ozamrr

July 3, 2018

Hi Owd Bob and The oily Rag, , thanks yes layout is coming along nicely I finely finished layout down the track and points on the car port corner module, even the wiring is done, was testing the block wiring, couple of faults got the blocks around the wrong way on the bus double plug, fixed that issue today and working fine. Since the I fixed the blocks I joined up block 15 to block 19 and on block 19 there is a cross over and point on a second block 19.

Looking at pics 1440 and pics 1442 , the track closest to the edge of the module, I put in insulator joiners between the small right hand point and cross over , will have to do the same with the other point as I am having trouble with Hornby Flying Scot 4-6-2 shorting on the large curve, will do the same with that point, tried another Hornby 2-8-0 steamie and she had no problems,

but haven't tried her out since fixing the wires up.

Block 19 is a siding, at one end an auto carrier wagon, loading and unloading dock at the end of the platform, other end be a turn table with steamie service facility and round house, the TT in the pic need a bit of work to get it up to scratch, can add a motor, look into that.

Next module to finish wiring is the approach module, got two blocks to make up bus wire harness and push the feeder wires up through the ply, I have decided to do away with having flod away bus wire plug panel between each module and put them on the side of the module making it easier to plug the wire to the plug.

The last station module will connect to the main control panel, all blocks connect to block strips linking up to the main panel, one more station module to change the bus wire plugs, all modules linked ready to go , can't wait.

I thought I be ready by the end of June, next date is 19th of July, the whole layout won't be finishes, taking longer that I thought., have enough track to complete the whole circuit and terminus track. Have started work on the spiral .

The spiral is a bit like the Tehchapi loop on the US, mine is only single rack Tehachapi loop is double track, one day I would like to extend the track to the side fence and shape the lower track to the same as Tehachapi loop is, need to win the lotto be nice.

Back into the bus wiring tomorrow and back into building the spiral.

Oily Rag, if you are able to travel and head to Ipswich Down Under we can meet, since I live in Ipswich, what was the year you came for holiday.

Tony from down under

June 27, 2018

Spiral is well under way , I have leveled two sections of the spiral with a special level jig and have set up the straight section to become a bridge to nail down the track, was going to cut two strips of fiber glass brass to solder the track to, is too cold outside 16 degrees, cold of over here in down under.

Second Pic with the level jig and level how get the grade right , every three feet goes up 3 quarters of an inch, I need to gain 9 inches in height, the spiral be 24 feet ling length gaining 6 inches and rest other three inches on a ramp be about 10 feet in length.

Third pic is showing how I line up the track on the join of the straight and curve, the next curve join be the same, a couple of screws to hold them in place, plan to do a river scene and the bridge will have an arch under neath it .

Forth pic track is nailed down ready to be cut once the brass strips are in place, with the forth pic I swapped the curve point for a straight point and moved the curve point up a couple of inches on the track to the left of the pic to fix the track between both points.

Last pic looking down onto the bridge,I took off the front end ply so I can cut the ply top so I can lift up the ply 5 mm's so there isn't a kink in the line to stop the trains from uncoupling.

very cloudy here and raining , pretty cold 16 degrees, no work on the layout today .

On a high the two boxes of Peco code 100 00/HO scale track arrived, with those two boxes and a bix I already have with 6 other lengths now have enough lengths to complete the main line ,

station terminus track and suburban track extension, three tracks, Wow.

Tony from cold down under.

June 11, 2018

Hi all it has being quite a while since I have put anything on the thread, now I can , this thread about how to wire up a rotary switch, my main control panel has being wired up, here are the finished fascia of the panel and under neath of the panel ,WOW.

I went over to my friends house to show me how to wire up one rotary and he decided to offer to wire the panel up for me, I made the panel, drilled all the holes for the rotary switch and put in the LEDS and painted the fascia, very happy with the finish.

I still have to do my bit of connecting the panel to the layout, be using those car connectors as in the third last pic, actually I forgot I had them , reckon I have enough for the rest of the layout connecting the smaller deck sections together, they work well, will buy some clear plastic tubing to protect them while in storage.

With the panel I still have to make a base frame for the remote control throttles and one one throttle for local use, the rotary I am only e stitching three throttles and one position neutral, I be sticking with DC, in the near future we will have to down size to a unit, hopefully be able to take some of the track and point off the layout to set one up on the floor in the unit.

I believe the is a thread on control panels, no one has being on is since 1216, I will start a thread there, there be two panels and fascia plan of the layout may have LEDS on that fascia as well.

Layut is getting very close now to running the first test loco, only the smaller decking to lay track ans level

Tony from cold down under.

June 5, 2018

Many thanks, I have being busy, built my control panel a couple of weeks back, went over to my friends house for him to show me how to wire up one rotary switch, he offered to wire up the whole panel, he said he could do the job in two days ,taking me heaps, longer, wow he did a perfect job which I could not of done myself.

The panel fascia I marked and drilled all the holes fro the rotary switches and for the LED holders and mounted them as well, that took a few days and painted the fascia with white spray paint and clear, turned very well.

I forgot I had a box of connectors, wired a couple up to see if they will work, bingo, so that is what I be using to connect the panel to the layout and all the bus wire on the smaller curve and straight decking saving heaps of time if I have enough connector will switch all the bus speaker plug as well, on a high.

All I need to do now is buy a smaller crimping tool to crimp the wires, amazing what you find starched away inboxes will have to go through all my boxes, might find more interesting stuff.

Tony from cloudy down under.

June 4, 2018

The decking is all down and and the gaps linking the curves has being marked and ready to mark, be the next job after the last of the station, approach and corner module bus wires are in place, good news the main control panel has being wired up as well, needing to be connected to the blocks on the layout.

Here are the pics, I ran out of time on Saturday, plus it was starting to get cold, I didn't set up all of the spiral, will start on the spiral first after the wiring is done., pic 3 I plan to model a hill on the curve decking after the bridge,, like to have some tunnels on the layout.

Pics 4 and 5 the completed station modules from the spiral corner module to the back of the house car port end module, pic 6 the bridge 28feet in length all, main span 14 feet, I wont be building the double deck bridge, only the rail deck first to get the train up and running take too long do that later.

Pic 7 the large S bend coming off the bridge, always wanted to model a S bend will look awesome with a train on the S bend , pics 8 and 9 the decking in the car port and he 9 the last single deck curve, I plan to screw boards on those curves, don't want a train coming off, it what happened to my late son's Thomas tank loco when test running her after all those years, still runs ok.

Sh didn't do so good, funnel broke, must of shattered when hitting the concrete, so upset my wife said buy a new shell which I did, looked at the loco and decided to temporary glue in a replacement funnel coming along nicely, she be the fist loco o run on the layout. by the look of wont be ready as planned by the end of June aim for his birthday mid July of soon after.

Layout take a long time to build on your own, not going to give upkeep pushing so close now.

Tony from cold down under

May 26, 2018

I have finely finished building the last module, being the corner module car port end and leveled it yesterday, was a good day, even set up the start of the curved sections I think I will back the car out to save having to step over the curved section for access to the inside of the car port track, opening up to add siding and servicing facility and work shops for the locos even a turn table.

Full steam ahead with drilling and using dowel to line up the track when joining the modules together as in pic 4 I got the right size drill bit does help, three more modules to change over making it heaps better than trying to tighten up wing nuts , of course before joining the modules together will have to plug the bus wires up be pretty easy, each bus wire coded.

Pic five looking down the three modules, pic 6 close up of the new curve section joining the corner module, pic 7 a close u[ of the approach module, haven't decided if I will motorize all the points, single and double slip cross overs.

Last two pics of the first curve section and the single curve decking measurements, 7 foot radius curve, looking at the retaining wall I am going to screw in pine brackets to hold the side decking up in stead of legs.

Waiting for it to warm up so I can go outside and paint the corner module, moving onto track laying and wiring never ending, no far away to the big day.

Tony from windy down under.

May 23, 2018

Have made a start on working on cutting the arch pieces out that will make up the arch of my bridge, will have to be in two sections for storage . The first pic I marked and cut each section, second pic I started marking and shaping the arch section, got three done, last pic a close up, I coded each piece so they will go where they should.

The arch be made up of two arches joined together to make 24mm thick, the second half be the hardest and important piece locking the arch together, second half will have the hangers for the bridge deck and decided to use square dowel instead of round, making it easier, saw a Chinese bridge built with square hangers , looked pretty good.

I plan to only set up the rail deck first to get the layout up and running will take a while to build , I finished making the last corner module on Friday, next step is to get the approach module out and join moth modules, make sure they are level to drill the holes for the dowel pieces.

When done will set up all the modules and get the deck out and set them up, start leveling as I go, the car port end will have a 24foot ramp up to the the bridge approach, work my way around to the spiral, take a while, good thing is I can leave the station modules set up, all the sections be coded the way they go to the track plan, hope to have the trains running by the end of June, if not July.

Tony from cool down under

May 12, 2018

Have started work on my control panel, all the 20 rotary switches be on one panel with 4 spare for siding of service facility, with will be up next after the layout is up and running, always wanted to build a panel this way, control panel be too big with a layout plan, all up 18 blocks and two reverse loops and space for four more if needed.

Each block be coded and 4 numbers for each position, the fun begins, I know how to solder in the the LED's for the first 4 numbers but not o how to work out the other 8 on the rotary switch, hard fining a diagram on how to wire a 3 pole, 4 way rotary switch, first one is always the hardest one, I be using block strips to link up each switch.

Will be building two panels, second panel will have block plans of the station track an passing loop for switching points and LED indicator lights, for which the part of the point is straight or curve, four signals and use those signals for what passing loop is free.

Layout is getting closer and closer, these cold morning will slow me down, can't win, might be able to move the modules into the hobby room to do the soldering.

Tony from sunny down under.

April 27, 2018

The spiral corner module is painted and track down, working on the bus wiring , 6 blocks, I had to start again on one block bus wire harness, the feeder wires were out ,the way I spliced the bus wires with the module on its side will do this for now on.

Twisting the wires on the back of the plugs and stapling the wires to the ply took most of the day and had had to drill and screw in two single bus wire plugs , in pic two I got a long drill bit I had and drilled through the small corner module block.

The reason I spread out the plugs for is the lift out bridge, connecting the first station module to the spinal corner module, next week I hope to make a start on the spiral using the special level jig I made to get the grade right and marking the legs as well, getting there not long once I get past the spiral all decking is now being cut out.

OH year I think I said I have scrapped the cable stay bridge, going for an old design, have marked out on the pergola floor the full scale the arch using the drawing as a temp plate, stat the bridge construction soon , will have to make as tart on my control panel as well, big job connecting 3 pole 4 position rotary switches, the 4 positions be lit up with LEDs

Will take a pic of the bridge on the pergola floor tomorrow, will make a start on drawing control panel plan tomorrow night.

Tony from cool down under, will make the most of the nice weather .

April 17, 2018

Have progressed some more since the last post, I have finished building the back of the house northern end corner module, one more car port end corner module and that is it for all the modules that make up the station and approach modules, leaving one gap to fill for all the track decking, wow being at this layout for 4 years, with the set back last year .

On Sunday I did a mock-up on how the new spiral will look like to the track plan, can't wait to see a train tackle the spiral , it is modelled on Union Pacific's Williams Loop on the Feather River route California, I need to gain 7 inches to the bride from the back of the layout track, other end will have a ramp, got plenty of room for a 2 percent grade, or I could have a spiral at the car port end.

Pic six I also did a mock-up of the points and track of on the corner module, I may motorise those points as they are a fair distance from the control panel, even though I be using remote controls, I could follow the train around or sit in a chair, even more fun with friends coming over.

The last two pics I have decided to scrap the Mersley river cable stay bridge, changing to a coat hanger design arch double deck bridge, will look better with the scene I am planning to cover the point on the curved deck with a tunnel and decent size hill and may be a small castle.

All goes well tomorrow will level the corner module with the first station module filling the gap with a rail bridge over the road, rain predicted for the next few day, always happens when you plan to work half out side the pergola.

Tony from down under.

April 10, 2018

The track decking is nearly complete, I have joined the decking coming from the car port to the bridge, pics 006 and 001, in an afternoons work, coded and marked where to sit when I level the sections, that will have to wait till I build the back of the house car end corner module this weekend and next week the back door corner module completing all the modules.

Have also started work on drawing a full size drawing mo my bridge to measure the length of the dowel I be using for cable stays, at this stage I will only be finishing the rail deck so I can speed up the construction, buying a full sheet of ply this week, I have all the track decking for the spiral and 7 ft radius curve coming off the bridge in the garden and only one 6 ft section to fill the gap to the spiral, getting there. I am planning a tunnel on that curve to cover the point , looking at modeling a castle and possible cable car , be awesome indeed..

So close but still a lot of work ahead , aiming for the end of June for the big event, be doing a video, cooling down here now, still 30 degrees.

Tony from down under.

March 25, 2018

Should of put this post first, pic 9 I took out the two points not needed , will see why in the couple of pics, pic ten I never did want to cut track on an angle to the module join , went well, big test when the test loco runs over the join, pic 11 is why, I wanted to use the 3 way, double slip and diamond cross over.With the new track plan after the car port back corner module the track will be single running and the bridge being at the front of the layout be double track.

The next two pics , pic 0910 with the curve track after the diamond cross over I fixed by switching the points to make that track straight in pic 014, the second cross over s a single slip, be a lot of fun shunting the locos around the Indian Pacific, the station is East Perth terminal.

The very last three pics, I have started construction on my double deck ridge, it is modeled on the Mersley Gateway single cable stay bridge, mine be a double deck, I think the Mersley River is in Wales UK, will b center piece of the whole layout sure stand out .From the road deck the towers stand four and half feet high [125 meters], under neath they say is 25 meters, mine be 19 inches

Now I have worked out the measurements of the first tower, it wont take long to cut them out, mine reassuring 3 inches square, split in half for storage, main span 14 feet, in four sections, is there any scratch building threads I could start anew tread on the build.

I am going out in the afternoon to make a start on the new bus panel, pics to follow, enjoy, my ship build is well under way as well playing a part in the river scenery.

Tony from down under.

March 25, 2018

Full steam ahead, I have done away with using bolt to bolt the station modules together replacing them with 12.5 mm dowel and using clamps like in the last post pic, my aim is to quickly set up the layout including plugging all the wires with ease,, now I can do that, I didn't have the right size drill bit had o make the hole bigger, worked out well,, am thinking of using the 1/2 inch drill and filling the hole with Sterne to a good fit.

Have also completed in nailing down all the points and cross over, that' makes up the maze heading into terminus platforms,5 all up, station buildings have being sorted out, there be building change, Indian Pacific leaving Sydney Central on its way across down under via Broken Hill first stop, Adelaide, Cook onto Kalgoorlie onto East Perth terminal. I be modelling East Perth terminal first , station building to be modeled on Dallas Union station building Texas US and the East Perth Terminal station building, Sydney station be modeled on Walther's Union station building kit or buy the kit, not modeling Sydney central station building now.

Pic one is the adjustable saw hoses set up, I am going to make it easier when leveling each stand, a bit hard at them moment bending down and up when checking the level, pic the two dowels, I may now glue them in permanent, so the can back into the module when stored. Pics three and five and six the clamps I am using , quite cheap $3 each, will get two more, pic.

The last two pics is temporary new bus wire plug panel, will have mark out, drill and cut a new panel for this module and the other two, since I have shifted the station modules t the back of the house, it is the other bus wires coming from the spiral to the bridge, the bridge and other section will come in from the car port to the last station module, I t will also house the main panel connection the control panel, will have to start on that soon but wiring job using 3 pole 4 way rotary switches to switch the blocks, only have three throttles, two remote throttles.

Tony from cloudy down under, more to come.

March 11, 2018

Have had a busy month, working on the approach module car port end, had to cut the square hole quarter of an inch wider and pull up the track, shift the double slip crossover down closer to the module join and did away with the small cross over because i out that much, sadly the track has to be on an angle the module join, pics to follow next post.

Decided to replace the bolts on the adjustable module stands with sliding legs which has worked out much better no needing pieces of ply for the bolts to rest on, also have done away with bolting the station modules together, using half inch dowel to line u the tack on the module join and using clamps same as in the third pic to clamp the modules together. Be a lot quicker to set up the modules, before joining the modules together plugging the bus wires up to the bus plugs on the next module, improving the bus wire panel as well.

On a weeks holiday down the Gold Coast QLD, where we are staying the Wi-Fi is ADSL and it is shocking today, this is the fourth time I have tried to send this post, switched over to 4G ,

gee I miss NBN broad band, going to be a while before it comes down here a big issue with the line speed, they have to sort out before anyone else are conncted.

Tony from wet down under.

February 12, 2018

Slow going on the layout, being very hot here only a couple of days relief and back into the heat right into next week, storms every day, need the rain bad, so long as the storms don't do a lot of damage, some suburbs weren't lucky from last nights storm.

Saturday I managed to level the station modules to 12 inches in height, happy with the progress, now which end to move onto, will have to run the string line with the string level to get the level mark on the front pergola post to for the height of the bridge, other end it is 19 inches, 6 inch climb from the station modules, I like to put in a spiral, haven't decided which end, probably the car port, to gain the height and extra length, double track onto single track to the bridge. One day I may be able o extend the width southern end more single track running and the

bridge become double track.

I temporary set up some track in the terminus platforms to see how the Indian Pacific train go, as the real train Sydney Station platforms 2 and 3 splitting 28 passenger cars, next post I will find a video clip of the train being shunted int the platforms what i be doing the same. The train consist is 28 cars long,one auto car carrier and two locos same as I have in the pics, what they do is the first loco is uncoupled driven onto another track and second loco drive half the train into platform, another loco backs the second half into platform 2, on the return journey back to Adelaide and onto Perth they switch replacement locos, can't wait to actually drive my train into the platforms be fun.

All up I will have 5 platforms and three suburban through platforms, where the IP is be three tracks, middle track for shunting, needing 24 lengths of Peco flexie track and 5 points, will have to wait till my birthday for birthday to buy the trac.

No work on the layout this week, working on the model ship too hot outside

Tony from hot down under

February 2, 2018

Well under way with the changing of the station modules and bridge around for the best, citing out the square hole for the post went well, to hide the pergola steel post, a friend came up with the idea of an HWY over pass, can go two levels and make the post wider to match the other track.

Yesterday was a lot cooler than the day before, should of started earlier, didn't till after lunch still was humid, far better today, crazy 40 degrees Wednesday and it was 19 degrees earlier on, be the same again for the next couple of days but raining as well, can't cut the timber outside with the battery saw, could inside, sawdust the issue, will see what tomorrow be like.

I levelled three modules to see how they will look height wise,, the measurements be 12 inches from the floor on the first module close to the door, sadly the pergola floor isn't level all to with my sons electric wheel chair, have to deal with that, too costly to redo the floor.

If I get a chance tomorrow will cut the new module legs to size and continue down, about inch and half difference, also bought a line level string and line level to get the levels right for the bridge, works out to 19 inches in height plenty would like to go higher, will wait till the other three modules are levelled as I be putting in a spiral around the car, might be able to go to 24 inches the right height to scale on the bridge.

The last pic is the brass strips I use to solder the track down on the module join works out well of course will have to cut a grove so there isn't a short when switching the trannie on, the sheet is used for circuit board very messy job, I wouldn't have a go.

Be a while of now before a train is running, once the modules are level will put power into the track and run a loco or even a train, hope it doesn't get to hot next week.

Tony from cool down under

January 22, 2018

Happy new year 2018 to everyone on the forum, hope you all had a good Christmas, I have made some big changes to the layout switching the station complex to the back of the house giving it more protection from the weather and shift the bridge to where the station was suiting the ship scene a lot better. Sadly where the approach module car port end is now going a pergola post is in the way, so will have to modify the module and shift the track and points which I have done, not cut the module yet, waiting to a cooler day.

The space between the three sets of track to the left of pic one and the five sets of track is where the post is going to be cut out, 15mm clearance on the right side should be ok will check first before cutting where the two passenger cars are will be the second station I be modelling, will have two different stations on the same modules, just a matter of lifting the first one off and replacing with the other when running the Indian Pacific, that is the plan. Have decided not to model Sydney Central far too much detail, cost a lot of money, looking at union station building from the US.

Pic four I recycled my sons old computer deck and cut the shelf end in half to make adjustable module stands has worked out well, but need to screw the tops down to stop them moving when lifting the module onto them, no more looking for pieces of ply to level the modules, may build two more replacing the saw horses, this saves me bending down getting a sore back and knees, only time I will have to is plugging the bus wires to the other module, even thinking of doing away with the bolts.

The last pic is why I want to shift the bridge for, the ship will look heaps better in the middle of the bridge, the bridge hopefully be higher.

It has being pretty hot here the last few weeks, in the low 30's now but it is the humidity the killer, lots to do having to re-level the station modules shouldn't take long, aim for June on my birthday the first train to run around the whole layout, rain coming in Wednesday.

Tony from down under.

December 15, 2017

The lift out bridge has being painted with track down and used fiberglass coated brass strips to solder the track at the module join, works well, I still need to cut a grove in the brass so it wouldn't short .

Pic one, I saw on a video they used a rubber band but that didn't work, then I came up with the idea use a piece of dowel bingo it worked, I marked on the top of the paint tin rim where to screw in the screws that will hold the dowel in place, it worked, no more paint in the rim making it hard to seal when banging the lid in and no more splashing of paint on my legs or shorts.

Tomorrow I will be connecting the bus wires to the other the back end of the bus wire plug temporary soldering wires to the track on the bridge both ends and putting power into the track to run the first test loco across the bridge onto the station module will do a video.

After all that will unscrew the bridge lift it out the way, fold in the module legs so the two modules can be packed in the shed, when I come back from our holiday to up the north coast Caloundra I will be setting up all the modules and sections long enough for a three car DMU set .

Nest job after that the spiral, I now have proper ship plans of the Ro, Ro ship I be modelling, she will sit coming out under my double deck road rail bridge being 18 inches high, the spiral will climb 6 inches onto the bridge, other end be a long 30ft ramp

The next two pics is of the 12 wheel coke tank wagon a good wagon to test having two 6 wheel bogies and wanted to see how the wagon go through the single slip cross over passed in flying colours.

I am having trouble with the picture folder again, at the moment we are slowly getting my picture folders and links over to my sons computer, my lap top is running out of HD space only has a 256 GB 's HD

Tony from hot down under., I will be taking the lap top with me , keep an eye on the forum., must check how much space I do have, might hav to put the pic folders onto a portable HD.

December 8, 2017

Hi Owd Bob and Satan's Goldfish, UK can get quite hot in summer, you would fell it in the low 30's and than bad humidity, I have never seen snow, hopping to get down to the Snowy Mountains in the next couple of years, even though it just be for a weekend, don't know if I will go skying.

Be looking forward to see those pics OB, grass is growing fast, once it dries out I will mow, battery mowers don't like wet grass, I don't let the grass especially in the back yard get too high it is Coach and gets pretty thick as well.

Thanks for the kind words SG, can't believe it be 3 months on Monday 11th, it feel like our son is still alive and he is in his room or on the computer, last few months before he died he got ear phones and they had a mike so he could talk to his gaming friend while playing games, was good for us no gaming noise.

Storms predicted for this afternoon, hope to after the mowing will paint the new lift out bridge and nail down the track, solder in the track plastic brass coated strips to hold the track don in the module bridge joins so the track can be cut and then the bus feeder wire soldering again, never ending.

The ship project drawing is under way, the ship is quite long 2.150 meters in 1/87 scale, building the ship in four sections and join the sections up, out of 1 mm cardboard, she is a water line model., will sit proudly passing under the double deck bridge.

Tony from down under

December 7, 2017

Last post pic, out with the old and in with the new, I bought a tin of undercoat had it mixed to gray colour, going to be a hot day tomorrow no work out side, cooler change coming in on Sunday , yard work and paint the bridge, may be able to get the track nailed back down and solder in place plastic brass coated plates to the track on the bridge model joins and cut the track.

I be able to pack the two modules away in the garden shed, not leaving out any modules out under the pergola while we go away over Christmas, leaving next Sunday, have to tidy up the yard as well, be no point in baking a start on the spiral either..

Finely got the ship drawing be starting work on that project tomorrow in the nice cool dining room.

Tony from hot down under

December 4, 2017

Hi Matthew, sad to hear as well with your family in and out of hospital know the feeling, we all go through hard times,lost my Uncle to cancer in August and son in September, I did say in my post in September.

Love your video clips especially the second one with nearly the small disel coming up to the bridge and the tank loco already passed in under the bridge, pics are good as well, would lov the conctete viaducts on my layout.

Those coaches have turned out as well with the working lights, never ending those small jobs replacing lamp poles, I want to wire in LED lights on my F7 loco, haveto havethat yellow tinge, being told to buy the LEDS with yellow tinge is quite dear.

I am slowly getting back too my layout November we had a QLD state election voting day was the 25th of November, glad to see the end of the election was quite busy helping out and maning a polling booth atmy local school still four seats undesided.

It will be cooling down quite a bit now in the UK, summer here and we be having a wet summer so a lot cooler.

Tony from down under

December 3, 2017

The front northern end corner module is finished, track,points and a diamond cross over has being nailed down, plastic joiners in place right hand track off the points ready to begin soldering the feeder wires to the bus wires, before that I have to fix up the front corner southern end module and first station module double track bridge,. It is too hard to connect the bus wires to the bus wire plug and joining the bridge to the front corner module, so have decided to make that double track bridge one piece and screw th bus wire connection plug to the end of the module saving me to get on my hands and knees, should of done this in the first place.

The bridge also making it heavy to pic up the module and wont need to unscrew the other piece of ply, actually I may never complete my station complex,cutting the station complex back as well, looking at another station building or modify Sydney Central to fit to a smaller version of Sydney Central.

Pic four is the bridge I be modifying to be one piece lift out bridge, the other bridge with the arch stay the same.

My ship and bridge scene is edging all that closer,I fienly got the needed ship drawing of the RO, Ro ship I am modelling and have asked my brother in law if he could print the plans, not knowing how to use DWG format he is a building engineer comes in handy

Tony from down under

November 22, 2017

Evening Owd Bob, many thanks for the kind words, feel the same for you too, very hard to take in when you are told the out come, I also feel for your parents as well, we knew when we found out by our son having grommet surgery both ears he had MD wasn't going to live a normal life , he was 31 when he passed away,

Is your sister in hospital still or home, with our son he passed way very quickly his chest muscles gave out, happened at home making it even harder to accept.

Got to try and keep busy, getting back into the layout now, while I can till it gets too hot to work outside, will move onto the spiral once the corner module is fixed up and painted.

Where do you live northern east coast of America, must be getting cold over there now, what scale do you model and where can I find your post on the forum.

It is a nice day here, pity I have to go out campaigning after lunch, easy job driving a ute and trailer around with a friend in the electorate I am in State seat.

Tony from down under

November 21, 2017

Being awhile since I have being on, being busy with Queensland State election, three days to go to election day, full on day at the polling booth where I will be.

Only being able to do a day here and there, the days I want to work on the layout it is raining, not as bad last Sunday started fixing up the front corner module, had a bit of trouble with the top of the module, fixed up the end that joined to the approach module got to do the other end as well, wasn't cut square with timber is an easy fix.

In pics 1,2 and 3, pic 1 and 2 module join end sorted out , pic three have to cut off 11 mm's on one side of the module and top, have done this in the past, works out well.

Pics 4 and 5,I be cutting away the bridge on both modules in pic 5 as well and making the bridge a lift out piece, I don't think I be modelling Sydney Station now, looking for a replacement that looks like Sydney as I will not be building the other 3 station modules, concentrating on getting the trains up and running with what I have already, have cut back the layout 7 feet as well shifted the spiral.

I am not sure how long we will stay here, since our son passed away last September, don't have my wood later anymore , donated it to the local Men's shed, lost interest in wood turning freed up space in the garden shed for the modules, made my wife happy, only have two modules out I am working on.

Next week be full swing into working on the layout, a big set back in September and November, aiming for April next year now or earlier.

Tony from wet down under.

November 2, 2017

Morning Owd Bob, yeah sure is, that would of being non-thing to what I did have planned, the track and point work is based on Sydney Central station complex, I was planning to model have of Sydney Central don't think I be able to now unless I win the lotto, was modelling 8 terminus platform and three suburban platforms, Sydney had 28 platforms 15 are terminus ones, most important platform 1 to 4 where the Indian Pacific departs and arrives once a week now.

Yes the heat and humidity plays a big factor in the rails of HO/00 scale track can buckle pretty bad, I have made gaps between the track and points so if the rails did buckle, wont break the points have seen that at my track club and their layout in in a building.

This is why I went module so the layout isn't outside facing the weather conditions, can reach 42 degrees in the sun and has buggered up two digital weather stations, taking longer to build, all my station modules are bolted together looking at changing to a different idea to speed up the setting up of the layout, all my bus wires are plug and play, with a bus wire panel one on every second module end.

Wasn't to bad today, we had 10 degrees over night, would of being a good day for working on the layout see what tomorrow is and depend on my asthma which is playing up can slow things down, had a hair cut appointment anyway.

In my last post 31st of October I moved the short cross over down which cut out that S bend, looks a lot better, haven't loaded the pics onto the lap top yet, will see how I feel tomorrow, asthma is playing up, might be ale to get stuck into cutting the module top to fit the approach module and screw the sides back on, taking a while, I had a set back in September, son passed away lost his fight to MD.

Tony from down under

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