Dave

That's a good start, the NCE Powercab is a great controller. Laptop power supplies are ideal, try get as high an amp rating as possible and a voltage up around 16 to 20. This way you won't need a capacitor discharge unit.

Have you thought of making your boards to fit in with the system myself and Eoin are building? This way you can bring them along to join them up with ours. Here's the thread on it http://irishrailwaymodelling.com/showthread.php/2465-Modular-OO-Layouts

I use Anyrail, it's very easy to use the full version is cheap to buy with regular updates. It's very easy to use flex track too.

Hi Bill! Welcome to the forum. Underlay is great for quiet running until you ballast then the sound gets transferred back to the baseboard through the ballast. If you are going to use a foam underlay for for a closed cell PU foam which doesn't break down over time. You can buy it cheaper than the Woodland scenics brand from efoam in sheets and just cut it into strips.

http://www.efoam.ie/closed-cell-polyethylene.php

Hope this helps.

Happy birthday Paul

Can you build a massive loft aswell as a layout for me Dave!!!

Sure can, I have a customer who is looking for a loft conversion with the layout and wants me to project manage and get a team in to do the conversion.

Hate to say this, but the idea is to work hard while you're young, buy a big house with a good loft and then when you're old and decrepid like me, find yourself without the skill, or the sight, to build the layout that you have room for!

That's what I'm here for, to build it for you!

Looks great, the new logo goes well with that livery.

As said clean the loco wheels, run them on a rolling road & use cotton buds & whit spirit, time consuming but worth it in the end,

Don't use white spirit as this will leave an oily residue on the track.

Woodland scenics do a track cleaning kit that can restore track and maintain it. It's a good system and is not too harsh on the track.

http://www.ehattons.com/53228/Woodland_Scenics_TT4550_Tidy_Track_Rail_Tracker_Cleaning_Kit/StockDetail.aspx

Lovely scene, can just picture that on a cold winters day.

Some use methylated spirits, white spirits will leave an oily residue. Or get track cleaner, DCC supplies and Digi trains both sell the CMX and do their own track cleaner.

Walter, have you got any light to medium grey ballast in N gauge and 00?

It's probably the best track cleaner out there, all brass construction very heavy. Comes with Kadee and MEM couplings if bought in the UK.

Thanks Rich, all credit to Eoin as it was his idea to model Seapoint. He has made an exceptional set of drawings with phenomenal amount of detail in them which means he can work on the structures at his house and I can be getting track laid and ballasted and all the wiring done at my house.

Myself and Eoin got together today and assembled the 3 modules in the workshop with the 1 to1 scale drawings and laid them out. The plan is to model the section along Seapoint in Dublin, Eoin has started the structures and we will be displaying our work to date at the October bank holiday weekend in Raheny at the MRSI exhibition.

We plan to have a DART running on the layout.

We really hope now we have taken the first step this will encourage others to follow suit and get involved. If anyone is interested please get in touch.

Eoin is going to post the revised specification sheet up.

So here's a few pics and a taster of what's to come!

In all the research that Eoin and myself have done the biggest problem in the modular scene is dimensions. Despite that the NMRA have set the standards for module size each Fremo or modular group are adapting their own standards. I am taking part in a modular group in the UK next year that model in American outline and they have set a different standard in size of board. The NMRA in the UK have different standards than the US! It seems each group is trying to adapt their own standard locking participants into their system and way of doing things.

Myself and Eoin have now finalised the standards for Ireland and they are very close to NMRA US. The only change really is in the width, going from 610mm wide to 600mm wide to make it cheaper for getting more from raw materials. I will be offering a 1200mm x 600mm module for sale at a very competitive €50 per module. Legs will be offered at a discounted price.

I have 3 modules made and we will be making an announcement on Monday for the launch and exhibition of the first 3 modules. Watch this space!

You can use hand held cabs, it will take a few different makes too. The Roco Multimaus works with it, that has a knob for speed control.

That's excellent Des, how much will they be?

Noel if your looking for all that in a controller get the ESU Ecos 50200 it runs up to 8 amps with a touch screen and 2 knobs for throttle control. They can be got for around €500 from Germany or £500 from the UK. It is a serious piece of kit and you won't have to ad to it as your layout grows.

http://www.esu.eu/en/products/digital-control/ecos-50200-dcc-system/what-ecos-can-do/

Lovely work Richie. how will the superglue fair out over time? Will it get brittle at all? Have to get some of these and have a go.

Hi guys, I have started a facebook page and would appreciate if ye could like and share the page to try get it out there. There is a free track cutter for someone as a little prize! So get liking and sharing!

http://www.facebook.com/modelrailbaseboards

Lovely video, how big is the new layout going to be? Keep us posted of the updates

Thanks Dave. Any recommendation for speaker vendors?

The model shop in Belfast do them and DCC supplies

That's fantastic, love his sanding booth.