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The things we do, can it really be counted as railway modeling?

GWMark

Entry posted by GWMark

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When someone asks me about hobbies, I always say I am a railway modeller, but actually, in casting around for anything to put in my blog I begin to wonder what I have done in the past few weeks that could be counted as "modelling railways". Apart from layout operating at Wycrail and Warley the closest I have got to anything that might be seen as a modelling task is painting some figures and turning a piece of plasticard into an uncoupling ramp, scoring planks and rivets and painting it. The rest of the time has involved soldering irons, wire and electronic components, is this really railway modelling? Worse still, given I am a software engineer by trade, I have even spent time writing and updating software related to layout operations - the proverbial "busmans holiday".

 

So what have I been doing and why?

 

Well, I made some optical sensors for a club layout to replace some reflective infra-red ones with ones that use ambient light instead. The reflective ones didn't work on all the stock and were unreliable, so the new ones measure the light level between the track and the light level beside the track. If the between the track level is lower then it decides the track is occupied and prevent the signal to enter the block, in this case the fiddle yard, from being pulled off.

 

I've been trying to build an indexing turntable controller that uses magnetic field alignment to detect rotational angle - this is sill an ongoing project and very much work in progress - a long winded way of saying "It's not working.... yet!"

 

I been looking at ways to solve a problem with the RFID readers I designed to allow them to work in close proximity to each other - this has also involved some software development - hence the busmans holiday comment.

 

And finally I built an uncoupling ramp for tension lock couplers that rises slowly and silently using memory wire as opposed to the harsh, and loud, mechanism based on a solenoid that is commercially available. At least this task allowed me to decorate a slice of plastercard and get my paint brush out!

 

So, can I say I am a railway modeller, or an electronics hobbyist?

 

I know one thing, I can't wait to get back to a loco kit or building my challenge layout - ah, but maybe then I'll have to become a carpenter! Maybe this is just a multi-skilled hobby?

 

Enough of my musing, it's back to work time for me, after a cup of coffee maybe.....

 

Mark

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Guest jim s-w

Guest jim s-w

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Hi Mark

 

As all of your efforts are targeted at a model railway as the end result then a railway modeller is what you are! If you were designing circuits or writing software for the hell of it, without and end goal then it would be different.

 

My own layout thread has been going for about a month so far and I have yet to showcase anything that actually involves doing any modelling on an actual train

 

Cheers

 

Jim

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beeman

Why an indexing turntable, why not one whch goes to where you tell it. Im almost there with my 6 outlet version.This was an Airfix kit initially built some 25 odd years ago,part of that time being 'in store' for many years after house move. This worked OK but turned thro 180 only. The original kit was inverted to produce a well type unit. I am now remotorising and installing using a canibalised VCR cassette loading motor/worm drive. super can motor,not sure of type,no feel of magnets when rotating by hand but runs superb at reduced volts with plenty of power. Motor to worm is small belt drive, and using a PC inkjet printer toothed belt drive for rotational movement,this required making a 'gear' for the belt some 200 mm in diameter, the tooth gear from the printer stepper motor being fitted to worm wheel shaft. It all works on paper, somewhat involved getting the track geometry and 'Stop' positions along with the actual installation in the baseboard spot on, more later when finished, so far going well, Beeman.

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