DJLC - John's train of thought.

[John57sharp]

First up I want to say how inspiring you all are, experts and newcomers alike, this is a great group, showing some great work, and I hope to contribute in a small corner somewhere eventually. I'm trying to get my DJLC thoughts to crystallise, so I'm going to start on here and hope something develops. I'm almost certainly going urban, and there may be some water involved if there is space, however I really like this building and would like to find out more about it, but searching on East London Junction doesn't show it up at all. Any offers?

[Echo]

I suspect it was a one-off. Maybe the GERS could help?

 

I like the solar panel on the roof.

[John57sharp]

Thats my power source for the layout!

[Echo]

The National Library of Scotland holds Ordnance Survey maps at 5 ft to 1 mile for greater London. The relevant sheet probably just shows the signal box projecting from the retaining wall

 

 

That would give you a start on scaling the building.

[John57sharp]

The National Library of Scotland holds Ordnance Survey maps at 5 ft to 1 mile for greater London. The relevant sheet probably just shows the signal box projecting from the retaining wall

 

That would give you a start on scaling the building.

That's a great start Echo, thanks

[John57sharp]

I've had some further assistance regarding the signal cabin, thanks MRFS, but I'm now looking in more detail at my track plan. Templot won't run on my old xp devices or the Win Surface or iPad so I'm using the old style cut and paste version! This is the upper layer of my idea, basically a single line with a run around and a spur, with a couple of works sidings top left. The board is cut to the maximum size allowed for the scenic section.

I'd welcome any thoughts regarding the layout, I've never really attempted anything this real before, usually I'm free form narrow Gauge or working to a plan.

Cheers

[martin_wynne]

The National Library of Scotland holds Ordnance Survey maps at 5 ft to 1 mile for greater London. The relevant sheet probably just shows the signal box projecting from the retaining wall

 

BJ.jpg

 

That would give you a start on scaling the building.

 

Templot can load those maps directly as a tiled background guide, correctly scaled to your model scale:

 

 

Using the ruler tool in Templot that building is seen on the right to be 84mm long in 4mm scale (track is EM). Or 42mm in 2mm/ft.

 

(this image may need scrolling sideways on smaller screens)

 

Martin.

Edited October 5, 2017 by martin_wynne

[John57sharp]

Thanks Echo and Martin for your assistance. I'll have to sort out a machine to run Templot. My current thinking is below, I'm hoping to tuck the cabin in against the retaining wall on the top right hand side. This is a fictional location but somewhere in London, with a Widened Lines feel. The top level will have all the shunting, with a stabling point for the shunter and parcels or newspaper sidings top left.

The lower level is shown by the pice of track, which will be a 2 track plain line gasping for air between tunnels and will allow me to run through trains.

Lots of notes being scribbled on as ideas develop.

Cheers

John

[Mim]

Hi John,

There is a way where your old XP computer could run Templot for free, which is to install a Linux operating system alongside, or instead of Windows XP, then install Wine, a windows emulator program and use that to run Templot. This is the way I run Templot. Linux is a way of getting more use out of an old computer that doesn't have the power to run more modern versions of Windows. Many people also find it easier to use once installed. I installed it on my Mum's laptop and she is a real 20th Century gal. Not a natural with computers at all! Linux comes in many flavours called distributions. Something like Xubuntu works well on older lower power machines.

 

Installing something like xubuntu, then wine and Templot shouldn't be difficult. Depends how much in to computers you are. If you are very computer-phobic, then ignore all this. Alternatively, you may know someone nearby who can help install this. Templot has a very steep learning curve, but is excellent once you have a handle on it. Carrying on with paper templates as you are doing still works fine though.

 

Mim

[John57sharp]

Hi John,

There is a way where your old XP computer could run Templot for free, which is to install a Linux operating system alongside, or instead of Windows XP, then install Wine, a windows emulator program and use that to run Templot. This is the way I run Templot. Linux is a way of getting more use out of an old computer that doesn't have the power to run more modern versions of Windows. Many people also find it easier to use once installed. I installed it on my Mum's laptop and she is a real 20th Century gal. Not a natural with computers at all! Linux comes in many flavours called distributions. Something like Xubuntu works well on older lower power machines.

 

Installing something like xubuntu, then wine and Templot shouldn't be difficult. Depends how much in to computers you are. If you are very computer-phobic, then ignore all this. Alternatively, you may know someone nearby who can help install this. Templot has a very steep learning curve, but is excellent once you have a handle on it. Carrying on with paper templates as you are doing still works fine though.

 

Mim

Thanks for this Mim, I'll have another look at xubuntu and wine, I really should know more about this given my 30 odd year career in IT!

 

I've been doing some old fashioned 3D modelling today, which has revealed some areas that need more thought before putting anything down.

[John57sharp]

I hope some of you will be able to advise here?

 

I created the top level plan based on A6 turnout templates, only to spot that the Easitrack kits are only B sized, and as I think I should go this way as a beginner, I have redesigned using B7 size.

This means that I can't get the runaround in as I would like, though it could be done off scene.

 

My questions then are:

Which is most prototypical? This is meant to be a freight only line serving several customers somewhere in north London, including the 2 sidings top left. The line goes off scene top right and bottom left. The siding middle right will be a loco stabling point for a small shutter, probably an 08.

Would the rail be flat bottom or bullhead by the BR blue era?

These are straight templates, would the reality be more a gentle curve, in which case I could use the methods recently described in the Magazine?

Am I missing anything obvious?

 

Cheers in advance again

John

[Caley Jim]

My immediate thoughts are that the lower plan, with the other end of the run-round off-scene, would give you scope for slightly longer trains. Secondly, if you move the turnout top left to the right so that it is up against its neighbour, it gives you a wee bit more length on these sidings.  As to whether it would be flat bottom or bullhead would depend on how much of a backwater it was.  there are still bits of bullhead in evidence on rarely used sidings and stabling points.

 

Of course, if you'd drawn it out with Templot, you could have nice flowing curves all through it!   

 

Just my 1p (ex 2d) worth.

 

Jim

[Mim]

Hi John,

The easitrack turnout kits are bullhead only as far as I know, so that sort of makes the decision for you. Bullhead is perfectly appropriate for grotty sidings in the blue diesel era. You can still see it on some today, decades later. It would make a nice contrast to have flat bottom, even concrete sleeper on the tracks on the low level line and bullhead wood sleeper on the top.

 

B6 points would be shorter than B7, give you more options and are available in easitrack kits. They would also look better in a cramped set of sidings I think. Is the reason for using B7 just that B6 isn't available as an Association paper template? If you'd like some B6 templates just PM me and I'll make you some left and right B6 Templot pdf's you can print out. Can put in any curves to them you need too. Just let me know.

 

If you went with something like the lower plan, then the off screen area to the left could be a short single track sector plate that could access the two lines of the run round loop and replace that turnout.

 

Mim

[bcnPete]

Nice idea - makes my one turnout and siding entry look pretty dull

 

Good luck and watching with interest

Edited October 26, 2017 by bcnPete

[John57sharp]

Hi John,

The easitrack turnout kits are bullhead only as far as I know, so that sort of makes the decision for you. Bullhead is perfectly appropriate for grotty sidings in the blue diesel era. You can still see it on some today, decades later. It would make a nice contrast to have flat bottom, even concrete sleeper on the tracks on the low level line and bullhead wood sleeper on the top.

 

B6 points would be shorter than B7, give you more options and are available in easitrack kits. They would also look better in a cramped set, of sidings I think. Is the reason for using B7 just that B6 isn't available as an Association paper template? If you'd like some B6 templates just PM me and I'll make you some left and right B6 Templot pdf's you can print out. Can put in any curves to them you need too. Just let me know.

 

If you went with something like the lower plan, then the off screen area to the left could be a short single track sector plate that could access the two lines of the run round loop and replace that turnout.

 

Mim

Thanks again Mim and Jim, I can take a hint, spent today's modelling time getting my xp netbook up and running with Xubuntu, nearly there.... will then have a crack with Templot, but if this fails, I will be taking up your kind offer Mim!

 

The lower level will be FBR, I may even go concrete, I may even add a third rail.... I may also be getting ahead of myself!

 

Pete, I may be over reaching, in any case your KISS approach will be successful I'm sure.

 

Cheers all.

John

[John57sharp]

So after an “interesting” life period, and a battle with Windows, having given up on Ubuntu, I have now got a working version with Templot installed... this is my first take on the upper layer in Templot, grateful as ever for any feedback at all. Cheers

 

John

[Caley Jim]

Does that vertical red line at the left hand side represent the joint between boards?  If so, I would think you are asking for trouble putting a crossing right on top of it.  I've got away with having crossovers split by baseboard joints, but I would be very hesitant to split a turnout that way and definitely not through the crossing.  I would put a sector plate on the fiddle yard board and realign the upper track of the run round to align with it, that is assuming that there's only going to be a loco going there.  That will add another inch or so onto the run round.

 

Another 1p worth.

 

Jim

[John57sharp]

Thanks Jim, all input welcomed. The line is only a scenic boundary, to fit into tthe DJLC dimensions, so the baseboard won’t be split there. Thanks for the advice though. Hope to get going with some actual building soon.

 

Cheers

John