Dongits Model Railway -- Three layers around the Study

[Bloodnok]

As most of us are no doubt aware, we recently got told to stay inside. For a lot of us, that means lots of lovely extra time with the model railway.
 

However, the layout project I was involved in is ... in a location I can now no longer visit. This is obviously untenable, and ... something had to be done.
 

We did have a tiny bit of advance notice though. Enough for me to look at all my then-current track plans for building a layout in the study, decide they were all awful for one reason or another, cut'n'paste the best bits of them together into another plan, and order a few tools I was used to using but didn't own, and some wood. The decree that we must stay indoors arrived the morning after I'd placed the orders.

The current iteration of the plan:



What's happening in those tunnels I hear you ask?

This:



The plan is fundamentally a terminus to fiddleyard, with one and a half laps of the room on the way there. There is a twist though -- by crossing over at the bridge, it becomes a continuous run. And by using the triangle, trains can get between the storage yard and the continuous run in either direction, so I can have trains that would be inappropriate to turn up at the terminus. They can come from storage, circulate, and go back into storage. Only the 3rd central line in the ascent/descent requires polarity reversing.

Some of the wood I ordered turned up very quickly, and Phase 1 of construction commenced the following Saturday. At the end of the day, it looked like this:

I was sort of expecting this to occupy me for a while during lockdown, but instead I found I had used all the wood on the first Saturday. That was ... a bit of a surprise.

(If you are wondering why the legs are taller than the frame, that's the height of the visible surface, whereas the frame is at the level of the storage yard. Tying them in at two levels should mean I don't need to add extensive bracing below the surface so it's easier to put stuff under there for storage).

Apparently even the timber yard were subject to panic buying, so a week later the rest of my order still had not shown up yet. All I got done that weekend was completing that corner piece (closest to the camera in the above picture), and shifting stuff around in the study so that a bunch of stuff that was in the way of future construction was out of the way.

Another week has passed, and this morning the rest of the wood arrived -- and just in time for the Easter long weekend, too. Phase 2 of frame construction, enough to build the entire storage yard, incline and the triangle is now underway. Pictures to follow when it's not just a pile of wood with notches cut in it.

What this layout really really needs, though, is a name.

Any suggestions for how to come up with a good one?

Edited July 10, 2022 by Bloodnok
New title

[saxokid]

6 minutes ago, Bloodnok said:

As most of us are no doubt aware, we recently got told to stay inside. For a lot of us, that means lots of lovely extra time with the model railway.
 

However, the layout project I was involved in is ... in a location I can now no longer visit. This is obviously untenable, and ... something had to be done.
 

We did have a tiny bit of advance notice though. Enough for me to look at all my then-current track plans for building a layout in the study, decide they were all awful for one reason or another, cut'n'paste the best bits of them together into another plan, and order a few tools I was used to using but didn't own, and some wood. The decree that we must stay indoors arrived the morning after I'd placed the orders.

The current iteration of the plan:



What's happening in those tunnels I hear you ask?

This:



The plan is fundamentally a terminus to fiddleyard, with one and a half laps of the room on the way there. There is a twist though -- by crossing over at the bridge, it becomes a continuous run. And by using the triangle, trains can get between the storage yard and the continuous run in either direction, so I can have trains that would be inappropriate to turn up at the terminus. They can come from storage, circulate, and go back into storage. Inly the 3rd central line in the ascent/descent requires polarity reversing.

Some of the wood I ordered turned up very quickly, and Phase 1 of construction commenced the following Saturday. At the end of the day, it looked like this:

I was sort of expecting this to occupy me for a while during lockdown, but instead I found I had used all the wood on the first Saturday. That was ... a bit of a surprise.

(If you are wondering why the legs are taller than the frame, that's the height of the visible surface, whereas the frame is at the level of the storage yard. Tying them in at two levels should mean I don't need to add extensive bracing below the surface so it's easier to put stuff under there for storage).

Apparently even the timber yard were subject to panic buying, so a week later the rest of my order still had not shown up yet. All I got done that weekend was completing that corner piece (closest to the camera in the above picture), and shifting stuff around in the study so that a bunch of stuff that was in the way of future construction was out of the way.

Another week has passed, and this morning the rest of the wood arrived -- and just in time for the Easter long weekend, too. Phase 2 of frame construction, enough to build the entire storage yard, incline and the triangle is now underway. Pictures to follow when it's not just a pile of wood with notches cut in it.

What this layout really really needs, though, is a name.

Any suggestions for how to come up with a good one?

Nice plans so far here

[simontaylor484]

Clap 'em junction

[Gwiwer]

Locke Down

[Bloodnok]

23 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

Clap 'em junction

 

16 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Locke Down

Eventually this will be over -- and the layout will live on. I'd like a name for it that will outlive the events of this month.

Perhaps if I elaborate on the setting and the stock, that might get some interest along different lines.

The terminus station is intended to represent a significant regional destination, served by a mixture of local, cross country and InterCity trains. The InterCity trains originate on the WCML. Think a service pattern like a scaled down version of Liverpool Lime Street or Manchester Piccadilly, with some trains from the south, some trains from the east, and some trains from the local area.

I want to be able to run it anywhere between about 1966 and 1996 convincingly, although the "core" time period that I will represent is the mid-to-late 1980s.

[Guest Half-full]

Covintry?

 

[saxokid]

21 minutes ago, Bloodnok said:

 

Eventually this will be over -- and the layout will live on. I'd like a name for it that will outlive the events of this month.

Perhaps if I elaborate on the setting and the stock, that might get some interest along different lines.

The terminus station is intended to represent a significant regional destination, served by a mixture of local, cross country and InterCity trains. The InterCity trains originate on the WCML. Think a service pattern like a scaled down version of Liverpool Lime Street or Manchester Piccadilly, with some trains from the south, some trains from the east, and some trains from the local area.

I want to be able to run it anywhere between about 1966 and 1996 convincingly, although the "core" time period that I will represent is the mid-to-late 1980s.

That's good time scale 1966 to 1980s...

[Bloodnok]

Today's update. Next section of frames have gone in:



Still to do -- attach leg 4, which is positioned mostly for the benefit of the upper level and not at a crossing point in the lower level, and attach the chamfered piece in the left hand far corner where the rising gradient starts.

Oh, and clean up a bit...

Edited April 13, 2022 by Bloodnok
Picture Fixin'

[Nearholmer]

There's a lot going on beneath the surface, and I'm wondering how you will deal with derailments and stuck points: are you going to be able to get at things from below, by squiggling under the layout?

 

As to a name, may be something crown or lock-down related. Crown Point is a real railway location (Norwich), after all.

 

[Rivercider]

Lockstock Hall?

 

cheers

[Bloodnok]

52 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

There's a lot going on beneath the surface, and I'm wondering how you will deal with derailments and stuck points: are you going to be able to get at things from below, by squiggling under the layout?

There is enough of a height separation between the storage and the main layout level to get a hand in above the stock in the fiddleyard and below the frame for the layer above.

However, it is too deep to get an arm in to where the back of the triangle is, as the baseboard is over a metre deep here and there's a wall on the far side. At this location I have designed the frame so I can get underneath (well, provided I move the stuff that's under there first) and pop up inside the layout at that location -- there's a deliberately wide gap in the frame at this location to make this easier to do.

[Adamphillip]

add a canal with a lock, then you can call it *town name* locks, like Durum locks

[Vecchio]

I like the plan for the layout, it gives you lots of opportunities and different trains to run. I saw Nearholmers concerns, but I have to say I had a layout with a large hidden part including points, and it run pretty well. Another advantage is that you get much less problems with dirt and dust with the hidden part. so cleaning is not a big problem. 

 

My suggestion is using a very reliable track system underneath, I don't know what you are going to use in the hidden section, I would go for code 100 if you are using Peco. you can happily go to something nicer just before you reach "daylight". Also - probably you consider that anyway - I would use a camera system to understand where the trains are and if you are in safe distance of points. I suppose minimum 2 are needed, to see both siding entrances. I had a system with optical sensors for train detection, it did work, but you don't know which train is where... Well this was in 2005 - time is running and systems are improving.

 

Had another look at the hidden part - the wiring of a double track triangle could be challenging. What system are you going to use? DC or DCC? 

 

Still the name question is open. Every name I tried is existing in the UK - as we just had Easter - what about Whitstown

 

looking forward to your progress.

 

Edited April 13, 2020 by Vecchio
more ideas

[griffgriff]

Where is your layout set? 

 

If based in the south of England then 'Locked Down' would be very plausible.

 

Griff

[Bloodnok]

1 hour ago, Vecchio said:

I like the plan for the layout, it gives you lots of opportunities and different trains to run. I saw Nearholmers concerns, but I have to say I had a layout with a large hidden part including points, and it run pretty well. Another advantage is that you get much less problems with dirt and dust with the hidden part. so cleaning is not a big problem. 

 

My suggestion is using a very reliable track system underneath, I don't know what you are going to use in the hidden section, I would go for code 100 if you are using Peco.

Yes, it'll be Peco Code 100 in the hidden areas. I've got a few bits at the moment, enough to make a start on one end of the storage yard. But I need another box of flex ... and most of the points. It's all out of stock everywhere at the moment, but when things start up again I'll be putting in an order with someone.

I'm not entirely sure what I'll use in the visible space. I've planned it with Peco geometry using a mixture of large and medium points, diamonds, and a couple of slips in the station throat. I've had my eye on Peco's new bullhead range, but the option to fall back to the old Code 75 range is there. It does very much depend on Peco making a decent range of the bullhead though -- a large left and a large right don't quite cut it. But the more they make, the more of the layout it can appear on.

As for plain line, I definitely want to use bullhead plain line in all the sidings and likely the platform tracks too. Plain line mainlines I'd like to have in proper Code 82 flatbottom, but I'm not sure where to get it from. The "correct answer" appearance wise looks like rail from C&L and track base from Exactoscale -- but you can't just order Exactoscale track base any more, and neither of their suggested sources (EM and P4 societies) would be appropriate for the OO version of the track base, which is what I want. If anyone knows how you can buy 4FT-106A from Exactoscale, do let me know. I want something like 28 metres of it, possibly more if I do the station in it too...

It'll be a while before I build up that far, so both Peco and Exactoscale have time to sort themselves out
 

1 hour ago, Vecchio said:

Also - probably you consider that anyway - I would use a camera system to understand where the trains are and if you are in safe distance of points.

 

I will be fitting full track circuiting with ABC on the mainlines and through the storage yard -- I'll have feedback for where a train is sat on track by electrical conductivity and trains will stop themselves before they hit anything -- or at least, that's the plan. I may also fit train describers to places trains are commonly parked, to answer the "Exactly which 37 / 47 / 86 / Bog Cart is that, and what ID did I give it?" question when it's 5 rows back and in semi-darkness. Cameras may also be useful for really awkward spots -- I'm expecting a glut of cheapy "lightly used" webcams to appear on the market after lockdown is over and people go back to working in offices. I may try to pick up a few then...

 

1 hour ago, Vecchio said:

I suppose minimum 2 are needed, to see both siding entrances.

 

"Hidden" siding entrance and exit are visible from the front anyway, they were planned to be at the front of the baseboard for exactly that reason. I'm not planning to close in the storage in at the front with fascia panels. The centre line on the ascent and the far side of the triangle is another matter though as that's right at the back and gets higher (and thus more difficult to see) over time. Additional visibility might well be useful to those areas.

 

1 hour ago, Vecchio said:

Had another look at the hidden part - the wiring of a double track triangle could be challenging. What system are you going to use? DC or DCC? 

 

It will be DCC.

The polarity doesn't change from the bridge round to the right. It also doesn't change on the outer track of the left or straight runs -- the fact it has a balloon loop at the far end makes it effectively a giant straight through loop, even though the ascent and descent are then of different polarities. The only bit that actually needs to change is the centre 3rd track of the ascent/descent, which is big enough to fit a complete train.

I believe I can drive this reversing section with just a DPDT relay and the inputs from the signalling system -- there should be no need for a short circuit based "reversing module".

[Bloodnok]

1 hour ago, griffgriff said:

Where is your layout set? 

 

It's a fictional terminus connected to the WCML. Think "Liverpool Lime Street" or "Manchester Piccadilly" but less prestigious. Still important enough to have been electrified, and have WCML electrics terminate here.

As to how far up the country it is ... I haven't decided yet. Far enough that you'd see InterCity services to London though.

Geographically it also can't be right on the coast -- the line does rise to the terminus, after all...

 

[Bloodnok]

Today's progress has been limited to sorting this chamfered corner out and attaching a rather lost looking fourth leg.



The trick with the chamfered corner is to save the offcuts when making the sawcut, and use them to create a flat spot to attach the angle to. The leg will look a lot less lost when the upper level goes in -- it's at the intersection point for the key long runs on this level, even if the lower level doesn't benefit from it as much.

Aside from this, I have been mostly re-arranging things that are stored in the study so I can start to see the entire fiddleyard level in one go. Just the pile of tools and detritus in the foreground to go, and I'll be able to start throwing ply surface at the storage yard. That'll be next weekend's job.


I do hope I have enough ply in stock...

Edited April 13, 2022 by Bloodnok
Picture Fixin'

[sammyboy]

Regarding the name for your layout, C. J. Freezer (in his book 'The Model Railway Design Manual) - one of the best model railway books that I own. He says that one of the names that has long fasinated him was Emborough, or you could have Walford - if you like East Enders. Buchan (Change here for Tweedsmuir) is a nice Scottish name, or on a literary theme, Casterbridge, Barchester, or Borchester.

 

Sam

[Joseph_Pestell]

Major conurbation on the way to Liverpool and Manchester is Stoke, a city combining six (?) towns. Perhaps you could take the name from one of them?

[Bloodnok]

Today has mostly cursing the sudden but inevitable shortage of layout building materials. I have nowhere near enough ply in stock. The stuff I do have turns out not to be particularly good, being the kind of "3 ply" where two of the three are surface veneers, and all the actual thickness is just a single layer. Given I'm well short of the amount of ply I need for even just the storage yard, let alone the gradient up to the main layout level, I think I'll avoid using that stuff for roadbed and go with one consistent (and better) type throughout.

So instead I've been installing some risers where I happen to have offcuts of the right size ready to go, and prepping the points I have managed to acquire so far for DCC and servo operation.

Most of the points are the current Peco type, which are relatively easy converts. They need the bridging wires between the blades and the frog removed, and new wires soldered on to bridge the stock rails and blades. Everything other than short points has a convenient pre-planned gap to do this in. Short points don't have the convenient gap, but I've managed to solder onto the bottom of the rails without too much trouble. I leave nice long tails on the new wires -- these then become droppers and will be connected to the block feeds when under the board. The only real challenge is working out which side is red and which is black, and then not mixing the points up afterwards, so it stays correct. I've only had to re-do one of them so far...

Some of the points I have are the older type of Peco Electrofrog points. These are much more of a challenge to convert. There are no existing breaks between the blades and the frog, so I have to make some. The rails don't seem very well secured after cutting, either. Finding places to solder the wires is difficult as there's not a lot of space. I have to solder three, as they don't have a pre-fitted dropper from the frog. I have a suspicion I might end up replacing these with newer style ones once Peco are up and running and stock is readily available again.

[The Johnster]

 On the 'Locke Down' theme, let's be a bit clever, and aware that the Celtic Brythonic languages spoken in most of mainland Britain 2,000 years ago survive in various forms in some place names.  Down is of course used for uplands in Southern England, but it is related to Dun and Din (Dunstable, Hope Under Dinmore, Dundee).  It is one of the words meaning hill, and dune, as in sand dune. is related.  Lock is Camlais in modern Welsh, and the 'cam' element of camshaft is derived from the same root.  So how about a town in the northwest of England that has ancient Brythonic elements in it's name (Liverpool does), based on these elements mixed with Saxon or Viking ones.  Dincambury, perhaps, or Camdinby. Camlasby--Dunsford.  

 

Just saying.  It would commemorate the lockdown that led to the layout's construction without having to be explained to visitors or leading to comment from them; you would know, and so would I, but that doesn't matter!

[Bloodnok]

Many months ago I "acquired" (re-acquired?) a bunch of stuff that was in my parents loft. This was stored when we moved house, and I no longer had the space to set up my previous OO gauge layout. As we've had a bit of time on our hands recently, I went through it to see what I could find. As well as many Hornby train-set platform pieces, the typical Hornby small platform building, engine shed and goods shed (all in faux "large stone" print, and containing about half the number of printed windows they should have) and about two-thirds of a very sad looking girder bridge, I found some stuff that might still pass muster.

Do bear in mind here that this stuff hasn't seen the light of day since 1992, and I wasn't yet a teenager at the time. My level of kitbuilding success wasn't so much measured as "Does this look presentable to exhibition standard?", but more "Are any of the bits that fell off and got stuck to the carpet actually critical?" and "Did I manage to avoid making my fingers an integral part of the model?"

Anyway, first I encountered these two huts. I don't recall anything about them at all. I highly doubt I built them. Does anyone know what they are?

I then encountered this signal box, which I definitely remember building. I remember it being quite intricate and struggling with initially, but once I'd got the basic shape together the rest all went on pretty straightforwardly:

 

It seems to have had the finials and the chimney broken in the intervening 28 years in storage, as the bottom half of all of them are firmly glued into the roof and the top half nowhere to be seen. I'm not convinced the rest of the railings ever actually existed, as there is no evidence of glue in any of the places I'd expect had they broken off.

Finally I encountered this footbridge:


I think this is Airfix, as I also found the box for it (which contained the pieces for a level crossing kit, all separated from the sprues, but not assembled). There are in the box the two object deflectors to put under the footbridge -- apparently I had the foresight not to glue these on as they'd need to be positioned over the track later, and I hadn't decided where the footbridge would go. Little did I know /how much/ later, or /on which layout/ it might be...

Edited April 13, 2022 by Bloodnok
Picture Fixin'

[Bloodnok]

Here we see a milestone -- the first piece of running surface is installed.

 

This is the central section of the storage yard, and will have six parallel tracks on it.

Edited April 13, 2022 by Bloodnok
Picture Fixin'

[johndon]

On ‎13‎/‎04‎/‎2020 at 09:42, Bloodnok said:

As for plain line, I definitely want to use bullhead plain line in all the sidings and likely the platform tracks too. Plain line mainlines I'd like to have in proper Code 82 flatbottom, but I'm not sure where to get it from. The "correct answer" appearance wise looks like rail from C&L and track base from Exactoscale -- but you can't just order Exactoscale track base any more, and neither of their suggested sources (EM and P4 societies) would be appropriate for the OO version of the track base, which is what I want. If anyone knows how you can buy 4FT-106A from Exactoscale, do let me know. I want something like 28 metres of it, possibly more if I do the station in it too...

 

The Scalefour Society Store has 4FT-106A listed for sale albeit they are currently out of stock...

 

[Bloodnok]

Today's progress is this piece nearest the camera (now fully installed) plus a piece to go in the far back corner which still needs a minor trim - it turns out the walls are not as straight/square as I thought they were, so in following the diagram exactly I haven't ended up with a piece that fits. Never mind -- at least it's too big, not too small...

It's quite interesting working out how to get the most from a sheet of ply when you don't need solid tops. All four of these pieces have come from the same sheet of ply so far, and there's a fifth piece yet to come. I'll need to cut into the second sheet for both ends of the fiddle yard and for the horseshoe curve at the start of the gradient.

Train for scale:

 

This highly improbable formation would be approaching the west curve, beyond which is the entrance to the six-road fiddleyard.