peach james

Simon, I know it is a bit different as this is a commercial undertaking, but perhaps what you need is a way of harnessing the local clubs to provide "stock lads" (though I suspect more will be >65 than <20 ! ) and/or, the internet community to augment you & your staff. Even if it is a case of putting back coaches/wagons into trains after derailments, such a thing might help relieve some pressure from you to "deal with" putting back on the 2-27 wagons on the train that end up left behind (or piled into a stock tray) after an incident. Ideally candidates would know more than they will...as in, what train goes where, how digitrax and RR&Co work, and how to make the perfect cup of tea :). but, if you could get some local support, it might make it a little less of a chore to run as you are. How I'd look at it is via a scheduled day (or multi days) for the "stock lads" to help, and provide a basic outline of what is needed on your 1/2 day of testing/setup prior to opening for the punters. (as a must attend, not a "perhaps" attend). That way you have some idea of their competency to do the job, and explain the role of the job (stand here, look good, until wagons are strewn all around, then put them back on the train...). I'm of no use- there's no road from Shirley (Canada) to Shirley (UK ) James James

I filled one out, even though I don't live in the UK...as I model the UK

I am reminded of the lines from Chickenhawk, about the UH1 that crashed into the sea. It turns out it was carrying about 10x the maximum gross weight ever lifted by any helo of spare parts, tools, ect...

In a word- Tunny. Without that happening, then the history of computing might be vastly different... How's that for random thoughts ! James * (if you don't know, Tunny was the UK code word for a telex based code system the German high command moved to from Enigma. Some dolt resent a message typed out on it, and gave away about 50% of the HOW for the code wheels involved. Colossus was invented to decode Tunny, because the tape readers couldn't handle the high speed synchronization of two tapes of 5 bit tape. Leading to Leeds Mk 2...and eventually to all this talk about BR Computers, and the www and well, so much ! )

Now, while I might prod at you for being an airdale, I won't for having a model railway Try it when you are in the land of niche's within niche's- I get it from the "serious" model railroad people who can't understand my obsession with plastic building blocks...even if they are mostly to do with trains anyway. (and yet home has a 30x3' serious railway...well, the _scenic_ part is 30'x3'...) Drop me a PM if you are on the big island, especially if you are going to be near Sooke. I'm one of the BRMoV members who is on RMWeb- there's another one too who lurks around. We were active as far as Nanaimo, but now mostly just stay in the lower island. Club layout in OO is going to be at Nanaimo show on Feb 20th, with a test day beforehand in Brentwood Bay. I need a new work schedule before I can schedule that...

Was it run by the Hooded Fang ? My stories are mostly boring...not as bad as the East Timor trip, but close. ("making circles" is how it was described- as in, they made circles on the pie charts, because the ship was anchored...) PO2 James Powell, RCN (Retired)

The next heap of code 1250 rail has arrived at work- about the same pile as before. So about 10, 10' sections worth of material- or something like 100' of track to weld up. I have another of the curves in the van, and nothing much washed away in spite of the full sized railways and highways on the mainland being washed away... I've been working my way through my list of things to get done, and soon to appear is a full gravel truck of 3/4" crushed. Inside, I put Long Marton back into place, and have had one gas fitter come by to give me a quote. I need at least one more before I can move ahead with that project...which then leads to removal of the outside oil tank and finishing the earthworks (dirt) on that side of the house. Work is somewhat harder than I thought, in that I'm basically 5 days on/3 days off, at least until early January. That does mean I have the dosh to pay for some of this to get done though! We're going to run away at the end of March (Covid permitting...) and come back across Canada on the Canadian. I want to do it in the Budd built cars, and as Chris L. and Jason S. have pointed out, those days are rapidly coming to an end, regardless of what the current government invests.

To clarify- a lit piece of stock would not need additional resistance :). Nor would a train that was perpetually banked. One of my DMU's has resistors, because it is fed through from the powered unit, so to detect the end of the 2nd coach, that has resistors. (it's the S&C painted up 158, rather than the 108)

2: Resistive Axles- I don't have them on all the stock, about 1/12th of the stock has them. It depends on how fixed into rakes your trains are, and how much resistance is required. I use Digitrax (so DB4 and DS 168's), and they will reliably trip over on 12k ohm, so I fit 10k ohm, typically at 1/axle, and 2/vehicle, fitted to all brakes (both passenger and goods), and then any R cars (because they are generally middle of train for passengers. The goods stock is rather less well fitted- generally about 1/12 of my 16 tonner collection is fitted (I have about 60, 16 ton minerals), and some other stock has been rather more haphazardly fitted. I'm using RR&Co, and generally have the sensor off times set to 5 seconds, that seems to work for me. If you have more short sections, then either they need a longer sensor off time, or you need more resistive wheelsets. I know there is one location (exit from the storage yard) where I have the sensor off time set higher, because of repeated problems of trains getting missed as not completely passed. I think they are essential for successful operation using current based detection.

How to design around feedback on a future layout... How long is a piece of string? I think Z21 implies using RS-Bus as the primary bus for the outside modules. I use Digitrax, but that's because I'm in North America, and NCE isn't as forthcoming even though most equipment is also available in a NCE style here too. Digitrax when I started made the most sense for the hardware part of my layout. The choices I am aware of are Digitrax, Lenz, NCE & Z21. All are workable, and equally, not compatible with one another... Detection on a future layout- I would start with a fixed design length for detection sections- probably 1 to 1.5m track length, unless you run a lot of shorter trains. (this is assuming OO, rather than N- in N, go with about 1/2 that, I'd think...). Plan around running ALL the turnout motors off a separate supply of some form- there are several ways to do so. Put the turnouts that are physically together to detect them as well...but remember that you need to allow for time for them to change state when you are looking at them. (this is to ensure that the computer, which is just as smart as you make it be, knows when the brake van is left behind off the goods in front of the express passenger train due through at 70 MPH on the outside track, right next to the plunge to the concrete floor. If that isn't experience, I don't know what would be !) Style of operation will to some extent determine how you want to automate. If you want to be a train driver, then basically ALL the turnouts will need to be automated. If you want to do shunting in an intermediate station, then having the turnouts in a lever frame(ish) system can make it a lot more entertaining for you. I'd be loath to sell on kit until you get to where you know it isn't going to fit with what you are doing. Remember too, there is more than one way to skin a cat- for example, if you are currently using solenoid point motors controlled by a mimic panel, you can continue to do so, and fit the 2nd switch to the point motor (if Peco), feeding into the computerized side. Operational style is important, and I (along with most other sane people) prefer something other than using handsets to change turnout positions. I don't have local control panels, but 95% of the time, the computer is controlling the turnouts not me with a handheld. One area to think of is that the space you are filling likely will cost more than what you are filling it with- think what it costs per square foot for the house, and think what it is going to cost to build the layout...though the layout tends to be financed on your income, rather than against a bank loan. (I don't even think HLJ is financed against a bank loan...). It's something that has come up in another thread I have been involved in- and even with my own Long Marton, that the cost per square foot to fill the space is far less than the cost to BUY the space. My cost in rural Canada was about $110/sq ft to build space, and even though I have been fairly lavish with track and detection sections, it actually takes a fair amount of determination to spend more on filling the space than on buying it. (that's for layout, not for stock...stock cupboards can cost a LOT more than that to fill...). Especially given that a lot of Long Marton is plain double track, and DS 64 & BD4 work out at about $150 per, at 6' each...so every 12' (*3' wide...$3960 worth of floor space...). I do have a bunch of track where the detection sections are a lot shorter than 6' (down to perhaps 6" in places), but that tends to be where things get "complicated" and I want to have the computer SPAD the section on a detection to prevent increase the time between spectacular collisions. DSC_0040 by Peach James, on Flickr A lot of this is "how long is a piece of string" for answers- read what Beast and TTG have written, and watch some videos of layouts that are DCC with automation. I'm not convinced that for a fixed layout at home, everything MUST go through the computer- but if the computer doesn't know, then it can't control... James "other being produced by someone who seems to have problems with the UK" Ha ! that's the understatement of the week award winner there... (actually, I think he's just a something or other...and yes, I own a license for my copy !) Count me as one of the people who would suggest that ITrain or JMRI are both probably better choices...

I know the technical advisor for Lego Masters NZ quite well...I'm looking forward to see what he comes up with for it Building "short" bridges is relatively simple out of brick- but as they get bigger, the challenge becomes more and more serious. The longest bridge yet done was in Australia, which was something like 100' long. It was self supporting vertically, but not horizontally- they had to guy it to prevent the top from falling sideways. My truss designs were calculated using the late TJ Avery's program- (http://66.39.118.91/model_17bridge/index.html should have the links) The long span at home isn't as long any more- the arched bridge shows the compromise that was needed very well, as I have a HVAC duct across my basement that meant I couldn't make enough arch for it to work well. What I've done instead is to build a pillar from 2x3 bricks which is "merely" 3' tall and takes the ends of two shorter (8') bridges instead of a single 16' span bridge. This makes it far easier for me to deal with the bridges, although it is not as impressive as having a 16' span bridge. The truss bridge above- it had internal tension cables to ensure it remained mostly in compression rather than tension. It still wasn't strong enough for my liking- hence the 2x2 post in the middle- which transmitted loads vertically down, but didn't have to deal with the horizontal components, otherwise a tower of 2x2 brick that tall isn't stable. Unfortunately, the "news at 11" feature suffered when Flickr went to only 1000 images, I took it down. "breaking news, several minifigs fall hundreds of bricks to the basement floor in the Metroliner"...the 16' bridges fell apart about 4 times that I can think of. At least 1 1x16 beam broke in one of the failures- I have it in my collection of broken lego. James

Tell me about it... DSC00172 by Peach James, on Flickr DSC02122 by Peach James, on Flickr James

I see I was just beaten ! That came immediately to mind as well St Enodoc !

Practical minimums are about 4" for access to stock only...or about 15" if you need to get yourself in... Make it removeable- at least the upper level. Figure that you need 4x100=400" or 33 feet of track to get to that level (+/-). If it was I, I would consider having 2 runs around the room to gain/loose enough height. I don't think your plan will make sense, but that's me.

Steamport Southport, isn't that what the shovel is for? "fixing" drivers who won't leave good enough alone? Though I've heard from dad that the reverse was true on the waggon- Murray would apparently threaten him with the shovel every time the safety valve would lift on OF ! (along with words to the effect that dad was costing him the earth, moon, and sun in extra coal...) It's easier on a model, in that I'm both driver and fireman...so there is no-one else to blame but me. Same at work- but I'm burning NG here James

He was thinking of flag Zulu...tattoo'd on his stomach...

Then you have a ready supply of sharp steaks for the big bad wolf

Sorry, shouldn't say dividing the layout- split the busses, so that you have an accessory bus taking the feedback, and a bus providing power for track & possibly turnouts?

Can you divide the layout into 2 segments, and use the ability of RR&Co to run 2 (+) systems at the same time? The total # of items may be exceeding the ability of the RS bus. James

I haven’t posted in here in more than a year…ooh… And apparently, I'm up side down ! (with no easy way to correct, according to ) The room really is quite blue with the current light setup- there are 2 RGB tapelights (you can see one, on the bottom of the cabinet) and one white one (about the centre of the room...). I haven't played with the colour balance yet to get a bit yellower of a light than what I have- it has been a challenge to get the 3 hardware boxes to talk to each other and the on/off switch !. The first guy looking at replacing the furnace comes on Friday, so then I will have a written quote of how much it's going to cost, and know how much I have to remove from the back room to make it all legal when the installation is done...I hope I don't have to pull the track that is in behind the chimney, but if I do, I do. Quite likely, I will have to pile most of LM back up in order to create work room- a bunch can go into the sea can for storage once I have a date with a furnace replacement. James James

Nothing. Well, I mean, as long as you are running LSL's multi-tasking windows software for 8086 and 8088 computers (child of the late 80's- if you have to ask what LSL is, you aren't a child of the late 80's...)

So, since I'm at work I can't go watch them to find the right one, but the platforum (yes, spelled that way...) podcast/video series has one that features Canada's first female engineer on CP, and she describes working down at one of the Toronto (Ontario/Canada) freight sheds in the late 1980's. Might be a bit of an interesting listen. (I think that's the right one) James

If you've ever tried to program a DS54, no, they are not QUITE in - territory...but it's close !. Each of their 4 output/8 input stationary decoders has had its own foibles...this one looks like it may be software rather than hardware though, so there is some hope...

Question- anyone else have one (or more) yet? and can you use it for 8 inputs rather than 4 switch inputs/4 sensor inputs? I _think_ it's going to b CV14-C Digitrax has yet again, gone 1 step forward, 2 steps back...

Thank you Jeff for spending the time to write up how you do the layering of grasses- I know Simon over on HLJ did the same for me, because I asked nicely ! I've struggled with the Woodland Scenic's static grass applicator to get grass to stand up as well as other people have managed :). Long Marton is all back together- for how long is a question, the heating engineer is coming by on Friday, and then I will know how much I am going to end up spending... James