Noel

Uhm....look who's talking! My layout is only a fraction of a thing in comparison to what's going on Kent wise!

 

As far as marine modelling, if it fits one of the unfilled era's then it's go, waterline from now on, those hulls are a hoor to get right! USS Slater is currently a sad sight, but I'll get some photos next week of her.

 

The guinness barges and their larger draughted aunties are also on the cards incidentally....

 

I'd really like to have a crack at one of the coal boats that came over from wales early in the century. There was a great story of a mother who had a fling with a "coloured lad" and she produced a boy of colour at the turn of the century, who ended up working on the coal boats, disgorging it's cargo onto the coal trains that were sent around the country. This coloured chap was a bit of an oddity at the time, as you'd imagine, but he drank pints at the rate of knots and beat the heads off all comers and was as good as any in Mayor Street. His mother was interviewed around 1966 and asked why it was that she tied a red neckerchief around her lad's neck going to work every morning, given that he'd stand out anyway. Says she "shur they were all bloody darkies bee the time they were done wid da coal, twas de only way I could find 'im for his dinna"

 

Another tale was that the famous "one and one" came from that era. A chap came over working on a boat from italy and jumped ship. Think he was a stevedore but he quickly realised that the lads on the docks were relying on their mammies to bring down cold pasties etc. for the grub so he set up a little hot oven with a bicycle to serve cheap and cheerful to the masses. After a few months, he had made enough to bring his missus over, and whilst he served the north quays, she was allocated the south quays. Problem was, she hadn't a bloody word of english, so the men of Townsend Street would queue up and point at what they wanted. "Wun o dat, and wun o dem" they'd say, trying to break the language boundary. (Apparently she was a bit of a looker too, italian lassies!) She would respond with "Uno y Uno?" pointing feverishly and the transaction would be completed with a nod and an exchange of a few pennies. Evermore, the expression of a "one and one" became commonplace in chippers with the imbibed of Dublin. Why am I telling yee this? No reason, really, just when researching all this lark you find these gems of real life that infects the modelling ideas.

 

I've thought about using adjustable lighting and looped audio to help with ambience, perhaps to offset flange squeal etc., from loco speakers and set the tone without wrecking my head - reeling in the squeals?

 

Thanks lads for the positive vibes - and shem - if I can get Weshty to produce enough GSR wagon stock, I'll have Larkin giving a speech surrounded by the huddled masses, and the peelers bailing in 1913 stylee! R/

What a great read and unique idea for a layout. Classic.

The HBA website may have some useful marine info http://www.heritageboatassociation.ie/cms

I know a few of these guys quite well if you ever fancy a ride on one. They come into Dublin en mass every spring. One of their bugbears is the severe operating restrictions at the notoriously renamed "effin bridge". Many spend the rest of the year on the river Shannon.

Rambler passing under newcommon rail bridge on the royal canal.

I can tell you with a degree of technically informed certainty that the best camera is without doubt, the one in your bag right now and the one you know how to use right now. Be content with what you have and don't catch gearitis - its a plague that eats into railway modelling budget Snap away till it breaks.

Thanks. I am awaiting a DCC controller and just wanted to test it with existing 12v analog wiring to see what the sound was like. I had assumed most decoders by default will run on analog 12v dc. I put the module in but the loco doesn't run at all so I guess the 'Analog DC' bit is set to off in CV29. I've popped the blanking plate back on while I run it in on 12v DC and will try it with the DCC gear when it arrives in the next week or so. Thanks again.

Old thread, but just by way of update, the decoder was dead and replaced no problem by the retailer. It now works a treat in the 071 in DC Analog or DCC mode.

For DCC, I went with the NCE Pro Cab 5amp system, and so far happy with it. A few software annoyances on the cab user interface, but the overall system does what it says on the tin quite well. The physical ergonomics of the hand held cab is quite nice, combining speed buttons with the optional rotary button. The built in RS232 interface enabled iPhone use as Wireless cabs running WiThorttle app linked to JMRI on laptop plugged into the NCE. The RS232 port, JMRI and WiThrottle has potentially saved me a lot of cash because now I dot nned to buy wireless cabs nor additional cabs.

Inspired by your thread, I have set up JMRI and WiThrottle to see what it is all about. Apart from a weak wireless connection, causing the iPhone to regularly drop out when moving around, which I suspect is to do with the metal foil surrounding the insulation between the roofspace and the floor below where the WAP is, the system looks promising. A WAP in the roofspace would probably sort that problem out.

I am keeping an open mind on whether I like having to look at the screen, when operating. There is something about the feel of three dimensional buttons that make operating easier, as you can ‘feel’ your way around the throttle without having to take your eyes off what you are driving. I will just have to wait and see once the system is fully operational.

As far as the function buttons being labelled is concerned, it is very nice to have, but since all my loco functions have been standardised to use the same buttons for every loco, I know exactly which buttons do what. Having said that, of course, visitors would not know, but whose railway is it anyway.

Hope you found the exploring process fun. Our WIFI router is downstairs and through a 9" block wall (Apple Airport Extreme), but the signal upstairs seems good enough for the iPhones to operate without a lag or missing soft key touches. Agree with you about the tactile feel of a knob v screen vision. However in my case a wireless cab setup would cost an additional €145 for the base transceiver and another €165 per wireless cab, and NCE is no where near as expensive as ESU or Zimo. The phone gives me an inexpensive method of walking freely outside the layout to view traffic, or inside. I will probably buy one more wired cab with a rotary knob for shunting in the main terminus station. The iPad could operate as a fixed central base station operating four throttles for the four continuous loops. Good night.

Thank you

Good pal LJM dropped over Wednesday for a look at JMRI and WiThrottle in operation. Certainly the iPhone app is way more useable especially for functions with English labels than any cab I've had a chance to play with so far. For example, how is one supposed to remember that the 8 key is for a cab light on a keypad? With the app the function buttons are labeled in English. Bye bye wireless cab sales.

Folks,

 

Please see pic and thank you for any advice. I will be fitting a dcc 21 pin chip to this 181. Is the chip in the pic a blanking type chip ? Do I just pull it off? Any tips to help me avoid wrecking stuff!!!

Yes the little circuit plate on top is a blank. Carefully remove so you don't bend the pins I used a wooden ice cream stick to gradually prise it upwards one side at a time. Before you remove it, note the orientation and place the 21 pin decoder in the same orientation. Its easy to try and mount it upside down. The pins on the loco board are meant to go through the holes on the underside of decoder circuit board and not directly into the socket (ie the pins end up in the socket but after coming through the decoders pcb holes). One of the holes is a blank to assist orientation.

The ultimate Canon vs Nikon shootout

 

ROFLMAO

You say its time for an upgrade, how about one of these.....

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/Digital_SLR/professional/index.aspx

 

You can't beat an good old canon

Awe Please no 'Canikon' debates, lets leave that to the 'fan buoys' on DpReview

It's just like iPhone v Android - They are not a religion, just consumer electronics that will collect dust on top of a wardrobe soon enough. Seriously, which ever system folks start with is the one they tend to stick with because of lenses acquired along the way. Canon and Nikon are equals on the DSLR patch.

Looking great. Is it made of paper card or plasticard, or both?

Hi Noel,

 

I have a Nikon D90. As for the lens it varies to be honest. The lens I would use most is my Nikkor 18-105mm, f4.5 as they would cover the majority of my photographic needs. But I do have a wide angle lens (great for interior photos) and a telephoto lens as well.

 

The lens I used for that shot this morning was my 35mm prime lens as the light was too bad for the 18-105 lens. If you click on the "I" (Info) button at bottom right of the picture you can bring up the exif data of that picture. So in the case of 215 it was

 

Camera NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90

ISO 1600

Focal Length 35mm (52mm in 35mm)

Aperture f/3.5

Exposure Time 0.0015s (1/640)

Name DSC_3897.JPG

Size 1328 x 2000

Date Taken 2014-09-18 07:46:34

Date Modified 2014-09-18 08:21:43

 

File Size 2.04 MB

JPEG Quality fine

Flash flash did not fire

Metering pattern

Exposure Program manual

Exposure Bias 0 EV

Exposure Mode manual

Light Source unknown

White Balance auto

Digital Zoom 1.0x

Contrast 0

Saturation 0

Sharpness 0

Subject Distance Range unknown

Sensing Method one-chip color sensor

Color Space sRGB

Thanks for the info. That's a really nice crisp shot for ISO 1600, and that 35mm 1.8 is a cracking good lens. The 18-105 is very versatile and not too heavy for travel. You have a fabulous library of railway scenes. Getting into a good position visa-vie early morning and late evening light must be tricky with limited access to rail side property. Love your shots.

Morning all,

 

Freshly repainted 215 was allocated to the 0700 Heuston - Cork this morning.

Click http://smu.gs/1uJqRzZ

 

The Wanderer.

Excellent photos. Do you mind me asking which camera/lens combination you normally use for such railway photos?

Thanks guys. Great advice.

Well yes , but heres to hoping

Building layouts is a bit like gardening. It is a never ending but enjoyable, and needs a lot of maintenance.

Thought I would show you guys a cheap option for a static grass generator. I know there cheaper alternatives out there but this has the equivalent power output of the Noch that retails at €150, built for less than €50!

 

I used a negative ion generator and powered it with 12v DC from a transformer. Bought a tea strainer for small areas and a sieve for larger areas, and they work a treat!

 

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11353[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]11354[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]11355[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]11356[/ATTACH]

This fantastic Dave. Where did you get the 'negative ion generator'? Was it out of an air purifier? So glad I searched this forum for 'static grass'. Having watched some Everard Junction videos, static grass seems the way to go. The timing of this is great. Where do you source your static grass material?

Noel, I have four Lima Class 26 & 27 locos, which are mechanically identical to the Class 33 loco. I have remotored them with motors taken from CD-ROM drives. The difference is phenomenal, much smoother and quieter, and no real need for a flywheel. All that is required is a drive gear for the motor. The original Lima armature and magnet are removed, and the motor secured in place. I have used small screws through the housing to allow for position adjustment of the motor for minimum gear noise. I have found that the smaller the gear is, the better, as the motor runs much faster than the original. Speed can be fine tuned by adjusting the appropriate CVs in the decoder.

Getting rid of the tyred wheels is also quite simple. All you need is two plain insulated wheels. The wheelsets are removed from the bogie, and the moulded gear is sliced off the back of the tyred wheels with a craft or Stanley knife. The uninsulated wheel is drifted off the axle, and the raised boss on the back of the wheel is filed flat. The wheel is refitted to the axle and the gear pushed on flush with the back of the wheel. The gear is a good fit on the axle, and to prevent it from spinning, I drilled a 1mm hole through the wheel and gear and inserted a 1mm brass pin, which, with luck, will be an interference fit. Fit the wheel and axle back on the bogie and fit the new insulated wheel. The reason for fitting the gear to the uninsulated wheel is that there is no room to fit a pickup on the gear side of the bogie, so the driven wheel is now picking up via the original pickup. For pickup on the other side, a piece of phosphor bronze strip is fitted to the bogie on the new insulated side. Because the original pickup is now picking up from the gear side, the polarity is now reversed, requiring the original wiring to be changed to the other motor brush.

Fitting an extra pickup to the trailing bogie is also just a case of a piece of phosphor bronze strip fitted to the insulated side, and wiring as appropriate.

I have used this method of removing tyres and fitting pickups for many years on Lima locos. The motor conversion, however, is only suitable for 4 wheel drive units, as the CD-ROM motor is much wider than the original pancake motor, and will foul the centre wheels of a 6 wheel unit.

Thanks Dhu Varren. There may be life yet in the old 33s. Not sure if I'm tooled up to handle the wheel job.

"All that is required is a drive gear for the motor" - Any suggestions for a source for the drive gear?

Noel

It's many many years since I dissected, repaired and serviced locos, and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed it? All the different and sublet ways of getting bodies off, bogies out, wheels off, steam running gear off, etc.

I've started servicing and evaluating my 15-50yo collection of Locos for suitability for DCC. Basically I'm giving each one a basic service so I can test run on DC and decide if they run smoothly enough to bother putting a decoder in. I have already ruled out the Hornby-Dublo and Triang locos, but some of my older Hornby steam locos from 1980s onwards might be ok, and I hope most of the early 90s Bachmann, Hornby and Dapol will run smoothly enough to warrant fitting decoders. I've already added power pickups to some of the bogies on 2-6-2 tank engines which seems to have made a huge difference running over points.

Tonight after the Lima class 33 thread, I took my pair apart and serviced them. Both running a lot better, but those late 1970s Lima power bogies are very basic motors, so I don't think I'm going to convert them to DCC unless I re-motor them and add flywheels, or buy modern replacement bogies that they used in their later 90s models (bo-bo). I'd prefer bogies that don't use friction tyres so power pickup is possible on all eight wheels (i.e. four axels), rather than two wheels on opposite sides of powered and non powered bogies as was the custom in the 70s and 80s.

The software is trax 3 . It's a bit quirky and some of the turnout/point dynamics are a little quirky. I'll be using templot in real life as more then likely I'll be hand building the points.

 

At this stage it's definitely code 75 bull head , SMP or C&L where visible. ( pity the rail chair bolt design is wrong for GS & WR ) peco 75 for the fiddle yard

 

The layout will be designed as a DCC layout from the get go.

 

What I'm going to do now is establish a series of build standards for each major component.,

 

( a) test track , point construction to OO-SF ( 1mm knuckle , 1.25m check rails )

(B) ballast and weathered track

© turnout operation using servo motors for realistic. Operation , frog switching either by frog juicers or electronic switching

(D) MERG CBus dcc , ( DIY dcc ! ) I've ordered enough to do tests

( e) railcom transponding , allowing automatic control of main line running

(F) operating signals and operating ground signals. (Servos& memory wire)

 

I'll make a start on modelling the buildings too. I want to establish all these first before any track goes down , ( as I'm only slowly building the stock necessary) . In the past I rushed to track construction , and then found at the end my standards and execution at the end were better then the start and there was always the temptation to start again.

 

So over the next 6 months I'll be doing track comparisons , test track construction ,ballasting testing dcc , railcom etc

 

Then when I'm ready the layout will start

 

I'm aiming at about 2 -3 years to reasonable completion

 

I try and document as I go

 

Dave

Great stuff. Can't wait to see this evolve.

Hi Folks

Could anybody please advise me are these coaches Laminates or Bredins or another? They look very like the coaches I remember travelling on in the 60s.

Thanks

They have a vague resemblance to LMS Staniers

Just realised how old my pair are - CIE. Your 33s in IR livery look a lot fresher.

If I can re-chassis mine to co-co and run well, I may keep them and convert the front of the cab to look more like a 001 class. Convert to two windows, remove overhead cab box, put lights on facia above centre panel between windows, remove drip rail and put a buffer beam on each end. The doors will still be in the wrong position, but for nostalgia reasons it might be nice to retain locos from my childhood if I can get it to look half like a 001 class and run well enough for DCC.

A winter project?

Hi Aramand

I have a pair of those also. Have been pondering what to do with them. If I converted them to DCC I feel I'd have to re-bogie them for four axel pickup, loose the rubber friction tyres, and get better low speed running. I think I'd also have to convert the cab to two windows . . . a lot of bother - is it worth it on such old 'toy' stock locos that don't run that great.

Cheers

Noel

JMRI with an IPhone or IPad seems a very good approach. JMRI is or can be made compatible with most DCC systems.

Yes before I tried it I was a bit sceptical about the bother of having a laptop in the mix, but got one of my retired old laptops, wiped it clean and put JMRI on it. No AV nor bloat ware, just JMRI, so it boots/hibernates like a rocket and lives under the layout like a black box. I was surprised how well it works, especially with iPad in 4 throttle mode controlling 4 locos without switching or recalls. Saved me a packet on wireless cab gear and extra cabs.

Using iPad as Central command station, 4 throttles, iPhone for wireless walk around

5 cabs for FREE

Wow - That's an amazing track plan. Looks very close to the real LJ. Huge operating potential. Looking forward to watching this one.

He does mention that his 36-557 was the latest revision - you probably got a previous revision that the retailer had in their stock

Yes, I'm not sure which way around! Who got the latest, etc. I purchased mine only last month, his video was posted last may, but made when I don't know. I will check the version no on DCC programmer.

BTW, Thank you for the link to the amazing series of how-to videos on Everade Junction. An absolute gold mine of info for me after 15 years break from the hobby.

Interesting vid comparing the 36-557 to the Lenz 10321. Could just be a dodgy Bachmann decoder he got - Noel, you don't have any issue with slow running?

Good channel this guy has for tips on all aspects of the hobby

 

Thanks Skinner75. Very enjoyable video. I haven't had any of those problems with the 36-557s in my MM141/181s. Just powered up the layout to double check, but no chip noise when stopped, acceleration/deceleration is good, and they stop immediately the 'STOP' button is pressed. I have a Lenz Silver 21pin in a MM181 and the performance seems identical to the 36-557, if anything the 36-557 has slightly smoother crawl speed but that could be a difference in the two MM motors. I wonder if there were different production batches and I got lucky with my 36-557 stock.

I posted this comment on his youtube:

Thanks for the excellent video clip. Interesting experience you've had with your chips. I have a mix of Lenz Silver 21s and Bachman 36-557 in my Murphy Model Irish GMs (141/181 class) and have been surprised how good the 36-557s have been in my 141/181s. After watching this video, I have just double checked the locos running the 36-557 and they all stop immediately when 'stop' is pressed. No noise either when idle, and their slow running and acceleration is fine. I wonder if there are different versions or batches of the 36-557 chips produced and I've been lucky with mine (so far). The Lenz have performed well too. The MM141 and MM181 ultra slow running with the Bachmann has been impressive. I think they are rebadged SoundTrax M1s. Bachmann don't actually make decoders.