crazynitwit
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Posts posted by crazynitwit
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After posting this I starting getting better with it. I'm thinking of making a couple of narrow gauge locomotives.Sketchup is the easiest, but all 3D software takes some getting used to as it's not all that easy to manipulate things in 3 dimensions on a 2d screen.
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Try railtec-modelsHi all
Can anyone recommend someone who makes custom waterslide decals?
I am working on a project and need some making up. There used to be a kit and I have a picture of the transfer sheet, so need this transferring onto waterslide paper.
This dodgy screen shot is what i'm after, in 1/72 scale
Mant thanks
Regards
Dan
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At the moment I'm using a free software but I'm struggling to get to grips with it. Are there any others that are easy to use.
The one I'm using at the moment is called
Freecad.
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Back on post #34 I started stock piling the wiring diagrams as they evolved. That post is now null and void (but left intact to show the evolution and simplification of design) and the 'completed' diagrams with explanations are here. As much as electronics is one of the things i enjoy the most about the hobby, I took a good break from the diagrams as I felt they were getting a bit more complicated than they really need be. A couple of weeks ago I came back to it and a much simpler solution has resulted. Honestly, this is simpler!
A few things first; the track diagram on the previous page is roughly correct but a couple of alterations have been made. I had originally thought of adding a cripple siding on the first original Warren Lane board, following the destruction caused to the first FYI board as I've tried to remove track from I've decided not to do any alterations at all to the 3 scenic Warren Lane boards. On that subject, from an operational standpoint I don't expect to use the point ladder from the yard at the opposite end to the headshunt (except access to/from receiving). Again my original thought was to remove the point ladder and salvage the tortoise motors, but these will now remain. A separate control panel is to be added away from the main panel for these points instead as they are about 15ft away from where a train driver can see clearly. Also not on the plan are a couple of points that will be soldered in one position accessing sidings that are scenic rather than operative.
Some may look at this and think 'you should have gone for DCC and a PC to do all that, much simpler', I have no issues with those who choose that route, but that's not what I was after creating.
First up is an overall descriptive operations picture:
Main Control Panel Ops Info.jpgAs for the panel built for Warren Lane, it's hopefully designed to be simple. Everything is spread across 4 control panels but the entire layout can mostly be operated from the main panel which will be fixed to the end curve with the stabling point.
Main panel:
Main Control Panel Apperance.jpgAll simple enough on the surface! Wiring:
All the wiring diagrams are designed to use the same few components so there's less spares to hold if there's a failure. Primarily, 12v DPDT relays, 24v SPDT relays, Single pole 12 way rotary switches, and SPDT switches. Most items outside that list are involved in tell-backs rather than direct control.
Diagrams (main panel and remote) for the far end of the yard:
As can be seen, having a signaller at the far end is required to fully use that end of the yard. Also on that diagram I've started labeling where wires will feed through tag strips for future reference. The electronic connection between all boards will be via 25way d-types, the board mounted part being a breakout connector for easy wiring and fault chasing. Pin numbers for these will be added as things progress.
Finally for parts controlled by the main panel, relays for the fiddle yard cobalt motors:
These will be located on the centre FY board with the rest of the FY automating system. The cobalt are being salvaged from the FY as it is being modified. They are some of the original ones produced and don't cope well with 12v across them! On the original Warren Lane panel I solved this with resistors making a potential divider which dropped the voltage to between 7 and 10 volts depending on total point orientation. They ran hot! (But reliable). This time, I'm using +12v and -5v, but the return from the cobalt will be floating at 3.3v to give a roughly +/-8.5v supply.
And no, I've no idea anymore why the fiddle tracks aren't in a more logical alpha numeric order. It's obviously evolved to that at some point in early planning when an error needed correcting and been easier to stick with rather than doing a full renumber.
Controllers next. I bought 10 PWM modules with reversing switches from Ebay a while ago for this. I just need to find some suitable hand sized enclosures and bigger throttle knobs for them.
Controller Select and Route.jpgI need to check what the controller connector is at the 'Maggie' position and they'll all be built to match that. As the Maggie position is in front of the layout, the track feeds from the controller are crossed so trains still run in the direction the operator is looking at them. The front position also feeds control voltage back when it's connected to activate the front control panel:
This was something else I was going to modify for the cripple siding, but then things changed....
Following a query elsewhere on RMweb, I learned that the Ipswich fuel tanks used to be run at the head of a Harwich intermodal then tripped to Ipswich. Brilliant. So I've added a fuel tank siding and bought a couple of TTAs fitted with Kadees that can run instead of a flat on some container services. On the Maggie panel there's an 'off' position that has a wire that fed back to an LED on the old main panel to show when Maggie wasn't using it (which was mostly ignored by the operators (so why have I added a similar LED to the new PANEL?!)) This wire now feeds back to control the 'Slip siding' tortoise so a front operator won't need to shout to get access to it.
The final part to talk about is the panel fixed to the middle fiddle board, which is also where the PSU will live:
FY and PSU Control Front Panel.jpgStarting with power, the plan is to use a slightly modified old ATX SMPS from a PC as I have a couple spare to run the layout and lighting (the old strip lights are being replaced with LEDs). There will be a separate supply here that feeds around to power the cranes, keeping all the mains in one place.
Power LEDs and volt meter for basic fault checking.
Finally the automatic fiddle yard system. 2x diagrams for Up, and 2x diagrams for down. This is simpler than what I originally had in mind and has been designed so that if any part fails it won't interfere with operating the FY manually instead. I won't go into full descriptions on how it works, but the basics involve using IRDOT 2Ds to sense where trains are in the fiddle yard and select the next one to move. The Fiddle yards have a track feed at each end which are isolated from each other to avoid any shorting out, with power being fed to the required train from the departure end. There's a couple of delay timers when it swaps between tracks which will create a roughly 5 second gap between arrivals and departures allowing the whole system to reset itself and select a route before proceeding. Switches on the control panel allow anywhere from 1 to 7 trains to be used in each direction (tracks 3 and 8 must always be used), so tracks can be isolated to remove and swap trains about by hand while others keep moving.
Up:
IRDOT Isolate and Autochange Up.jpgDown:
IRDOT Isolate and Autochange Down.jpgI think I may have accidentally designed a minor error in track supply in a couple of places on the IRDOT diagrams, but easily solved (just need a bigger screen to work it all through in my head).
Once all the tag strips data, resistor values, etc are all added, these will need printing and laminating to travel with the layout. Construction will be on Vero board this time. A lot of the circuitry around the IRDOTs is identical for each one (not obvious on the diagram) so multiple boards can be built meaning there's a quick spares fix.
this isnt too much to do with wiring but how long is the layout.
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I wouldn't hold your breath! The second batch of twins has sold very slowly - I suspect there are a lot of people hoping that Revolution might announce them in 4mm as a follow on to the 2mm, and then the resin casters took AGES to turn out the last set of vans - not the 8-12 weeks promised but nearly 6 months. 20-odd pairs of vans is taking up a great deal of space in my workshop that could be much better used by other things.
Jon
okay, looks like i might have to get a twin pack then. not too sure tho as my layouts on a budget.
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this thread is for anyone who wants to share their scratch built industrial buildings, locomotives, wagons etc. i would post a few of my own pics but dont have my camera to hand at the moment.
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These are twin vans - the singles are rather different, however if you wanted to build them as two singles I could supply a pair with 4 extra buffers at the same price - I'm just not going to split a pair to sell a single!
If I can get rid of the rest of this batch (I need to sell about a dozen pairs more) then I have most of a master for the single van ready - just needs the roof ribs and central cover finishing off - then sending to the casters. All the whitemetal moulds were laid out to have enough buffers for the singles as a follow on.
Jon
sounds good. might wait for them to come out then.
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So I'm delighted to report I've taken delivery of the whitemetal castings, and that therefore the first batch is available for sale.
But first a bit more instructions:
I'm supplying a laser cut floor and spacers, the idea is that an M2.5 or M3 nut (not supplied and I need to check which size is right) will fit into the cross of the 't' that is cut in the spacer, and can be secured in place with a small drop of rapid epoxy applied with a cocktail stick. These spacers can then be glued into the bodyshell, and provided no glue gets on the chassis, it can still be removable. In practice the prototype pair of vans did not seem to need the spacers glued in, but it might make the whole wagon more stable in the long run if they are.
The spacers and floor are clear acrylic, with a protective film on both sides, this is intended to be peeled off, but as it photographs a bit better with it present, I have left it on.
The location of the air cyilnder is engraved onto the floor, the ends of the actuation arms should be more or less on the centerline of the wagon.
and these are a cruel close up of the whitemetal springs, based on 3d prints from Martin McDermott.
The price is £50 per pair, for 2x bodyshells, acrylic floors & spacers, whitemetal springs, axleboxes, buffers and brake equipment, and etched W irons and ferry fittings. please contact me by pm to find out about payment and postage options. The first batch is only 22 pairs of which a number have already gone.
Jon
will you ever be doing these as single units
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For box vans you have in RTR the Bachman VGA, The Bachman VBA and variants and the Heljan Gargo Wagon bogie van, in kits then you add my 4 wheel twin van kit ( see here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/117966-4mm-hfirrs3-cargowaggon-iwa-twin-van-kit/ ) and thats pretty much it.
Jon
thanks, i'm going to get a vga anyway.
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does anyone know of any modern image box van kits that are available. ive had a look on dc kits website but im not sure if the kia wagons are kits or not. as i want to paint one in my own custom livery without having to paint over an existing livery.
the pfa wagons (although not box wagons) do look good, especially for delivering aggregates to my cement works layout. shame they dont do them in single packs.
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For my cameo challenge layout I need to put together two sets of 8 CDAs, I have a box of the early 2000s Hornby models which will be the starting point.
At the moment my thoughts are to tackle 3 main areas:
- The chassis: First of all is the removal of the fictional box which runs along the length of the wagon, then I somehow need to get them fitted with P4 wheels (with break disks on opposite axles). Not that easy given the limited space, though having seen a video on youtube of Hornby HAA running on Calcutta Sidings there must be a way of doing it.
- The ends: Add the missing operating linkage to one end, my thinking here is a simple representation with a square of evergreen strip, with a hole drilled to accept a length of 0.8mm brass rod.
- The sides: I am going to do a test example drilling out the holes in the sides / ends to see how it looks. I have a feeling that with the over thick plastic moulding it will not look right. Option 2 is to just add them as either a transfer or with paint
- Finally (and most importantly) the roof: which frankly is awful (its such a shame Hornby didn't bother tooling up a new hood at the same time as the new body / chassis). The first plan was to recess the existing hood into the top, first cutting the vertical plate off the side, then cutting away material from the inside of the hopper by reducing the thickness so that the roof should fit. At this point I looked again at prototype (rather than working from memory...) The issues are much more complex, Firstly the Hornby hood is too long, I would say by almost 5mm at each end. Secondly the hood should continue down much lower into the hopper (to just below the line of holes in the side). Unless someone tells me that a suitable replacement part has become available from the trade in the past 7 years, my logic is to chop down the length, rebuild the ends with wire, increase the width / depth of the hood with plasticard profiled to shape and then add the flat areas filling in the ends.
I will also be attempting to model the prototype (with end ladders and a hood which is the opposite way round) but the main difference there will just be the ladder and the movement of brake equipment to below the chassis.
Now I am interested to hear what others have already done to improve these wagons before I start...
may i ask what cameo challenge this is and thats quite an undertaking, to upgrade all 16 wagons.
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Back Burner! Sorry. Charlie
the back burners better than cancelled.
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Blocks would be carried in open wagons such as the OBA.
Vans would be used for bagged cement that needs to be kept dry.
Either way, an 08 and a couple of wagons wouldn't look out of place.
Steven B
ok, looks like I'll do that then.
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Hi, I was wondering if anybody could help me my question is: Can you have a rake of autoballasters with generators or know of a occasion when it has happened?
Thanks,
Samuel.
I had a quick look and it doesn't seem like they do run with a full train of generators.
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Sounds good.Resurrecting an old thread...
I am currently sorting out the research for my new clay layout, (along with revisiting the research on my old clay layout back in 2007/8). One point on which I have yet to find confirmation is when the ECC international logo was removed from the side of the CDAs. So far I have found photos post the EWS refurbishment circa 2000 and plenty around the time they were introduced, but no photos in the 1996-1998 early privatisation period. (with those that I have found too dirty to identify).
Love the photos of the prototype wagon, not one I had seen before. It is now on the list to do both in its original 1980s condition with red frames, and in 1998 condition as well. With those ladders it rather stands out within a rake.
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So picking up concrete blocks In a vga wagon and taking them off scene would be fine. Sounds good to me
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ThanksA hired 08 with deliveries of coal in MEA's and or MKA's (former TRL POA's).
Mark Saunders
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after recently starting a new layout based on a cement works i have started looking at other locos (bar my sentinel and an old lima class 37[currently needs repair]) as space is limited could i feasably run an 08 on a small train of 2-3 vga wagons saying that its only a small private railway.
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I have several 1st generation DMUs and was wondering what are the options for getting hold of centre cars. New items do not seem to be sold separately(?) so if you get a 2 car unit and want to expand I'm not sure what the next step is. I'm thinking 108 and 101 for now but would be interested in others in time. It looks like second hand or kit build (perhaps coach overlays) is the only way? If so what would be the items to look out for - considering there were many swaps on the real railway between classes over the years and I am ok accepting either an unusual combination or something that looks about right (i.e. modellers licence!). I'd prefer to keep the models being of a similar standard (i.e not using a 60's Triang centre car with a 2000's model).
i'm a bit unsure as to whether your looking for just the centre car or a whole dmu but just in case heres a class 108 i found on ebay with a centre car
if not you could always use a br green mk1 coach im sure no-one would complain.
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Sounds an interesting layout and look forward to seeing its construction!
you'll find more updates if you visit my blog.
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/2100-llaniniog/
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A quick look at Walthers website brings these higlights and can be found at several UK stockists, Pooleys Puffers on the Team Valley at Gateshead and White Rose models at Bedale Station are two stockists that spring to mind! These are the ones that appear to best fit!
https://www.walthers.com/walthers-cornerstone
https://www.walthers.com/medusa-cement-company-kit-9-x-7-x-11-quot-22-5-x-17-5-x-27-5cm
https://www.walthers.com/valley-cement-plant-kit
Mark Saunders
Thanks
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Made up a cake box to check sizes.
Good job as the base I was going to use would mean the high street buildings would of been too tall for the lid to go on.
Although the lid does have very high sides so the lid would fit but perhaps not push all the way down.........
Front on in box (2000 x 1500).jpg
overhead in box (2000 x 1500).jpg
Low relief arches now complete, can't fit the parapet wall just yet as I need to finish the foot bridge first and then butt the parapet wall up to it.
There will be cardboard sides fitted to this as well, along with a top as I want it to have an early morning or late evening feel, so the darkness means I can add lights and have a reason for them to be turned on!
Cheers
Ian
Just be carefcareful as the max height is six inches
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Plenty of scope for wagons in the rtr and buildings available from Walthers!
Mark Saunders
What sort of Walters kits would you suggest.
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Sites like this are distribution depots, not 'works'. Cement is not manufactured here, just stored, processed and distributed. In some cases it is also mixed with aggregates to make concrete.
In that case my layout could be classified as a distribution centre. Not a works but the buildings are similar anyway.
Jam sponge works - FINISHED
in 2018 Cakebox Challenge
Posted