of progress on the Frisco Northern Division. Keith Robinson came both days and brought an impressive array of tools that made the job easier (and more level). Mark Davidson came on the 29th and worked out the 180 degree turn between Lamar and Elwood.

    The temporary (?) Tulsa/Springfield staging yard and Edward Jct were removed and will be relocated further south of their original positions. The benchwork is in for both and track will be laid over the next week or so as I get time.

    Here are a few photos that might interest you.

    The first photo shows the aisle just south of Ft. Scott. Edward Jct is on the left and north Lamar is the upper benchwork on the right (with the blue level). The Afton Sub to Tulsa descends into the Tulsa staging yard which already has the plywood base in place. Keith was able to get enough clearance in the Tulsa staging yard by constructing a 4% grade downward. Going to test that out in the coming days once track is laid. Need to know how the 89 ft cars negotiate the curves and the amount of power needed to get a train up the grade (which will be mostly hidden).

    The second photo shows how we wrapped Tulsa around the wall. Lamar benchwork is immediately above Tulsa staging. The staging yard will be mostly open so crews can ID their trains and make sure things are rolling freely. Once the Lamar plywood is installed, I will add a rope light above the staging yard so we can view the trains in staging.

    The third photo is the end of Tulsa staging. This is simply a 1' x 8' x 3/4" piece of plywood that will allow us to have five staging tracks. I think there is about 18 ft of staging in this yard at present. I should have enough room to add another 2 ft of staging if needed to the end of the existing benchwork if needed.

    The fourth photo is the benchwork and turnouts for Edward Jct. This time Edward will get Tortoise switch motors and dispatcher control. The Tulsa line/Afton Sub is on the left and the Springfield/Ash Grove Sub is on the right.

    The fifth photo show the construction prowess of Keith Robinson. He is finishing the riser supporting the north end of Lamar MO.

    Once the Tulsa staging yard is in and is solid, we will move on to the Ash Grove Sub installing subroadbed through Lamar and on to Elwood.

    Keith's note: The last picture is one that I had taken in March 09 and is provided for reference.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 31, 2009

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