New Layout - 'Hufeisental'

[Alan Kettlewell]

Impressive size. Even when  I go scale speed I am around my layout in less than a minute....

 

My locos have all had their speed correctly calibrated with the 'Train Controller' software and the majority of blocks on the layout are set for a scale 60mph running.  So my quick calculation is that the scale distance the DMU ran on this schedule is 7 miles, give or take ...  i.e. 7 minutes at 60mph.   

 

Cheers .. Alan

Good to see the layout back.

 

Nice to see a few are still out there following ..

Cheers ... Alan

[duff man]

Hi Alan.

Very pleased to note you have emerged from winter hibernation. Look forward to watching progress on your layout.

Craig.

[Haymarket47]

Hello

 

I have enjoyed following the progress of your layout. One thing still intrigues me, did you ever solve your power booster issues? (Hoping I haven't missed a post)

 

Thanks for taking the time to log your adventure!

 

Alan

[Alan Kettlewell]

Hello

I have enjoyed following the progress of your layout. One thing still intrigues me, did you ever solve your power booster issues? (Hoping I haven't missed a post)

Thanks for taking the time to log your adventure!

Alan

Hi Alan,

 

Glad you're enjoying the layout build (albeit a bit slow in the last few months).

 

I'm afraid I haven't solved the booster problem, after trying for days on end with all manner of settings, I still can't stop the whole layout shutting down if one district trips out. I'm more or less resigned to fitting circuit breakers into each power district - more expense but I've tried everything else.

 

All of the running schedules cover more than a single district anyway, so even if a district trips out, withIn a short time another train will enter the affected district and come to a stop. Basically there's a strong likelihood that all will stop before I can address the short. It creates another problem too. That is, if a district trips out, schedules in other districts will still be started so there's a risk of trains running into the back of stopped trains. A part of the solution will involve programming 'Train Controller' to handle the schedules in a certain way when a district trips out. There are a few ways of handling this in Train Controller, such as the 'Stop all Trains' command (but then not much difference to shutting the power down to all the layout). There are other solutions which will need some deep thought.

 

I'll post it all up whenever I get it sorted.

 

Cheers ... Alan

Edited April 19, 2017 by Alan Kettlewell

[Haymarket47]

Hi Alan,

Glad you're enjoying the layout build (albeit a bit slow in the last few months).

I'm afraid I haven't solved the booster problem, after trying for days on end with all manner of settings, I still can't stop the whole layout shutting down if one district trips out. I'm more or less resigned to fitting circuit breakers into each power district - more expense but I've tried everything else.

All of the running schedules cover more than a single district anyway, so even if a district trips out, withIn a short time another train will enter the affected district and come to a stop. Basically there's a strong likelihood that all will stop before I can address the short. It creates another problem too. That is, if a district trips out, schedules in other districts will still be started so there's a risk of trains running into the back of stopped trains. A part of the solution will involve programming 'Train Controller' to handle the schedules in a certain way when a district trips out. There are a few ways of handling this in Train Controller, such as the 'Stop all Trains' command (but then not much difference to shutting the power down to all the layout). There are other solutions which will need some deep thought.

I'll post it all up whenever I get it sorted.

 

 

 

Cheers ... Alan

Hi Alan

 

That would be great, I hope you find a solution that's not too expensive/time consuming. One thing that confuses me about the Z21 and train detection is that when using the loconet there are detectors that you can use such as the uhlenbrock but I believe, but may well be wrong, that the digitrax bdl 168 is not suitable (I liked this as it had 16 sections). I know you are using Reed switches for your layout but I was thinking of using the current detection root as my electrics aren't the best!

 

Cheers

Alan

[brittannia]

Hello Alan,

Not sure if following links will help with your automation running, but on "You Tube", Alan Watt and Hovermotion have quite alot of information  on block formation etc in their videos and maybe able to give you some guidance, they appear willing to communicate with other users, it's a bit beyond me however., hope you don't mind the suggestions.

 

John

[Alan Kettlewell]

Hello Alan,

Not sure if following links will help with your automation running, but on "You Tube", Alan Watt and Hovermotion have quite alot of information  on block formation etc in their videos and maybe able to give you some guidance, they appear willing to communicate with other users, it's a bit beyond me however., hope you don't mind the suggestions.

 

John

Hi John,

 

All suggestions and help are appreciated. Had a quick look at the videos but no time to do anything about it now as I have a short holiday imminent. Will pursue it later. Thanks very much.

 

Cheers ...Alan

[Alan Kettlewell]

Hi Alan

That would be great, I hope you find a solution that's not too expensive/time consuming. One thing that confuses me about the Z21 and train detection is that when using the loconet there are detectors that you can use such as the uhlenbrock but I believe, but may well be wrong, that the digitrax bdl 168 is not suitable (I liked this as it had 16 sections). I know you are using Reed switches for your layout but I was thinking of using the current detection root as my electrics aren't the best!

Cheers

Alan

Hi Alan,

 

Can't help with the BDL16s I'm afraid as I've had no experience with them. I'm using my older Lenz units and some new stuff from Dijikeijs. Their web site is definitely worth a visit

 

https://www.digikeijs.com

 

Cheers ... Alan

[Haymarket47]

Hi Alan,

Can't help with the BDL16s I'm afraid as I've had no experience with them. I'm using my older Lenz units and some new stuff from Dijikeijs. Their web site is definitely worth a visit https://www.digikeijs.com

Cheers ... Alan

Thanks Alan

 

Thank you for the link. As mentioned above any assistance very much appreciated. The Digikeijs unit looks quite appealing and well priced too.

 

Alan

[Alan Kettlewell]

Hello again,

 

Apologies for the long gap between activities, I've finally got back into it and I've spent the past couple of weeks continuing to develop the scenery adjacent to the East Spiral mountain (must think of proper names for these parts of the layout).  

 

When we left off, I was working on this area below.  I want this to look like you're viewing through a 'V' shaped gap in the rocky hillside into a valley leading to distant range of mountains.  This was always going to be tricky as I need the backscene to be removable in order to reach and work on the scenery where it  blends into the backscene.  I can't reach it from the front as the layout is 4ft wide here.

 

 

So here's the first hurdle; the big photo isn't wide enough to cover the gap if I am to continue the 'v' shape of the foreground upwards and outwards.  Icould have made the sides steeper - almost vertical - but I didn't think that would look good.  So I made a copy of the photograph which was in A4 size and flipped it horizontally, then called on my good friend Dave who enlarged the main photograph, and asked him if he could enlarge the new 'flipped' picture.  This was successful (cheers Dave) and from that I was able to cut out the extra parts needed to widen the scene.  So these bits were mounted:

 

 

I stuck these bits onto card so I could fold it round in front of the vertical timber supports.  You can see I've removed the main scene in the above shot so you can see the two extra 'wings'.  When I've completed the near field scenery I'll then attach the centre part and press it up to the adjoining 'wings' to complete the scene.  Where there's a will there's a way eh..   I hope that's easier to follow than it is to write about!

 

More to follow.

Cheers ... Alan

 

[Alan Kettlewell]

Continuing from above - on the down side, the 'flipped' photo has printed out with deeper colouring, a bit of a shame as it makes the join stand out more, however I'm not going to get too bothered about it just now and hope the scene might fade in time and look better.  I'm grateful for the help given and I don't wish to impose further.  And as they say, the back scene should be incidental to the main show ..

 

 

So - a start on the scenery.  Trying here to make the near hills look a little like the distant hills, and curve away from the viewer to look as if they continue out of sight ...

 

Cheers ... Alan

[Alan Kettlewell]

The layout along this side is 4ft wide so I've deliberately planned it so I can work from the rear - there's a 20 inch gap behind where I can walk behind.  

 

So I came across another snag - that is, I find it too awkward to reach from the rear and work on the scenery which faces the front.  It's a bit high and even stood on a stool at the rear I can't reach round and see enough, or fit enough of me between the sloping ceiling and the top of the scenery to effectively work.  Luckily I had a plan B - well I didn't really but I've resorted to constructing demountable scenery along this high section of the layout.

 

Also I'm finding my cardborad and hot glue method of scenery construction is taking forever - so I've decided to make the demountable sections using chicken wire, covered with plaster bandage and then plaster, on to a timber framework, and at the same time ensuring it's light enough to mount in place when it's 'scenicised' and ready.

 

Knocking together a framework:

 

 

Chicken  wire stapled on:

 

Testing in place - rear view - a small 'lip' attached to the back keeps it tin place on the horizontal timber.  All sections will attach in this way:

 

Front view:

 

Plaster bandage covering on:

 

Plastered and checking for fit.  It will now be removed so I can do the scenery on the work bench.  Then it's a matter of how best to disguise the join.

 

.. oops .. they've loaded up sideways!  Hope you can still make out what's going on.

 

Cheers ... Alan

Edited July 30, 2017 by Alan Kettlewell

[Alan Kettlewell]

Final shots for this session - just a few showing the scenery being enhanced and hopefully this blends nicely into the back scene:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I reckon I could do with a bit more effort with those rock faces.  To me they look a bit too much like molten lava rather than geologically formed rock structures so next time I'll spend some time shaping more realistically and perhaps attacking it with carving tools after it's dried.

 

Cheers ... Alan

[Allegheny1600]

Hi Alan,

I love that bridge/viaduct and as for the backscene, wow!

Good to see you're making progress.

Cheers,

John.

[OBD_76]

Hi Alain

 

Great cinema, great pictures. I like the mountains!

Good viewnof the steps!

 

Greetings from Switzerland

 

Daniel

[Alan Kettlewell]

A deviation from the tedium of doing scenery all the time, I've been messing around in PowerPoint today doing a basic design of what might be Hufeisental Hauptbahnhof.  This is the centre and right hand side (not enough room on my page to do the left side but it's the same as the right.)  Hopefully this design is sufficiently Germanic to look the part.  It has similarities to an existing station building in Germany so it shouldn't be too far off.  

 

I reckon my station should be a class two station as it accommodates international traffic - so I think I can call it 'Hauptbahnhof' rather than just 'Bahnhof'.  

 

Anyway, quite an enjoyable pastime designing buildings in this way and it gives a good preview of what the model might look like - subject to use of the appropriate bits when building it.  

 

 

Cheers ... Alan

[Alan Kettlewell]

Question, why not use an existing model instead? Auhagen has a building-block system to design your own, while suppliers like Faller, Vollmer and Kibri offer a variety of station building with German, Austrian and Swiss influences/heritage. Your design does remind me a bit of a style I've seen in northern Germany, Baltic coast region IIRC.

I have looked at some of the lovely models from those but I haven't seen the building block system you mention from Auhagen - I'll have a look though. However I do find it satisfying building my own buildings and of course they can be tailor made to fit any location.

 

The design I've worked on is based loosely on Tubingen Hauptbahnof in the Baden-Wutterburg region - so not too far away from my modelling zone.

 

 

 

This is only one of many ideas - often I'll review several ideas then end up with the one I started with!

 

Cheers ... Alan

Edited August 3, 2017 by Alan Kettlewell

[Alan Kettlewell]

Morning All,

 

Apologies if my posts are few and far between but right now I'm pressing on with scenery building so there's much of the same thing going on.  Anyway, here's a quick progress update as the 'terra-forming' continues around the east spirals end of the layout.  Now and again I have to work on the bridges and viaducts so landscaping can continue.

 

So, a deviation as I work on the piers to support the single track bridge that leads into the east spiral mountain.  After a quick bit of maths I've made these sides which I'll stick on to the 2 x 1 timbers that currently support the bridge (told you I do everything back to front!)  I'm using my favourite wall making material which is the 7mm stone sheets from Slaters Plasticard.  I've painted these a little lighter than other stonework elsewhere as I want to give this bridge a newer look as if it's been built more recently:

 

 

Here are the pier sides stuck on to the timber supports.  The downside to placing these sheets at right angles to each other is that you get the ugly joins which need to be filled and filed or sanded down to match the stone  courses.  

 

 

I use the 'Squadron' white filler for this - it's a good colour match for this particular stone work.  I prefer it over the Humbrol filler which I find goes solid in the tube after first use.  Here, the filler is in and I'll need to spend a little time tidying up the corners:

 

So, on with the landscaping around the base of the piers.  I'm using my cheap cardboard and hot glue method.  So far I've got through about 40 glue sticks (!)  I buy them in lots of 50 from eBay for about £15 but at least the cardboard is free.  Here, I've slapped on a coating of PVA glue which helps the plaster to stick to the vertical surfaces and helps to prevent the cardboard from getting soaked through when I slap the plaster on.

 

 

Next step - slap the plaster on:

 

And then paint.  I use sample pots I buy from a local DIY shop at under £3 each.  I stock up on a few shades of greys, browns, creams etc to provide a good range for rocks and earthy colours.  For general ground cover like this I water the paint down quite a bit so it goes further and runs readily into the crevices.  As the scenery nears ground level, I've mixed in some browns with the darker grey.  I'll be dry brushing over all of this with some lighter tones prior to adding the flocks and grasses.  Next will be to put the top dressing on, flocks, grasses, hedges, trees etc.  This part of the layout is beginning to look fairly realistic and more or less as I envisioned:

 

 

As I write this I'm working towards completion of the east spirals mountain, so more to follow.  

 

I find I get bored working on one activity for a long time so after I've completed the scenery on this part of the layout I'll probably do something else for a while.  Maybe some track ballasting (deep joy) or then there's that deep viaduct on a curve I need to design and build over the far side of the layout, or perhaps start on the station area, or mow the lawn, or just go to the pub ... mmm ... 

 

Cheers ... Alan

 

 

 

[Alan Kettlewell]

Had to wait in for a parcel delivery today so I thought I'd crack on with the next project which I've decided is to be designing and building the deep viaduct over on the other end of the layout. 

 

This will be over the deepest scenic section where the scenery will extend from the top of a ravine to the bottom - about 4 feet (120cm) below.  I might put a river at the bottom and a waterfall cascading down - I'm sure that would look great but still to decide on.  Here's the area, you can see two temporary viaducts crossing the ravine.  The nearest with the ICE Velaro running across it and the higher one behind.  I'm planning the higher one which will be about 18 inches (45cm) high.  

 

 

 

Double tracks run across the ravine so I'll need two deep, curved viaducts which I'll probably build in plywood or MDF and clad in stone effect plasticard.  First though, the basic design to get to a cutting list for the timber.  As the curvature is already established I've had to measure the length of viaduct I'll need and establish the diameter.  As it happens the viaduct is part straight on the left end and then the rest curved so careful planning is needed. 

 

In the past I've cheated with curved viaducts and actually made them with curved sides.  So I'm going to do this properly and build the sides in straight edged segments, where each segment will be narrower on the inside of the curve and wider on the outer curve.  So, measurements taken and calculations made, here is simple plan showing one basic segment for the curved part, there'll be four of these needed plus one straight segment to make up the whole viaduct:

 

 

 

The dotted lines show the arch underneath which is straight - so much easier to make a straight arch than an angled arch.  I made an angled arch once which was also skewed - drove me nuts working it out!   

 

The double track is already positioned and aligned nicely so I don't want to have to change too much or want to do any re-aligning of this and the adjoining trackwork.   Therefore I had to work out all the dimensions and angles shown here from a diameter measurement.  A bit awkward and which involved digging around in the little grey cell to remember some old geometry.  That didn't work so I found an online calculator  - http://www.handymath.com/cgi-bin/arc18.cgi - which did it all for me .

 

Having got that far I've scaled it down 1 to 5 and joined up all the pieces:

 

 

This will be the deck which I'll cut out of one piece.  Then a few more basic drawings to establish a cutting list for the sides:

 

 

 

So far so good, I've got to a basic cutting list but I still need to adjust slightly as the viaduct rises very slightly from left to right.  I also need to confirm the height and the amount of taper for the piers.  Of course later as I build it I'll decide on details, decoration, parapet, railing, how to attach the catenary masts and so on.

 

Well better get back to my mountain building.

 

Cheers ... Alan

[bgman]

Hi Alan,

 

Very much admiring all the heavy civil engineering works, it's all stating to look the part now.

 

Grahame

[Alan Kettlewell]

Hi Alan,

Very much admiring all the heavy civil engineering works, it's all stating to look the part now.

Grahame

Thanks Grahame, glad you're still following ...

[PaulRhB]

You're beginning to rival the Gotthard!

[bgman]

Thanks Grahame, glad you're still following ...

How can I not follow this epic layout !

[Alan Kettlewell]

Great to see you all following - single handed modelling can be a lonely place sometimes.  I'm sometimes envious of big layouts like Miniatur Wunderland, Loxx and Peter Porsche's Museum layout where they have a whole team working away on it.  Still, there's only me to please, and yourselves of course.

 

Don't know about rivalling the Gotthard Paul, but these before and after photos of the East Spirals Mountain are interesting:

 

 

 

 

 

Still loads to do on the mountain.  Since this picture was taken I've completed the plaster ground cover and painted it all dark grey.  Currently I'm going over it with lighter to tones dry brushing with a 2 inch paintbrush!  To think this will be matched with two other mountains over the other spirals at the west and south ends of the layout!

 

Cheers ... Alan

[brittannia]

Hi Alan,

Good to see the comparison of before and now of the upper spirals, like other posts ,watching for future updates with anticipation.