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Apple Springs Canyon


Earwicker
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I'd eventually like to be able to run things from my tablet/phone. I know there are apps you can use to interface with DCC. I need to educate myself first though. Does anyone have suggestions on a system that allows this (and doesn't take a rocket scientist to install and operate)?

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The Z21system from Roco.

 

I have had a Lenz system since 2005 and have used the USB interface for the last four years enabling me to use an I phone to control locos.

 

https://kaleyyard.wordpress.com/14-control-system/

 

3 months ago I purchased he Z21system from Roco to use with a small layout that was exhibited at ModelRail Scotland last weekend. The system took about 30 minutes to set up out of the box with six locos and six switches added to the roster and this included taking photos for loco and track plan identification. The system worked perfectly for 24 hours over the three days of the show.

 

Works best with my I pad - track plan with touch screen for switches on one half of the screen and throttle on the other half with locos chosen from a photo library.

 

Excellent system!

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A big weekend of work on Apple Springs. Lots of plaster work, painting, and generally making it presentable. Once the basic scenery is down, I plan to work detailed dioramas on the various scenes. I plan to have back scenes on these four modules, but I also want to be able to sit in the center if I feel like showing it that way. The back scenes will be painted on 6mm MDF that can be bolted to the back of the modules. I haven't painted landscape scenery in a while so I might have to practice first. :)

 

Here is where it stands at the end of the day's play:

 

post-8485-0-66830400-1488699780_thumb.jpgpost-8485-0-38628300-1488699793_thumb.jpg 

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  • 2 weeks later...
So, moving on. Lots more progress. This is where the a diorama called Desert View Salvage is going to live. It's sort of a blank canvas at the moment:

 

post-8485-0-55887100-1489638376_thumb.jpg

post-8485-0-68192600-1489638389_thumb.jpg

 

The company is a small (probably struggling) salvage yard in the late 70s that receives drop offs from the local community (car wrecks, old appliances, general scrap) and salvages it. The business is served by a gondola and a box car that are dropped off by the local rail company, filled up and then taken away. So for this I need a company office/residence (probably a converted caravan) a place to load the box car (I will build a retaining wall and embankment next to part of the rail) a crane maybe with a magnetized thingymajig to put the salvage on the gondola, a small shed for tools and valuables, a fuel tank, metal fuel barrels for liquids from the cars, lots of junk, rusted cars, rubbish, etc. and an angry looking guard dog. I'm looking for a 1/87 crane form the 50s-60s. Kibri make one, but I can't find one yet. I may have to scratchbuild something. Also looking for a Doberman or German Shepherd in 1/87. :)

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I set this up today and worked on the presentation and had a lot of fun running some trains around. I hope to show this at a train show here in October. Currently the legs are at Freemo height but this isn't ideal for viewing for vertically challenged folk, so I'm thinking of making an alternative set of legs for the show. What is consensus for the ideal height for kids etc?

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Thanks, that's a great discussion. Having now finished he basics of the layout I'm taking it down and moving activities into the spare room where I can work on the detail over winter. Here's a blurry video of the layout in operation. Not bad for three months work. :)

 

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So, moving on. Lots more progress. This is where the a diorama called Desert View Salvage is going to live. It's sort of a blank canvas at the moment:
 
The company is a small (probably struggling) salvage yard in the late 70s that receives drop offs from the local community (car wrecks, old appliances, general scrap) and salvages it. The business is served by a gondola and a box car that are dropped off by the local rail company, filled up and then taken away. So for this I need a company office/residence (probably a converted caravan) a place to load the box car (I will build a retaining wall and embankment next to part of the rail) a crane maybe with a magnetized thingymajig to put the salvage on the gondola, a small shed for tools and valuables, a fuel tank, metal fuel barrels for liquids from the cars, lots of junk, rusted cars, rubbish, etc. and an angry looking guard dog. I'm looking for a 1/87 crane form the 50s-60s. Kibri make one, but I can't find one yet. I may have to scratchbuild something. Also looking for a Doberman or German Shepherd in 1/87. :)

 

 

I would suggest a mobile home or a standard portable office (construction site trailer) rather than a caravan as that would be much more likely (although a largish Airstream would add a touch of class). If the proprietor lives on site I would suggest both a mobile home and a site trailer as they would want the residence and office to be separate.

 

Something like this for an early mobile home:

http://www.hobbylinc.com/city-classics-roberts-road-1950s-mobile-home-kit-ho-scale-model-railroad-building-113

 

or some later ones:

https://www.scalemodelplans.com/smp/pgs/catalog3.html

 

Imex used to do some later ones as fully decorated solid resin castings.

 

and for the office, something like this

http://www.1-87vehicles.org/photo289/diorama_construction_site_office_trailer.php

This example is bigger and more modern than you would need, but similar things have been around for many years and are characterized by a flat roof, basic rectangular structure, cheap construction (siding over plywood) and, for semi-permanent use, skirting.

 

Airstream trailer

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Busch-HO-44982-1958-Airstream-Camping-Trailer-p/bus-44982.htm

 

In any case, a semi-permanent trailer setup would likely be on blocks/jackstands to unload the suspension/tyres and, if it didn't have full skirting, would have plywood sheets to protect the tyres from the sun.

 

Can't help with the crane, though.

 

Adrian

Edited by Adrian Wintle
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I would suggest a mobile home or a standard portable office (construction site trailer) rather than a caravan as that would be much more likely (although a largish Airstream would add a touch of class). If the proprietor lives on site I would suggest both a mobile home and a site trailer as they would want the residence and office to be separate.

 

Something like this for an early mobile home:

http://www.hobbylinc.com/city-classics-roberts-road-1950s-mobile-home-kit-ho-scale-model-railroad-building-113

 

or some later ones:

https://www.scalemodelplans.com/smp/pgs/catalog3.html

 

Imex used to do some later ones as fully decorated solid resin castings.

 

and for the office, something like this

http://www.1-87vehicles.org/photo289/diorama_construction_site_office_trailer.php

This example is bigger and more modern than you would need, but similar things have been around for many years and are characterized by a flat roof, basic rectangular structure, cheap construction (siding over plywood) and, for semi-permanent use, skirting.

 

Airstream trailer

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Busch-HO-44982-1958-Airstream-Camping-Trailer-p/bus-44982.htm

 

In any case, a semi-permanent trailer setup would likely be on blocks/jackstands to unload the suspension/tyres and, if it didn't have full skirting, would have plywood sheets to protect the tyres from the sun.

 

Can't help with the crane, though.

 

Adrian

 Thanks for that Adrian, that's a great help. That first link is exactly what I was thinking of. (I think I meant mobile home but didn't really translate properly into the American vernacular.) 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm working on the detailed scenes now. I bought a bunch of kits and details:

 

post-8485-0-17141600-1491033002_thumb.jpg

 

Built a retaining wall for the loading dock. Cheap construction to fit the theme. It will have earth fill behind it, and will be rusting. 

 

post-8485-0-93316700-1491033044_thumb.jpg

 

Primed this and a bunch of other things I'm working on.

 

post-8485-0-55599100-1491033176_thumb.jpg

 

This flatbed truck needs a severe weathering:

 

post-8485-0-98371100-1491033218_thumb.jpg

 

And a glimpse of the unfinished front scene:

 

post-8485-0-23850000-1491033296_thumb.jpg

 

More to come, including wrecked rusty cars!

 

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Just catching up and enjoying the progress :)

Another happy Z21 user here, I've been using it with the exhibition layouts in G and HO for about five years now and very happy with it. Several friends who were very wary of touch screens found it intuitive and there's a topic all about it here -

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/63888-roco-z21/?fromsearch=1

 

And good tutorial videos here -

http://www.aandhmodels.co.uk/roco-z21-1083-c.asp

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I'm working on various details for the wreckers scene now. I tried to change the ugly glossy plastic tuck into something a bit more presentable. I also painted up some drums for the back. The container shed is a Walthers kit. More to come. :)

 

post-8485-0-94811500-1491625703_thumb.jpgpost-8485-0-45453000-1491625735_thumb.jpgpost-8485-0-64364000-1491625751_thumb.jpgpost-8485-0-70867200-1491625765_thumb.jpgpost-8485-0-40147300-1491625782_thumb.jpgpost-8485-0-02344000-1491625809_thumb.jpg

 

 

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Going back to the controlling the layout from your phone/tablet, I've got experience in using JMRI to do it. To do that you'll need...

 

A laptop to run JMRI

A wireless router

A DCC controller (Cab)

A DCC USB interface

A smartphone/tablet

 

Basically, the laptop runs JMRI which acts as a "host" and interface between the different devices. The DCC cab powers the layout, and connects to the laptop via the DCC USB Interface. The laptop connects to the wireless router, and so does the smartphone/tablet.

The smartphone/tablet then runs a JMRI app - I forget what it's called on iOS but on Android it's Enginedriver. The app then connects to the host via a password, and you then use the phone as a wireless controller.

 

Takes a few hours reading and configuring to set it all up, but otherwise it's pretty straightforward. You can then use the laptop to program your locomotives DCC decoders via JMRI. It's a really useful system. :)

 

Every time I replace my smartphone contract I keep the old Smartphones to use as wireless DCC controllers. :D

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Thanks guys. JMRI sounds like a real option. :)

 

Lots of work today. Surfaced the wreckers diorama area with plaster, painted it, added dirt, static grass and some weathering. And then weathered the buildings and placed them. I also finally found a worthwhile use for the ironing board.

 

post-8485-0-17752400-1491726104_thumb.jpgpost-8485-0-51499900-1491726124_thumb.jpgpost-8485-0-29903100-1491726148_thumb.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

I love that loading dock. Very cool. Might have to nick that idea! :D

 

I remember similar structures from my childhood on the farm in the 70s so it thought it would work in this context.

 

I've been putting in lots of work, but not a huge amount to show for it. Nevertheless, spring has sprung on Desert View in the form of flowering bushes. It looks quite subtle in the pictures but gives a really nice variation in the colours in person.

 

post-8485-0-59908400-1492420597_thumb.jpgpost-8485-0-66661400-1492420620_thumb.jpg

 

Also, the other night with a nice glass of Shiraz in hand, I happily ran trains for about an hour. :)

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Earwicker - Don't remember any Dobermans or bull-mastiffs but there are various GSs (usually as part of K-9 units) in the HO ranges of Woodland Scenics/Faller/ Preiser/etc - but usually too "clean and tidy" - for a "Junk-Yard Dog" you may be better off with one or two from   http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/Item/A1942/page/show/category/JustPlugLightingSystem  / http://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=g8t%2fhLS0&id=54BD06385FBEDDD81960F4DD6C59BE3EE25567D1&q=HO+scale+wolves&simid=607992994880749709&selectedIndex=33&ajaxhist=0  LXWKL1 Woodland Scenics Wildlife Standoff HO - actually wolves, but excellent as a scruffy, snarly,mud-covered Alsatian - I have one with a very fine chain in the back of a Red-neck style Chevy pickup. The one I used was the one immediately left of the deer in the first link, standing with his front paws on top of the rear door of the truck, straining at his chain. Hope it helps

Edited by shortliner
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While it is a nice-looking kit, the converted container mobile office really feels out of place for the late '70s. A box (site office) trailer would be more likely, although ISO containers had been around long enough that someone might have done an office conversion.

 

Also, containers in hot conditions get unbearably hot inside. If you keep it, give it a window air conditioner (and an electrical service).

 

Here is a (modern) example of an electrical service on a container:

post-206-0-99516500-1492460875.jpg

 

The main components are a metal stack with an elbow at the top  (to ensure that the feed line is at a safe height) and a meter. Both buildings would likely have similar setups, i.e. it is more likely to have two service feeds an meters than to have a single one and a cable strung to the other building,

 

Adrian

Edited by Adrian Wintle
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While it is a nice-looking kit, the converted container mobile office really feels out of place for the late '70s. 

 

I agree actually. Thanks for the details too. I'll see if I can carry through with the trailer home idea, but honestly I'm also tempted to go a little more generic with these modules given that all sorts of crazy combinations of rolling stock is likely to be run on them (both due to my own divergent interests and to the likely other participants). We will see. :)

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While it is a nice-looking kit, the converted container mobile office really feels out of place for the late '70s. A box (site office) trailer would be more likely, although ISO containers had been around long enough that someone might have done an office conversion.

 

Also, containers in hot conditions get unbearably hot inside. If you keep it, give it a window air conditioner (and an electrical service).

 

Here is a (modern) example of an electrical service on a container:

attachicon.gifDSCN1463c.jpg

 

The main components are a metal stack with an elbow at the top  (to ensure that the feed line is at a safe height) and a meter. Both buildings would likely have similar setups, i.e. it is more likely to have two service feeds an meters than to have a single one and a cable strung to the other building,

 

Adrian

FWIW Kibri do a kit with half a dozen container buildings that can be stacked - as do Busch

 

Kibri    post-6688-0-21152800-1492503318.jpg

 

 

Busch     post-6688-0-60153100-1492503368.jpg

Edited by shortliner
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FWIW Kibri do a kit with half a dozen container buildings that can be stacked - as do Busch

 

Kibri    attachicon.gifkibri.jpg

 

 

Busch     attachicon.gifbusch.jpg

 

The thing with those is that they are not particularly North American. Container-based offices are definitely in the minority here, although available through suppliers like ATCO (which looks to make the prototype for the kit). The typical thing here would be a site-office trailer, basically a big plywood box with siding on the outside. The come in various sizes and are lighter and cheaper than containers. Plus, they can be towed with a pickup truck.

http://www.millerofficetrailers.com/

https://www.modspace.com/en-ca/mobile-offices

http://www.atcosl.com/en-ca/Products-and-Services/Mobile-Offices/Office-Trailers

 

Adrian

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