RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted December 13, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 How many have you got? It sounds like a good system - I'll have to think through what I want to achieve. Thanks for the info - I've looked at the site. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peach james Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Another option would be a camera of some sort- be it a web camera, or a baby monitor camera, or a "reverse view" camera. I'd cost them as options, as I am not convinced as to what the cheapest method would be. (#4 would be to use DCC track sections and automate it...haha !) James Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted December 13, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 An altogether simpler option would be to number the tracks 1-4 and run a sequenced timetable in the order of the tracks. Say start with down Pick up goods on 1, followed by express passenger on 2, etc. Don't change points until the train has done a full loop and is back in the storage yard. How you will be able to see whether it is fully in the loop or not is another question Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted December 13, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 I can see what is going to happen in the short term.... I'll set 2 locos going "roundy roundy" on the mainline, while I "play shunt" in the Goods yard or branch section. When I'm fed up with seeing the same up/down train I'll bob under the board and, standing "behind the mountains" (oh, how God-like is that!), guide said trains into a storage loop and change the points to free one/two new ones. I think single-person operation is going to be a bit limited - which I'm totally happy with - and a second pair of eyes would be helpful at times. I'll tell you a strange thing, though. As long as the scenery, setting, locos etc go together to make a coherent-looking system, the running aspect doesn't bother me - in as much as I'll be quite happy to sit and "watch the (same) trains go by". Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted December 13, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 Out of interest Jeff, what DCC system are you using? Is it tetherless because you could then operate from wherever you wanted (e.g. the back of the mountain). I wish I'd gone for the wireless Digitrax option now (still may upgrade) as there are times when I would like to operate from further away than the current cable length allows me, and my layout is only 13' long.... I have a Dynamis you can have for next to nothing (infra red) but it's crap and I wouldn't want to burden you with it 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted December 13, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 I've been using a Lenz (LS100) system since 2008. It's a cracking bit of kit - there may be a new model out in the next year or so, so I'll upgrade. Not wireless, but the handset lead is long enough for me to "straddle mountains" while I operate (that sounds very dodgy!!). Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 If you live in York and it took you an hour to get to work, where do you work? Leeds? Sheffield? Hull? Rather you than me in the icy conditions. Jeff Jeff, Sounds like a question from a GCSE maths paper. Regards, Peter 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted December 13, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 (edited) Jeff, Sounds like a question from a GCSE maths paper. Regards, Peter The question nowadays would more likely read: "If you live in York and it took you an hour to get to work, a) How many people did you give a lift to on the way there?, and b ) Discuss the socio-economic implications of taking these people to work, with particular emphasis on the reduction of pollution caused by lower car usage" !!!!! Sorry to be so cynical. Meanwhile, our competitors in the Far East are teaching kids of the same age how to integrate volumes of revolution.... Back on thread: my ply arrived this afternoon from SLEC, Norfolk (www.slecuk.com). Beautifully packaged and ready to be used for some modelling projects! Jeff Edited December 13, 2012 by Physicsman 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Hi Jeff The simplest (and cheapest) solution to view trains in the fiddle yard is a couple of mirror tiles placed as appropriate. Mark your clearance points with white paint and stop the trains when they reach them. A more comfortable solution than continuously crawling under the baseboards methinks. Regards Bill 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 I can see what is going to happen in the short term.... I'll set 2 locos going "roundy roundy" on the mainline, while I "play shunt" in the Goods yard or branch section. When I'm fed up with seeing the same up/down train I'll bob under the board and, standing "behind the mountains" (oh, how God-like is that!), guide said trains into a storage loop and change the points to free one/two new ones. I think single-person operation is going to be a bit limited - which I'm totally happy with - and a second pair of eyes would be helpful at times. I'll tell you a strange thing, though. As long as the scenery, setting, locos etc go together to make a coherent-looking system, the running aspect doesn't bother me - in as much as I'll be quite happy to sit and "watch the (same) trains go by". Jeff I hope Jeff that the virus (es) which caused you to suffer have gone. Your watching trains go by is pretty much how I used to operate things, although since moving after the eaerthquake I have taken more to collecting RTR 00 BR steam models and photographing them. Today I found a mint weathered Standard Class 5 4-6-0 73069 with the larger BR1C tender and bought it, lovely. I look forward to seeing such models below well-crafted windswept fells, and I recall that when I was watching 00 trains I much enjoyed the clickety clack of rail joints and a little resonance from the rolling train, quite subtle but for me it was quite important. Best, Rob 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium southern42 Posted December 13, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 The question nowadays would more likely read: "If you live in York and it took you an hour to get to work, a) How many people did you give a lift to on the way there?, and b ) Discuss the socio-economic implications of taking these people to work, with particular emphasis on the reduction of pollution caused by lower car usage" Substitute 'Staff Entrance Examination set by the Officers’ Examining Committee' for 'GCSE maths paper' and 'steam locomotive' for 'car' and we possibly have the demise of our past railways. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted December 13, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 I hope Jeff that the virus (es) which caused you to suffer have gone. Your watching trains go by is pretty much how I used to operate things, although since moving after the eaerthquake I have taken more to collecting RTR 00 BR steam models and photographing them. Today I found a mint weathered Standard Class 5 4-6-0 73069 with the larger BR1C tender and bought it, lovely. I look forward to seeing such models below well-crafted windswept fells, and I recall that when I was watching 00 trains I much enjoyed the clickety clack of rail joints and a little resonance from the rolling train, quite subtle but for me it was quite important. Best, Rob Feeling a lot better now Rob, thanks. I have one of those 5MT models. The weathering is nicely applied - it looks like it's been in service for ten years, rather than having a bit of muck on its chassis. Hopefully my scenery - when it's done - will be to your taste! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted December 13, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 Substitute 'Staff Entrance Examination set by the Officers’ Examining Committee' for 'GCSE maths paper' and 'steam locomotive' for 'car' and we possibly have the demise of our past railways. Haven't the older generations always been cynical, bearers of doom and "it wasn't like that in my day?" Heavens, I'm 55 next week and sometimes feel like one of those "Grumpy Old Men" off the TV show! The people I taught (for 30 years) often had oodles of talent, across a wide range of activities. My gripe isn't with the kids - it's with the fact that the current systems don't push them hard enough or offer them places to showcase their talents. This is not a political stance!! I worry about the UK's competitiveness in the world - small fish in large ocean - and where our great scientists, engineers, architects etc etc are going to come from. Anyway, enough of the whining... Bill, that is a very simple and potentially effective suggestion. Funny how the "low tech" ideas are often the best. Good lateral thinking there! Jeff 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 The question nowadays would more likely read: "If you live in York and it took you an hour to get to work, a) How many people did you give a lift to on the way there?, and b ) Discuss the socio-economic implications of taking these people to work, with particular emphasis on the reduction of pollution caused by lower car usage" !!!!! Sorry to be so cynical. Meanwhile, our competitors in the Far East are teaching kids of the same age how to integrate volumes of revolution.... Back on thread: my ply arrived this afternoon from SLEC, Norfolk (www.slecuk.com). Beautifully packaged and ready to be used for some modelling projects! Jeff Ah, well that's easy - none! Not many people want to travel at the same time as me, or to the same places... (Car shares work best when you don't have 4 different return destinations, at 4 different times over the 5 days of the week!) What have you done with the ply so far (other than admire the packaging)? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted December 13, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 Ah, well that's easy - none! Not many people want to travel at the same time as me, or to the same places... (Car shares work best when you don't have 4 different return destinations, at 4 different times over the 5 days of the week!) What have you done with the ply so far (other than admire the packaging)? That's about all I have done, though I must admit it's a quality product. It's birch plywood and I've got some 12" x 12" and 12" x 24" sheets of both 2mm and 3mm ply (as a scientist I should be quoting 30cm x 30cm and 30cm x 60cm, for those non-conversant with Imperial). What's it for? The first use will be as a backing for the first unnel mouth. I'll work on a 12 x 12 sheet, the question is 2mm or 3mm? It's not load bearing, and being easier to cut (steel ruler and Stanley knife) I'll use the former. I won't set any targets for tomorrow, but I'll post up some pics if anything worthwhile gets done. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Jeff, From my dealings with Ofsted recently, they are basically concerned with four things: *Students progression *Students attainment *Effective use of pupil premium *Value for money from teaching/support staff Anyway, back to the S&C..................................................................................................... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aberdare Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Evening Jeff I had a quick look at the site for your wood supplies and it looks pretty good, I could have built my shed in wood after all as they have quite a selection of thin balsa. So thank you for that. As for the other things being discussed, a neighbour of mine uses mirrors on his yard which is under the baseboard and if memory serves me right it is a hinged (Piano) section with the joins on the non viewing side of some walls. It then locks at the right angle for him to view the yard. Engineers of the future - well I remember interviewing people for Technical roles before I gave up work and it was a nightmare, now my deputy is having the same issues and has just appointed two people both over 45. Very few youngsters look at it as a career now, so much different to when I was young. But then again we had manufacturing Industries in those days. Anyway far more important things to discuss, like your tunnel mouths, look forward to seeing more as you progress. I'm just giving my fingers a rest from all those fiddly bits I stick together. NB. I was always taught rules measure and rulers rule Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted December 13, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 (edited) Evening Jeff I had a quick look at the site for your wood supplies and it looks pretty good, I could have built my shed in wood after all as they have quite a selection of thin balsa. So thank you for that. As for the other things being discussed, a neighbour of mine uses mirrors on his yard which is under the baseboard and if memory serves me right it is a hinged (Piano) section with the joins on the non viewing side of some walls. It then locks at the right angle for him to view the yard. Engineers of the future - well I remember interviewing people for Technical roles before I gave up work and it was a nightmare, now my deputy is having the same issues and has just appointed two people both over 45. Very few youngsters look at it as a career now, so much different to when I was young. But then again we had manufacturing Industries in those days. Anyway far more important things to discuss, like your tunnel mouths, look forward to seeing more as you progress. I'm just giving my fingers a rest from all those fiddly bits I stick together. NB. I was always taught rules measure and rulers rule Hee hee... that sounds like the kind of things we had drummed into us at school. Those were the days!!! Glad you found the website useful. I ordered the wood at about 11.45 on Tuesday night, so delivery from Norfolk by this afternoon, at this time of year, was excellent. I'm going to use some 3mm ply when it comes to building a skeleton for my platforms, and for the tops. I'm looking forward to playing with the wood and plastikard tomorrow - we'll have to see how it turns out. The tricky element in the first phase is to get the characteristic shape of the portal. Anyway, we discussed this - over 30 pages back!! - so I'll go back and have a look. None of what I'm doing is as intricate as your plastic rod work. If you haven't seen it, go and look at Jim's Hemyock layout - you'll be impressed with his carriage shed! Jeff Edited December 13, 2012 by Physicsman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted December 13, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 That's about all I have done, though I must admit it's a quality product. It's birch plywood and I've got some 12" x 12" and 12" x 24" sheets of both 2mm and 3mm ply (as a scientist I should be quoting 30cm x 30cm and 30cm x 60cm, for those non-conversant with Imperial). Jeff, surely you should be quoting the dimensions as 300 x 300 mm or 0.3 x 0.3 m as cm are not a 'real' Si unit......? I would tend to use the thinner material, although if there is any chance of weight (or should that be mass?) bearing, go with the thicker.... Andy G 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted December 13, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2012 Keeping the off topic subject going, I was on a conf call the other week with a guy who heads up the Equities Technology section for what was Merrill Lynch EMEA (now 'Bank Of America Merrill Lynch'. Pffft). He was telling us that he had been up in Edinburgh on a Graduate Recruitment day, for which they had hired out a conference room in a fancy hotel and ordered 40 large pizzas for the expected students. 3 turned up. Now obviously Merrill Lynch doesn't have the best name out there, what with it being rescued by Bank Of America in September 2008 (and don't get me started on a Commercial Bank trying to run an Investment Bank). But...... he told us that two weeks previously Goldman Sachs had been up there doing the same thing and had the same pathetic turnout. Are banks really that much out of favour that graduates aren't interested in the best paying jobs out there and in an industry which, in one form or another, will always be making hideous amounts of money? p.s. I had some bloke in the pub the other night tell me that he didn't like me because I worked for a bank. Didn't matter that I worked in IT, I worked for a bank and therefore I was an ######. When I told him I worked for Merrill Lynch, flames shot out of his eyes (In the end, I told him to F&*% Off and he did, quickly. I guess the flames in my eyes were larger, brighter and scarier) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted December 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 14, 2012 Morning Jeff, No posts yet? Are you out Christmas shopping? I've still not bought any presents yet, but it doesn't take long to write out a few cheques and put them in envelopes!! Back to railway matters - train detection. I couldn't use mirrors as it was too dark under my layout to see the FY. The units fit under the baseboard, a la turnout motors, with the infrared detector poking up through the board and level with the sleeper tops. hence the need to drill a pilot hole now and nothing lost if you don't go down this route. They work on 16 v ac, so I assume can be run from the track bus? (sorry I'm no electrician even less so in DCC) so just the wires back to the panel for the diodes. I have 10 units, one for each storage road, 5 on the up, 5 on the down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Hi Jeff, just caught up with the last couple of pages, I have been having a GORDON S , cant be a***d, gone off the boil so to speak. The LED's arrived yesterday and when I re looked at the control panel I realised I needed to fit in 2 signal switches, and guess what, NOT ENOUGH ROOM, so I will need to make up a new one a bit bigger, and that means finding a new home for it , so I shut the door and said s**d it. Andy Oh my gawd, it's catching... I now realise it's not a problem. Hat's off to Jeff as I'm staggered how you have kept up such motivation day after day. After the last ballasting fiasco, I relaid some trackwork and then had to take a break. Previously I would have felt bad about leaving it, but now I just go off and play a round of golf, knowing full well my mojo will return. Nothing to worry about, nothing to feel guilty about so don't beat yourself up. It's so much better not to do something than do it under duress or half hearted. You will either cock it up completely or end up redoing it as you will cut corners. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted December 14, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 14, 2012 (edited) Oh my gawd, it's catching... I now realise it's not a problem. Hat's off to Jeff as I'm staggered how you have kept up such motivation day after day. After the last ballasting fiasco, I relaid some trackwork and then had to take a break. Previously I would have felt bad about leaving it, but now I just go off and play a round of golf, knowing full well my mojo will return. Nothing to worry about, nothing to feel guilty about so don't beat yourself up. It's so much better not to do something than do it under duress or half hearted. You will either cock it up completely or end up redoing it as you will cut corners. Morning Gordon. That's a very good post, and I hate to admit it, but what you say is certainly relevant to me. I've been going non-stop since March, the layout-bit since June when I fitted the subframe. To date I've managed to "surf the waves" and I think I can keep this going until Christmas as I've got mostly mundane jobs to do - like finishing the wiring-up to the Cobalts/terminal blocks and checking the control panel works. But I definitely need a break - my illness earlier this week has shown this and my "mojo" needs recharging. I'm starting work on one of the tunnel mouths today - which I would normally leap into. But, as AndyP, Michael, yourself etc have said, there's a lethargy and I feel I'll be working much slower than normal. So I'll start, and you guys will just have to wait a bit longer than usual to see what happens. Lol. Early in the New Year I will fit the track bus. Then I can start making the connections, bit by bit, and hopefully end up with a "running area". The sight of a loco running on all that new track is sure to provide incentive!! Along with the "mountain build" (my favourite bit!) there is plenty to look forward to and "raise the mojo"! So many people look at, and contribute to, this thread that it's been a double-edged sword: it's kept me going (and done at least twice as much work as I would have), but it makes me feel compelled to continue so as not to disappoint. There is loads out there to inspire (ply scratchbuilding for example) and look forward to, so a Christmas break should help to get things going at full speed again. Coffee, then some more measurements to draw up a tunnel portal shape I can work with. Thanks Gordon - you've made me think about this for a good 20 mins before I posted. Jeff Edited December 14, 2012 by Physicsman 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted December 14, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 14, 2012 Morning Jeff, No posts yet? Are you out Christmas shopping? I've still not bought any presents yet, but it doesn't take long to write out a few cheques and put them in envelopes!! Back to railway matters - train detection. I couldn't use mirrors as it was too dark under my layout to see the FY. The units fit under the baseboard, a la turnout motors, with the infrared detector poking up through the board and level with the sleeper tops. hence the need to drill a pilot hole now and nothing lost if you don't go down this route. They work on 16 v ac, so I assume can be run from the track bus? (sorry I'm no electrician even less so in DCC) so just the wires back to the panel for the diodes. I have 10 units, one for each storage road, 5 on the up, 5 on the down. Morning Jonathan. Believe it or not, I had a sleep-in! I was watching the cricket from India from 4am and when it came time to get up, I just flaked out... The IR detector system will be useful and I'll integrate it into my working in some way. I'm guessing you bought the "extra wired" version so you could have the LEDs away from the detector and on your control panel. Bill's mirror idea is also very simple and a good way to go. I can certainly buy, and test, a unit and pre-drill holes, just in case. Once the tectonic activity starts and the mountains rise, it would be trickier, access-wise! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted December 14, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 14, 2012 Andy - you are quite right. The dimensions should be quoted in (preferably) metres. So for the sake of argument, I'll stick to inches!! Jason - your story is indicative of a variety of malaise in this country, but it's way off topic so I won't bang on about it here... I also need to check out, and order, those albums we discussed. Finally, back on-thread.... what thickness of plastikard would you use for scribing pavements or platform tops? Did we say 50thou or 60thou? Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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