GRANBY JUNCTION - Shunting Siphons for the Up Parcels with a Manor!

[richard.h]

2 hours ago, john dew said:

 

Thanks Richard

 

Train Controller doesnt know if a loco stalls or hesitates. It just assumes it is continuing to move at the defined speed for that schedule. If the loco isnt required to stop in that block its no big deal ....a swift hand from the sky and it continues on its way.

 

Its a different matter if a loco has to stop in the block......particularly over an uncoupling magnet. You pre define the block speed and stop distance from the entrance to the block. Based on the known loco characteristics (every loco is laboriously profiled) TC carries out a time and distance calculation from the moment the loco enters the block. 90% of the time the loco stops within less than an inch of the marker. If it hesitates though the calculation continues uninterrupted and the loco stops short...........which can be tiresome!

 

Prevention is the best cure....Clean track and wheels,added and or adjusted pickups, standardised decoders (I use Lenz), careful profiling and a ruthless approach to any erratic performance.  As an example the DJM 14xxs are gorgeous locos but sadly they have both been relegated to less glamorous duties where precise stopping is not essential. 

 

Many of my automatic sequences require very limited supervision maybe just a quick visual check that uncoupling/uncoupling has taken place...........some of the more complex ones can see me hovering like an anxious  mother hen!

 

Hope this helps

 

Best wishes

 

John

 

 

Hi John

  Thanks very much for that detailed reply. I am currently using NCE macros for routing so I can get between any two points on the layout by presetting a route.

 

 However in technology terms this is now quite dated and there are many new advanced systems available and ideally I would like to be able to set some automatic sequences controlling locos and signalling so your system looks a distinct possibility and worth investigating further.

 

Regards

 

Richard

[St Enodoc]

4 hours ago, john dew said:

 

Indeed!

 

Its the lettering style and the overall look of the fascia that appeals to me. Metcalfe and Scalescene provide far more substantial structures with crisper printing but the lettering invariably shouts out sixties!

 

I imagine you are enjoying the Six Nations? I certainly am...........when I referred to the station roof being off I thought of working in a reference to the Millenium Stadium at Cardiff but decided it would probably be too obscure for most of my readers.

 

Cheers

I think you're dead right about the lettering. Many otherwise fine models are, in my opinion, spoiled by anachronistic lettering styles (no names, no pack drill...). After I posted I remembered Crossley's timber merchants, who might have had even more branches than R&B.

 

Yes, enjoying 6N but tricky watching games when they are on Sundays (UK time) as that is early Monday here and I need to go to work unfortunately...

 

I never worry about obscure references or comments. Those who need to ask don't need to know!

[john dew]

3 hours ago, richard.h said:

Hi John

  Thanks very much for that detailed reply. I am currently using NCE macros for routing so I can get between any two points on the layout by presetting a route.

 

 However in technology terms this is now quite dated and there are many new advanced systems available and ideally I would like to be able to set some automatic sequences controlling locos and signalling so your system looks a distinct possibility and worth investigating further.

 

Regards

 

Richard

If you need any more information just  let me know. Is your layout set up with some form of occupancy detection?

 

regards

 

john

[richard.h]

23 hours ago, john dew said:

If you need any more information just  let me know. Is your layout set up with some form of occupancy detection?

 

regards

 

john

At the moment no, it has two separate power sections which are split into five sections (2 and 3) each with their own short circuit protections.

 

If I am thinking correctly though I could split it into smaller occupancy units by making fine cuts through one rail and feeding the power to the new section created through detection units.

 

Regards

 

Richard

[john dew]

21 hours ago, richard.h said:

At the moment no, it has two separate power sections which are split into five sections (2 and 3) each with their own short circuit protections.

 

If I am thinking correctly though I could split it into smaller occupancy units by making fine cuts through one rail and feeding the power to the new section created through detection units.

 

Regards

 

Richard

 

Hi Richard

 

Yes thats the way to do it. In  RR&Co the “smaller occupancy units” are called blocks. Blocks should not include  any turnouts.  In an ideal world a block should be at least as long as the longest train that will occupy it.......this isnt always possible but should be applied where occupy means actually stop for a while ie a storage yard or station.

 

I am not sure how extensively you will be automating....TC is available in 3 flavours. Bronze,Silver and Gold. Bronze is relatively inexpensive but quite limited....ok for simple shuttles etc. Gold is packed with bells and whistles and expensive.

 

You can download the manuals and demo versions of the software at no cost. If you hook up the demo version to your layout there is a 30 day usage limitation. However if you just use it in simulation mode there is no limitation. I mention all this because you might find it both interesting and convenient to set out your layout in TC as an aid to determining the block structure

 

Regards

 

John

[calvin Streeting]

For dcc automation I use rocrail.. this was a early prof of concept stop frame video

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EQXBgCh_EY557_tPPFiP4IWOZQt-rQkuxw/view?usp=drivesdk

[richard.h]

On 21/02/2019 at 17:23, john dew said:

 

Hi Richard

 

Yes thats the way to do it. In  RR&Co the “smaller occupancy units” are called blocks. Blocks should not include  any turnouts.  In an ideal world a block should be at least as long as the longest train that will occupy it.......this isnt always possible but should be applied where occupy means actually stop for a while ie a storage yard or station.

 

I am not sure how extensively you will be automating....TC is available in 3 flavours. Bronze,Silver and Gold. Bronze is relatively inexpensive but quite limited....ok for simple shuttles etc. Gold is packed with bells and whistles and expensive.

 

You can download the manuals and demo versions of the software at no cost. If you hook up the demo version to your layout there is a 30 day usage limitation. However if you just use it in simulation mode there is no limitation. I mention all this because you might find it both interesting and convenient to set out your layout in TC as an aid to determining the block structure

 

Regards

 

John

 

Thank you very much for all that information, it certainly looks promising so I will take your advice and download the software and manuals for further study.

 

Regards

 

Richard

[john dew]

Last week was very much a case of one step forward then one step back......in fact I think it was actually more backward than forward.

 

Of course the week started badly with England losing to Wales in Cardiff. I sometimes think Rugby is becoming as structured and scripted as American football. England's inability to react to the Welsh change of tactics in the second half was inexplicable. Mind you I have been disappointed like this on so many occasions its hardly noteworthy. Still.......Italy and Scotland to come.......and at the risk of irritating my Welsh friends I will not be too disappointed if they are beaten by Ireland! 

 

My trials continued when one of my favourite and most reliable Locos, a Hornby Grange, ceased operating. I tracked the problem down to a dead motor (very dead.....in fact nailed to its perch dead) . I bought the loco in 2004 and since then Hornby have changed the motor and the usual outlets have no spares. Fortunately I eventually found a source....just need to get it shipped to Canada.

 

As you may know virtually all my recent operating activity has been focussed on converting my main line schedules from roundy roundy to out and back. A key element in all these routines  is this turntable in the storage yard

 

 

 

Its a very elderly non digital Fleischmann that I bought second hand for fifty bucks in the mid nineties. Despite its limitations it has wheezed its way round Granby III for the last 6-7 years.

With all this recent activity, I noticed Locos occasionally stalling on entering the bridge. The problem became more frequent but remained sporadic. Last week I realised that it wasnt that random.......it was just one end of the bridge.....in fact one contact that had failed.

 

So out came the bridge..........shades of last year.....I am becoming quite the expert at stripping and assembling turntables!

 

 

 

 

Not an easy task because the outer segments that have to be eased out were firmly ballasted to the baseboard.

 

Flipped over the contacts are exposed.

 

 

 

 

I attempted to re-align and re-attach the damaged contact. The bridge then had to be replaced in the TT and tested. Sometimes it worked but more often it didnt.....so off with the bridge and start again and again.

 

They say that one of the attractions of the hobby is that it is "character building". Frankly at my age I am not all sure that my character needs or indeed can stand any additional building.

 

Inevitably, constant bending and adjusting the copper contact strip resulted in me braking off the custom head. That moment was definitely character testing .

 

Eventually I found some similar but oversize strips that DCC Concepts sell to provide contacts for Coach lighting

 

 

 

No prizes for guessing which is the Dew special jury rig!  This involved a couple of attempts and lots of snipping and filing to get both width and length correct. The exact length was critical......too short....no contact.......too long it quickly got distorted out of shape as the bridge turned. Soldering it in place in the narrow indent,so it retained sufficient spring, was also interesting.  It took more than a few character building/testing trials....each involving stripping and assembling the TT, before it finally worked consistently .

 

After a couple of days of fairly intensive operation it does seem to be reliable with not a single stall..........so a little ray of sunshine to end this post.

 

Which brings me neatly to the weather where the sun is streaming through the windows as I type but the snow lingers on the ground. Its 95o in the greenhouse but -2o outside! Quite the contrast to the UK. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by john dew
Photos 4/9/22

[BWsTrains]

Hi John,

 

Lovely work as ever, I can understand your "character building" comments after my saga of fitting sound, stay alive and firebox flicker to various locations around my small Prairie. a 3D jigsaw puzzle with more to put back than you took apart and only one sequence that will work. Still end results were well worthwhile and 5775 is done as well with rather less trauma to patient or surgeon!

 

We've just endured a garden-killing hot and dry end to summer, 35C+ each day and no rain for weeks, could do with some of your cold over here

 

Regards

[richard i]

I agree over the rugby

i too feel that sometimes the hobby sakes for too much character building. I project going as planed would be just great thank you very much. 

I like what you have done with the turn table. Out and back operation is so much more prototypical......if you have space for the run. 

Richard

[St Enodoc]

John, did you see this from Robert Carroll at BRCS Yahoo group?

 

"[BRCS] WR Summer 1957 Chester Division Local Coach Workings

 

This PDF comes courtesy of Tom Foster via RMWeb:

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V_DPLoTYKodLD0Et8ABqn68B_ZeoXI3o/view?usp=sharing

 

Workings for this division seem extremely hard to find.

 

Thanks to Tom for providing it.

 

Robert C"

 

A bit later than your period but I'm sure there will be some interesting stuff in it.

[john dew]

16 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

John, did you see this from Robert Carroll at BRCS Yahoo group?

 

"[BRCS] WR Summer 1957 Chester Division Local Coach Workings

 

This PDF comes courtesy of Tom Foster via RMWeb:

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V_DPLoTYKodLD0Et8ABqn68B_ZeoXI3o/view?usp=sharing

 

Workings for this division seem extremely hard to find.

 

Thanks to Tom for providing it.

 

Robert C"

 

A bit later than your period but I'm sure there will be some interesting stuff in it.

 

Hi John

 

Its packed with interesting stuff.......thank you so much for that link.  I suppose for proper railwaymen like you and Mike its pretty commonplace but for a late starter like myself its an absolute mine of information! I really didnt know that it wasnt just the non corridor carriages that were in numbered sets but virtually all the coaching stock was recorded and controlled in this manner. Nor had I appreciated how frequently the different sets were modified with strengtheners and parcel vans etc. I am currently  working on a parcel train routine and in the light of this I think I will need to add more interchanges with my carriage working

 

It is 10 years outside my time period and I get the impression that some pre- Beeching rationalisation had already taken place. For instance while Birminham Sets are listed there is no mention of the Chester equivalent......I am assuming the 4 car sets were replaced with 3 car diesel units. Nevertheless it will be an invaluable guide when I finally start building the RR&Co timetable.

 

One specific question.......there is frequent reference to Fish Vans being attached to passenger working. Have you or others any suggestion on what would be suitable van to use on Granby?

 

Once again many thanks......it was very thoughtful of you to dig out that link for me

 

Best wishes

 

John

 

 

 

 

 

[john dew]

A short post......On another forum I was asked how the storage yard turntable had been made to work with DCC and RR&Co

The answer lies under this group of buildings




and this pile of junk
 

 

 

 

The turntable came with a simple 3 position controller...... Off at 12 oclock.  Turn to the left at 10 oclock and the table turns anti clockwise........turn to the right 2 oclock and the table turns clockwise.

With a Fleischmann TT there are 48 possible stopping positions .......operating manually,  to move from position 1 to position 12 ,,,one turns the swicth to the right and when the bridge is at position 11 you turn the switch off........the bridge automatically stops lined up with the tracks at posn.12.........no need to line up by eye.

Fine for manual operation but not much use when the layout is being controlled from a computor 12' away.

I wired up a surplus peco point motor which I can operate through a DCC point decoder and a virtual computor switch like all the other turnouts . on the layout. Attached to the point motor is one of the dreaded peco switches previously used for switching  turnout polarity but now wired to the 12v turntable power supply
 

Throw the point motor (>)   the switch turns the turntable on........   (<) the turntable stops

So far so good .......but how to get the bridge to stop at the selected road?
 

 

A magnet is attached to each end of the bridge. A reed switch connected to the the DCC occupancy detection system is set up one segment in front of the facing segment of each exit road.

When the bridge approaches a segment with a magnet the reed switch closes and an occupancy indicator on the computor switchboard changes colour......just like a loco entering a detected block.

This is the information that Train Controller needs to stop the bridge at the selected exit road

 

 

 

 

 

The virtual switches are blue squares with a yellow line (off) or yellow circle (on).

The switches are turned on or off either with a mouse click or by command......when a loco arrives in a block for instance. Each switch has specific title " Block 836" or " Block 833"  but they all carry out the same identical operation......When a switch is turned on the turntable point is thrown........ the bridge turns

The indicators attached to the reed switches are shown as small circles Red active. Black inactive 

Next to each indicator circle is a flagman, a very adaptable and powerful tool. A flagman is turned on or triggered by a specific event but a condition can be added......once triggered a flagman can initiate a list of specified actions.

The Exit Road 836 flagman is triggered when the indicator next to it turns red ie when the magnet closes the reed..........but only if the Switch called 836 is on.......immediately the flagman is triggered it turns the switch off ie throws the turntable point which stops the bridge............ at exit 836

You have to make the trigger conditional because both indicators automatically activate every time the magnet passes their reed.

Its not exactly High tech....more Heath Robinson and it does have some limitations....I would not want to have more than two or three roads and although I have set up to move clockwise or anti clockwise I only operate automatically in one direction otherwise the magnets get confused

Hope the explanation was not too tedious and of interest to a few.....I feel a bit like the magician explaining how the lady got sawn in half.

Back to train photos next week

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by john dew
Photos 4/9/22

[john dew]

I have been slowly developing a series of schedules where milk from MacPeter's Dairy in Cynwyd is transported to Granby Junction.

Milk is collected daily from local farms by road and rail, in tankers and churns. Once processed it is loaded into rail tankers which are moved to Granby to be attached to the afternoon milk train from Shrewsbury to Birkenhead

A two car B Set and 57xx 0-6-0T provide a regular passenger service between Cynwyd and Granby Junction. Usually, once the passengers have left the train, the loco uncouples and runs around the train before heading back to Granby.

The timing for the 1.05 pm is a bit different. After uncoupling, instead of running round, the loco moves through the goods yard to the Dairy




Where it couples with two full tankers

 

Heads back through the goods yard

 

On to the relief loop, passing the waiting carriages at the platform




Before continuing, let me apologise for the quality of the next two shots. We are the proud, and somewhat confused, owners  of a new smart(?) all singing/dancing tv. In prototypical GWR fashion the old tv has cascaded down to the train room where it now serves as a monster monitor for the computor. Great for RR&Co.....less so for photography. No room for a tripod, hand held and heavy cropping. Time to start using the phone and gorilla stand I think.

Back to the story.....6757 backs into the bay and uncouples the tankers





The loco moves from the bay to the running line and backs on to the carriages. Once coupled it edges forward and then reverses into the bay and couples up with the tankers




The bay platform will not accommodate two carriages and two tankers.Once coupled, the train moves out of the bay and reverses on to the main platform so that passengers can join the train.

This may seem unnecessarily complex ...there are actually 11 separate movements (RR& Co schedules) to get to this point.

However, I believe it was general practice for the tankers to be attached to the tail of a passenger train rather than interposed between loco and carriages.....in any event , as you will shortly see, I need the tankers to be at the rear when they arrive at Granby.

I did think about eliminating 2 schedules by letting the passengers board just the rear (non corridor) carriage in the bay but felt the longer sequence was more prototypical  .

I would really welcome any comments regarding the realism of this sequence


40 minutes after leaving Cynwyd the train approaches Granby





Entering , as usual, Bay Platform 3


 

 

 

I see the guard forgot to shift the rear lamp......anyone would think it was glued on!

Next week the Milk train arrives..........locos are relieved and the tankers attached

Meantime the snow is slowly clearing and I am looking forward to the last week end of the Six Nations

____________________
John
Granby III
Lenz DCC ,RR&Co Gold V9.0 A4 Windows 10

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by john dew
Photos 4/9/22

[john dew]

Thanks for all the buttons on the last post guys.

 

Slight diversion this week....... I am afraid this will be old news to many but I cannot resist bragging about these three stunning Hornby non corridor coaches that arrived last week

 

It can take up to six weeks for stuff to arrive from the Uk but on this occasion it took less than a fortnight......what a splendid surprise

Here is the right hand Third/Brake





By way of contrast here is part of one of my twenty year old B Sets

 

 

I got this coach through a swap with John Flann so it will stay in service......but not too close to the new ones.

Here is the  1st/3rd compo




This shot captures the distinctive bow end to the coaches.

The coaches were designed as 4 car sets specifically for high density suburban centres....London, Birmingham, Bristol (?) and, happily for me, Chester. I am still unsure how they were described.....to confuse matters the Birmingham Division called them B Sets whereas the rest of the world used B Set to describe the 2 car set seen on many branches.....including Granby. To avoid confusion, once the second 3rd Brake arrives, I think I will describe my new coaches as a D Set.

Like the Collett Bow End Corridor coaches they are handed.....that is to say a 4 car set is made up of a Left Hand Brake 3rd, LH 3rd/1st ,a RH 1st/3rd and RH 3rd Brake.  Handing corridor coaches is understandable as all the corridors are lined up on the same side......although in fairness not all stations had platforms on the appropriate side! None of the experts have come up with a clear cut rationale as to why  the GWR adopted it for these non corridor sets.....although batteries are now all on the same side for ease of maintenance. When I lined mine up I realised that by handing, the firsts in the two compos become adjacent. So the compartments on the train are divided into three distinct class blocks. Commutors with a 1st class ticket would learn to wait in the middle of the platform and their choice of 8 compartments would be all together   

The detail on each coach is brilliant




Look at the ventilators......roof hand rails and clips for destination boards.......destination boards are supplied......but when would they be used on a suburban commutor service I wonder. anyone seen any photographs with boards in use?

Super door and window detail........on the prototype the "Smoking"  signs were, I believe, originally etched and subsequently the same effect was achieved with a semi transparent label......the effect is very Art Deco  and looks great on the model.


 

The non smoking signs are less accurate.......White lettering on a red triangle was a BR innovation. The GWR non smoking signs were Red lettering on a white background. Not that I am losing too much sleep about it, particularly because neither I or anyone else noticed the same error on the critically acclaimed corridor coaches that have been around now for almost three years!  

To finish here is the end view of the third/brake




I think Railtec do coach branding transfers so thats a job for the future. Of greater urgency is the need to weather the rooves. I always get super nervous about painting over the pristine roof of a brand new and somewhat expensive coach. However I cannot imagine anything less realistic than an immaculate, unsullied white roof in 1947  

Now I just need the other Brake to make up the set  and hopefully in the summer a Large Prairie to haul them.

The Six nations rugby is over for another year. I have just and only just got over the shock/horror of the England v Scotland game! It should have come with a health warning. Now I look forward with dread and trepidation to the World Cup in October

Two weeks ago I was again clearing the drive of yet another snow fall and the temperature was constantly hovering around 0o C   .....now we have clear blue skies and lots of sun 20o C  (70o F +_)............ and set to continue

 

Once I am excused from the garden (there is a downside to most things!) its back to the Milk Train

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by john dew
Photos 4/9/22

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, john dew said:

The Six nations rugby is over for another year. I have just and only just got over the shock/horror of the England v Scotland game! It should have come with a health warning. Now I look forward with dread and trepidation to the World Cup in October

You'd have got a good price at half-time for a draw...

 

Just saying.

[M.I.B]

I liked the detail on where the First Class commuters could stand - under the station canopies of course 

 

I have ordered a set of 4 and look forward to their arrival.....

[john dew]

Continuing the Milk Train saga. Lots of photos and hopefully not too much text.

You may recall that the first stage consisted of transporting two full tankers, as tail traffic, on the regular passenger service from Cynwyd to Granby.

Stage 2 involves detaching the tankers from the train and moving them to a siding to await the arrival of the Milk train from Shrewsbury. In addition the normal loco exchange still has to take place so the passenger train is ready for its return journey. 


Two pannier tanks are allocated to the passenger service. Here we see both of them

 

6757 approaches Granby hauling the train plus tankers. The relief loco, 5773, awaits its turn in the loco siding.


The station pilot, Collet Goods 2259 will be detaching the tankers
 

Once the passengers have left,  the incoming loco 6757 uncouples and moves clear of the train
 

At the other end 2259 backs on to the train
 

 

The loco pushes the carriages and tankers back about 5" so the coupling between the coach and tanker stops over a second magnet.  Having been pushed back this coupling will remain open while over the magnet.

When 2259 initially makes contact with the tankers the loco generally pushes the train back on the open horns of the couplers.Completing the coupling is now much easier since RR&Co introduced a nifty feature called "Limited Distance Move". In the commands at the finish of this schedule the loco moves backwards at the slowest possible speed (Decoder step 1:  2 mph) for 0.25 " and then forwards at the same speed for 0.5".......job done! An elegant and effective Kadee shuffle.


2259 and the tankers move off, leaving the coaches in the bay




2259 moves out briefly on to the main line before entering the Up Head Shunt.






Simultaneously the relief loco ,5773, leaves the coal stage and now waits for the entry to P3 to be released


 

2259 and the tankers will now wait in the Head Shunt for the Down Milk Train to arrive



It only remains for the incoming loco 6757 to be released and the the relief loco 5773 coupled to the coaches ready for the return to  Cynwyd................but not this post I have exceeded my photo limit.......to be continued very shortly

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by john dew
Photos 3/9/22

[john dew]

Apologies for the interruption...........hopefully normal service will be resumed

 

I left you, no doubt on the edge of your seats, wondering if 5773 will be able to couple up with the coaches in time for the return journey


Once coupled 5773 pulls them back into the Bay carriage siding

 

Releasing 6757 to the loco siding






All the participants are crowded into this shot. Tankers and Pilot in the Head Shunt, B Set in the carriage siding and the released loco heading towards the coal stage









5773 can now return to P3, with the coaches, ready for the return trip.
 

 

 

 

 

For those interested we are now at 20 schedules for this routine with more to come.

Regards from Vancouver where Spring is now with us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by john dew
Photos 3/9/22

[john dew]

Well I had intended to conclude the Milk saga with this post .........sadly it is not to be    Yesterday, while taking the photos in some sort of logical sequence, higher echelons intervened. I was requested to carry out an urgent and top priority mission........in the garden . One has not been married for 56 years (yes ...fifty six) without establishing what lifes true priorities are. By the time I returned to the train room......some hours later.......the late afternoon sun was streaming through the window, making it impossible to complete shooting the sequence until today.

So here is something a little different albeit with some connection to the Milk saga. A very simplistic and hopefully readable explanation of how these automated routines are constructed.

Granby is a DCC layout. The locos all have decoders fitted and the turnouts are all connected to DCC decoders. The track is separated into blocks. The power feed from the DCC supply is fed to each block through an occupancy detection unit connected to the DCC information net.

 With my Lenz DCC throttle I can, and do, operate locos, throw turnouts and check the occupancy of blocks.........but the real power of this set up is only revealed when it is hooked up to RR&Co Train Controller (TC)

Here is a screen shot of the TC main block diagram (there are separate diagrams for the storage yard and engine shed)




TC automatically controls the movements of a train between two or more connected blocks. This movement is called a schedule. The track connecting the blocks including any turnouts is called a route.

Once a schedule is started.....mouse click,timetable,triggered command......TC controls the train to the destination block. Reserving a designated number of blocks ahead of the train, throwing the turnouts, temporarily halting a train if the block ahead is not available.

As an example: the highlighted blocks in the diagram above is Schedule 08.50 B Set Cynwyd - Granby P3. This was the schedule that was part of the sequence that got the two full milk tankers to Granby. Here it is with the other blocks removed
 

 

 

Cynwyd, the bottom block, is coloured pink to indicate that it is occupied. You may just be able to see the image within the block. It shows the separate components of the train.....Pannier 6757 /   BSet  /  Two Tankers.  As the train proceeds on its journey each block will, in turn, colour pink and display the image. When it reaches its destination at Granby, and the composition of the train changes, the displayed image within the block will reflect this.

Throughout every schedule there are opportunities to initiate other actions/commands.......signals,turnouts, block reservation and perhaps most importantly start other schedules. These opportunities arise at the start and finish of the schedule and also at the entry, exit or release of each block in the schedule. As an example, the finish operations of the Cynwyd-Granby schedule included returning some turnouts on the route to "normal" , physically shuffling the loco to uncouple and finally starting the schedule that enabled the pilot to uncouple the two tankers.

In summary, these complex routines are actually a series of individual schedules each linked to the next in what appears to be a seamless fashion. So far its taken 20 such schedules to get the tankers from the dairy to wait in Granby's head shunt for the Milk train. The entire routine from start to the finish (which I hope to write about tomorrow.....rain is forecast) was started by one mouse click (or timetable entry) ......the reverse of the schedule shown above ......Schedule 08.10 Granby - Cynwyd B Set.


For those who waded through all that..... here are a few leftovers from last weeks post......experiments with an Iphone

 

 

 

 

 

 

Northern grit.......despite everything the washing is still hung out to dry....probably accompanied by a few choice words from Bronwen to Gareth Williams the fireman on 2259.

 

Regards from Vancouver.....where it is indeed raining!

 

John

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by john dew

[brianusa]

I like your 'running commentaries', John, almost like a film!  Although I have rather a simplified tinplate 'action' layout, I like to think I may emulate some of your train operations especially as I have growing milk fleet of  tanks and vans, although that's about all the emulating that I can do!

[calvin Streeting]

hi.. nice to see a automated DCC layout..  i like to sit back and let my trains run without me getting involved.. (unless i want or something goes wrong) .. 

 

i did like the film esp the fact you used visual points of referance so we knew where we are and which way we are looking (something a lot of amature film makers miss out) ...

 

ooo and nice layout  

[Luke123]

Hi, its a great layout! Its amazing what you can do in such a space.

 

How does the computer control recognize when rolling stock is in a section without an engine present? Do you have to modify anything? i.e. a carriage siding or wagons waiting to be collected as part of a pick up goods

 

Luke

[john dew]

22 minutes ago, l_robbo_101 said:

Hi, its a great layout! Its amazing what you can do in such a space.

 

How does the computer control recognize when rolling stock is in a section without an engine present? Do you have to modify anything? i.e. a carriage siding or wagons waiting to be collected as part of a pick up goods

 

Luke

 

Hi Luke

 

Thank you ......glad you like it.

 

You have asked a very good question .......I hope this isnt too convoluted a response.

 

When you first put a loco and or wagon on the track you have to tell TC which block you have put it in and which way it is facing. If the loco and one or more wagons are put in the block TC needs to know in what order. They  then become a train set and TC will track them as such

 

Provided, thereafter, they move under TC control no further manual intervention is required. As part of the commands written into an uncoupling schedule TC will separate the selected wagon from the train set and it will remain in the siding both physically and virtually when the rest of the train moves out under control of the next schedule.

 

The key of course is to make sure that the computor records always reflect what is physically on the layout or vice versa. The primary cause of “unexpected results”  on Granby is probably me taking a loco off to clean the wheels and putting it back facing the opposite way......computor systems are very literal......and blind....they dont see buffer stops .

 

One of the attractions of TC is to run a number of trains automatically while at the same time manually shunting the branch yard.......I enjoy doing this but have to make sure at the finish that the train finishes in the same order as when it started.......there are workarounds so the train composition physically changes without irritating TC

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

John

 

[BWsTrains]

Hi John,

 

more lovely work in those recent posts, haven't been here for a while so a question about your post of 27 Mar, this phot in particular

 

 

how did you create the effect in between tracks in foreground, to left of small shed where where man in cap is standing? It looks very effective.

 

regards,

 

Colin