Alan Kettlewell

Hi thanks. Are you saying you can reverse 60ft bogie coaches through these Peco turnouts? Cheers ... Alan

Looking for advice please. I've made a mistake when designing my 0-MF layout . Using Templot, I've designed and built a crossover in my storage yard but the turnout angles are far too small/short to enable reversing without buffer locking. In short, I should have made the pair of crossover turnouts to a much shallower angle. My plan for operating requires 60ft bogie coaches to be reversed over this crossover and of course, buffer locking prevents this. I should add that I'm using Dingham couplings so the common fix of soldering a bar across the buffers to prevent buffer locking is not viable. (Yep - made a rod for my own back here ...) My question is: is there a set of standards recorded anywhere which sets out a range of minimum turnout angles in order to avoid buffer locking when reversing? For example, is it A8, A9, A10 turnouts? If I have a definitive answer, I may be able to rebuild this crossover, but I'd need to know first what enormous length the crossover may end up as it may not fit! Cheers ... Alan Afterthought - in the meantime, I've remembered that I can simulate vehicles on the track in Templot, so I can experiment a bit there.

I've recently dipped my toe in the water. I opted for a used Elegoo Mars resin printer I bought from eBay for under £100. Also I bought the Anycubic washing/curing machine. For software I downloaded the free verson of Fusion 360 and followed Lars' tutorials on YouTube - which was quite a steep learning curve. So far, I've only used it for printing small accessories eg station furniture, suitcases, barrels, ridging tiles for roofs, fence posts but the potential is there for further use as and when I get around to it. To avoid too much self-tuition on 3D CAD, you can also download some items free, or for a small cost, from sites such as ThingyVerse. I find it's an interested further aspect to our great hobby. Cheers ... Alan

Many thanks for the replies. Great picture, thanks. Based on that I've modelled it with open top and full of water, I just need to model some convincing pipework now. Thanks again. Cheers ... Alan

I'm making up an LCut kit of an LMS water tower - the type where a large square water tank rests on top of the building. All the photos I've seen show such structures from ground level so I can't tell what the view would be from above (as it will be viewed on a layout). Question is: were the tanks open at the top (eg to catch rainfall) or were they enclosed? It would be nice to model the water in a part full tank but only if that was the reality. Many thanks. Cheers ... Alan

I have a sort of version of this using Train Controller, however it's not on a large screen but displays in a formatted 'text box' which I position on my layout mimic screen. The text is linked to a couple of 'variables', which in turn displays info about the train which is in turn activated by the schedule the train is running on. Basically a dynamic info screen. I mainly use it to display what train is arriving next and what it's planned activities are. So in my case I'm using it mainly as a working programme for goods trains rather than passenger train information, but the same principal would be used for passenger trains. This perhaps doesn't quite answer the OP's question, but more for interest. Cheers ... Alan

For all those who are members of the Defence Discount Service scheme, I notice that Hornby & Corgi have now joined the scheme offering 10% discount. Apply by obtaining a code. Cheers ... Alan

Cheaper to move to Bali, Fiji or Outer Mongolia and buy it (Gold) for €699 there. The man is clearly deranged. After 15+ years of investment in RR&Co products and every upgrade, I'll certainly be looking elsewhere whenever the necessity arises. Cheers ... Alan

I too follow the suggested practice of grouping the modules around the layout where the wiring can be kept to a minimum. I've attached some of my 'planning diagrammes' for my latest 0 gauge layout I'm building. You might make out I'm setting up five small 'boards' each consisting of a turnout module, a feedback module and a switch module for electro-magnets. Each board is positioned to be close to the components they operate. I should add that, as these boards do not need any interaction once they are set up, they are positioned just under the front edge of the layout - out of sight but easily accessible should I need to work on them later. Notes: These are for planning purposes, the actual wires don't run dead straight as shown. (Sorry, had to say that in case some smarty-pants picked up on it ...lol). The blue arrows are just there to indicate where the support legs and cross members are - used to ensure turnout motor positions don't clash with the supports. This is not a portable layout. Good luck with your project. Cheers ... Alan

Hello Keith, That's quite a bit of reading, It is a shame I lost my way with it. Glad you enjoyed the thread though and thank you for the compliments. The layout is half dismantled now and a new 0 gauge terminus to fiddle yard layout is underway along one side of the shed - although at a much slower pace as in this case the trackwork is mostly hand-built. Eventually I'll dismantle the rest and I'll set about selling off all the H0 stock - funds from which are needed to fund the 0 gauge project. It's intended that the 0 gauge layout will eventually be extended round to the other side of the shed making it a U shape. Thanks for your interest. Cheers ... Alan

Yep, I can agree with that. On my big H0 layout I'd run the whole thing automatically with TC so hardly had cause for hand operating. However my new 0 gauge layout currently under development is a terminus to fiddle yard layout so there'll very likely be some hand shunting. I have a Roco wireless multi-maus but hardly use it, soon then it may be time to dust it off... Cheers... Alan

Another ardent supporter and user of TC and the Z21 here (and former Lenz DCC user). I took a slightly different approach when running my big H0 layout. I split it into 3 power districts using Digikeijs boosters - each have a 3A rating. Train tracking is with reed switches through several Digikeijs feedback units via the Z21 R-Bus - these are great because you can connect 16 sensors to them. For turnouts and lights I fitted an accessory bus separately powered by a Lenz TR100 transformer. I had a number of redundant Lenz Turnout units (LR-150s) so I used these to drive the Tortoise turnouts. (The outputs on the Lenz 150s had to be fitted with a pair of directional diodes to convert the current but that was simple enough). For operating, when I'm not sitting back and watching Train Controller handle everything - and I actually want to drive something myself or change any turnouts - I use the Z21 App either on my Samsung Tablet or with my phone. In a large shed I wanted wireless operation, so it all works great. Great to see the various setups folk use. Enjoy. Cheers ... Alan

Ditto - also notable is the big hike in price for UK customers compared to other countries. I also note there have been no new updates or innovations for quite a long time now. If it was to meet its demise I'd be unhappy to move to something else now after years of investment in it - not to mention losing all the time and effort spent getting everything operational using the advanced techniques available. Cheers ... Alan

I can get accuracy of stopping distance to within 5mm - even with a long brake and stopping distance from the point of detection. I use Train Controller software and ensure that I do really accurate speed profiling of all locos. Cleanliness of track, wheels and pickups and mechanical condition of locos are a factor. Cheers .. Alan

You also may consider different options if you have bi-directional loops in your storage yard. The attached doodle shows a couple of options - one for bi-directional running and one for single direction. For the single direction option you can of course just isolate say the last 3 ft or so where the head of train should stop, but for di-directional running then it would make sense, and use fewer sensors, to isolate the whole loop as shown. Also with 13ft available you may want to consider storing two or more shorter trains in a loop, as per my doodle. These ideas are based on 'occupancy detection', different arrangements would be required for 'passing contact' detection where reed switches mounted in the track are used and no isolation is required. Happy to elaborate further on that if required. Cheers ... Alan