West Highland Line V4, a 1980's West Highland Line layout

[thegreenhowards]

Next up was more a comment than a question.
 

I note you were having problems with the power inrush on starting up. I have not experienced this with my NCE PowerCab (on my 00 layout) but I have had power drops such that certain locos or accessories don’t work properly. I solved this by adding a Tam Valley 5A booster but as I’m currently starting in O gauge I am quite worried about power requirements. So I bought one of the DCC Concepts Alpha Meters. I have found this very useful in understanding power requirements. On my OO layout I note the amp draw on startup is about 1.5 Amps dropping to about 1 Amp after a couple of minutes but with no trains running. I can isolate power districts in turn to understand which have the biggest power draw.

 

The Alpha Meter won’t solve any problems but it does allow accurate diagnosis and in this game, I think that ‘knowledge is power’, so it might be worth investing in one if you’re still having any problems. As with many DCC Concepts products, they’re  not cheap, but it is a nice piece of kit. No connection…just a satisfied customer.

 

Regards

 

Andy

 

 

[young37215]

Hi Andy

 

Thanks for the positive comments. WHL4 is something of a journey which I am enjoying even though most activities seem to take much longer than I had expected. The layout proved to be something of a lifesaver during the various lockdowns where working on the layout and recording developments on RMWeb gave me contact with the outside world as well as creating a diary of the layouts evolution. 

 

In terms of the sound in the class 37 fleet I have most producers represented as the summary in the picture below shows. I have no allegiance to ESU as such despite the proliferation of their chips and the Cab Control system. CC was the best controller option I could find for what I wanted and overall I have been pleased with it despite the irritations relating to starting power. I simply have never got around to buying a Zimo chip although I have several of their speakers where in my opinion, upgrading the speaker is the best enhancement that can be made to a sound chipped loco. The Earth Mover 2’s are excellent but expensive because of the need to mill 00 gauge loco chassis to fit the speaker. My current speaker of choice based upon a personal comparative cost/benefit is the Zimo double dumbo, LS 40x22x09 which at £18 delivers perhaps 75% the EM2 at 20% of the cost and fits a Bachmann class 37 without any modification.

 

I have not used any DCC Concepts products although I have been tempted. Their voltage meter would be high on my list of potential purchases although I don’t intend doing anything on this front at present. This is largely because Cab Control has been less of a problem following the power BUS extension in the fiddle yard since when CC starts power on the first or second attempt. 

 

With autumn appearing well under way, my days on the golf course are receding and thoughts are returning to the next steps in the development of WHL4. Hopefully I will have something to report on this front in the coming weeks.

 

 

Edited October 2, 2021 by young37215

[thegreenhowards]

Hi Rob,

 

Thanks for your thoughts on sound projects. I agree that the speaker is critical, but hopefully that will not be such an issue for me in O gauge.
 

With regards to the recordings on the chip, I feel that with 37s (more than most other classes) there is a huge difference between one driven conservatively and one driven with typical West Highland thrash. The sound file I have on my sole 00 example is in the former camp and rather disappointing to my ears, so I’m looking for a proper thrash example with wheel slip. I’m more or less decided on the legomanbiffo project.

 

Andy

[thegreenhowards]

Another, rather different, question if I may. Can I ask you to elaborate on your coach formations?
 

I note that the CWNs of the period show fairly similar formations of, typically BFK, TSOs and either a RMB or BSO(T). Whereas photos and your formations suggest rather more variety with BSK, SK and CKs also featuring and the BFK sometimes bring a mk2. Could you give a description of the different formations you use and, if possible, suggest any other sources of data on this?

 

Many thanks

 

Andy

[young37215]

12 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

Hi Rob,

 

Thanks for your thoughts on sound projects. I agree that the speaker is critical, but hopefully that will not be such an issue for me in O gauge.
 

With regards to the recordings on the chip, I feel that with 37s (more than most other classes) there is a huge difference between one driven conservatively and one driven with typical West Highland thrash. The sound file I have on my sole 00 example is in the former camp and rather disappointing to my ears, so I’m looking for a proper thrash example with wheel slip. I’m more or less decided on the legomanbiffo project.

 

Andy

 

Legoman's WH sound project can be quite feisty if driven aggressively in the style of so many Scottish region drivers. With judicious use of the Drivelock function you can get entertaining departures with wheels slipping and engine cutouts at low speeds. I must get around to a video of an Earth Mover fitted loco departing Crianlarich heading south to imitate the wheel slip I have seen in several videos on the rising gradient

 

  

[young37215]

12 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

Another, rather different, question if I may. Can I ask you to elaborate on your coach formations?
 

I note that the CWNs of the period show fairly similar formations of, typically BFK, TSOs and either a RMB or BSO(T). Whereas photos and your formations suggest rather more variety with BSK, SK and CKs also featuring and the BFK sometimes bring a mk2. Could you give a description of the different formations you use and, if possible, suggest any other sources of data on this?

 

Many thanks

 

Andy

 

The first post on page 14 of the thread explains how and why the coaching stock fleet is formed as it is including the sources of information that underpinned my selections. If I was starting over I would have one or two less SK's with TSO's in their place but otherwise I think I have a fair reflection of the coaches seen on the WHL in the early 80's. 

 

[thegreenhowards]

2 hours ago, young37215 said:

 

The first post on page 14 of the thread explains how and why the coaching stock fleet is formed as it is including the sources of information that underpinned my selections. If I was starting over I would have one or two less SK's with TSO's in their place but otherwise I think I have a fair reflection of the coaches seen on the WHL in the early 80's. 

 

Thanks Rob,  That was so far back in my read through that I’d obviously forgotten about it! I did follow the links at the time which were well worth a read.

 

I look forward to the ‘Earth Mover’ video.

 

Andy

[young37215]

A little pottering and some planning have occupied the last few days, the planning relates to deciding what to do next and the pottering saw 27105 shuffle it’s empty rail train into Crianlarich. 

 

[young37215]

It's a filthy day today so I am off to the loft to start work on the scenery at Ardlui. For some strange reason cutting and glueing polystyrene to create hills and mountains always makes me nervous, I don't know why but it does. Hopefully I can get the bulk of the work done today so as to limit my anxiety to just one day.

 

Whilst looking on Ebay this morning I noticed the complete set of 6 Jane's Railway Year books covering 1981 to 1986. Reading my copies of these is a great way to relive my bashing days and I also find them a great reference source. 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165135890316?hash=item2672ddb78c:g:JpoAAOSwbN9g60nk

[young37215]

A few hours spent cutting polystyrene and gluing it in place using PVA broke the back of the job of creating the mountains to the west of Ardlui. So long as the glue has dried I should be able to finish cutting and start covering the polystyrene with plaster cloth today.

 

[mallaig1983]

A decent productive day Rob. It’s coming on nicely.

[young37215]

Lots of work but little to show for yesterday’s effort. The day was largely made up of wood work with 3 small sections added to the Ardlui area. Hopefully I will feel sufficiently confident to start laying plaster cloth later today.
 

The track on the approach from the south was tight to the baseboard edge. I grafted an additional 30 mm piece of baseboard onto which I will create an embankment. 

The lower level baseboard around the station entrance leading to the A82 was rebuilt. The original was a temporary affair, the new section is much more robust.

A small triangular corner was added to the baseboard at the northern end, again this was to create a larger space between the track and the baseboard edge. 

 

Edited May 7, 2022 by young37215

[mallaig1983]

Really nice looking signals Rob. Are they kits? Apologies if they’ve been covered previously. Progress is looking good. I look forward to following the greenery.

Andy

[young37215]

 

On 21/10/2021 at 17:46, mallaig1983 said:

Really nice looking signals Rob. Are they kits? Apologies if they’ve been covered previously. Progress is looking good. I look forward to following the greenery.

Andy

Hi Andy

 

Signals are MSE kits, I sub contract their construction as I don’t have a clue how to solder them together! Once I have finished the scenery they will be automated using servos and my Megapoints control system.

 

Plaster cloth was added to about 60 percent of the Ardlui mountainside yesterday. It’s a messy business but one that shows how the finished area should look. Fortunately I managed to buy a large supply of plaster cloth a year or two back at a good price. So far I have hardly made a dent in my stock and I hope that I have sufficient for the remaining scenic areas I intend building. I suspect that I will want to add some filler to a few areas but I'll wait until the plaster is painted and fully dry before I make any decisons.
 

 

Edited May 7, 2022 by young37215

[ISW]

On 20/10/2021 at 07:36, young37215 said:

A few hours spent cutting polystyrene and gluing it in place using PVA broke the back of the job of creating the mountains to the west of Ardlui. So long as the glue has dried I should be able to finish cutting and start covering the polystyrene with plaster cloth today

Rob,

 

Do you make the 'polystyrene hills' removable? I'm thinking of follow the Chadwick (YouTube) example whereby the 'hills' are mounted on thin plywood to permit lifting out. As you can tell, I'm always on the lookout for an 'undo' button, just in case.

 

Ian

[billywhizz]

Hi Rob.
Coming on nicely. Certainly adds depth to the scene!! 

[young37215]

23 hours ago, ISW said:

Rob,

 

Do you make the 'polystyrene hills' removable? I'm thinking of follow the Chadwick (YouTube) example whereby the 'hills' are mounted on thin plywood to permit lifting out. As you can tell, I'm always on the lookout for an 'undo' button, just in case.

 

Ian

Generally all of the scenery is fixed in place. There is a small section of the Ardlui section that will be removable, the top 100mm next to Fort William will not be secured to lower level so that I can access and remove the Fort William section station if the need arises. 

Hopefully I can get the pictures that show this to appear the right way up today.

 

 

 

[young37215]

Some more plaster cloth applied to the hillside at the southern end of Ardlui and a first coat of paint over the northern end of the mountainside. I placed a few trees to see how it feels, clearly lots to do but beginning to get the feel that I am looking for. 

  

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 2022 by young37215

[David Bell]

Looking good Rob,

Cheers

David

[ISW]

2 hours ago, young37215 said:

Some more plaster cloth applied to the hillside at the southern end of Ardlui and a first coat of paint over the northern end of the mountainside. I placed a few trees to see how it feels, clearly lots to do but beginning to get the feel that I am looking for. 

Rob,

 

Now that's made a huge difference. I'm glad your imagination was up to the task; I'd be struggling! I was going to ask why you painted the ground light green when other YouTubers seem to prefer good ol' burnt umber. But I expect it's simply down to what cheap paint you had available?

 

Ian

[young37215]

The light green paint is a first coat to seal the plaster cloth and, I hope, form the base for the lighter green colour I want to see on the higher areas of the mountainside. As with all things colour related, I will be taking instructions from my colour consultant wife, what I want to create will hopefully resemble the 1986 picture below showing Ardlui post the RETB introduction. The picture also shows the 2 items I am currently short of namely the station sign and the platform lamps. The sign should be easy enough to buy, I need signs for other stations as well, with several sellers on Ebay but the platform lamps continue to challenge me. Given that the platform lamps are generic to nearly all WHL stations for the 1970's through to the 1990's, I hope to find a small business that can see the potential for other sales and will create a suitable product.   

 

 

For the area I am currently working on I completed the polystyrene, added plaster cloth and got a first coat of paint down by the end of yesterday. At the southern end of Ardlui station I need to find a way to create the dense bush and tree undergrowth without obscuring Fort William station. I think this will be a job for Woodland Scenics fine leaf foliage rather than their trees. I started to add ground cover at the northern end using the remains of basket liner left over from previous stations. 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 2022 by young37215

[thegreenhowards]

1 hour ago, young37215 said:

The light green paint is a first coat to seal the plaster cloth and, I hope, form the base for the lighter green colour I want to see on the higher areas of the mountainside. As with all things colour related, I will be taking instructions from my colour consultant wife, what I want to create will hopefully resemble the 1986 picture below showing Ardlui post the RETB introduction. The picture also shows the 2 items I am currently short of namely the station sign and the platform lamps. The sign should be easy enough to buy, I need signs for other stations as well, with several sellers on Ebay but the platform lamps continue to challenge me. Given that the platform lamps are generic to nearly all WHL stations for the 1970's through to the 1990's, I hope to find a small business that can see the potential for other sales and will create a suitable product.   

 

 

For the area I am currently working on I completed the polystyrene, added plaster cloth and got a first coat of paint down by the end of yesterday. At the southern end of Ardlui station I need to find a way to create the dense bush and tree undergrowth without obscuring Fort William station. I think this will be a job for Woodland Scenics fine leaf foliage rather than their trees. I started to add ground cover at the northern end using the remains of basket liner left over from previous stations. 

 

 

 

Nice work Rob. You have a bit of a problem with Fort William in the background of the Ardlui shots. Have you considered a temporary backscene to plug in front of Fort William when you’re photographing Ardlui?

[young37215]

On 26/10/2021 at 09:22, thegreenhowards said:

Have you considered a temporary backscene to plug in front of Fort William when you’re photographing Ardlui?

 

I will attempt to integrate the two sections as best I can although they are very different settings. Blending the urban and mountainside settings will be a challenge but it is something I will live with. I face similar challenges elsewhere on the layout, what I want is to be able to look at each section and feel that they represent the area they are based on; if I achieve that I will be happy.

 

Spent some time running trains with Doug today, the summer slowdown has caused one or two minor operational irritations but overall things went well. The Ardlui section might be only partially completed but it does make a significant difference to the appearance of WHL4.  

 

37011 heads a Oban service through Ardlui

 

 

 

37085 arrives at Garelochead heading for Glasgow with a service from Oban where it passed 37051 with a Mossend to Corpach freight

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 2022 by young37215

[young37215]

A few more pictures of Ardlui, the more I look at these the happier I am about the shape and feel of the new scenery. A rather careworn 37011 is pictured heading south with an afternoon freight from Corpach to Mossend where it crosses 37022 heading north with a freight bound for Corpach.

 

As well as having fun playing trains, I am deliberating how to dress the new scenery. Traditionally I have used Woodland Scenics turfs, usually a mix of coarse and fine which has worked well. At Ardlui I am attempting to create the impression of the mountains towering over the station and the way the sunlight picks out the various levels and angles requires different colours and textures to achieve this which is one of the reasons for the light green paint. My current thinking is to use lighter and fine turf for the higher levels with coarser turf lower down and underneath the trees and bushes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 2022 by young37215

[HalfScot]

I've just found this thread and am in the process of binge-reading it from start to finish. I'm currently in the planning phase of a Scottish layout in N, and if I can create the Scottish atmosphere this well I'll be a very happy modeller. 

 

Love the way this is developing. 

 

Best wishes

 

Ollie