Slattocks Junction - MMRS P4 Layout

Craig,

 

The layout looks to be coming on nicely and is beginning to look really good. This computer controlled pointwork, etc., is way beyond me - I'm still working with old fashioned swithes and hard wiring!

 

I like the appearance of the ballasted track - are the sleepers stained ply? On Delph, I have a mix of ply sleepered points and plastic flexi-track for the plain track. I've read that it can be hard to get a consistant appearance with this combination, the best way being to prime it all grey and then paint the actual colours required on top of that. I'm a bit unsure what colour(s) to use for the sleepers. Weathered track seems to fade to a silvery grey, with newer sleepers being shades of brown or even almost black where the creosote has oozed out or where locos drop oil.

 

I've got the TOU's in place but am wondering how best to represent the (cosmetic) tie bars. The droppers from the blades to the TOU tend to be just where the visible tie bar should go, making attachment rather difficult. I have thought of just representing the tie bar with a fixed dummy mounted into the ballast, not actually connected to the blades. With quite a high track level meaning that the tie bars will be largely hidden behind the near rail, I might get away with this.

 

I'd be interested to hear how you guys are intending to address these issues.

 

Dave.

Hi Craig

That looks like its coming along in leaps and bounds...why did you go for the Tortoise point motors? And of course the next question...what have you been drawing and developing?

 

Mike

Sorts of fits and spurts on the ground Mike..

 

Tortoise were already on the layout previously Mike and they all have robust microswitches screwed to the front so it didn't make sense to spend extra changing to servos when we already had them. Signals should be servos though. The boards for those may be the MERG servo 4s connected to normal 8 way cbus modules or there may end up being an 8 servo specific CBUS board done.

 

The big debate last night was about controlling the AJ magnets via boards or push buttons. If we can do the former there are a couple of advantages.

 

I've not got anything new into production yet as I needed to finish something off from existing stuff first. Hopefully Paul has got the bit you need to you to start your batch.

 

How is your group finding working with JMRI? This was the first time i've opened up panel pro as Mike Bolton did the turnout table already when testing the new MERG code. I seem to have used a layout panel at the moment though there is another type of panel in the list.

 

Hi Dave, i'd be interested how we're going to do those things too . Yes its not really been finalised yet though I do have drawings of prototype stretchers to try etching a Masokits type stretcher but include the insulating section we should have as we're pretending we have track circuits. I've used the Masokits ones on some test stuff and it seems reliable enough when non cosmetic so should be fine along with the Exactoscale tubes. Once we decide on one im hoping doing the rest of the points will be quicker but for now all of the motors can be wired up and positioned anyway.

 

Points are ply sleeprs along with some of the plain line but most of the plain line is Exactoscale track. The sleepers weren't stained but given a wash of dirty brown/grey paint, there are 3 people's interpretation on there in enamel and acrylic.. We intend to airbrush weather it yet to bring everything together.

 

Next Monday should be fun trying out stock uncoupling on a test plank to work out how long we need to set the magnet activations for or if we need to pulse them. Power required is 4amps if 12V is used apparently, explained why I tripped my adaptor previously..

Hi Craig

JMRI, a lot more stable and friendly. The only issues we seem to be encountering are with USB ports not being recognised and changing their ability to work...change the connection over to a different port - possibly the one that wasn't working last week and no problem, really weird. But then it is being run by a PC and not a MAC...now that's got me thinking.

 

Still haven't received my parcel - I daren't call it a 'package' - from Paul. I think he must have attached it to a real snail the amount of time its taking to get here! Is he still modelling? Haven't heard from the ol' dear in months!

 

When you down next?

 

Mike