Popular Post LNER4479 Posted July 14, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 14, 2023 Can I be the first to page 💯 ? Taken a wee while ... but there again, who's counting (really) Nothing terribly exciting to post ... just yet. Just more wiring work ... 20 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Marlin Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said: , or go downstairs to join all the modellers sat on their roundtuit piles feeding the flames? Mike. "Pleased to meet you; hope you guess my na-" "Robert." "...what?" "You're called Robert." "How could you possibly know... wait. You modelled the ECML, didn't you..." 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 5BarVT Posted July 14, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 14, 2023 7 hours ago, LNER4479 said: Ah, well - each to their own I guess. And there's some bloomin' clever stuff both of you do respectively that I wouldn't dare tackle ... At risk of slight deviation, the following two pictures illustrate the approach on Grantham: Left and right hand end of the same crossover. The motor is in the middle. This was just as it was being installed. The actuating pin (PL-10E) was cut to length once it was all proven and working. In this case, it was out of necessity in that the right hand point of the crossover is situated on the bridge - quite impossible to get a point motor underneath (I suppose I could have put of the them sideways surface motors in the ten foot ... but it wouldn't have been very good from an aesthetics point of view?). These ones on the bridge (there's two more to the right) always cause comment at exhibitions. The 'trick' (if there is one?) is sturdy Mercontrol (formerly GEM) angle cranks and 1mm gardening wire. If you know the product, you can make out the cast bases for the cranks and the cranks themselves have had their outer holes of the cranks removed and the inner ones drilled out to take the 1mm wire. A bent over Peco trackpin is doing the guiding. The drive to the left hand point passes through a piece of 1/8" brass tube under the ballast (above) - if you zoom in closely enough on my pics above you can see the equivalent in the trough I've cut in the cork underlay. Obviously needs pre-installing before you lay the track for good! Most of the others (on Grantham) are underneath the baseboard and use even stouter wire for the main push/pull connecting rod (from a florists shop, intended for flower displays!). I'm generally very comfortable with traditional mechanix like this - unlike electrickery, you can see what's going on! (and isn't this the way folks used to build model railways in the days when the only supply of point motors was ex-GPO relays? Maybe I'm just a dinosaur that should have been rendered extinct many moons ago ...) And now, back to some more (very traditional) wiring ... Being only an electrickery engineer I am most impressed with your mechanical point operation. Highly likely to be a lot cheaper than my normal designs. Paul. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 I also use Peco track and white / grey spray painted foam ballast, with much success. Easy to lay (and relay, change etc) also. A little tip. When cutting to fit avoid the gap above above by cutting the foam slightly longer than half a gap as shown, the foam then slightly compresses to each other resulting in no gap. It can also be easilly twiddled into position with a small screwdriver etc. No need for any glue. As your track is already laid, to avoid messing around try cutting a thin sliver of already painted ballast and again twiddle in place with a screwdriver. I've done this many times with 100% success.. Brit15 4 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted July 14, 2023 Author Share Posted July 14, 2023 Thanks. Quite au fait with what you say. A vital piece of info you're missing there is that is actually a baseboard joint. Not saying that it's impossible to get a clean join as you describe but it's certainly more of a challenge when it's continually coming apart and going back together again. It's quite likely that, at the time that photo was taken, the boards were just set up temporarily for maintenance. Can't remember - I've slept a lot since! 3 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted July 14, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 14, 2023 (edited) Meanwhile ... The test train waits patiently whilst wire mangling proceeds. The previous picture - top of page - showed one of the removable lengths duly removed as there was some wiring required on it and an inter-board connector and ... stuff. Anyway, it's back in and becoming all joined up. And, from approx one hour ago, the test train duly proceeds (apart from one bit which was a bit of a schoolboy error - will be rectified after tea). Another trusty Duette does the honours for now. Right - that's all the new bits wired up and working ... after a fashion. Time for a right 'ol good clean up, tidy up, stock out and let's see if the whole thing works as intended🤗 Edited July 14, 2023 by LNER4479 23 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted July 15, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 15, 2023 Late night update. What doesn't look like much progress actually represents several hours of work. You may have been wondering ... No? Well I'll tell you anyway. Why no trains running recently? Well, everything that was out was packed away or sheeted over on account of the building work earlier in the year. I haven't posted anything on that recently but suffice to say that a combination of clearing up and tackling some of follow on work has created a veritable dust shower. So the whole place needs a thorough spring clean before I run anything on existing rails. So, I'm starting at Central and working my way round. And after duly cleaning, some familiar faces have come out of hibernation. Got as far as reconnecting boards to link back up with Grand Junction so here the Waverley heads through Bog Junction in that general direction. More cleaning (deep joy) and testing (better!) beckons in the morning. 29 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted July 15, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 15, 2023 12 hours ago, LNER4479 said: Yes, Clive - a simple screw. Plus, my perennial favourite slidy fishplates. The very ends of the Peco track are just floating (if you like), last track pin about 5 sleepers away. The fish plates just slide into place and automatically deal with the alignment. That is for this, lower flap. Slight variation on the upper flap due to tighter radius; that's where I used those ST-238 33" set-track pieces, so no tendency for rails to spring back towards straight. But slidy fishplates otherwise. I can recommend DCC Concepts dowels, mounted with the axis vertical, for the fly end (my lifting flap actually has them at both ends). Usual disclaimer. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted July 15, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 15, 2023 (edited) Cleaning and testing continues ... If you look closely, the full horror of the recent dust / contamination problem might be apparent - check out the area more or less dead centre, near the wiring connector block. Yes, all rooms get dusty over time (isn't 90% of household dust supposed to be dead human skin?) but this was exceptional due to the building work. Hopefully a one-off, at least to this extent ... Taking the upper board off to get at it properly, I found a loco!!! These are the running lines to the newest instated stretch of track. Anyhow ... Didn't take THAT long to clear it all up and clean the rails and thus our test train makes it down to the existing rails at Grand Junction. Except that this picture is deceptive. What DID take a humongous length of time was the mysterious electrical fault that revealed itself when I set the road for this move. You can see evidence of the fault finding with the trusty multimeter deployed. Need to go and lie down now; I hate electrickery 😡 Edited July 15, 2023 by LNER4479 10 2 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tomlinson Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 23 hours ago, woodenhead said: I thought the plan was to line the room with asbestos, then the railway acts as a pyre in the event the worst happens. Mrs M tosses in the match, the room goes up Norse style and you go to the Great Hall to be welcomed by the modellers who have gone before. I seem to remember that in a Viking funeral, the deceased is surrounded by his most treasured possessions before the longboat, and he, are set on fire. What could be more treasured than the train set! John. 2 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 31 minutes ago, LNER4479 said: What DID take a humongous length of time was the mysterious electrical fault that revealed itself when I set the road for this move. You can see evidence of the fault finding with the trusty multimeter deployed. Need to go and lie down now; I hate electrickery 😡 Dude, go DCC it's just two wires 🤣 1 1 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 2 hours ago, woodenhead said: Dude, go DCC it's just two wires 🤣 *opens popcorn* 🤭 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted July 15, 2023 Author Share Posted July 15, 2023 The two most wisest words I was ever told in my working career: "Don't bite"! Anyhow, got stuff to do. Found there was yet more wiring required 🙄 Carlisle North now takes its place on the Grand Junction part of Carlisle No.10 (Bog Junc) control panel, complete with route indication. Fortunately, I had pre-wired most of this; unfortunately, an indicator bulb became broke in the process ... Grr! The push button bottom right is temporary, pending installation of block indicator. 10 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 3 hours ago, woodenhead said: Dude, go DCC it's just two wires 🤣 Shots fired! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 Just to be clear, it ain’t two wires and it is not anxiety free. DC has a lot of benefits. Convinced myself earlier I had blown a chip, when in fact it was perfectly fine and I was an idiot. Two wires it can be, but it doesn’t remove the human error aspect. Anyway, the last great project progresses and is looking good. 4 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted July 15, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 15, 2023 Ta! Timely too, as I can finally start to have a bit of fun. The honour of hauling the first train (of sorts) goes to an out-of-the-box 9F. Appears never to have turned a wheel in anger - bits of polystyrene stuck in the spokes as I got it out of the box. T/L front coupling gleefully discarded At Grand Junction, the train takes the middle set of lines - the Caledonian route from the north. Our train disappears off into oblivion, still under the control of Bog Junc at this stage. Train now obediently comes to a halt at the handover point for Caldew Junc (Carlisle No.3). Caldew junction now takes over, pressing the nearest red button to draw it out of the handover section and over the junctions to gain the goods lines. Train now dutifully comes to a halt at the handover point for Dentonholme yard. And finally arrives in Dentonholme yard.🙂 The train has thus made a complete circuit of the chapel, running at least a scale mile in the process, whilst passing between four different operating positions. 26 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted July 15, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 15, 2023 Whilst we're in the mood, here's the first train along the extended WCML. The Royal Scot no less! Having crested Shap summit, the train freewheels down the other side ... ... towards Carlisle. Central operators certainly get a grandstand view of such trains.😊 35 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted July 16, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 16, 2023 12 hours ago, LNER4479 said: isn't 90% of household dust supposed to be dead human skin? Probably best to keep dead humans out of the railway room then. 12 hours ago, LNER4479 said: You can see evidence of the fault finding with the trusty multimeter deployed. Go on, tell us. 8 hours ago, LNER4479 said: The two most wisest words I was ever told in my working career: "Don't bite"! The two wisest words in married (other relationships are available) life are "Yes, dear". 6 hours ago, woodenhead said: Just to be clear, it ain’t two wires It's just multiples of two wires - but, then, so is DC. 3 hours ago, LNER4479 said: pressing the nearest red button to draw it out of the handover section So you don't have to remember to turn your bl00dy links off (other expletives are available)? 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted July 16, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 16, 2023 Now then, observers may have noted the the layout is using DCC "Duette Command and Control.. is digital cos you use your digits to rotate the control knobs... Hat, coat, sees ya later! Baz 5 2 1 3 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted July 16, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 16, 2023 Video camera broken then?!! Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted July 16, 2023 Author Share Posted July 16, 2023 6 hours ago, St Enodoc said: So you don't have to remember to turn your bl00dy links off (other expletives are available)? Exactly! 56 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said: Video camera broken then?!! Mike. All in good time ... have you been good? 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted July 16, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 16, 2023 2 hours ago, LNER4479 said: All in good time ... have you been good? My middle name. Mike. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullie Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 (edited) Ballasting next or is all the visible track on Peco foam? Edited July 16, 2023 by mullie 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium figworthy Posted July 16, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 16, 2023 17 hours ago, St Enodoc said: Probably best to keep dead humans out of the railway room then. In some cases, there is a good argument for keeping live ones out as well. Adrian 3 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted July 16, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 16, 2023 (edited) None of which applies to this fine bunch of gentlemen 😀 Seen here taking a breather from trying their hardest to break the layout ... ie try out as many possible permutations and combinations of moves to show up the shortcomings so far. Some visiting locos visited, including this most interesting elderly Princess, modified to be the ill-fated 46202. Once she warmed to her task she managed a few runs up and down Shap Talking of which, at the other end of the WCML, I rigged up these (very) temporary sidings in the Upperby area, to give us somewhere to run to and from. Green Duchess territory, it would appear! By the end of the session, the sidings at Dentonholme looked suitably 'lived in'. Nice to have a focus for the goods train operations on the layout. (some more to come) Edited July 16, 2023 by LNER4479 35 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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