It's been a long time since my last post, for many varied reasons... More about that later!

The layout will have several single track sections... The Zillertalbahn doesn't use colour light signalling (it's all radio token stuff) but the RhB does, so to make it realistic I should add colour light signals!

To that end I'm thinking of building a PIC based single track signal control module. The simplest module will be to control a pair of back to back signals controlling a single section boundary.

Each module will talk to the next and previous using a simple 3 wire serial bus. It will also have a separate power supply feed...

The module can drive two, 3 aspect main signals, plus two advance signals.

A protocol between modules will take care of:

- Multiple trains can enter the single line

- Each train is counted in and out

- The line must be requested before it can be used

- Shunting in the station is supported

A second module is envisaged to allow for a simple passing loop...

I'm basing the system on a simplified version of the Swiss signalling system, which should work for most countries. More details will follow once I've finished fighting with my Visio like drawing package!

On the rolling stock front, both loco's I bought late February in Vienna have now been sound chipped. The best is the 2093 with genuine sounds:

This was from a specialist supplier from Austria, but worth it!

Meanwhile there has also been some stock acquisition on the RhB side, no sound I'm afraid:

There are more videos, but not on YouTube...

In the maenwhile, in real life... The loft conversion hasn't even started! Little did I know when I wrote my previous post...

Just after easter I received a letter from a local solicitor to inform me that my architect had, sadly, passed away 3 days after I last saw him. I had just dropped off a cheque for the planning application and before he had managed to lodge the application...

A month later, I managed to obtain the whole dossier and after speaking to a local man, filled in the gaps and submitted the planning application.

Then in the middle of August, I learned it had been rejected by the council. After speaking to a member of the planning department, it was rejected due to "not looking like all the other ones", I can appeal, but that could very expensive, involving lawyers and all that.

So I will try again, taking the comments from the council on board. The cost will be more predictable...