ITG

Is this 00? That is tight if so, and no way of locos running round trains, although such loops and turnouts do take a lot of space. As you quote your loco list in the plural, I assume you won’t store them on the layout, as there won’t be a lot of space to do so.

I guessed that was it, but then one is hardly likely to soldier on leaving a bleeping short. Although I can see the benefit if exhibiting, of keeping some stock moving. I just wondered if there was any other reason.

With DCC, what is the benefit of electrically isolating the two tracks?

You don’t mention how exactly you have the ADS-8sx wired, but I use one with no problem. But I’m wondering why and how you are using the GM frog juicers. Because the ADS units have frog polarity switching built in. If you haven’t used this function, why not try with the GM units disconnected. It’s possible I suppose that there’s a conflict. Not that I can see how that could impact on loco running. As said by WIMorrison, try DCC Concepts, as I’ve always found them very supportive. Ian

Whilst I can see what Harlequin is getting at, and actually don’t disagree, I think as well as the “where to put it” question, there is also the consideration of size and length. Can the storage sidings (is that what all the dead end roads are?) hold the required train lengths, and can the reversing section hold a full train length? For the auto-reversing tool to work, I think it needs the reversing length of track to be able to accommodate maximum train length. It’s not possible to judge lengths on the diagram. In any case, for effective DCC, there’d need to be many more track feeds than the single one shown. I haven’t worked it through, but I suspect that if some points are set in certain directions, there’d be areas where no power would get through because of the isolating nature of points.

I’ve used https://www.whiterosemodelworks.co.uk/ no connection other than etc. Various sizes and shapes but there are plenty of other suppliers. Just Google model railway baseboards

I too set the traverse distance at 3mm, to avoid a similar effect that you are getting if set at 6mm.

Ah, Crescent Bridge. Takes me back to my years as a mod on my Lambretta coming over that bridge (I say “years” but actually only 15 months, as I soon realised the benefits of 4 wheels over two). I was still living at home (with parents) then, a mile along Thorpe Road which is the road over Crescent Bridge. I’d had what I thought was a super-cool megaphone exhaust fitted, and my dad often said/complained that at night, he knew when I was on my way home after a night out, as I sped over the bridge, with the sound carrying through the night to his distant ears. Now if you could get a model me, to be accurate you should know I’d had the Lambretta sprayed metallic green. I will waive any image rights, of course. Sorry - daydreaming.

I have that exact Bachmann loco (same number) and it runs well, at all speeds on DCC. Good luck with it.

Whilst I’m not familiar with Tracksetta itself, manufacturers restrictions generally quote 2nd radius as the minimum, which in Peco set track terms is 438mm radius.

Disconnect a point motor from its point, and see if it works. If too much friction (ie too tight), it may reveal such.

Have you tried swapping a working one with a non-working one? That would at least tell you if it’s a motor at fault, or the wiring to it? Only switching one way may suggest a wiring problem. Might also be helpful to detail whether you’re using DC or DCC, and what device you’re switching them with.

The following doesn’t really help your dilemma, unless maybe you do decide to relay the track, but if I read this comment correctly, why is your spacing wider than set track, but using wider curves? IIRC set track is approx 67cm track centre spacing, which surely allows all stock (unless I guess if you’re using 1st radius?). Streamline spacing is 50mm. Maybe irrelevant but just trying to picture your dilemma.

You might find Heathcote produce something to meet your needs. I have a couple of the DC IRDOT units which work fine, mounted either below or alongside the track. http://www.heathcote-electronics.co.uk/heathcote_prices_and_ordering.html no connection other than etc…….

Maybe by tightening one corner’s curves (and disguising them), you could then relax the adjacent corner’s radii, in order to make the station area less acute?

Here's a pdf of the Anyrail file, on a (metric equivalent to) 9' x5'board. It uses 3rd and 4th radius set track, with no straights on the ends simply to show scaling. I used small radius Streamline turnouts simply to get the track spacing, which of course gives a narrower spacing than if set track points had been used. What that does expose is that then using 3rd/4th radius curves leads to the track spacing not being consistent in Anyrail, although of course, in reality, one could use tweaks in adjacent flexi to adjust. Much depends on whether sidings/stations are required outside the circuit or inside, the latter being tricky to reach. Unless the idea was to have a central operating well, as then you’d need to push the circuits to the outer edges. You would probably want 2’ space in the centre, leaving 1.5’ either side. 4th radius is 572mm to track centre, so let’s say 600mm, or 2’. That means a180 degree U needs 4’, leaving 6” either side. Hope that helps. 9x5.pdf

In terms of minimum radii, 00 will fit that space. It is recommended to use 2nd radius set track equivalent as the minimum, as some locos won’t negotiate 1st radius. Prospective planners will need to know if you are planning on using set track or flexi track, particularly so if you are wanting to use their plan to order quantities of track. Turnouts are in different radii. is the room 9x5, or the board that size? If a room, where’s the door? Does that impact on the layout? If a board, a greater consideration is how this 9’x5’ board will be accessed. Even if access is from all 4 sides, reaching across to the centre (ie 2.5’) is not at all easy, either for building the layout, or for maintenance or derailed stock recovery. Especially so for a child. Will the board be on legs? Is it permanently in situ, because if not, moving a single board layout of this size is near impossible. I’m by no means an expert on planning layouts for children, but I suspect what suits a 5 year old is significantly different to a 12 year old, so some info about your son’s age etc may also help. I think you’d get more responses if you are able to describe more fully the answers to the above. Good luck.

I’m (actually, my OH) lucky enough to have inherited a holiday home on the coast, (which we plan to modify and update) and we’re just at the point of “interviewing” builders, having spent the last few months going through the architectural plans, planning permissions, structural calculations loops. The main extension areas are adding a bedroom to accommodate an en suite and extending the kitchen, but separate to this is a hobby room, around the side of the bungalow. But until we get the quotations in for the “essential” elements, I’m (actually, we) cannot make a decision as to whether to go ahead with the extra (ie luxury) bit of the hobby room. If we do, I’ll get a dedicated space of some 5.5m x 2.5m, off the lounge. Fingers crossed! Funnily enough, the main bits for bedroom and kitchen (could have) fell under permitted development. Because the hobby room was at the side, and thus affected the front perspective, and was close to the side perimeter fence, it seems that bit needed planning permission. Because it was all a single planning application, it seems when we start (part of) the project, then any time restriction (normally 3 years) on the validity of the PP is removed, and it becomes permanent permission. That said, in consideration of our ages, if we don’t manage to get that hobby room now, it’s doubtful we’ll ever get round to it. it’s only an hour away from our main home, so quite accessible. Who knows - I may end up with a layout in each location.

That’s out of order, I have to say. Your initial question isn’t clear. The word ‘controller implies a device which causes a motor to operate, not the motor itself. All that is being asked is which is it? Equally, are these controllers DC (switches?) or DCC (which requires a decoder), or is that what you mean by controller?

Fair enough, each to their own. I prefer the maybe less than perfect sound to no sound at all - which of course is also unrealistic. That’s the beauty of this hobby…. There is no “wrong” in the eyes (or should I say ‘ears’) of the beholder.

Surely, hearing the sound as a test is only relevant if listening to the model in a “live” situation, otherwise you are limited to what your playback device (phone, tablet, pc) can reproduce. For me, as I’ve never heard many of the real locos for which I have sound, or if I did, I wasn’t sufficiently interested at that time to note what was what, that I’m content to assess via tablet, and personally, I’ve not been disappointed so far.

As stated earlier in this thread, I found Anyrail relatively easy to use, and I did invest in the paid for version. There is probably a greater level of learnt skill required if using flexi track, to be able to manage the curving of track at desired radii, than there is if using set track. I printed my 00 plan at full size to check it actually did fit the baseboard. Not only that, I found it useful to draw in baseboard battens, and support legs on an upper section, on the Anyrail software, so as to ensure adequate clearance for track and under board point motors. But be aware, like most things in life, there is a learning process which takes a little time.

No, it wouldn’t stop, because in effect the command you sent to that address is “remembered” and remains active until you either change it, or something unplanned occurs such as a short or derailment. Where the throttle is when you select that address is irrelevant, because as soon as you select it, the previous throttle position applies.

It sounds like you’re pretty new to DCC? All DCC systems, by definition, can control multiple locos simultaneously. In the case of the Z21 (I have one, but use it in conjunction with iTrain), it doesn’t matter if you use the app on a single tablet/phone or a Maus. First, you must ensure each of your locos is programmed with a different address. When new, most come with an address of 3. To set loco 1 off on, say, a circular route, select that loco and adjust speed accordingly. The select loco 2, and control that. Loco 1 will continue at speed and direction you set. The limit, as Iain M suggests, is really your own dexterity!

I guess you need to be careful with any track layout changes, that they don’t alter the character of the CJF original. Much depends on what you plan to run on it, but there is nowhere for a station pilot to draw back a train, other than the main line. Not a major issue maybe, but of course if you introduced a run-round crossover at the end of the longer platform roads, you could have the option of your locos running round the train.