LongRail Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Mark I think copydex is quite expensive most people just you cheap pva Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted December 5, 2014 Author Share Posted December 5, 2014 Tell me about it, I've already used one 250ml tub and need another just for the cork laying however... It is quite pricey but from reading around its better for noise reduction due to not setting rock hard like PVA. It seems to be doing the trick so far so I'll happily pay the premium for a quieter running layout! :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted December 11, 2014 Author Share Posted December 11, 2014 Well I wasn't going to buy any more track this month as Decembers always a long old month but I buckled and ordered a few more bits to finish off the two main loops... This is what I started out with... An hour or so later... Swapped the points for large radius ones and managed to finish both up/down lines off and the line to the station which now looks like this... I've added a bit of peco edging for one station and roughly laid the track. I'm after a bit of advice as I've added an electrofrog point which seemed to cause me a bit of trouble today (running DC). After trying to change the point over several times which caused the train to stop. It eventually cut out and now the good channel on my HM2000 has the same problem as the broke one which only operates at off or full power. I'm going DCC next week so do I need to do anything to my points electrofrog / insulfrog as I'd be very very upset if my Lenz broke!! Thanks Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Not sure which is which with points, electrofrog / insulfrog. But ive fitted wire fittings to all my points to switch over to DCC Mark.. cheers neil. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 You will need a different wiring connection with DCC as you need to permanently power both sides of the points with dc you can use the point blades to switch power to either track, Providing the power is to the toe of the points with DC will allow the blades to switch power if feeding power to two tracks which are connected via a set of points will require insulated joints. Suggest connect transformer to a piece of test track and see if the issue is with transformer or layout Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Any new updates buddy?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 Hello mate. Still plodding along slowly although nothing to much to see really. Although its been very cold outside the lofts remained fairly reasonable - our house is fairly modern so not sure if this helps? I have however purchased a 2Kw oil filled heater just to help take the chill off if I'm going to be up there for a few hours. I'm also pleased to say I'm up and running with DCC - I've only got 2 trains but they've both now been fitted with Lenz silver decoders and I've upgraded the lights on my Virgin 221 to L.E.D's which are much better. I also purchased a TR150 transformer. As I say extremely pleased with how both trains run on the layout - much much smoother and nicer running at lower speeds. I've also changed the layout again slightly from the photo above after getting some advice from members. I've gone back to a conventional point cross over with a right hand point in o the branch line and to the station sidings. Now I've changed it it does make more sense and makes the running a little more realistic! I'm also changing the back end and incorporating a hidden fiddle yard at the rear to store a few trains on. Finally I've purchased a few CR signals which I'll be having a play with over the next week or so and I'll also be ordering some tortoise point motor's. I've decided I'd like to stick to DC and a control panel for operating the points/signals although its going to be a bit of a learning curve in regards to wiring it all up and getting it running as I'd like but I guess thats all part of the fun. I'm getting itchy fingers to buy another loco but need to try and resist for now! Best regards Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
freebs Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I'd love to try DCC but I've too many older locos to make it worth it. I've a similar temperature situation to you in my garage, except it's bloomin freezing out there at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted January 3, 2015 Author Share Posted January 3, 2015 It is quite expensive, especially if you have 50+ loco's like some people have on here. I wouldn't want to try and convert a largish layout from DC to DCC with having to fit dropper wires etc as I can't really see an easy way to drill holes in the board and solder the wires with the track already in place. Same with the loco's the 221 wasn't DCC ready and so required cutting wires and soldering them together - I must say it was a little daunting at first. However looking back now it is definitely worth it, certainly in my case where I'm building a new layout and only have 2 loco's. I still prefer the DC approach for point and signal switching though! Best regards Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 All looking very good, and Happy New Year. As for the points and DCC operation, just 1 simple rule of thumb: Never have any feeds into the heel of the frog, always use isolating fishplates on the frog itself, unless the tracks are sidings and there are no feeds on them!!! Hope that helps. As for point control, I've always used the traditional method of 16v AC through a CDU and switches, and I've always used Seep motors. Until recently!!!! Now I'm using DCC Concepts Cobalt Digital point motors, with most DCC systems (Including the Lenz LH100 which I use) you don't need accessory decoders, and programming is a sinch (2 mins)!!! They are a bit more expensive, but like I said, they don't need accessory decoders, switches, so not loads of wiring either. Plus they'll switch the frog polarity if you decide to go down that route. Jinty ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed a/c Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Looks good so far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Any new updates?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 Hello, Thanks for the continued interest guys. much appreciated. Apologies if this turns in to a bit of a long post.... I've been up the loft this morning and spent a couple of hours 'playing' moving various wagons between the station sidings and branch lines etc which I thoroughly enjoyed - I took a couple of photo's and video's whilst up there although they are only on an iphone. So I changed the section that crosses over from one line to the other and leads to the station sidings after receiving some advice from this forum so the pictures you see in post #29 are now replaced by these... Peco long turn outs with electrofrogs - trains run lovely over the long turn outs although it took a bit of head scratching to wire up the electrofrog points for DCC but I got there in the end! Part of my Christmas present from the in-laws which I've stuck on the layout for now although feel bad as I'm having a signal box built and going to be building my own station! Now for the last few weeks I've been wracking my brains trying to figure out the best way for the trains to leave the mainlines and go round to the container yard and possible fiddle yard. I literally spent hours and hours on anyrail and started a thread (or two) on here on the best way to do it. I could get a train leaving the mainline but it'd then return in the 'wrong' direction or I'd have to have a train stopping on the mainline and then reversing up the siding etc etc. It was getting to the point where I was waking up in the morning and thinking about it and going to bed at name still thinking about it. I wanted to use this hobby as a little get a way from the day to day stresses and it got to a point where by it was causing my more stress. I'm still not at a point where I'm 100% although sure eventually something will click and I'll get it how I want but here's what I've done for now.... Basically the two lines to the right of the pic are the main lines. The train will leave the mainline on the bottom line and re-enter in the opposite direction, over the crossover on to the inner line. The two lines run for around 14ft at which stage they'll curve off through a tunnel and then run along a large, hidden although accessible, loop which will lead to the container yard and I'm also planning on a 4/6 lane fiddle yard just for a bit of extra storage. This is looking up from the set of points - the 37 is on the mainline with the container flats and tankers sat on the branchline from this mornings 'play' - the piece of wood at the bottom is where the tunnel will roughly be. I've also got a few CR 2&3 aspect signals which I've been playing with although a fair way off from getting them properly installed yet. And finally a couple of little videos - please excuse all the mess in the loft I spend more time tinkering that tidying at the moment. Also the iphone seems to make it sound extremely noisy up there for some reason?? Oh and you need to have a great imagination without any scenary!!! http://vid37.photobucket.com/albums/e71/ecossepeugeot206/IMG_1827_zps8otpui5t.mp4 http://vid37.photobucket.com/albums/e71/ecossepeugeot206/IMG_1823_zpse7wg89ih.mp4 http://vid37.photobucket.com/albums/e71/ecossepeugeot206/IMG_1830_zpsh11qxhka.mp4 Thanks Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Mark Sounds like you need a run around loop so the loco can run around the train and pull it back in the opposite direction, this can also be achieved with two parallel sidings and a cross over towards the far end which will result in more options for shunting (Play value) You could also top and tail the train (loco either end) Model railway layouts can become all consuming but then again that is part of the fun and is a different type of stress from work certainly can be a release. Sound was ok for me and don't worry about the scenery yet you have trains running (and a signal box) that is the main thing, detail can all be added as you go along. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Coming along great from those pictures above!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Thanks for the replies. I will be having a hidden loop from the branchline so the trains can come in and either go to the container yard / around a loop and back on to the mainline in the opposite direction or to the hidden fiddle yard. The hidden area is 16ft x 4ft which I'm in the process of building. This is the headache I'm having which I can hopefully explain so you understand - you might need to refer to the pics above as well to give a better understanding.... From the picture attached.... A train travelling along the mainline on A would be travelling in a clockwise rotation as per prototypical running and a train on mainline B would be travelling in an anti clockwise position. A train leaving Mainline A would travel along branchline C and then go to the container yard etc etc. Whether it goes to the container yard or goes around the loop it would return in the opposite direction along branchline D on to mainline B which is all fine. Hopefully you're still with me.... Now I'm on Mainline B I'm stuck with what I can do real. I can cross it on to mainline A at the other side of the layout but then the train would be running along the mainline in the 'wrong direction' and then the only way to re-enter the branchline is to stop on the mainline and reverse down which I'm being told neither of these are the done thing. On an end to end layout I'd have no issues. I can't / don't want to add anymore hidden sidings and can't think of any other way to do it. I don't really want to top and tail the loco's if I'm being honest although it would solve my issues!! So at this stage I'm still a little unsure on what to do but as I say don't want to let it take over the enjoyment I've had so far with building the layout and running the trains. This is going to be a very long term project so maybe one Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Hi, I'm still not 100% sure what you're trying to do, but would this help any.......................... You could also then create a run round loop at the far end to reverse your train. Jinty ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Thanks for the reply Jinty. So from your diagram - green indicates a train going from A - C which could then go to the container yard or the loop. Its then got to join back on to the mainline at some stage so could come back down C or D (blue line) and in the diagram would be going from right to left in the pic. When the train returns its going to be running anti clockwise so would run in the direction of E - A or F - B. I need the train to be running in a clockwise direction so it'll be running the right way on the outer mainline and can re-enter the branch line should I want to. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Hi there, Right I think I know where you're coming from. There are 2 possibilities that I can think of: 1. A return loop 2. A holding loop on the inner track. I will draw what I mean shortly, but the return loop would mean that your trains would continue in the same direction to continue from either C or D and be able to set off onto the outer loop A/E in a clockwise direction. The other option would be to have a loop on the line to the left of the trailing crossover, that the train could sit in. But the loco would have to be detached and run round the train, before it could take the crossover again to set off in the direction of E clockwise. I will be back in a bit with a plan or two!!!! Jinty ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Hopefully this may clarify............. The return loop version. The train will come from D, take the point around the loop, and set off on E in a clockwise direction. A little extra wiring is needed, and a return loop unit required for DCC operation. The run round loop option would be more beneficial for trains moving in either direction, clockwise or counter clockwise. The train comes from D, takes the trailing crossover and into the bottom loop. If the train is to be reversed to run clockwise, the loco must be detached and run round the train (You could use 3 points and create an isolated loop off the mainline, where passing trains would not be hampered by the run round movements). Once the train has run round, you can then proceed across the crossover and take route E There are slight alterations that could be made, but both these scenarios should add more operational interest for you. I hope this may help in some way. Jinty ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Thanks for taking the time to create those track plans Jinty, much appreciated. I'll have a good look and think and see if I can in-corporate one in to my layout. The loop looks ideal but means I'd have to have another line going off out the way. Thanks again Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Some nice information on here... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Mark this is what I was referring to for a run around using cross overs on sidings. Does this solve your problem. These would be the moves completed by the loco to bring the train out onto the mainline in the forward direction (loco first) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted January 9, 2015 Author Share Posted January 9, 2015 Thanks for the reply mate. I think I understand the diagrams but I can already get a train on to the mainline in that direction. The trouble is...how would I get it back up the branch line as per the red line... going in the direction of the arrows. I have however started thinking about it again and come up with this... If I add that turnout so the left hand does the curve and the straight ahead branches off. It would then run off under a bridge (how original) behind the back scene and then in to this part which will be behind the tunnel... The black piece of track running off to the right would link with the line coming off the curve. I can then enter the mainline in the correct direction and as far as I can see I'd have a lot more potential for running trains....I'll add a track plan if my explanation is rubbish?? Finally I couldn't resist and treated myself to this.... Lovely little runner and fitted with express model lights each end and DCC. It seems very fast - I can run my 221 on 12 (Lenz 100) and its at a nice pace - this on 4 is not far off the same pace. Pleased it fits in the station siding nicely too. I'll knock up a track diagram regarding the above but please let me know your thoughts... Thanks Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chimer Posted January 9, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 9, 2015 A double track oval with a single one-way reversing loop which leaves one circuit and returns to the other will always result in everything you've got ending up on the second circuit with no way back without reversing the trains. As your fiddle yard is on the reversing loop, trains leaving the fiddle yard similarly can't get back to it without reversing. In your situation a reversing loop would be good for turning round trains that have left the container yard or the terminal platforms ("station sidings" as you somewhat strangely call them) so they can return to them, except that if I've got your layout straight in my mind (a single diagram of the whole set up would be really helpful) such trains start off going the wrong way to do that, that is they first pass the junction going towards D. You can reverse passenger trains using the through platforms in your station provided you've got a trailing crossover the train can use to get across to the correct running line immediately after reversing. With multiple units that's easy, with loco-hauled trains you need a second crossover at the other end of the platforms to enable the loco to run round, or else uncouple it and use a second engine to take the train out. Reversing your container trains or other freight trains can be done the same way, but won't look realistic. If you could change the station round so the terminal platforms point in the other direction, trains could then leave the terminal platforms, go round the reversing loop and return to the terminal platforms. Having the fiddle yard on the loop then works well, as you can hold trains there so they don't leave the scene and immediately return going the other way. But you would still need to redesign the entry to the container yard so container trains can do a similar thing ...... The good news is you're learning all the time, even if it's often the hard way Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.