Phil Haigh<p>Model railway update.</p><p>Branch line station boards nearly ready for track. I just need to drill holes for signals, then run cables from the signal controller - which has not been programmed, because… no track yet!</p><p>Spent some time this afternoon checking block detection on the rest of layout and labelling a track map ready for setting up in JMRI. Found three wiring issues and fixed two of them, one more left to fix. Then found that the auto reversers are a blind spot for block detection (this is the first time I’ve tried to check block detection specifically). </p><p>Maybe the track tester I’m using to trigger occupancy isn’t drawing enough current. Hopefully the current draw from an engine will be enough for the Digitrax BDL168. I’m hoping it will be, because the alternative will be to try other types of reverse instead. I’ll find out tomorrow when I run a train round.</p><p>Hoping to get the track layout into JMRI over the next week.</p><p><a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/Progress" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Progress</span></a></p>
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#modelrailway
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Phil Haigh<p>Building a two arm semaphore signal today with illuminated lanterns. The signal arms will be servo driven by these little beauties, once the circuit is perfected I’ll be getting some boards made together with 3D printed mounts so that they just slot into the baseboards. The circuits will be 12v powered and take a single input for each arm 0v or 12v for the two arm positions. <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/OOScale" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>OOScale</span></a></p>
Phil Haigh<p>Finally sorted out the last area of the layout design, an engine depot with turntable, and carriage sidings - the blue tracks on the image below. Requires the construction of one more reasonably large baseboard almost a meter square in the left side - but obviously not particularly square.</p><p>The original steam depot is on the left, the later addition of the diesel depot is split with some storage on the left and then maintenance pits on the right.</p><p>Everything in the middle will be filled in with a town around a small castle as previously mentioned, built in several removable sections. See the image alt text for further details.</p><p>Edit: updated the screenshot as I’d forgotten to put the purple blocks back in!</p><p><a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/TrackDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TrackDesign</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/OOScale" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>OOScale</span></a></p>
Phil Haigh<p>Things are getting… technical this morning. <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Tom<p>Still kind of blown away by the smoothness of this. It’s partly why I opted to pay a little extra for a decoder specifically set up by Accurascale for the model. It’d take me hours if not days to get something like this. Might make the acceleration and deceleration a little faster though, it takes forever to stop! <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Tom<p>The DCC decoder specifically set up by Accurascale for the Buckjumper arrived today. Means I can take advantage of the meaty stay alive hidden inside it, the flickering firebox now works, and it moves like this <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Phil Haigh<p>More model railway progress…</p><p>The branch line sits on top of the helix so I can’t do much of the construction work in place. My strategy (as this area will be installed as two separate baseboards) is to do as much of the electrical work as possible before laying any track. And then to lay most of the track before the boards are installed.</p><p>Here I’ve installed wiring for the uncouplers, and the relay boards that control them, and all the wiring for the points to the accessory controllers. I’ve also got the signalling and block detection boards in place, but not wired to anything yet.</p><p>Still to run the cables for the buttons that activate the uncouplers, all the feeds to the various track blocks, as well as the wiring for points feedback and block occupancy as, again, there’s no way to do this easily once the boards are installed.</p><p><a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/OOGauge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>OOGauge</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/Build" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Build</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/Progress" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Progress</span></a></p>
Tom<p>Paddington approves because of the matching outfits. <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Tom<p>It’s just such a handsome and charismatic little engine. I bet they’d have been interesting to watch running <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Tom<p>Put the Buckjumper on the box file layout. Looks at home. <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Phil Haigh<p>Finally perfected the design for my branch line station area that sits over the helix and the second return loop. Caters for where the baseboard joins are, ensures that trains on the helix won’t be snagged by point motors or uncouplers (purple dots).</p><p>Next steps are to install all the backscene boards, and backscenes, on all the remaining baseboards, then construct this station - most likely NOT while the baseboards are installed in place. This will include much of the basic scenery as well, while everything is easy to get to. I don’t really want to take these boards out, once they are in place.</p><p>Oh, and design and print a 3D mount for semaphore signals that will hold a small servo to operate the signal.</p><p><a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/OOScale" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>OOScale</span></a></p>
Tom<p>Turns out you can make it run imperceptibly slowly. <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Tom<p>Yes, this makes me happy. She’s running in nicely too. <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Tom<p>It's Lowestoft, damnit! <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Tom<p>I will say, also as an East Anglian lad, nearly sent it back just because of this misspelling in the history booklet. <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Tom<p>Also I have a bag full of tiny destination boards of places in London/Essex/Hertfordshire that it’d conceivably run to in service. Although this particular engine in this livery only worked as the pilot for Liverpool Street so didn’t really carry them. Might fit a couple anyway as a novelty. <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Tom<p>Also pretty inside <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Tom<p>Goodness me that’s pretty. <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Tom<p>Meanwhile, pretty box! As an East Anglian lad, in the end the desire to have an East Anglian loco was too strong <a href="https://cupoftea.social/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a></p>
Phil Haigh<p>I may, or may not, have just ordered some Train Tech three aspect signal kits for my layout. I like their accuracy BUT you can’t buy them pre-assembled, and they are fiddly, even if you manage to get the parts off the sprue without breaking them.</p><p>The GOAT in this area of the hobby is Absolute Aspects, but I’m not that rich. <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/ModelRailway" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ModelRailway</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/OOScale" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>OOScale</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/Signalling" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Signalling</span></a></p>
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