Grim-up-North; Goathland, Queensbury & Bradford.

[Sasquatch]

Shaun - you may or may not be able to answer this:  

 

I have two of the same "double junctions" on Stockrington, but with DCC.

 

Referencing this site - http://www.wiringfordcc.com/track_2.htm - I'm going to need an auto revesing unit (or two frog juicers) at each. That's around £20 per install but is two-wires-in-one-wire-out simple (and as a simpleton, that works well for me!).  

 

Would your dual relay system work on DCC - and much did the relays cost?

 

Cheers

 

Scott

Hi Scott. Nice to hear from you! .

Yes I believe it would work for DCC, as it's just a case of electrofrog polarity switching. The point motors will need a switch! Remember with my relay system a separate 12V supply is needed to power the relays. I might be wrong about this but couldn't you just power that from the DCC bus using a suitable resistor?Edit: You need a diode too as the relays are DC.

 

They're $4.99 (US) from eBay ! They also make a 24 Volt version.

I can draw up the wiring diagram if you need it.

 

I worked out the wiring for that scissor crossover at the entrance to Bradford last night, even more relays needed because of the continuous run on the outer circuit.

 

Regards Shaun.

Edited April 2, 2016 by Sasquatch

[jukebox]

Hi Scott. Nice to hear from you! .

Yes I believe it would work for DCC, as it's just a case of electrofrog polarity switching. The point motors will need a switch! Remember with my relay system a separate 12V supply is needed to power the relays. I might be wrong about this but couldn't you just power that from the DCC bus using a suitable resistor?Edit: You need a diode too as the relays are DC.

 

They're $4.99 (US) from eBay ! They also make a 24 Volt version.

I can draw up the wiring diagram if you need it.

 

I worked out the wiring for that scissor crossover at the entrance to Bradford last night, even more relays needed because of the continuous run on the outer circuit.

 

Regards Shaun.

 

 

Thanks for the reply Shaun

 

Cos it's the weekend, I did a bit more digging; from what I gather, with DCC if I use relays, the issue may be the reaction time they have.  It seems it is definitely an issue if I (later) decide to run a sound equipped loco - it will reset the sounds because of the break in signal - and possibly will be an issue regardless if it trips the DCC system protection.

 

The turnouts have switches (cobalts) so that would not have been a drama, and I have a 9V dc accessory bus that runs around the layout, feeding the Cobalts that could have powered the relays...

 

I know I *could* use the switch on the Cobalt powering the controlling turnout frog to also energise the diamond frogs, and the spare switch on that same Cobalt to create a dead section on the facing track to prevent conflicting movements (almost a prototypical interlocking), but I think I'll stick to stumping for the AR modules, as they will be more forgiving operationally as I grow older and lose all my marbles! 

 

Cheers

 

Scott

[Sasquatch]

The relays would be independent of the DCC and the polarity would be changed long before the train arrives at the frogs.

Having thought about it more on DCC there would only be two feeds, not four so a DPDT switch would work.

 

Having not read your thread yet    I have a Question. Is there to be a reverse loop utilizing the crossing?   

[Sasquatch]

DCC would be like this!

Assuming both turnouts can't be switched to the diamond at the same time!!!!

Edited April 3, 2016 by Sasquatch

[jukebox]

No reversing loop - it's a pair of double junctions each of my station, to provide avoiding lines, per NE practice (think Stockton on Tees, or even Darlington)

 

It is exactly as shown in Post #1554... times two; but those two turnouts are independent, so yes, in theory, both could be set to route trains across the crossover at the same time (again, un-prototypical, but just how the controls will be set up).

 

The Cobalts have two integrated DPDT switches - so I could actually do exactly what you show - the upper turnout control the blue and yellow frogs, the lower feeding the green frogs... 

 

I guess the pragmatic approach is to try it set up this way - if I find it is frustrating me, I can easily cut in a couple of frog juicers or an AR module to the circuit.

 

Thanks for the hints!

 

:-)

 

Scott

Edited April 3, 2016 by jukebox

[Sasquatch]

No excuses for not posting anything for over a month, just been trying to catch up on maintenance and finishing off some of those unfinished projects, not to mention gardening and running trains.

I have managed to repair a few locos, mostly the split chassis variety three of which were non runners. All the unwanted ones will be going on eBay shortly to raise funds for plywood, rails and point motors. I recently acquired 90% of the turnouts required for the "Grim-Up-North" project in one bumper bargain eBay purchase. This has speeded things up no end!!

All the wiring for both the Queensbury and Bradford sections has been worked out.

 

A visit to the model store here in town proved quite fruitful the other day. Only one 00 scale item in stock, Modelscene dogs!

Couldn't resist them and have already modeled Bobo and Gwen.

 

Next time I go out I'll get some batteries for the camera.

 

Shaun

[Andrew P]

Morning Shaun, yes distinctly lacking in pics Old Boy, not good enough, go get them there Batteries Please. What does you Local Model Shop normally Stock?

[Sasquatch]

Morning Andy. Middle of the night here, I just got up for a snack!
Als Models and Hobbies in Medford, sells HO American stuff. I get my Evergreen supplies there and am affectionately known as "More Styrene"!
He does have Airfix in stock but I've not built an aeroplane for decades.

Edited April 30, 2016 by Sasquatch

[Andrew P]

Morning Andy. Middle of the night here, I just got up for a snack!

Als Models and Hobbies in Medford, sells HO American stuff. I get my Evergreen supplies there and am affectionately known as "More Styrene"!

He does have Airfix in stock but I've not built an aeroplane for decades.

I saw you'd posted and then thought, its got to be about 3 in the morning over there, what the ek is he up to, hahhaha

[Sasquatch]

Not the best quality of images, just a quick update as to what I've been up to recently.

 

This 04 was one of the non runners. When my kid was little he had a Hornby Thomas set up and used to love this as it's very similar to Mavis!

Cosmetically, several broken hand rails have been replaced and a driver/trainee crew added.

Mechanically, it has been stripped down and the only things I found to be wrong were one of the contacts that hold the carbon brushes in place was not all the way home and some of the screw threads had been lost in the plastic bushes that separate the two halves of the split chassis.  Following a full service it now runs like a dream and at a crawl! It will be a regular as a station pilot on the Bradford section.

 

Next I dealt with some very old J72s. The gears had split. They run but will need new gears as my attempts to glue the nylon gears was doomed to failure. Nice little engines though.

 

The latest acquisition...

 

Last week I did another two short rakes of wagons. By that I refer  to the weathering and loads.

 

The original NE livery applied to this Cambrian Gloucester 5 plank didn't suit it, so I tried something a little different and hit it with some weathering powders.

 

Another little side project I tackled was this die cast tram. After hashing up a san Francisco street car chassis to fit in it Mrs. S. said "You are going to put lights and passengers in it aren't you?"

Well there's a challenge which had the old mojo excited.

Two strips of three LEDs upstairs and one down were wired to four diodes and then I added directional head lamps.

This was the most fun I have had in ages. I'm thinking of painting it in Leeds City livery and it will run back and forth through the mill town until a more suitable model is built.

 

Lastly the dogs. The super macro picture shows I need to touch up their snouts a little.

 

Happy modeling, Shaun.

[jukebox]

Shaun

 

Nice work on the dogs!

 

***

 

I didn't realise but Bill Bedford - Mousa Models - does 3D printed Bachmann/Mainline gears. Seems they were made for a J72, so may be worth a look.

 

http://www.shapeways.com/product/AVZWE2WNJ/split-frame-gears-for-mainline-oo-locos?optionId=40492953

 

http://www.shapeways.com/product/UNCRU4C97/split-frame-gears-for-mainline-oo-locos-block-of?optionId=40492955

 

Scott

[Sasquatch]

This week I've been mostly modeling as a gardener, the weather is perfect so the 3 aches we have has turned into a full time job!

We also had a "Yard Sale" which transformed a garden full of junk into a fair sized pile of dosh.

Some of the bargain hunter's kids popped in to the loft to have a go at driving trains on Dunster, one lad got overexcited when he saw the Hogwarts castle loco and wanted my number so he can drag his poor young mom back to see  Goathland up and running. I must get my finger out.

 

My friend down the road found a truck load of insulation foam off cuts and rescued them for Grim Up North, before they ended up in the land fill . That saved me about $100 !!!

Now the weather is getting into the 90s and stuff is going to stop growing so fast I have set the next few weeks aside to get Queensbury done (Well started at least). No doubt the heat is going to slow me down as it always does but I am very determined and it's all fallen into place in my head.

 

So a quick recap of what the plan entails.

 

The Queensbury triangle was on the GN line just 3 1/2 miles from Bradford City center on what was known locally as the "Alpine Route". The mostly local passenger and goods traffic was served throughout it's relatively short life by GNR and LNER six coupled locomotives such as N1s, J11s, J50s and J39s.

 

The station had six platforms, of which the Bradford/Keighley side was partly constructed on a three arched viaduct.

All this makes for interesting modeling!

I will be using the plywood open framed construction which proved well on Goathland. Track will be Peco code75. All the structures will be scratch built except the footbridge, I have been very fortunate in acquiring two and a half D&S etched kits for this.

 

All the platforms were on gradients which I hope to faithfully reproduce albeit somewhat compressed.

 

My research has been to study numerous old photographs from the internet. This has now become a hobby in itself whereby I can usually pinpoint within a few years the date the pictures were taken.

 

I have opted to model all this in the 1939-1955 (closure to passenger traffic) period. From what I can tell the station remained in LNER green colour scheme and became quite shabby, just the way I like it!

 

Great Northern days right down to the hexagonal gas lamps and station porter. Colour scheme would be brown and cream. Note the North junction signal box of all timber construction, removed before my period along with the south junction box.

 

1940. Subway in place, waiting room awnings still intact and a signal gantry???

 

Post war and we see LNER colour scheme but the signal box has gone.

 

1950s, awnings absent, Thompson passenger stock and land fill siding!

 

The first and rare colour picture taken after cessation of passenger services. The wooden station buildings have gone!!

 

A sad affair here. The model foot bridge should look great although I'm no engineer of brass.

 

1960s, evident by the fashion of the period worn by the rail tour participants. The foot bridge is still sporting two tone LNER green! and there's that blackened millstone that I've grown so fond of. Judging by the healthy weed growth it's 1966.

 

Shaun. Hopefully back soon with some plywood modulars.

Edited May 29, 2016 by Sasquatch

[Andrew P]

Morning Shaun, some great pics to work from, how do you intend to get the Buildings level and the Platforms on a slope?

 

Also like the little J72, one of my first Locos in OO, I knew NOTHING about the real railways (and I was 27 at the time) but it was a pretty little Loco in a nice Apple Green, it NEVER ran properly but looked very nice on the shelf.

[Sasquatch]

Morning Shaun, some great pics to work from, how do you intend to get the Buildings level and the Platforms on a slope?

 

Also like the little J72, one of my first Locos in OO, I knew NOTHING about the real railways (and I was 27 at the time) but it was a pretty little Loco in a nice Apple Green, it NEVER ran properly but looked very nice on the shelf.

Good question Andy. The Skaledale NE style office building on Goathland was sanded on a belt sander to make it level. So I guess I'll be doing the same with the Perspex ones on the Queensbury platforms! Not looking forward to making those 6 structures.

 

The J72 is a nice little loco (might have been 13 when I got mine) it has had a replacement Bachmann chassis already and now that's worn out too.

Could be time for a permanent place in the display case.

[Sasquatch]

Between putting up a corrugated tin roof in the 100F+ heat for a neighbor, restoring French doors and car hunting for Mrs. S. I've not made much progress on the Queensbury boards.

However, we went to Eugene to look at a Subaru so while there popped into the hobby store there to get some supplies.

These take the form of a box of 25 yards of flexi cork underlay and some Humbrol paints. I believe Eugene Toy & Hobby are the only stockist in Oregon!

Monday I was at the wood place in Medford and grabbed 3 sheets of 6mm 8'x4' MDF boards so now what with the air/con unit I installed in the warehouse last year there's no excuse to delay this any longer.

 

As can be seen by my base board plan, the woodwork promises to be challenging. Remember it's open plan with all the gradients and super elevation. I have made the decision to continue with the sectional design for two reasons.

1; it will make life easier to build this in my cabinet shop/barn rather than go back and forth cutting bits of wood and...

2; life can be unpredictable. Not that we're ever planning on moving but even crystal balls can't be relied upon.

[Sasquatch]

This morning seems like a good time to post.

Having told the dozens of people here who asked me about the BRexit how I thought the vote would go and why I can safely say "I told you so".

How this decision affects me is rather concerning as I have many ties to Belgium, the UK and here in the US. The difficult decision I have had to make is that I'll be applying for full US citizenship and a US passport. I've been here ten years now and can't see that ever changing.

 

So what's the old big footed elusive beastie been up to lately.

Well I've been wandering around the Central Cascades having a much needed holiday. Visiting some distant cousins and stuff.

 

There are nice little cabins for rent in Sisters and plenty of micro breweries in Bend. All the restaurants and cafes sell excellent food, unfortunately this place was closed...

 

So from South going North here are the central Cascades.

Mt. Thielsen.

 

We once climbed Mt Scott @ 8926' but didn't do any extreme hiking this visit as Ieva's mom is 70 and slowing down a bit.

 

Diamond peak, from below Davis lake.

 

Mt. Bachelor. The pass is at 6419', the summit of Bachelor 9065'.

 

Broken Top and South Sister.

 

We drove up to Three Creeks Lake 6535' and got bitten a dozen times by mosquitos.

This Tom Mc. Arther Rim. the other side of the ridge in the last photo!

 

The three Sisters. all over 10,000'.

 

Three Fingered Jack.

 

And Mt. Jefferson.

 

This is the Cascade lakes Hwy. which can play tricks on the eye...

 

Breath taking East Diamond lake Hwy.

 

No post should be complete without some train or other, so here's some American power.

 

The schedule is clean so it's back to work next week starting with base boards!

 

Shaun.

Edited June 24, 2016 by Sasquatch

[westerhamstation]

Hi Shaun, those micro breweries serve large drinks, stunning views. All the best Adrian.

[Sasquatch]

This week has been overwhelmingly amazing. Basically I've realized that my type one diabetes was being treated with what causes type two diabetes. Eating too many carbohydrates!

I have made some drastic changes to diet which have produced quite unexpected results. Some other ailments simply vanished over night as a result including the depression.

 

With my energy back the first thing I did was get the layout back together. Several things needed attention including some jobs in the train building.

Now the trains are running, the first being all the new ones, I dusted off the camera and took a few pictures. It's been a while huh!

 

A4 Silver link (a Christmas present from Mrs. S.) with the Hornby teak rake.

Nice lighting in the fiddle yard.

 

And crawling up grade on the viaduct.

 

The K3 conversion.

 

Hornbys new J50 battling a grain train on the viaduct gradient through a thunderstorm.

 

After the storm.

 

Shaun.

[Alister_G]

Hi Shaun, great news about your health, long may it continue!

 

Some more lovely photos, I especially like the shot looking through the bridge to the station.

 

All the best

 

Al.

[Andrew P]

This week has been overwhelmingly amazing. Basically I've realized that my type one diabetes was being treated with what causes type two diabetes. Eating too many carbohydrates!

I have made some drastic changes to diet which have produced quite unexpected results. Some other ailments simply vanished over night as a result including the depression.

 

With my energy back the first thing I did was get the layout back together. Several things needed attention including some jobs in the train building.

Now the trains are running, the first being all the new ones, I dusted off the camera and took a few pictures. It's been a while huh!

 

A4 Silver link (a Christmas present from Mrs. S.) with the Hornby teak rake.

Nice lighting in the fiddle yard.

Silver link on down express.JPG

 

And crawling up grade on the viaduct.

A4 silver link on viaduct.JPG

 

The K3 conversion.K3-1 6004.JPG

Goathland bridge.JPG

K3-1 on bridge.JPG

 

Hornbys new J50 battling a grain train on the viaduct gradient through a thunderstorm.

J50.JPG

 

After the storm.

Night shop.JPG

 

Shaun.

Great news Shaun, keep up the good work and excellent modelling mate.

[emt_911]

Great to see that the health benefits are also modelling benefits. Looking forward to more.

[PeterBB]

Shaun,

 

Great to hear that you are on the mend and modelling expertly again.  Hope the US Citizenship process goes well.. The pictures - snow and cold - not my ideal but it has reminded me of the fantastic view of the Rockies when I flew over them in 1967 on my way to Vancouver.  Once there and a look round and being put up by a friend of a friend I started my Greyhound travelling - first stop Oregon on my round USA trip back-packing for the next 6 weeks.  I really enjoyed it.

 

Cheers, Peter

[Sasquatch]

Thanks guys. So far so good. There's a lot of jobs to catch up on but I feel like I've got the energy.

 

Peter.

Believe it or not Oregon isn't any colder than the UK. We get more snow due to elevation (most of the state is over 3000') but it also gets hot. This year the summer has been very mild so far, we might even avoid a drought situation. Good to know that you are familiar with Oregon. It's a great place to live.

 

Regards Shaun

[Andrew P]

Thanks guys. So far so good. There's a lot of jobs to catch up on but I feel like I've got the energy.

 

Peter.

Believe it or not Oregon isn't any colder than the UK. We get more snow due to elevation (most of the state is over 3000') but it also gets hot. This year the summer has been very mild so far, we might even avoid a drought situation. Good to know that you are familiar with Oregon. It's a great place to live.

 

Regards Shaun

No way for me,  I've seen the SIZE of your SPIDERS mate, not for me I'm afraid, ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[manna]

G'day Gents

 

You don't want to worry about those tiny little yankee spiders, it's the Aussie ones you have to worry about !!

 

Shaun, glad to hear your on the mend, good pics of the K3

 

manna