Grim-up-North; Goathland, Queensbury & Bradford.

[westerhamstation]

Hi Shaun, anything dirty is good. All the best Adrian.

[edward66]

Maybe the fence is a bit light but maybe it was a new fence to replace a rotted one, it does look like new wood.

[Sasquatch]

On 25/09/2021 at 06:25, edward66 said:

Maybe the fence is a bit light but maybe it was a new fence to replace a rotted one, it does look like new wood.

Yes. I did some more and this time got a bit more adventurous with the weathering and mosses.

[Sasquatch]

The new fencing is for the area around Brow Lane bridge.

In this shot you wouldn't think the train is on a bridge.

 

A couple of chaps have parked their motor scooters under there to avoid a shower.

 

J50 with the local pick up goods working from Keighley.

 

 

The rain has passed and the evening sun has dropped below the clouds.

 

Squatch.

[Graham T]

3 hours ago, Sasquatch said:

Yes. I did some more and this time got a bit more adventurous with the weathering and mosses.

 

That looks very good.  What was the technique please?

[Sasquatch]

5 hours ago, Graham T said:

 

That looks very good.  What was the technique please?

Grey primer

Cammo brown (Rattle cans)

Dry brushed barn wood and driftwood acrylics.

Pale grey high lights

Dry brushed mosses. I used a pallet of forest moss, raw umber and golden ochre.

 

Regards Shaun

[Graham T]

Thanks Shaun.  A good result!

[Sasquatch]

There's some nice videos by spectators shot at two show outings on my Dunster thread. 

The first one gets really good about halfway through

Link not working so I'll just post them here.

 

 

This one is from 2019 The last time I took Dunster to the local show.

My accent is horrible...

 

Squatch. Making progress BTW.

 

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by Sasquatch
Corrections.

[Sasquatch]

Attention this week has been diverted to another section of Grim-up-North which has involved quite a bit of problem solving.

On the corner castle section there is a scissor crossing which is key to the layouts design. It allows the clockwise lines to switch between two single loops or an inverted figure 8. 

Problem number one is figuring out where to place the isolation gaps in the rails (something I got wrong first time around thinking the short crossing had live frog like the turnouts). Having soldered it all up I set about de-soldering the joints and correcting my mistake.

 

Secondly, being a stickler for analog control it's obvious that two circuits need two controllers but the inverted figure 8 only requires one.

 

Thirdly and lastly (I hope),  all four points have to throw at the same time to avoid shorting. It would also be cool to do all this at the throw of just one switch.

 

The track has been laid and I have come up with idea that two capacitor discharge units (CDUs) is the solution. The first one changes the first two solenoid motors one of which's switch works the second two. The switches on the second two will be utilized as return breaks for the second CDU. The last spare switch will be used to power a relay that swaps out one of the circuit controllers. 

 

 

 

 

     This evening I'll fire up the old soldering iron and see if it works.

Fingers crossed

Shaun.

Edited October 8, 2021 by Sasquatch
Dia. mods

[St Enodoc]

21 minutes ago, Sasquatch said:

Attention this week has been diverted to another section of Grim-up-North which has involved quite a bit of problem solving.

On the corner castle section there is a scissor crossing which is key to the layouts design. It allows the clockwise lines to switch between two single loops or an inverted figure 8. 

Problem number one is figuring out where to place the isolation gaps in the rails (something I got wrong first time around thinking the short crossing had live frog like the turnouts). Having soldered it all up I set about de-soldering the joints and correcting my mistake.

 

Secondly, being a stickler for analog control it's obvious that two circuits need two controllers but the inverted figure 8 only requires one.

 

Thirdly and lastly (I hope),  all four points have to throw at the same time to avoid shorting. It would also be cool to do all this at the throw of just one switch.

 

The track has been laid and I have come up with idea that two capacitor discharge units (CDUs) is the solution. The first one changes the first two solenoid motors one of which's switch works the second two. The switches on the second two will be utilized as return breaks for the second CDU. The last spare switch will be used to power a relay that swaps out one of the circuit controllers. 

 

     This evening I'll fire up the old soldering iron and see if it works.

Fingers crossed

Shaun.

Looks interesting, Shaun. Just two thoughts:

 

1. How are you switching the live frogs? Blade contact or another microswitch somewhere?

2. Make sure the SEEP switches can handle the current from the CDU. They're a bit basic.

 

Good luck!

[Sasquatch]

14 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Looks interesting, Shaun. Just two thoughts:

 

1. How are you switching the live frogs? Blade contact or another microswitch somewhere?

2. Make sure the SEEP switches can handle the current from the CDU. They're a bit basic.

 

Good luck!

Just relying on the switch blades. As long as they stay clean they're OK. I could use a four pole double throw relay of which only two poles will be needed leaving the other two for the circuit controllers.

 

I use Gaugemaster CDUs powered by a 24v DC printer transformer and connected with decent speaker cable. The system has low amperage drop so proven for throwing two SEEPs over long runs. I also use internet cables for that but only the multi stranded kind over the long runs. You just have to be sure to remember that it's DC when hooking up the power to the CDUs which actually have DC circuitry! Hence the positive from the power supply goes to the positive on the CDU input!   

 

Regards Shaun

[Sasquatch]

...Looking at that diagram it might be better to pair up the top two solenoids on one CDU and the bottom two on the other because of where the rail breaks are, thus avoiding a short if one set of switch blades decides not to throw. Alternatively  the rail breaks could be moved.

 

 

  

[Barry O]

Add a bigger capacitor to the cdu?  The gaugemaster ones are a bit weak....

 

Baz

[5BarVT]

25 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Add a bigger capacitor to the cdu?  The gaugemaster ones are a bit weak....

 

Baz

Or build your own with a really chunky capacitor.  With a 2N3055 (*) in the charging circuit you can’t accidentally short out the input.

* shows my age and what was available as power transistors when I did my electronics training!

Paul.

[Sasquatch]

9 hours ago, Barry O said:

Add a bigger capacitor to the cdu?  The gaugemaster ones are a bit weak....

 

Baz

 

9 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

Or build your own with a really chunky capacitor.  With a 2N3055 (*) in the charging circuit you can’t accidentally short out the input.

* shows my age and what was available as power transistors when I did my electronics training!

Paul.

Baz and Paul. Yes thanks for the advice. That would be in parallel right, in which case wouldn't I also need to lower the resistor value too.

 

One of the crossovers on Queensbury is a good 15 feet from the Gaugemaster CDU that operates it and sometimes needs a second poke at the switch. Not a problem at the other end where the distance is only about 12". I cured the problem on Goathland by upping the input charge. On there; in one situation, two SEEP motors are connected in parallel with an Atlas snap relay and all three work together but I do know it's weak...

 

Regards Shaun

 

 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2021 by Sasquatch

[St Enodoc]

6 hours ago, Sasquatch said:

 

Baz and Paul. Yes thanks for the advice. That would be in parallel right, in which case wouldn't I also need to lower the resistor value too.

 

One of the crossovers on Queensbury is a good 15 feet from the Gaugemaster CDU that operates it and sometimes needs a second poke at the switch. Not a problem at the other end where the distance is only about 12". I cured the problem on Goathland by upping the input charge. On there; in one situation, two SEEP motors are connected in parallel with an Atlas snap relay and all three work together but I do know it's weak...

 

Regards Shaun

 

 

 

 

Lost in the mists of time but I read somewhere that a good rule of thumb is 1500 microfarads per motor that needs to operate at the same time, so in your case with the scissors that would be 6000 microfarads. Years ago I built two CDUs with 15000 microfarad capacitors because they were cheap at the radio surplus shop (remember those?).

[Sasquatch]

1 minute ago, St Enodoc said:

Lost in the mists of time but I read somewhere that a good rule of thumb is 1500 microfarads per motor that needs to operate at the same time, so in your case with the scissors that would be 6000 microfarads. Years ago I built two CDUs with 15000 microfarad capacitors because they were cheap at the radio surplus shop (remember those?).

Years ago when I built Goathland with intent to exhibit it, I purchased a solenoid remote control set. It never worked with the SEEP motors and when testing it out blew one of the (small) capacitors. (I think I still have it buried somewhere).

 

These days I would attempt to build my own if Arthur Salis's radio surplus store was still in Gardener St. Brighton and I still lived there myself of course.  Yes remember it well, over the counter service from the proprietor with questions like "What's this lot going to run on sonny"? I remember building a chopper controller in my teens that had intermittent high frequency current for ultra slow running.

 

Regards Shaun   

[Barry O]

Yes Shaun.

 

We had a good spares shop in Leeds..I have a bag of large capacitors.just in case..

 

Baz

[Sasquatch]

On 07/10/2021 at 17:25, St Enodoc said:

Looks interesting, Shaun. Just two thoughts:

 

1. How are you switching the live frogs? Blade contact or another microswitch somewhere?

 

Two switch blades make contact each side because pairs of frogs are connected via the rails. Thus it becomes important to pair the SEEP motors on each line and not as I have drawn it.

I should do another drawing really.

 

Regards Shaun

[Sasquatch]

The revised wiring diagram...

[St Enodoc]

8 hours ago, Barry O said:

Yes Shaun.

 

We had a good spares shop in Leeds..I have a bag of large capacitors.just in case..

 

Baz

Mine came from Brown's Wireless, King George IV Bridge, Edinburgh. Long gone and much missed.

[Sasquatch]

Slow progress this past month. Garage remodel is nearly done, just need to make the new door, fix and paint the bottom trim.

I should have taken a zoom shot with the ash trees, they're really spectacular this autumn/fall.

 

 

Having spent most evenings out in there these past two weeks you would think I'd have more to show But it is done properly and I'm proud to say it works too.   

To mount the SEEP units I first do a dry run and when satisfied it's in the exact placement, mark around the motor with a black pen. After soldering on all the wires I fix it with hot glue. When the testing is done and I'm satisfied it all works a pilot hole is drilled and tiny screws put in. A quick look at the image shows that the two bottom SEEPs had to be trimmed to fit and then I still had to chisel out about 2mm of ply wood!

 

One thing I did have to put right was replacing one of the point motors. Being a "tight-wad" I'd used my last Peco unit. With forethought realized this might cause problems if it drew different amps to the SEEP types; so it was replaced. The repair to the base board involved cutting a small section of MDF and cork which I filed down before hot gluing in place. (Arrowed).

There just happened to be a spare CDU laying around which is powered by the 19VAC output on a $2 AHM train set controller.

This conveniently also has a 12VDC output that will power the 4PDT (four pole double throw) relay. Two poles for the controller switch overs and two for the frogs.

 

Next job is a big one. I need to take Goathland apart. The drywall has to be done below the new window and there's some wiring that needs doing under the layout. Something I'm no longer prepared to do crawling about on the cold floor. While it's apart, new lamps are required for the signals. (The Miniatronics 1.5 volt ones I used all failed, so I'll have to locate and buy some 12 volt ones).

There's also a couple of other little fixes that need attention, like cleaning the track on the long hidden sidings on the 23 foot run behind.

 

Hope that all made sense.

 

Regards Squatch.     

   

Edited October 13, 2021 by Sasquatch

[westerhamstation]

Hi Shaun, as usual from yourself, more top class workmanship on both projects. All the best Adrian.

[Sasquatch]

There’s a reason I’m not prepared to crawl about under the layout any more. Having taken Goathland apart to do all the jobs that need doing before the castle junction board can be used. I did have to get under there to remove the coach bolts that hold the sections together. There was a scorpion under there which I almost laid on.

 

Not content with one scare on Halloween, after I’d vacuumed up all the mess from the drywall work, I decided to clean out the vacuum. Remember that black widow spider I sucked up about two months ago; well, it was still alive and had made a nest in the dust chamber. I’d had my hand in there too. Shudder. Cold sweat etc. 

Size ten boot vs nasty creepy crawly...

 

 

Perhaps that last paragraph should have been kept under wraps because I actually had a visitor. Boxerbayrailway came over, the first RMwebber to see Grim-Up-North in the flesh! 

I hope that I didn’t chat your ear off too much Felix, it was great to get together with a fellow modeler.    

 

Not much modeling to report I’m afraid, we’ve been on vacation in Astoria and Washington State on the Columbia River. (I’ll include a couple of pics). 

 

 

 

This next pic shows why I like to lay track in hot weather.

 

Here’s the train pictures which I’m sure you are becoming accustomed to at the end of the thread up dates. 

 

 

Hope you are all well,

Squatch

[Barry O]

Shaun,

I made sure my loft conversion has carpeted floors and no scorpions or Black widow spiders... much more comfy to work on!

 

Baz