Sean

IMG_2839.mp4 Sometimes prototypical runnning of modern trains is possible these ballast wagons would not go around before because the coupling hook would bind up. Ive since relaid the curves a couple of times and was pleasantly surprised to see these starting to go around without issue. 2 packs of cement bubbles will now be nessesary!

IMG_2832.mp4 Now happy with the second tunnel mouth. the camera flash seems to be making it look brighter than it is, in which case we can do another dry brushing if needed later on.

the weekend has been spent learning how to paint tunnel mouths and rock faces. certainly starting to see some nice results!

IMG_2822.mp4 This simple clay spreader bent into an L makes for a great little uncoupling tool. very important for those games of inglenook! im not a huge fan of ramps and uncoupling would be done by hand in real life so this is much preferrable to me!

at the moment there are these https://ckprints.ie/page/tail-lamps theres also a couple in the 121 loco accessory packs

its on the right hand side of this, not the left. further contrary again, the plough vans seemed to have 2 lamps. as far as im aware they were battery powered and since the physical lens would be red it was a single colour lamp. according to ai (so pinch of salt)

Klarna please. RUIN MY LIFE

https://www.thepwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2023-02-14_PWI-Lunch-Learn_The-management-of-level-crossings-in-Irish-Rail_Frank-Golden.pdf what a great little resource for modellers.

“When the lambretta blows up….again!”

stop bragging and ill post you some sausages.

77951204718__FAD774B5-3772-4422-A8EC-3EF8C95BA404.mp4 Things are getting interesting now with a second loco on the board. 132 is in the headshunt and therefore has the reservation. 125 comes along and reaches its reservation sensor. reservation is not possible so the loco simply stops, it looks like it is stopping on red. 132 hits its siding sensor which tells the system to release the headshunt reservation which is instantly then taken by 125 allowing it to proceed with the script. 125 sets the points which sets the signal to green and the train proceeds! took the sound chips out of my 2 IR 121's tonight and installed into these. the scripts will be further automated to activate certain sound functions at key moments during the sequence.

IMG_2762.mp4 125 moves a box from the siding over into the shed for loading/unloading. This is automated and once triggered will loop and run indefinitely until the command station is reset. One thing happening behind the scenes is that the headshunt gets "reserved" before the loco enters the section and the reservation is ended once the loco gets back to the sensor within the sidings. The automation script for the circling loco also contains this reservation rule and will try to make the reservation on the approach to the junction. if the block cannot be reserved the loco has to stop and wait for the block before it can proceed. The rules are quite similar to real block signalling in this regard however there are no actual physical block sections set up on the track and a block can be defined in the programming based on any 2 sensors anywhere on the layout. I am noticing that the sensitivity of the sensors varies depending on the time of day, i.e the amount of ambient light in the room seems to have an effect with wagons being harder to detect, however an effective workaround for this has been to stick a reflective white glossy circle cut from a blank label out of my label maker onto the bottom of the rolling stock. This also gives the advanage of being able to stick the label on different parts of the underframe to tune the exact point at which a given piece of rolling stock triggers a sensor, this explains how tidily it is able to park the van within the shed IMG_2763.mp4 signal 3 has been programmed in, it is connected to the 3 way point and changes to green when both points are set for the oval ALIAS(MAIN_LOCO, 3) ALIAS(SHUNT_LOCO, 4) ALIAS(HEADSHUNT_BLOCK, 1) ALIAS(APPROACH_SENSOR, 22) // Before headshunt, counterclockwise approach for ROUTE(10) ALIAS(EXIT_SENSOR, 23) // After headshunt, bidirectional ALIAS(SIDING_SENSOR, 24) // In first siding, counterclockwise entry ALIAS(SIDING2_SENSOR, 25) // In second siding, counterclockwise entry ALIAS(HEADSHUNT_SENSOR, 26) // Middle of headshunt, for shunting loco ALIAS(BACKSCENE_SENSOR, 27) // In backscene, for counterclockwise stop/signals ALIAS(ENTRANCE_SENSOR, 28) // At entrance from backscene, for signals ALIAS(DIRECTION, 0) // 0 = counterclockwise signals (startup default), 1 = clockwise signals ALIAS(T1, 1) // First siding: THROW=oval, CLOSE=siding/headshunt, DCC address 1 ALIAS(T2, 2) // Second siding: THROW=oval, CLOSE=siding/headshunt, DCC address 2 ALIAS(T3, 3) ALIAS(S1, 48) // Signal 1 at headshunt exit (red/green) ALIAS(S2, 50) // Signal 2 at backscene entrance (red/green) ALIAS(S3, 52) // Signal 3, red unless headshunt free and turnouts thrown //Turnout definitions TURNOUTL( 1, 1) TURNOUTL( 2, 2) TURNOUTL( 3, 3) // Signal definitions (2-aspect, red/green) SIGNAL(48,0,49) // Signal 1 at headshunt exit SIGNAL(50,0,51) // Signal 2 at backscene entrance SIGNAL(52,0,53) // Signal 3, red unless headshunt free and turnouts thrown // This is the startup sequence, AUTOSTART GREEN(S1) GREEN(S2) RED(S3) START(101) DELAY(500) POWERON DELAY(2000) CLOSE(T1) DELAY(500) THROW(T1) DELAY(1000) CLOSE(T2) DELAY(500) THROW(T2) DELAY(1000) THROW(T3) DELAY(500) CLOSE(T3) DONE // This just ends the startup thread, leaving 101 running. //Frog Juicing ONTHROW(T1) SET(30) DONE ONCLOSE(T1) RESET(30) DONE ONTHROW(T2) SET(31) DONE ONCLOSE(T2) RESET(31) DONE ONTHROW(T3) RESET(32) DONE ONCLOSE(T3) SET(32) DONE // Counterclockwise signal logic SEQUENCE(101) AFTER(EXIT_SENSOR) RED(S1) // Signal 1 red (train passed headshunt exit) AFTER(BACKSCENE_SENSOR) GREEN(S1) // Signal 1 green (train in backscene) RED(S2) // Signal 2 red (train in backscene) AFTER(ENTRANCE_SENSOR) GREEN(S2) // Signal 2 green (train passed entrance) FOLLOW(101) DONE //point signal logic // When Turnout 1 is thrown, check Turnout 2's state ONTHROW(T1) IFTHROWN(T2) // If Turnout 2 is also thrown GREEN(S3) ELSE RED(S3) ENDIF DONE // When Turnout 1 is closed, set red ONCLOSE(T1) RED(S3) DONE // When Turnout 2 is thrown, check Turnout 1's state ONTHROW(T2) IFTHROWN(T1) // If Turnout 1 is also thrown GREEN(S3) ELSE RED(S3) ENDIF DONE // When Turnout 2 is closed, set red ONCLOSE(T2) RED(S3) DONE ROUTE( 1, “LOOP” ) SETLOCO(3) REV(50) // Counterclockwise (DCC forward = counterclockwise) AT(APPROACH_SENSOR) // Approach headshunt RESERVE(HEADSHUNT_BLOCK) // Wait if occupied THROW(T1) // Ensure oval path THROW(T2) REV(50) // Through headshunt AFTER(EXIT_SENSOR) // Clear headshunt FREE(HEADSHUNT_BLOCK) // Free block DELAY(3000) REV(30) AT(BACKSCENE_SENSOR) // Reach backscene STOP // Stop main train DELAY(10000) // Pause FOLLOW(10) // Loop // Shunting loco: Cycle from first siding to second siding and back, repeats indefinitely ROUTE( 2, “SHUNTING” ) // From first siding to headshunt SETLOCO(4) RESERVE(HEADSHUNT_BLOCK) // Reserve headshunt (in first siding) CLOSE(T1) // Exit first siding to headshunt FWD(30) // Clockwise to headshunt AT(HEADSHUNT_SENSOR) // Detect in headshunt DELAY(2000) THROW(T1) CLOSE(T2) // Set for second siding REV(30) // Counterclockwise to second siding AT(SIDING2_SENSOR) // Detect in second siding STOP // Shunt in second siding FREE(HEADSHUNT_BLOCK) // Free block (loco in second siding) DELAY(15000) // Simulate shunting // From second siding to headshunt RESERVE(HEADSHUNT_BLOCK) // Re-reserve headshunt THROW(T1) // Set for headshunt from second siding CLOSE(T2) // Set for headshunt from second siding REV(30) // Clockwise to headshunt AT(HEADSHUNT_SENSOR) // Detect in headshunt DELAY(2000) CLOSE(T1) // Set for first siding FWD(30) // Counterclockwise to first siding AT(SIDING_SENSOR) // Detect in first siding STOP // Stop in first siding FREE(HEADSHUNT_BLOCK) // Free block DELAY(15000) // Simulate shunting FOLLOW(22) // Restart cycle This is the code thus far and it seems to be working well. the 2 text blocks at the very bottom titled route are the automation scripts. The advantages of learning this coding is that it is relatively simple to script events however much more importantly, all of this runs directly on a very inexpensive command station and there is no need to have a computer connected to do all of the heavy lifting, simplying hardware needs massively.

IMG_2756.mp4 I have three relays underneath the board which are wired back to the command station and flip the point polarity automatically along with the points change. It should have been very simple, but the unit is very susceptible to noise and it has taken me a week or more to figure out how to get it to work in a stable manner, Last night i finally got it and tonight after a little hiccup there was the eureka moment that makes it just about stable enough to keep it going for a running session as long as i follow a particular operating procedure. We can revisit this issue later Just in time as my unfitted H vans arrived today and i was able to run them for a little while beore geting back to the technicals. Ive been really itching for some nice leisurely modelling but this portion has dragged out way more than it should have so it will be good to finally get started. Sean