Owner Name:

David Derway

Builder Name:

David Derway & David McDowell

Date Built:

2001 – 2006

Status:

Complete

Module Type:

Standard 8' module with Orange Track and Mountain Division

Length:

8' (2 x 4')

Width:

2' + Mtn Divn extends 3" from skyboard rear

Passing Sidings:

None

Other Tracks:

Orange + Mountain Division

Industrial Spurs:

None

Yard Tracks:

None

Engine Service:

None

Crossovers:

None

Electrical:

Track Buses:

12-Gauge Wire with Powerpole Connectors

12VDC Bus (White):

12-Gauge Wire with Powerpole Connectors

Accessory Bus (Brown):

Not installed

LocoNet Bus:

Installed

Packaging for Transport

Packaged as two "crates"

Module Photograph




Breakneck Mountain, NY (Top photo = Left half of module; Lower photo = Right half)


Breakneck Mountain, NY (Full view)

Track Plan




Breakneck Mountain, NY (Top photo = Left half of module; Bottom photo = Right half)

Description
Breakneck Mountain is a freelanced interpretation of the upstate area of New York and is loosely based on the module pair built by Dick Christianson and featured in Model Railroader Magazine, April and May issues of 1988. The module frames, initial wiring, track work and extruded form landscape base was built by David McDowell with help from several club members. David donated the pink foam covered modules to NRMRC, and were subsequently adopted by David Derway. David added the mountain division and brought Breakneck to the current level of completion, including rewiring with new 12-gauge bus wires and Powerpole connectors. The farm house was built by Jan Poff and the pump house was built with DPM modular sections by David Derway.

Additional Photographs

Owner Name:

David Derway

Builder Name:

David Derway

Date Built:

2007

Status:

Final Construction/Finishing

Module Type:

Special 4' module with Lift Bridge and Mountain Division

Length:

4'

Width:

2'

Passing Sidings:

None

Other Tracks:

Mountain Division

Industrial Spurs:

None

Yard Tracks:

None

Engine Service:

None

Crossovers:

None

Electrical:

Track Buses:

12-Gauge Wire with Powerpole Connectors

12VDC Bus (White):

Not installed

Accessory Bus (Brown):

Not installed

LocoNet Bus:

Installed

Special:

Geezer Gate should be the LAST module to be clamped into the layout. Adjacent modules should be level to each other before putting Geezer Gate in place.

Geezer Gate must be unclamped before any module line up it is part of is racked.

Packaging for Transport

Self contained on trolley.

Module Photograph

Track Plan

Description
Geezer Gate provides an easier means of ingress/egress to the inner portion of NTRAK layouts by means of a lift bridge, which raises the NTRAK main and mountain tracks to allow a person to pass through module. The features of Geezer Gate are the following:

• Counterweighted to hold bridges in open position.
• Both bridges lift and lower simultaneously by a single handle.
• Adjustable bridge length to accommodate humidity and temperature changes.
• Electromagnet lockdowns for secure holding and horizontal alignment.
• Alignment pins for precise vertical bridge alignment.
• Bridge track rail ends soldered to PC board for alignment and maintaining track gauge. Also staggered and tapered so track gaps are not aligned.
• Gaurdrails placed to trap wheels along rail, keeping other rail from jumping opposite gap.
• Big push buttons for ease of operation when releasing electromagnets.
• Electrical relay circuit shuts down power to entire module when either button is pushed and/or bridge is in up position. Buttons are momentary only.
• Adjacent modules can be added to the stopped blocks with the addition of track bus extension cables.
• Interior adjustable feet for strength and height adjustment.

The design of this module is based on an article titled "Build a Walk-Through Bridge" by Wayne Roderick, published in the August 2005 issue of Model Railroader.

Operating Instructions
The following operating rules are intended to permit safe operation of the bridge without disrupting train operations:

Basic Operation: Push the button to release the bridges. Lift the handle straight up till the bridges are vertical (or leaning slightly backwards from the closing side), walk through. The pushbutton may be released as soon as the bridges are about 1" above their closed position. Immediately turn around, and use the handle (top or bottom rung) to gently lower the bridges straight down to their closed position.

IMPORTANT ITEMS TO REMEMBER AT ALL TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!!

• YOU are responsible for making sure a train is not on or entering the module when you push the button and lift that handle!

• USE THE HANDLE !!! DO NOT lift or lower the bridges by the bridges themselves! Lift straight up and lower straight down.

• Make sure the bridges are vertical (or leaning slightly backwards from the closing side) and are held by the counterweight before turning the bridge handle loose. DO NOT let the bridges slam down!

• Once through the geezer gate, make sure you CLOSE the bridges (by the handle) immediately! DO NOT let the bridges slam down!

• NEVER force the handle open or slam it shut. If the magnets haven't released when you push the button, or the alignment pins have locked the gate closed or they won't allow the bridges to close, use another means to get inside or outside of the layout and contact David Derway, the owner of the geezer gate immediately.

• Did we mention…ALWAYS USE THE HANDLE?!?!?!

Additional detailed information: This module is a lift-bridge design, with electrical interlocking to remove power from switched rails when the bridges are open. The electrical interlocking is accomplished through a relay and electromagnet circuit. The circuit operates as follows:

• During normal operation, power is provided to the switched tracks through the relays. The relays get this power directly from splices off the 12AWG Main Through Power Bus.

• The power to close the relay circuit is provided by a 800MA 12VDC wallwart, routed through a pair of momentary hand operated push button switches, and through bridge location switches for each bridge. This power circuit also provides power to the bridge hold down electromagnets.

• To operate the bridge, push one of the large momentary switches. This opens the relay/electromagnet circuit, cutting power to the electromagnet (which releases the bridges), and causes the relay to switch to the normally closed position, cutting power to the switched tracks.

• The bridges are raised via the handle, which open the bridge location switches, and the push button switches may be released. The open bridge location switches maintain the open circuit, which keeps power to the electromagnets and relays off.

• Once ingress/egress has been completed, the bridges are lowered via the handle to their closed positions. The lockdown circuit will be activated once the bridges have centered on their respective centering pins and have traveled far enough to close the bridge location switches. This will pull the mating plate firmly against the electromagnet and also restores power to the switched tracks.

Owner Name:

David Derway

Builder Name:

David Derway

Date Built:

2009

Status:

Under Construction

Module Type:

8' Module (2 x 4') with major Industrial area

Length:

4'

Width:

2'-6"'

Passing Sidings:

Other Tracks:

Mountain Division, Orange

Industrial Spurs:

Yard Tracks:

Engine Service:

None

Crossovers:

Red-to-Orange; Orange-to-Red

Electrical:

Track Buses:

12-Gauge Wire with Powerpole Connectors

12VDC Bus (White):

12-Gauge Wire with Powerpole Connectors

Accessory Bus (Brown):

12-Gauge Wire with Powerpole Connectors

LocoNet Bus:

Installed

Special:

Packaging for Transport

Packaged on transport container.

Module Photograph


Rockin' Toxin Left Side


Rockin' Toxin Right Side

Track Plan

Description