Please read on and, if you can, advise or assist

[Nigel Dean]

Hi everybody,

 

Firstly, I have to state that I know nothing about model railways, but I have a client who wants to purchase a railway layout to be utilized on an exhibition stand.

 

The track is to be small gauge and be built on a board that can fit on a table 1800mm x 240mm. I think that these restricted dimensions will mean that it will have to be shuttle rather than a circuit. It will have to automatically switch and return.  It should be a modern engine/locomotive and trackside scenery should be included.

 

Now it gets trickier. As the client is a telecoms company which is producing the world's first tri-receiver mobile handset, apparently most handsets have just two, one of which is connected to an antenna whilst the other searches for the next one, with the three receivers there is a better and stronger signal maintained.  To demonstrate this technological advance we would like to position five model telecoms masts arranged on the layout which will have LED lights to indicate that the train has made contact with it. Therefore there would only be three lit at any time to show the tri-receiver is in signal reception.  This can be achieved by micro-switches or by programmed timer or by any other system that you recommend.

 

Then it gets trickier still.  This has to be built, transferred and installed at Acton, London W3 on Wednesday 4th May 2016.

 

Can anyone help with this matter?  If so, please contact me, initially through this forum with your ideas, credentials, costs, terms and conditions, so that I can get everything rolling as soon as possible.

 

Kind regards, and thanks in advance.

[Ian Morgan]

Given the size constraints, and wanting 5 masts, you might be best to look at 'T' scale (http://www.tgauge.com/). Although basically Japanese, you can get an HST,  and there are other UK outline parts are available on http://www.shapeways.com

 

For automatic control and switching lights on and off, there are electronic kits available from www.merg.org.uk and lots of experts on their forums that may be able to assist.

 

Ian

[modfather]

Surely an n gauge 153 running over a few reed switches would do it? maybe a small capacitor on each circuit so the light remains illuminated for a few seconds.

[nick_bastable]

DCC on track detection is simple via a MERG kit,  simple enough to build a logic table (Ardunio  possibly ) to light the LEDS in sequence 

[Nigel Dean]

DCC on track detection is simple via a MERG kit,  simple enough to build a logic table (Ardunio  possibly ) to light the LEDS in sequence 

 

Thanks for the advice but do you know anyone who could build this, please?

DCC on track detection is simple via a MERG kit,  simple enough to build a logic table (Ardunio  possibly ) to light the LEDS in sequence 

 

Thanks for the advice but do you know anyone who could build this, please?

[St. Simon]

 

Thanks for the advice but do you know anyone who could build this, please?

Hi,

 

Within that timescale, I'm afraid that it is high unlikely you'll find anyone that will be able to build a fully working scenic model railway with those electronic components.

 

Simon

[bennyboy]

As Simon says, it's going to be tricky to get any layout built within the timescale, but you could try some of the professional model layout builders to see what they say. Or you could try looking on Ebay to see if there are any existing layouts that perhaps could be modified for your usage.

[Nigel Dean]

As Simon says, it's going to be tricky to get any layout built within the timescale, but you could try some of the professional model layout builders to see what they say. Or you could try looking on Ebay to see if there are any existing layouts that perhaps could be modified for your usage.

 

Thanks Benny.  Can you recommend any professional builders, please?

[Nigel Dean]

Thanks to all for your help. I have contacted quite a few professional layout builders and Model Railway Scenics Layouts and Dioramas in Wales have the capabilities to fulfil the brief, so let's see how we get on.