BEIJIAO - a large Chinese HO exhibition layout set in the 21st century

[steve45]

3 hours ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

 

The layout is operated from the back

 

The lighting will (if we add lighting that is) be diffused LEDs and pointing downwards - not into the operators eyes.

 

Every time we consider a move to improve one aspect, it has an impact on other aspects - often negatively - certainly that is the case here.

 ASPECT 1

 

A pelmet with or without lighting tends to hide the operators and other distractions - POSITIVE!

 

ASPECT 2

 

Partly because we are such an unusual layout (Chinese) we want to encourage questions and interaction between the viewers and the operating team so that we can explain all the novel features of the layout (real every-day working steam in 2001??????????????????????). That interaction will be far more difficult to achieve with the operators hidden from general view- NEGATIVE!

 

 

 

Hi Paul,

 

Some thoughts...........

 

So is the function of the pelmet solely for holding up the lighting?

 

Should the height be  determined by the brightness required on the surface of the layout.

 

Have you purchased the LED's and driver yet so you can experiment with different heights?

 

Brightness and cold/warm balance will make a difference to how the layout looks

 

Steve

 

 

 

[Al.]

2 hours ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

 

Yes, I have floated that idea several times myself but my team are 100% against it and as we already need 6 operators (3 rooms) I don't want to add to the costs/logistics by adding a 7th.

 

To clarify - The operating team is not against the idea of a person at the front to engage with the public. We're against expanding the core team out beyond 6 full-time operators due to the multitude of logistical problems with accommodation and transportation this curses. Depending on the location of the exhibitions, we do have a number of day operators that we call on to supplement the full-time operators to free up an operator to act as a front man.

[TEAMYAKIMA]

6 minutes ago, steve45 said:

So is the function of the pelmet solely for holding up the lighting?    

 

Should the height be  determined by the brightness required on the surface of the layout.

 

Have you purchased the LED's and driver yet so you can experiment with different heights?

 

Brightness and cold/warm balance will make a difference to how the layout looks

 

 

We may or may not have lighting - as I have said, this is not CUBA - industrial China is generally a dull overcast scene.

 

Another thing against lighting is that all the shops and now many of the coaches are fully detailed and have lights - making the layout brighter will undermine that

 

So there are two separate issues - a) pelmet  b) pelmet with lighting

 

I have started a separate thread where there has been some serious discussion about colour balance - really technical stuff - and 'yes' I have some LED strips and we will experiment.

[steve45]

Experiment is definitely the way to go, what looks right is right.

 

 

[St Enodoc]

10 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

a belligerent Yorkshireman

Tautology.

[TEAMYAKIMA]

I did a lot of work on the layout yesterday with lots of progress although, ironically, very little to show.

 

Having 'proven' the test gantry as regards strength I moved on to make an actual production sample - hopefully learning from all the mistakes from the test sample.

 

This photo shows three of the scenic boards (all I can set up in my shed) with the test sample and the (incomplete) production version in the foreground.

 

 

As regards the pelmet height, the current thinking is that anyone 6ft and under will have a greatly enhanced experience with the pelmet as it is. However, there is the option to raise it and inch or two if we eventually decide that it's too low.

 

 

[TEAMYAKIMA]

 The change to 2001 has resulted in a couple of new trains on the bi-directional - a parcel arrived from Hong Kong today with two new coaches in it ......... I'll need to get the weathering powders out again soon .....

 

 

 

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Have been making slow progress with the lighting pelmet.

 

Today I went back and upgraded the pre-production test gantry into a 'production version'.

 

 

And I have 90% finished the second(of two).

 

Next the pelmet itself.

[TEAMYAKIMA]

For the first time in months and months, I did nothing on the layout today. However, I was still working on hobby related issues - scanning hundreds of photo prints taken in the 1990's around the world in pursuit of steam.

 

I came across one interesting photo taken at Baotou steelworks in 2003 .......................

 

 

Now, I agree that in itself it's not that interesting - not interesting at all really - except that ....................

 

In the very early days of RTR Chinese HO models, Bachmann re-branded several of their very basic American rolling stock as Chinese. Many/most Chinese modellers have 'moved on' from these very basic  (and wrong) models - except me! TBH nobody has yet produced anything better and in the early days they looked OK to me and then I found that gondola at Baotou and I felt justified in keeping my models because they're not that far off the mark - except that they all have the same running number, but after some heavy weathering, who can tell?.

 

 

 

Edited April 13, 2021 by TEAMYAKIMA

[mjenderby]

The beauty of Chinese modelling .... (almost) anything has a prototype ;-)

 

Just picked up some M4 ore wagons cheap on ebay but have still to find a prototype to match :-( - but no one can say there isn't one!

 

Cheers

 

Mark

[TEAMYAKIMA]

I think it's safe to say that the wiring on this layout has evolved rather than been built to an overall masterplan.

 

Evidence of this can be found in this photo of some work I have spent all day on today .............. time for a glass of red!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[luke_stevens]

1 hour ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

I think it's safe to say that the wiring on this layout has evolved rather than been built to an overall masterplan.

 

Evidence of this can be found in this photo of some work I have spent all day on today .............. time for a glass of red!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Am I meant to cut the Red wire or the Blue wire?

 

Luke

[St Enodoc]

6 hours ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

I think it's safe to say that the wiring on this layout has evolved rather than been built to an overall masterplan.

 

Evidence of this can be found in this photo of some work I have spent all day on today .............. time for a glass of red!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I recommend some labels Paul!

[Enterprisingwestern]

4 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

I recommend some labels Paul!

 

White wire.

Red wire.

Black wire.

Yellow wire.

Sorted.

 

Mike.

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Today I received a new loco - from Croatia!!

 

It looks like this at the moment ..............

 

 

Hopefully, it will eventually look more like this .....................

 

 

 

[380John]

2 hours ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

Today I received a new loco - from Croatia!!

 

It looks like this at the moment ..............

 

 

Hopefully, it will eventually look more like this .....................

 

 

 

That looks like it'll be a nice conversion project.  American look to those. Is the prototype a Croatian/ European build or are they American in origin? Perhaps a Chinese build? 

 

Very interesting. 

 

John 

[TEAMYAKIMA]

59 minutes ago, 380John said:

That looks like it'll be a nice conversion project.  American look to those. Is the prototype a Croatian/ European build or are they American in origin? Perhaps a Chinese build? 

 

Very interesting. 

 

John 

 

Hello John 

 

My apologies, it's a case of me knowing what I mean, but not expressing myself clearly. 

 

That is a Hornby Rivarossi USATC 0-6-0t as supplied to many countries after WW2. My reference to Croatia was to do with the fact that I bought it on ebay from someone living in Croatia. 

 

Sorry for the confusion 

 

[380John]

17 minutes ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

 

Hello John 

 

My apologies, it's a case of me knowing what I mean, but not expressing myself clearly. 

 

That is a Hornby Rivarossi USATC 0-6-0t as supplied to many countries after WW2. My reference to Croatia was to do with the fact that I bought it on ebay from someone living in Croatia. 

 

Sorry for the confusion 

 

Ah I see. Thanks for the clarification... Stupid of me really as I thought it looked like the USATC tank but as I know extremely little about these I thought I best ask! Still a nice little project there and look forward to seeing how it turns out. 

 

Cheers again, 

John 

[luke_stevens]

A bit more info on the USRA Tanks...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USATC_S100_Class

 

Key quote "China acquired about 20 S100's, designating them class XK2"

 

Luke

Edited April 21, 2021 by luke_stevens

[luke_stevens]

And some China specific info on them:

 

http://www.railography.co.uk/info/cn_steam/profiles/xk2.htm

 

Luke

[TEAMYAKIMA]

I have been working on the left hand end of the layout and in particular the new end backscene and fiddle yard screen at that end.

 

The original had been MDF and, just as at the other end it looked as if the holes had been just hacked out at random - and TBH there is a reason for that!

 

 

Part of the problem was that big transformer wagon which is far taller than any other piece of rolling stock and originally I catered for it running on any of the three main-line tracks. However, I have decided that it will only run on the ant-clockwise China Rail main line and so the new backscene does look more as if someone who knew what they were doing has carried out the work.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by TEAMYAKIMA

[Al.]

Have you considered the breakdown crane on the Industrial Line? Last time out it fouled the end board.

 

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Yes

33 minutes ago, Al. said:

Have you considered the breakdown crane on the Industrial Line? Last time out it fouled the end board.

 

 

Yes and no.

 

As it stands the breakdown crane will not go through the hole on the industrial, but as it is at the moment the jib is permanently in a slightly 'up' position. I believe/hope that the crane will go through the hole once the jib is lowered. However, it will be a 'five minute job' to change the hole as it is easily removeable.

 

 

[TEAMYAKIMA]

Work on the pelmet continues apace

 

 

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

Reminds me of this somewhat!;

 

 

Mike.