Noel

Some activity with new rolling stock arrivals on layout this evening. Irish Freight models - 20 ton brake van - I just love these brake vans Irish Freight models - CIE Bulleid Heat Van (on test track bed sample) - A welcome addition from my favourite era

Track bed + ballast experiments In advance of the final track laying on our layout I have decided to conduct some track bed and track ballast experiments. I also have considered replacing our existing track ballast which is currently peco form underlay, or alternatively augmenting it with some form of granular ballast material. Four experiments Javis extra fine granite chippings ballast direct to ply baseboard Augment peco foam underlay with Heki 3172 medium ballast sandstone/beige Heki 3070 medium grey ballast on 5mm woodland scenics dense foam track bed strips Javis extra fine granite chippings ballast on 5mm javis cork track bed strips First up I cut four wooden display boards which after the experiments are finished I will convert to display cases for stock. Then laid and glued various track bed materials, and pinned track to the boards through the track bed ready for ballasting. Then ballasted using the usual 50/50% water/PVA mix with a few drops of fairy liquid. Javis 5mm cork trackbed is pre-cut down the middle with sloped shelf. Also makes it easy to bend trackbed around bends. Glued with PVA to baseboard. The colour of the cork is an advantage because any thin area of ballasting is less obvious afterwards Woodland scenics dense black foam 5mm track bed. Also pre-perforated down the middle for ease of bending on curves. Glued to baseboard with PVA Finally twin track on Peco foam underlay which will be augmented with supplementary ballast. I have a lot of this already laid on the layout for past 20 years and it has not perished, so I want to see if it is possible to augment with some ballast material. The underlay was lightly glued with PVA to base board. Four samples on respective track beds BEFORE ballasting No 1 - First up Javis extra fine granite direct to baseboard, spread dry by hand and gentle paint brush. Then spray with water so the PVA will absorb and penetrate the ballast all the way to the base board. Medical dropper lid was great for putting 50/50% PVA mix on the ballast PVA applied and waiting to dry, rails wiped clean with fingers and kitchen paper. No 2 - Next was augmenting existing Peco foam underlay track bed with medium Heki ballast in a colour that would be compatible with the Peco foam. First I spread the ballast material filling the gaps between the twin tracks and the outside shoulders of the foam underlay and sprayed with water (using fine spray bottle so not to disturb the ballast) Then use the eye dropper bottle to deploy the 50/50% PVA mix. As I worked on this I realised that fine grade of ballast would have been better. No 3 - Next was woodland scenics 5mm preformed track bed strips with Heki 3072 medium sandstone/beige ballast The steepness of the 5mm woodland scenics track bed meant that a lot of ballast was needed to cover the shoulders, or alternatively paint 100% PVA to the shoulders before dropping ballast onto it. I felt the medium was a little coarse and fine grain would have been better. Also I didn’t like the three colours in the mix (i.e. with some white and black mixed in). No 4 - Finally Javis 5mm preformed cork track bed strips ballasted with Javis extra fine granite chipping. Apply the granite dry, shape and spread with fingers and brush, removing surplus, then spray water in prep for PVA absorption, then apply PVA using eye dropper on all of the ballast. PVA applied waiting for it to dry for 24hrs. As this piece was done a few hours after the rest I think the PVA/water mix had started to dry and separate so the PVA did not dry 100% transparent like the other samples. I should have stirred the mix between coats. The results almost dry before weathering with spray paint. I will also put some static grass on the edges for the display cases later. BTW, all track was pinned instead of glued to track bed before ballasting. Some stock on top of no 4 (cork track bed with fine granite chippings) Conclusions - what I learned Need very soft 10mm paint brush or ladies blusher brush to spread ballast, if the brush is too hard it flicks the ballast material up on top of sleepers instead of between Don’t like 5mm track beds with high shoulders - too high Black dense foam exposed gaps in ballast cover (i.e. due black) Like cork but only if I can get 3mm, the 5mm is too high for my taste Don’t like medium ballast - too course - looks off Like fine granite ballast and its dust covers sleepers nicely for weathered look Do not wet ply baseboard unless 100% sealed or it will warp during the drying process My existing Peco foam underlay may possibly be retainable if my next experiments with fine ballast work better than no 2. I will have a better idea what the final end results are when I’ve got a chance to gently weather the track and ballast with spray paint. Sound Strangely and rather bizarrely the cork was significantly quieter than the woodland scenics dense foam. Direct to baseboard was obviously the loudest but looked the best without the huge trackbed shoulder. The quietest by a wide margin was the Peco foam underlay which was augmented by Heki medium ballast, despite the amount of PVA applied. Next experiments No 5 - will be 3mm cork with a fine bright beigh/sandstone colour No 6 - will be 3mm dense foam with a fine bright beigh/sandstone colour No 7 - will be Peco foam underlay augmented with fine beigh/sandstone colour ballast I anticipate that no 7 may be a good enough compromise for our existing track work, which will save a massive amount of time, and that no 5 will suffice for the remaining track to be laid on the lowest level for the branch line using code 75 rail. Last Word Direct to baseboard was by far my favourite in appearance, perhaps with a lighter colour next time, but the sound is deafening so regrettably I will pass on that one. Good night for now. More to follow in due course as experiments continue.

Superb layout glover. Excellent.

Irish Times piece http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/metro-north-construction-may-be-brought-forward-1.2957390

I really enjoy seeing pics of your wonderful layout Patrick. I just love the colouring, scenics and the period. It just reeks of 1960s to early 1970s atmosphere. Excellent photography as well.

They look really great Kieran. I made ours out of large sheets of plasticard (from art shop) and also cut to the curved shape we needed. The flexible Peco edging was a great help though and it was very quick to make. The plastic platform surface can be any colour you need, and alternatively could use any of the textured plasticards or papers. Ours are made in 3ft sections which snap fit together like a jigsaw using the lugs in the Peco edging. An advantage of plastic platforms is the cavity under the surface for wiring lights and fitting poles, lamps, platform signals, etc. I haven't had time to weather ours yet.

Thanks. Good find, that looks like the one. Any pics of it on the railway on a conflat wagon? PS: The iconic Pan AM advert brings back memories of flying in and out of what used to be the soviet block.

Very nice K. Atmospheric. The blue GNR container on the conflat begs the question does anybody remember CIE containers on conflats and road trucks in the 1960s (i.e. pre standard intermodal containers)? I vaguely remember there were silver/grey containers with a black CIE logo and the crane slings attached to the roof. Can't find any pics on the web.

+1

Depends what type of platform you want to make. I have used Peco platform edging, with the top of platform surface cut from plasticard because nearly all our platforms are curved. It is really easy to do and very quick. The platform sides have a grove for the plasticard platform to sit on and glue to. I think they have OO and N gauge variants with stone, brick or concrete face options. http://www.peco-uk.com/product.asp?strParents=3309,3310&CAT_ID=3311&P_ID=16866 http://www.peco-uk.com/product.asp?strParents=3309,3310&CAT_ID=3311&P_ID=16869

Yes its strange. For instance I can dim the cab light intensity of MM0044 and MM0055 LokSound decoders, or the volume of whistle via CV331 on the main without manually adjusting CV32. Perhaps the NCE cab does this automatically temporarily when POM (i.e. if CV>255 entered), but then why not also on prog track. Same for my Zimo chips no probs changing CVs > 255 POM without adjusting CV32, but not on prog track which requires CV32 to be set.

I've no idea how or why it works, but it does work with CVs >255 POM (on the main), but not the test track unless the registers are set. Bizarre.

Thanks, Interesting. The 5amp Procab (as opposed to the 1.5amp Powercab) does it automatically on the main (eg: LokSound, Zimo, etc), but not on the test track which requires the registers to be set!

Strangely the NCE Procab allow you to directly write to CVs above 255 POM (program on the main), but on the test/prog track it needs these two register CVs set! JMRI no problem though via the NCE controller USB or RS232 port. How bizarre DCC still is - like having to make a phone call by rotating a sprung disc over printed numbers that create pulses!

Fantastic progress. Well done Tony.

Good stuff re motor control CVs. How might 'controller' reconfigure the Gaugemaster cab or decoder function mapping for his headlights issue?

It is simply incredible

BBC 1976 - The Signalman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7cXV5iFwEM

From memory solenoid point motors usually work off 15v AC using passing contact lever switches rather than 12v DC. If you are using a Hornby 12v DC controller then its circuit protection is probably being triggered when the normal temporary short is created by the lever switch, especially if operated slowly (i.e. period of short is longer than few milliseconds). Many old DC controllers had 12v DC outputs for train track, and separate 15v AC outputs for things like solenoid point motors. I guess if you wait a min or two it will reset and work again once, or work once after ever power off. Solution is to use a different transformer with 15v AC output that has less sensitive short circuit protection, or use a CDU (Capacitor discharge unit).

Yes this longer clip shows a bit more of the aftermath including an SUV driving through the scene of the accident!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsVGlM4kIzI

In the past I soldered electrical cabling after track laying. drill board strip 10mm insulation from wire tin the end of the stripped wire with solder push through baseboard hole bend wire to shape so it pushes against side of rail in tension by itself (i.e. no hands needed) pre-heat rail with soldering iron (careful not to over do it and melt sleepers or chairs) solder wire to outside of rail optional - if needed file off any surplus solder that may protrude above rail optional - paint visible wires dirt brown

Lucky escape. Hope the loco driver was not injured. No barriers, no lights!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHTX3u8OTbI

Comprendee. However, these sort of technical and compatibility issues are what bug me about current DCC specs and usability during setup. It's hard to believe that consumers are still exposed to internal technical concepts such as CVs in 2017. Its a bit like having to programme my old 088 Motorola brick cell phone which '#' this and '#' that on the keypad, but then in the 90s Nokia invented easy plain english menus, and then came along iPhone and opened the technology to grannies it was so easy to use. DCC needs to become like a modern consumer appliance - easy, intuitive and just work out of the box without needing to know much about it. I enjoy tinkering with it, but boy it seems jurassic early 1980s electronics.

If the lights are working with the hornby controller don't bother with a decoder reset. The decoder is not the problem. Instead as IT suggests you may have to change some settings in the Prodigy controller (i.e. Function mapping or latching on F2).

This might shed forgive the pun someday me light on it? http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/1296-DCC-Question The MM0004 and MM0005 decoder chips need to be in the correct locos. Or this http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/65830-murphy-mm0004-its-an-esu-but-which-one/