Trelothen - a Cornish fishing harbour

[Stubby47]

 

The build has started.

 

The first baseboard has been persuaded into shape and is now drying.

 

 

Edited July 12, 2021 by Stubby47

[St Enodoc]

41 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

 

The build has started.

 

The first baseboard has been persuaded into shape and is now drying.

 

 

Nice dustpan.

[Stubby47]

3 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Nice dustpan.

 

Yes, it's put there as a hint...

 

Have just removed the top of the baseboard, as of course it needs to be split into two parts...

[The Stationmaster]

Stu  - Are all the cross members in the right place as far as point positions go or will there be no 'under baseboard' gubbins for the points?

[Stubby47]

The frame is fixed, as it's a kit, so the points will be adjusted to avoid them. One complication will be if I try to use any sort of cranks to operate two points from one Cobalt.

 

I can use small or medium points, depending on the space available. 

[Stubby47]

Well the good news is the cross beams underneath can be avoided with the planned plan. 

However, 1200mm is not very long. I can just fit two 60ft coaches in the platform and leave enough loco release for a Class 41 warship ( special trip / end of service life secondary duties).

Here the 12" rule is deputising for Bulldog.

 

The yard is plenty big enough, as the loco release runs to the board edge.

 

As with Treamble, there can be an element of curvature with the yard loop.

 

So, generally happy, just need to squeeze the platform lines in carefully.

[Stubby47]

By planning for a Class 22, I can save 30mm, and backdating to a 45xx would save even more.

As it is, the loco release will reach the roadway, so some buildings would have had to be removed when the railway arrived in town. 

Meh.

[Stubby47]

5 hours ago, Stubby47 said:

One complication will be if I try to use any sort of cranks to operate two points from one Cobalt.

 

Hah!

I can use wire-in-tube for each pair of points, driven from one Cobalt motor. As all of the the cross overs straddle one support rib, the w-i-t will only need a small hole through the rib.

[Chimer]

'Tis indeed a rare thing, moving here from "Layout and Track Design" .  May the Cornese Piskies be with you and the build .... 

[Siberian Snooper]

I do like it, when a plan comes together.

 

 

[NHY 581]

How nice.....

[Stubby47]

Following a very generous, unsolicited offer and exchange of a few of the Queen's vouchers, I now have sufficient points to lay the track for the lower yard area. 

I need some cork tiles, and I've also been informed from those very nice people at KMRC that my Road Van is now awaiting collection, so as B&Q is also in the same direction, a trip on Saturday will be planned ( I may also purchase the necessary Cobalts as well...).

 

Uncoupling will be a mixture of permanent magnets (in the sidings) and electro magnets (in the loop / running lines). 

 

Which means I need to start thinking about wiring diagrams. I've seen a idea previously of using a picture frame with a thin wood facia for the control panel.  Each 'area'  (yard/platform/factory) will have a separate panel.

[St Enodoc]

16 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

I've seen a idea previously of using a picture frame with a thin wood facia for the control panel.

Not so easy to drill the holes in the glass though.

Edited July 14, 2021 by St Enodoc

[Stubby47]

1 minute ago, St Enodoc said:

Not so easy to drill the holes in the glass though.

 

Would show the crappy wiring behind as well...

[The Stationmaster]

Here's one way of doing it Stu although this was d for a 'portable' layout -  so had to be portable.  The box came from, I think, Hobbycraft and was just a box to carry art materials or some such but it hada nice smooth flat front onto which a diagram could be fixed.  route setting 100% push button.

 

 

Partially wired

 

 

 

[Stubby47]

1 minute ago, The Stationmaster said:

Here's one way of doing it Stu although this was d for a 'portable' layout -  so had to be portable.  The box came from, I think, Hobbycraft and was just a box to carry art materials or some such but it hada nice smooth flat front onto which a diagram could be fixed.  route setting 100% push button.

 

 

Partially wired

 

 

 

 

Now that is a clever idea...

[Stubby47]

Yard track plan, showing magnets and track breaks.

 

All Blue & Black will be connected together (separately, obviously) and live.

Red will be frog switched.

 

The use of permanent magnets will require consistent coupling heights and performance, something that has needed addressing on previous layouts, but should be achievable with a bit of fettling where necessary.

[5BarVT]

Like it.

Except . . . .

if something conducting is straddling the join on the middle line and you swing either of the points a large current will attempt to flow.

My solution would be to cut back the frog switched sections clear of where a (conductive) vehicle might stand.
Paul.

[Chimer]

I can't get my head round the idea of leaving the whole length of the siding rails switched by the frog switch.  For example [deleted ] 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Chimer
Delete stupid comment !

[5BarVT]

Just now, Chimer said:

I can't get my head round the idea of leaving the whole length of the siding rails switched by the frog switch.  For example, if the first (right hand) point on the lower section is set straight, turning the frog and the lower siding rail blue, wouldn't a loco parked on the lower siding (both rails now blue) cause a short?

Not necessarily, it just won’t move or do anything.   A problem if you want DCC with sound (or lights etc).  Depending on your command station, there might be a problem if you try to move it and then later operate the point if the command station sends out repeated speed values at intervals - it would set off without warning.

Paul.

[Stubby47]

Thanks gents.

 

I accept your rationale that not isolating the points is unusual, but it does work on Treamble and this is a virtual copy.

 

I don't use DCC, so locos on sidings with the points against them won't work, but don't cause a short as both rails and all the motor electrics are all the same polarity.

 

If I isolated at the frog, then wired the rails live, they would be live at all times, irrespective of the point position - a real niggle I have with DCC.

My version saves having to add an isolating switch to the circuit for each siding.

 

Edited July 14, 2021 by Stubby47

[The Stationmaster]

45 minutes ago, Chimer said:

I can't get my head round the idea of leaving the whole length of the siding rails switched by the frog switch.  For example, if the first (right hand) point on the lower section is set straight, turning the frog and the lower siding rail blue, wouldn't a loco parked on the lower siding (both rails now blue) cause a short?

No - that's one of the beauties of having a live crossing ('frog') because it effectively makes dead end sidings self isolating  as both rails would be of the same polarity when the points are set against them.

 

PS i'm not into trains using an extra C in their electrical supply so you'd best less t someone who knows about it like 5BarVT

[Stubby47]

50 minutes ago, 5BarVT said:

Like it.

Except . . . .

if something conducting is straddling the join on the middle line and you swing either of the points a large current will attempt to flow.

 

 

Yes, I concede that is a possibility.  But what it does allow is a loco can move into the loop whilst another is beyond it, without extra isolating sections.

Generally only wagons will be standing in the loop.

[Chimer]

1 hour ago, The Stationmaster said:

No - that's one of the beauties of having a live crossing ('frog') because it effectively makes dead end sidings self isolating  as both rails would be of the same polarity when the points are set against them.

 

PS i'm not into trains using an extra C in their electrical supply so you'd best less t someone who knows about it like 5BarVT

 

Doh .... I said I couldn't get my head around it.  Of course blue to blue isn't a short ....... apologies.

[Stubby47]

I've been wondering what would be the best method to operate the points.

 

I think the simple answer is to mount the Cobalts on the nearest baseboard rib, horizontally, and take two spring wires off the operating wire (the bit that usually goes through the baseboard). This will give me the best 'throw'. I can then take each wire to this sort of contraption:

 

 

 

which will be cheap and adjustable.  The tube for the wire is held by the choc block, allowing finite adjustment to ensure the tiebar moves correctly.

 

At the motor end, I can just hotglue the tube to the baseboard.

Edited July 15, 2021 by Stubby47