Learning Curve

I finished making the 3 block detection units so I can now have 24 separate blocks and use current sensing to feed a signal to JMRI. The first was a bit daunting but it turned out fine and I had some fun doing it. From a cost perspective it has to be the cheapest way to do block detection and I would recommend it to anyone who has burn cream and wants to learn to use a soldering iron. Now I’m stuck, staring into space. Ella Varner once said, “I'm a big believer in putting things off, In fact, I even put off procrastinating.” Well I must be a true believer as I keep coming up with reasons not to start laying track. My last layout had track issues, all caused by me rushing in just so I could watch trains running around. I made several errors which I’m sure many of us have, corners that were too tight, points that had little humps at the entry, flex track joined at the same point on both rails in a curve and many more. I’m determined not to repeat the same…but…I have long sweeping curves at entry and exit to the station and I have to join the flextrack at some point in a curve. As a test on a couple of pieces I’ve spaced the joins about 50mm apart on each rail and soldered the rail joiners. It looks fine when I then bend it into position but here is where the nasty little voice in my head takes over. To use block detection I must cut one of the rails to create the block and where I want to cut the rail is on the curve. My fear is that the rail will spring outwards so I’m going to glue the track down at the cut points with Weldbond, apparently it glues anything to anything…we will see. Then I’ll ballast the track and hopefully that will keep it all aligned. The problem is I don’t want to ballast now in case of changes. I want to test thoroughly, with block detection running, so the Dremel is going to have to come out. If the rail springs out I may have to use set track and rethink. I know! Make some tea, have a nice stare, and do a blog entry. The voice in my head loves that idea.

As expected I did manage to touch the soldering iron to one of my fingers, however, there is no lasting damage and no hurty cream was required. Once I got used to the VERY tiny components and the proper soldering method it was straightforward. The MERG kits have excellent instructions and even a hints and tips page was included with recommendations on additional tools that may be of use…so I have been on the Internet shopping again! Once the kit was complete I tested using a 9v battery and sat there bemused by the twinkling lights. I rushed to show my wife how clever I was. “What is it she asked?” I told her it needed some imagination but that it was supposed to be the arc light from a welder. It’s hurtful when your spouse laughs at you. “Welding arc light,” she said, “did they used to weld with candles?” I had to admit the LED’s weren’t very bright, had I made an error in the construction? I decided to read the instructions again, this time paying attention to the wordy bits not just the nice pictures. There at the top of page one in nice large letters it says Gas Lamp Twinkler. Was I sad, deflated, no! I simply ran up to my wife again and said “Look, a gas lamp twinkler”. She walked off shaking her head and muttering what sounded like “silly man”.

No i was a WAFU, Daedalus for me.

I want to use block detection so I can automate trains running on the layout but the cost of block detection from off the shelf suppliers is not cheap. I watched Rob from Little Wicket on YouTube and he talked about MERG and the cost of kits that can be ordered and self built. Well, the Royal Navy supposedly trained me in electronics…a very long time ago; I’m about to find out if any of that knowledge is still rattling around in my head. I still remember how to drink too much and swear, so confidence is high. Onto the Internet, joined MERG, and ordered Servo mounts, block detection kits and some other small projects which will be practice before I blow anything important up. The kits have arrived and now I’m setting up my workbench for some fun with a soldering iron. I’m going to burn myself. The first kit is small (tiny) surface mounted device components that are going to test my skills. If it all goes to plan I’ll have created a Gas Lamp Twinkler and I’ll post again with the result. If there is no post in the next day or so I’m probably in the burns unit… drinking and swearing.

The basic framework is complete and the big tools are now tucked up in bed. I moved a desk from the office out to the workshop and began opening boxes that contain my Dremel tools. Why did my wife let me buy all this stuff?, it's not my fault, I'm addicted. I obviously needed them at some stage or maybe they were offered at a special price...anyway she has lots of shoes. I also have lots of bits and pieces in a couple of racks that i just KNOW are useful but can't remember why. Now it's time to check the track plan and make sure i'm still happy with it. At first glance i seem to have fitted the cross supports in places that will not impact the servos so that's a big plus. I used to have radius guides for laying flexitrack but they have disappeared which is a pain but none of the curves seem too tight and i will be testing, testing, testing this time and not just jumping in to scenics. For those interested in the track plan please have a look at the Wrenton layout, mine is virtually identical. I would post an image but i'm not sure about copying and don't want to get any grief. My fiddle yard will, at this stage have a few less tracks but that may change. I have also looked but been unable to find how to respond to comments so if someone can point me in the right direction i would appreciate it. Note to self, stop watching Youtube videos on Arduino and stop ordering things from the internet. Now it's time to get set up for the next stage which is laying out some track and making sure i'm happy with it, actually that should be that the trains are happy running on it.

Painting of the scenic break. When we moved to this house a year ago there was, like most of the houses i've moved in to, a collection of paints that the previous owners had left in case colour matching was required. i grabbed the first can that said 'three in one' and on opening was suprised it was a perfect sky blue, lucky for me. Some filling and sanding and three coats later. I just know that my wife is going to say at some point "well if you can do that then you can now paint the laundry". I then glued in the foam base layer. the tiles were from a local hardware store and were easy to slice up. I made sure to measure and cut the foam where the lift out section runs, marked where the cross members are placed. I hope this prevents me from placing a point where i can't fit a servo...we will see. Some terminal blocks have been added and some additional cable run in. I decided at this point to layout roughly where the track will go and, of course, i need a layout twice as large. That not being possible i had to shuffle things around and even got out a loco and some carriages to make sure i had the measurements right. I'm getting impatient to see a train running but I know that will have to wait.

The electrics begin to go in. i want to be able to plug the table in and so an extension lead was fitted. i wanted power at the desk and a USB to connect to the Arduino. I also fitted an isolation switch so I can use the desk power and not have the layout powered up. the Main DCC bus cables are not installed as are the 3v and 5v circuits. These circuits will all be running to various terminal blocks to allow easy access. Time to put the table top on and following some detailed measurements of track and point widths I finally reached the conclusion that the table would be divided 25 percent for back stage and 75 percent for the display area. OK, it was more of a gut feel, but, after holding various pieces of ply at different points i think it is right. I then built the dividing screen but before that I cut two sections of the table to allow me to lift them when wiring in the track. I will still have to work underneath for some items but the removable secctions should save my knees. There will be more terminal blocks added to the lift outs for feeder wires and the servo motors that will drive the points.

I'm lucky. I have a reasonable tool set, lots of Ryobi power tools and other rapidly spinning death machines. After a bit of thought i framed the base and added some castor wheels. I have now decided i need to add more castors, you'll see why later. Once the super sized skateboard was complete (yes, i did scoot around the garage a bit, silly fool i am) i sat back to enjoy some smugness and then planned the height of the finished table so i could cut lots of timber and make some frames. A shelf was created with storage for larger plastic bins at each end. More thinking then occured. The shelf was divided and a press to open drawer created to hold the electrical items. I learned from my last layout that crawling around to connect things was a real pain. i have some other pain relieving ideas when it comes to wiring but more of that later. Just before tea (read beer, im in Australia) I had time to create a fold up desk to hold the Macbook i will run the 'Fully Automated' system from...yes, i still think i can learn enough to make it happen.

I had my first layout a few years ago but a house move meant it had to go. I decided to keep the loco's and carriages but the rest was given away...oh how i regret that hasty decision today. Plug and play lighting, power supplies, buildings, figures, 100's of trees, scenic sounds etc etc etc I retired recently and have a bucket list, sitting near the top, just after 'Get some bees' is build another layout, written next to it is 'But this time plan properly and don't just go buying shiney things' an important lesson i'm sure we can all agree with. soooo... I saw Wrenton and thought that it was perfect. I decided then and there that my new layout would be a direct copy, or as best as i could. Then i started to watch Youtube videos about model railway layouts, oh dear. There are so many clever people out there giving great advice and showing clever ways to do clever things. So after a short discussion with my wife, basically agreeing a budget which she knows from experience i wont stick to, i drew up my list of requirements for a new layout. It has to be mobile. Although we have agreed we will not be moving again, we have also said that in the past... several times. It has to have scenic and fiddle yard areas It has to have a village as i love making the houses It has to have block detection so i can automate as much as possible (that is going to haunt me i just know it) I want to use JMRI. I know nothing about it but learning is what life should be all about. I want a canal scene I want a goods yard so i can have an inglenook puzzle. Not usre why, or if i'll use it but hey. I want a Faller system so a bus can run round the village. This is already on hold...HOW MUCH??? I want to use Arduino, again not sure why but a Mega has arrived hehehehehe I want to use Itrains via my Z21 A lot of 'It has to' and "I wants" in there but it's my layout so why not. All plans are subject to change, that's why they are plans. First of all i had to design and build a mobile table for the layout. A sheet of plywood looked like a great size for a layout and so out came the credit card.