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About this blog

I'm building an n-gauge dockside port scene set in 1950s or 1960s southern england.

I have (had) no idea what I was doing when I decided to try this in late December 2023.  

This blog will chart the thought process, tribulations and successes as I build the scene throughout 2024.

Entries in this blog

Track laying

Laying track

This is somewhat intimidating part of the whole process to me, purchases can be sold on, designs can be rethought and controls are somewhat interchangable.  Laying track however is a "forever" action, if the track is out by as little as 1mm then the railway might not work, at least as it appears to a novice N gauger.  There is a real pressure to align track piece 1 because track piece number 32 that will be laid in a month can critically depend on it being placed in the right place at the right
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ngaugenic in Track laying

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track plan

Track Plans

I'm jumping ahead slightly here in the decision making process but I wanted to cover what has already happened sooner rather than later.  Which is to say the track plan was developed over a week in early January, a welcome distraction from post christmas lethargy.  The first plan was mark 1.  The idea was to have a distinct pasenger operation mixed and matched with a freight operation.    The knowledge I brought to this was, run around loops are needed for loco operations, trains don't
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ngaugenic in track plan

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General

Decisions, decisions

I don't like hanging around so over Christmas plans were made:   Scale: n-gauge Era: 1950s-1960s Setting: Dockside Control: DCC for trains via all in one controller Scenic: tracks laid in concrete/setts with some open ballasted track Pointwork: "electro-mechanical" A hybrid of manual switches on a 12V DC bus powering point motors, switching electrofrog from DCC track bus Track: Peco code 55, DIY track laying Baseboard: Fixed in shed   I had
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ngaugenic in General

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General

Things to consider, a not comprehensive list

Physical Size portable baseboard/fixed track underlay, nothing/cork/foam glue/pins scale : n,00, etc track peco kato etc Theme Steam/diesel/electric country rural/urban Freight/passenger Track plan! From a book, from helpful forum members, from your imagination, from real life
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ngaugenic in General

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General

Start at the beginning

I have been interested in model railways since I was a kid.  I have an affection for rail travel and enjoy low key engineering and hobby electronics.  A degree in Physics means I can think through wiring diagrams and geometrical problems.  That's the strengths.   The weaknesses...  Little idea on actual rail operations, little idea on wiring "decoders", "DCC", "automatic points", "electronic train control".  No practice on scenic modelling, track laying, wiring points for "live frogs".
ngaugenic

ngaugenic in General

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