DCC is sometimes referred to as two wires to the track and off you go. This is essentially correct and even here the benefits are clear for those who want to run trains independently of each other with a controller, no need for isolated sections and switches. However for me this wasn't enough.

So I was drawn in by what else DCC could offer and the Holy Grail for me was to have varying degrees of automation but with the option to run trains manually, as a driver (with other trains working around me, or as a signalman from a physical control panel with proper levers and buttons to press, a signalling mimic panel with lights to show where trains were... and quite a but more.

Most importantly for me as i'm a relatively solitary soul and live in Germany, many miles from Blighty, it has to function fully with just one operator.

I visited Warley and met the team at Mc.Kinley Railway with their demonstration layout (you can see the link to a youtube video of this demo layout at the bottom) . David and Darren were very helpful and i've been down to see the layout on a few operating evenings. It just shows what can be done with some imagination.

Anyrail has been invaluable in planning out this layout. It's a model railway planning software available to download online and has many libraries of track (I use Peco Code 100). After using the free trial version I quickly realised the potential of  this software not only to plan the maximum amount of track and flexibility into the layout in the space provided, but also to document the following:

• Point Addresses for the Signatrak DAC20 point decoders
• Occupation Zones for the Digitrax BDL168
• Power Zones for the Digitrax PM42
• Locations for the Kadee magnets

The plans can be printed out in 1:1 scale, I use an A3 printer and change the track option to "centreline" and change the colour to the lightest grey that will be visible to save on ink. This really comes into it's own on complex track work.

I should point out of course i'm just a satisfied customer and have no connection to any companies mentioned on this website.

There are 8 detections zones in each Digitrax BDL168, all of the blocks in each individual decoder has to be fed power from the same Power Control Device (Digitrax PM42). I have 8 x BDL168 which gives me a maximum of 64 zones - for automated running with Freiwald's Train Controller Software it's not essential to have detection on anything but stop and start blocks, however as I want to have a signal box mimic panel and also ensure that i'm keeping as prototypical as I can be (limited only by my knowledge of prototypical!) then I want detection on all running lines.

The Signatrak Point decoders have 16 outputs which can control 8 points (2 outputs, thrown and closed per point) The only real conideration here is the distance from the decoder itself to try to economise on the amount of wire needed. I use Cobalt Classic and Omega Classic Analogue point motors. I have found that it is not possible to throw two point motors from one switch, however it is possible to programme the DAC20 to perform macros (i.e. throw point 293 and point 267) Routes are also possible. This will be useful if I wish to run the layout without computer control from a traditional panel which is an option I want to incorporate. The DAC20 can also be also powered seperately from DCC track power so that if there is a short circuit (i.e. when a loco approaches an opposing point set against it) the Power Detection system will cut power to that zone, if the track power actually powered the motors it would not be possible to change the points and therefore alleviate the short). So the DAC20 is set up to receive power from an auxiliary power source the DCC signal through Loconet. It is for this reason that I have not progressed with the Cobalt IP Digital Point motors, although they are excellent products.

The power zone unit (Digitrax PM42) provides short protection for 4 power zones. As described above this cuts power to the power zone affected (but not the other 3 zones) until the short is alleviated. I have also set up an indicator on Train Controller (it could be a physical LED directly from the PM42) that shows which zone is affected. Nice to have, but not essential.

With the various layers view in Anyrail it's possible to show different elements within the same file. So for example I planned out what I think are the best locations for Kadee uncoupling magnets, but you could also add anything. Of course it can all be done by printing off a track plan and scribbling on it.

Train Controller (Railroad & Co.) By Friewald.

The brains behind the automation of this layout is in the Railroad & Co. / Traincontroller software by Freiwald. It's not cheap, but it's very versatile. I have not spent a lot of time exploring the full potential but if you are interested to get a flavour of what it does I can suggest you go through some of the instructional videos on Youtube by Rudys Model Railway Channel. The above image is a screen print of one window in the software. The orange highlighted blocks represent occupied blocks with the loco name. The highlighted yellow dash is the route set. As the train progresses through the route it will light up not only the blocks but also the orange indicators. If you look at Bay 3 you can see a green and red flag. These are "flagmen", or small coloured "flags". These are very powerful and are fully user defined. So for example the flagmen here are "lit" because several user defined conditions are met. i.e. Block "Bay 3" is occupied and the route is has been activated. There could be an "action" associated with this flag being met. i.e. i) wait for 10 seconds ii) change signal to green. A further flagman could be lit when a physical button is pressed (or a virtual button on Traincontroller) which is the TRTS (Train Ready to Start) signal from the guard. ONLY then would the train pysically start because the programming stiplates the TRTS needs to be activated, the action could trigger a sound file on the PC, a function on the loco, or another macro / action as well as setting the train moving. This is just an example, but using DCC a Loconet accessory decoder could be wired to a physical push button switch, and this switch (address 99 let's say)  is linked to a flagman or a switch on the Traincontroller software, could be linked to the conditions needed to activate the route (i.e. set the train moving on a predefined route). The combination of DCC, Software and Hardware mean that it's possible to replicate many prototypical features of the prototype. And i'm only scratching the surface. I'm beginning to understand this more, and therefore i'm able to explain it better too. More to come.

The Link to the Guide to Block Detection by McKinley Railway is here. There is a whole series of videos explaining many aspects of the layout from historical, modelling and DCC perspectives

A video taken from the layout starting off South of Leicester, continuing on the down lines through the station area. You go past the south and north bays and out into the "non-scenic" area into the 13 road storage sidings. All thirteen roads can be accessed from up and down lines at both ends. Most of the track is now in-situ but is still only partially wired up.

Progress today mainly in laying out all the remaining points for the fiddle yard and working out what additional rail I need to order. In the process working out that the ANYRAIL plan, although very accurate, was let down by my inaccurate measuring of the room in the first place. But I gained some space. With some better measurements I was able to get on the PC and plan a few more loco, DMU storage sidings in the bottom right of the layout plan.

I also decided on adding a point on the bottom left entry to the storage sidings (the down main line) heading directly onto the turntable, this will save a reverse. I also made some other minor adjustments but nothing substantial. This is the latest track plan with today's changes. 

The left image is the bottom left hand corner on the plan, i.e. left hand side entrance into the storage yard with the turntable. The idea is that I can access and exit all storage lines in either direction at both ends. Took a fair bit of planning particularly with the curve and trying to get as much storage is possible. I printed the Anyrail plan out in real size on A3 paper, then laid the points over it, just to make sure i) I had the points I need ii) they fitted. The right image is the other end of the storage sidings (bottom righ) same idea, soft lay the track and see if it all aligns and fits. It does.

So i've just got an order to do for 4 right hand electofrogs. Still probably cheaper to order from the UK than a German model shop. So result today was not what I expected, however i'm happy knowing that the planning is now finished and I can just plough ahead with the track laying. Still have to prepare the points for DCC and improve the look cosmetically,  glue the track down (Copydex), wire it up and screw the Cobalts underneath the layout. Then test it all. 

All seems much clearer but still tons to do. I'll need another box of flexitrack, but that can wait until i'm over in the UK in late November (around Warley time).

Made some decent progress in late September with the wife away and not so much travel. Rather than getting distracted with lots of experimenting with weathering and fitting sound chips etc I tidied up the railway room and focussed on getting some track down in the station area.

The droppers have been soldered and most of the isolated sections have been cut and fitted with Peco isolated track joiners, although i've forgotten a few. Planning of the occupation zones is completed so wiring up shouldn't be such a difficult job as it's been in the past.

Recently i've had the airbrush out and lots of experimenting with weathering. Lots of trial and error, lots of blocked nozzles, but now at least i've got the hang of the right consistencies, my preferred media depending on the job at hand (enamel / acrylic) and have settled on Vallejo & Tamiya (acrylic), Humbrol (enamel).

I have had quite a bit of success with blending Tamiya acrylics together with various shades and thinners on my hoppers to create one way of adding rust and general traffic dirt without an airbrush, i'll most likely write an entry with pictures going through how I did this. Also hairspray and various chipping media for exposing the rust underneath.

I have rather a lot of the old War Ministry oil tanks and want to rebrand them in Esso for the Abbey Lane sidings which are just to the North of Leicester Central. I had a number of the 3 pack silver "A" tanks but when I started working with them noticed that they are not painted but the plastic is pre-coloured and heavily tinted with blue.

Although they were to be weathered anyway I was not happy that the blue came through so had an idea to strip them down, repaint them and then individualise them with home-made decals - results are shown below and I shall be detailing how I did this and what I learnt in a seperate blog entry.

The weathering of the oil tanks was a done with 2 parts black matt Humbrol Black and one part Humbrol Leather (62) and thinned enamels with the airbrush (humbrol matt leather & matt black) with some almost dry-brush thinners manipulation. I learnt that even when enamels are touch dry this was possible for several hours after application (compared to acrylic which is dry very quickly if airbrushed). dribbles of oil care of AK interactives / Vallejo Fuel enamels were applied on the top.

The real surprise was applying matt orange humbrol (46) which was then manipulated with some thinners after a while. The orange really added a nice oily sheen / colour, but had to be very small amounts.

Manufacturers are bringing out a lot of Private Owner Wagons and I have been looking through quite a few old books and sites for ideas to create a late 1950's train of mixed coal wagons with faded PO liveried wagons and some that are unpainted. I got out the Vallejo paints and doctored up this old Dapol wagon as my first experiment with dirty but not yet decrepit natural wood. It still needs some decals and some weathering, i've also notice a fingerprint on the door, it's amazing how the camera shows up even the tiniest blemish not noticeable to the eye.

Now just needs some decalsSome of the individually painted planks come out a bit too prominently here so I painted on a dark wash of matt black heavily diluted with thinners.

The hoppers above would be virtually impossible to replicate as it was one of the orginal experimental batches that I have tried virtually every technique on. Probably 4-5 different layers just painted over the previous attempt. In the end it was such an awful mess I took some paint remover to the lot and scratched away with an ear bud until I realised the result was actually quite good leaving some elements of every single different technique and also going back to the original plastic in places. Never give up, even when it's a complete mess! Again the decals need to be applied and blended in with some weathering and the hoppers properly reattached to the chassis.

Something else i've been meaning to get around to for several years is resin moulds. Finally I had a stab at replicating a peak nose. This Bachmann nose is quite rare so I thought it would be a good first attempt. firstly I did the mould the wrong way around so the air bubble rose to the top ( as you'd expect) but settled under the nose leaving a heavily pock marked final mould. Hardly noticeable on the silicone mould, but very prominent on the resin cast.

	Various shots of making the mould to create the nose. First attempt and not too bad, sent them over to friend who is a Peak Freak but to my knowledge they haven't been used! In fact the donor body (which was returned after being cleaned up a bit) was from him in the first place.

After quite a break I've laid the down lines through the station and also added two additional lines in the marshalling / storage yards. Since the last update actually quite a lot has happened as i've got the first loop fully wired for the Power Districts (Digitrax PM42) and the occupancy detectors working (BDL168), Cobalt point motors also installed and wired up correctly, including changing frog polarity. Also since the last update i've been installing Loksound decoders in some locos and experimenting with weathering.

Firstly the track laying from today. I've given up with cutting each sleeping away from the webbing for better spacing. It takes too long and is rather difficult to get the sleepers all aligned. I see PECO and other manufacturers are now bringing in more prototypical track, but too late for me. This shot is looking south towards Rugby. Spacing between centrelines is 4.5cm.

I've been busy researching and testing out some weathering techniques. Love the Gunmetal black for metalic finshes. Also the 21T hoppers are my first experiments with Humbrol Clear and Decalfix for scratching effects over a base coat of rust. This is shown on the Humbrol Youtube channel, but I used enamel paint rather than acyrclic to start with - which didn't work. Then I used Tamiya acrylic as I live in Germany and can't find Humbrol acyrlic, which wasn't great but worked better than the enamel. 

I have been absorbed by the signalling at Leicester Central. The plan was always to have working signalling that, as much as my modelling skills would permit, would be as representative of the real thing as possible. 

I've now taken delivery of a few more books on the GCR as well as my first actual copy of Colin Walker's Main Line Lament, a book i've read and reread so many times from the library - so lots of signal spotting. 

What I found so interesting is the array of different types of signals on the prototype.

A visit to the GCR brought me face to face with the searchlight signal in the photo above, looking at the workings it's one lamp with a mechanism behind which changed the aspect. At the time I didn't give it a great deal of thought.

This is what seems to be a slightly different searchlight signal on the northern end, down platform. 

This shows the two 3 aspect home signals at the northern bays.

  The following picture is from Nigel Tout's site (link here) the single lens searchlight is on the left. The signals have been decomissioned prior to end of services and demolition. I am not 100% sure but I believe it would have shown red, yellow and green aspects. Hopefully somebody can confirm. Again I would appreciate if somebody could confirm the two smaller aspects below.... shunting signal? white? 

Moving to the southern end - more variety.... I am not sure what these are called (anybody) four aspect? But I think the bottom would display red / yellow / green and the top just yellow (the top yellow would show as a double yellow only). The left signal here controls the exit from the southern bay, the right hand signal the main "up" line.

 and two further views

The exit from the other southern bay was controlled by a semaphore.... you can see the 2 x "four" aspect signals on the left...



The last little surprise that I almost missed was a ground signal on the "up" approach at the north end of the station. I believe that the two far right signals control the two bays and the smaller signal at the bottom of the main line controls the access to the dead end siding? 



A little bit ambitious perhaps? Well today I spoke to the two very helpful gentlemen at G F Controls from whom I have just bought an 8 semaphore servo controller. It arrived next morning. This will control the upper and lower limits of the semaphore movement as well as a characteristic bounce (or not) I understand that not all signals bounced, particularly the ones closer to the signal box. But bounce looks good. This will be controlled by DCC with a Digirails DR4108. 

For the searchlight I have already found and ordered two of these BLMA models searchlight heads from the States. They come in a pack of two so the second "spare" will form the bottom lamp of the "4" aspect which i'll try to create myself. I'll control this with a Signalist SC1 decoder. Signalist appear to do this head (as well as the 4 aspect) but the info is not particularly clear how much it is or how to order one.... It's too late for this trip anyway. But i'm intrigued to know what's available. (Edit, Paul Harman has replied quickly to my email and is able to provide the searchlight and the two lens signal heads at a very reasonable cost, LEDs fitted - they arrived and look great).

The three aspect signals are in the post as a Berko kit (or is it Eckon?)

Semaphore signals will be a little bit more tricky, i've bought the Ratio LMS / BR and LNER advanced signal kits, have a simple(ish) MSE kit to have a go at. It might be a complete mess, but I have to start. Fortunately there are some very inspirational threads here so i'm quite happy to jump in at the deep end. 

I'm really enjoying the research part of this project. The subject keeps throwing up more variety. 

A long time ago I experimented with making PECO Code 100 track look better. At the time I ordered lots of it (back in the late 2000's) so i'm sticking with it. Back then I cut the webbing out from between each sleeper and spaced them out. I tried the same thing again today - it takes ages to do this, but it's only in the scenic part of the layout. I think the extra time will pay off. (ed: later proved wrong!)

Out of the box the sleeper the gap between sleepers is 4mm. I did a little research and found that a more appropriate gap would be 6mm. So I build a small jig for making the spacing a bit easier.

Of course this does nothing for the other out of scale dimensions of the sleepers, but it's an improvement and I don't want to go to the expense of new track or putting on new scale sleepers that I know are available. I suppose OO is a compromise in itself, so no point getting too fussy.

Of course this does nothing for the other out of scale dimensions of the sleepers, but it's an improvement and I don't want to go to the expense of new track or putting on new scale sleepers that I know are available. I suppose OO is a compromise in itself, so no point getting too fussy.

Next mini-project was butchering PECO large radius points so that the centrepoint to centrepoint measurement was 47mm (which i've read is closer to the real thing) rather than the standard PECO Streamline geometry 55mm. I have never done this before, but as with most of what i'm doing, i've read about it. Many of the points in the scenic section will need to be similarly treated, and the big test will be the double crossover on the north bay.

I didn't bother to put rail joiners on as i'll need to isolate the frogs anyway. I think the overall effect more than justifies the time spent. I have tried to match up the sleeper spacing too. I am pleased with the overall effect - even if because of the experimenting I didn't get any real momentum going today. As usual...

After waiting for the 15m x 1m roll of cork to arrive, running out of my Pattex Classic rubbery glue on a Saturday evening after the shops shut (nothing's open on a Sunday), and getting rather sidetracked building my first modest "shed" out of plasticard and trying out some painting techniques, plus tea, and some work in between, and relaxing after such an exhausting schedule, I finally added some more supports and laid the cork.

Read more: Baseboard Update - Cork has arrived

My First Scratchbuilding Attempt

• Print
• Email

Details

Published: 21 September 2015 21 September 2015

Hits: 2904 2904

 I'm still waiting for the cork roll to be delivered so this weekend I thought i'd try my first ever effort at scratch building something. I have been scouring my books and the aerial photos to get views of the various small buildings by the turntable and sidings at the southern end of the station. I thought for my first effort i'd keep it simple. So I chose the small brick structure at the left of this picture.

Read more: My First Scratchbuilding Attempt

0

0

0

s2smodern

powered by social2s

Making bespoke windows with paper self adhesive labels and a printer

• Print
• Email

Details

Published: 15 September 2015 15 September 2015

Hits: 3254 3254

• Weathering
• Buildings

I heard about this method on the RMWeb just after I read the advice about not making a building until you have sourced the windows so you know the size. Sound advice. 

However the results here (on my first scratchbuilding and first dry brushing painting effort), although still in need of refinement, have given me some ideas to simplify and improve the process...

Read more: Making bespoke windows with paper self adhesive labels and a printer

0

0

0

s2smodern

powered by social2s

Baseboards update - Cork or Depron?

• Print
• Email

Details

Published: 09 September 2015 09 September 2015

Hits: 2757 2757

• Baseboards

A few weeks since my last update due to work and travel, but finally I have finished off the baseboards at the running level. All the trackwork has been printed off or penciled on just to make sure everything's going to work well. A few adjustments and basically i'm happy with it. The only two elements which will need a bit more thought are some curves at both narrow ends of the room which I have not allowed enough clearance on the track plan and the wooden base is slightly too narrow. So they'll be redone. Read more: Baseboards update - Cork or Depron? 0 0 0 s2smodern powered by social2s Getting the Station Baseboards up Print Email Details Published: 21 August 2015 21 August 2015 Hits: 2618 2618 Baseboards The worst job so far is done, marking out and cutting plywood baseboards for the raised section, wood chips & dust everywhere. Now they're all in place, at the right height and level. Today is the first day i've really been able to see just how good a tool Anyrail is as I stuck the trackplan onto the new baseboards and it all fitted perfectly. Below you can start to visualise the south end of the station and the viaducts. Read more: Getting the Station Baseboards up 0 0 0 s2smodern powered by social2s Printing out the track plan 1:1 Print Email Details Published: 16 August 2015 16 August 2015 Hits: 2662 2662 Track PECO Just a quick update, being Sunday and Germany we're not allowed to make noise. Well drilling, sawing will get the non PG Tips drinking locals in a fluster, they won't do anything much as they're all nice folk. But when in Germany, do as the locals. This evening I am uploading some of the aerial photos i've stitched together from www.britainfromabove.org.uk. It's in the gallery section. So on the menu today was printing out the track plan in 1:1 scale (well 1:76). Then sticking 76 pieces of A4 together. My wife thought I had completely lost it, I was in a similar frame of mind. The goal was to get a template for the viaduct trackbed and also the "ground level" baseboards. I'll trim the edges more tomorrow. Looking at the plan full size also gave a much better perspective for making some tweaks. I took a picture from the stairs and stitched it together. The only pen I had was a purple highlighter, so not the best for photography. And of course as it's Sunday ALL the local shops are shut. The giant fern is not a part of the original trackplan, I was just too lazy to move it. One thing I was pleased with is the radius of the curve at the south (right) end of the station. I spent some time over the past few weeks on Anyrail shortening the platforms in order to give me a more appealing curve. I can still fit a 10 coach train + loco in the station and the curve is about the minimum radius I would be happy with in the "scenic" area. Read more: Printing out the track plan 1:1 0 0 0 s2smodern powered by social2s Progress on getting the baseboards and frames up Print Email Details Published: 12 August 2015 12 August 2015 Hits: 2717 2717 Baseboards Pleased to report that I found some PG Tips in Edeka. So suitably fortified set about finishing the baseboard base right around the room. Joining up the two ends over the staircase I achieved a level join, it was a bit like the Channel tunnel joining in the middle with millimeter precision, except rather than champagne, I had a nice strong cup of tea. Read more: Progress on getting the baseboards and frames up 0 0 0 s2smodern powered by social2s Quick Baseboard Update Print Email Details Published: 10 August 2015 10 August 2015 Hits: 2501 2501 Baseboards Here in Frankfurt the weather's been hot and humid, not good for two reasons...1) when it's sunny I have to go to the local open air swimming pool and "get out the house while the weather's nice" 2) by the time I get back in the house it's usually to hot and sticky to run around sawing wood, measuring everything twice, drilling and running up and down the stairs for cups of tea. To make matters worse i've run out of PG tips so I have had to make do with putting 2 x German "breakfast tea" teabags in a cup and waiting for ten minutes. Read more: Quick Baseboard Update 0 0 0 s2smodern powered by social2s Viaducts height and getting the trackbed level right Print Email Details Published: 05 August 2015 05 August 2015 Hits: 2765 2765 Baseboards Track A little bit of actual progress to show. But mainly I have taken the track plan and accurately measured everything out. The best thing is that now I can mock up the actual height of the running lines and then measured, I gain space for another 2 x storage sidings. Read more: Viaducts height and getting the trackbed level right 0 0 0 s2smodern powered by social2s Sunday Afternoon Baseboard Progress Print Email Details Published: 02 August 2015 02 August 2015 Hits: 2803 2803 Baseboards Since last weekend i've been travelling around Germany. Cologne then Magdeburg then back to Frankfurt. Today i've been upstairs adding more to the baseboards. Putting in the joists to be the foundation for the risers and then baseboards. Read more: Sunday Afternoon Baseboard Progress 0 0 0 s2smodern powered by social2s