patrick

I needed a break from wiring so I finally got around to building a more appropriate signal cabin for Grange. Its a Ratio kit with new steps from a Dapol signal box kit.

The reason I am a late comer to dcc is not any aversion to it but a matter of circumstance. When the layout was started a about six years ago I was recovering from a bad accident which had me unable to work for over a year. Although finance was tight an abundance of code 100 track (which had never been balllasted) and two walkaround dc controllers were recovered from the previous US themed layout layout and I already had a small collection of Irish rolling stock. I did have an abundance of time though which accounts for the rapid progress on the layout early on. The layout was wired for twin cab control using the two walk around throttles. The SPDT switches and even much of the wire was reclaimed from the previous layout. This system worked fine for the operating scheme of the layout and would probably have remained in place for a few more years had not one of the throttles failed and to my surprise a cheap used replacement was not easy to find. At this point it didn't take much to talk myself into converting to dcc. My requirements for the system were walkaround control of no more than four sound equipped locomotives. The planned operating scheme of the layout ideally will call for four operators. Two train drivers just run trains following signals and some verbal instructions from operators at Glen More and Grange each of which will operate the respective signal cabins an adjacent fiddle yards. With four operators in the layout area wireless throttles were deemed desireable. All of this is of course in the future, much needs to be done, not least rounding up four operators! We are however making progress.

I got a great deal on this Prodigy wireless DCC system which arrived in the mail today. Decoders are due tomorrow. Sound is defiantly in the future but for now priority goes to chipping locos.

That would be great! I will order a Peco switch and check it out as soon as converting the layout to DCC is completed. Thanks.

Thanks Steve. All of those solutions are more work than I am willing to put into it at this time. I think I will settle for push buttons for the signals and maybe Peco levers for the points.

All four tracks have now been laid in Waterford fiddle yard. Each track will hold twelve 20 foot wagons and a locomotive. Previously there were five tracks, three held eleven 20 foot wagons and a locomotive, the other two were even shorter. The yard tracks have enough finger room between them to make "fiddling" rolling stock on and off the lsyout easy. A long narrow shelf above the yard is planned to store surplus rolling stock. Before wiring started on the rebuilt section of Glen More my hand heald DC throttle died. The unit gave me over twenty years of service and will not be replaced, it's finally time to convert to DCC.

I am considering using Peco switches to control the points on my layout but would also like to use them to operate Dapol semaphore signals so I can have a signal cabin lever frame effect. Does anyone know if this can be done? Thanks.

They are sesame seeds. The seeds themselves are rather flat but they look fine in piles at normal viewing distances. They are also cheap!

The main line platform at Glenmore has been narrowed to ease a nasty s curve on the siding behind it and to make more room for a goods shed. Meanwhile 045 shunts beet wagons. 045 is a favourite of mine as I travelled on it on the last Tralee Listowel goods train.

We are expecting a lot of visitors over for a house party this weekend so I did some work to enable through trains be run for display. Three of the four planned tracks in the Waterford fiddle yard were temporally laid. The fourth will be put in when I source a curved point. A few other changes have also been made. The point for the siding for the crane and bitumen depot has been moved closer to the passenger platform and the siding itself has been moved about a quarter inch in towards the baseboard edge. Previously all four parallel tracks in this area were equidistant. The result looks looks far more,natural, at least to my eye. The beet loading bank was also shortened by about four inches. A few details were thrown in and we can now run trains again!

OK this is it. Now it's time to start wiring.

John Mayner's comment about moving the bitume to a spot where tank wagons need not be moved during shunting movements led to it being relocated to the end of the siding. A short section of track between the hard standing and the bitumen depot will be embedded in gravel to allow road acess and should make a nice scene.

You did send them Leslie, they arrived separately after the vans were built and put into service. The decals will be applied to the flat wagons too at some point. They were rushed into service as soon as the paint had dried!

The crane will remain free standing so it can be removed if need be. It will simply topple over if accidently hit, it is quite sturdy. The beet loading bank should be less conspicuous once the scenery has been worked in around it.

I am very glad Glen More is now looking more like a busy market town John. That's how I envisioned it from the beginning but didn't pull of first time around. I see your point about putting in a crossover to provide a headshunt for the bitumen depot but I find kickback sidings awkward to shunt and getting rid of one was a big reason to rebuild.

Pleased with the way the signal cabin looked in its new position I got adventurous and though I would put the crane and tar depot on the beet siding and see how a new beet bank would look against the backdrop. This is the arrangement I'm going with.

I am considering moving the signal cabin to the north side of the tracks. The platform with the siding behind it will be narrowed and the siding will get a goods shead.

I made a start on the beet loading bank and roughed in the hard standing under the crane to get a feeling for how everything will fit togeather. The goods yard is so much more convenient and more fun to shunt with the new track arrangement.

I didn't like the Peco derail on the beet siding at Glen More. It looks nothing like any I had seen on CIE. It finally occurred to me that there were a whole bunch of better ones masquadering as broken points in the scrap box. A few minutes with a rail nippers and a file was all that was required.

WOW! Would love to see a layout plan. Please tell us more.

A short section of straight track was fitted between the point at the west end of Glen More loop and the point to the goods loop. This got rid so an "S" curve into the goods yard and greatly improves the flow of the trackwork even though it is only about two and a half inches long. Next up will be final adjustment and securing the track, installing point motors and wiring.

Some more progress. The inclusion of some rolling stock really brings the scene to life. Track is still only temporally in place. Holes must be cut for Peco point motors and everything must be wired up. A new beet loading bank will be built along the curved siding in thee foreground.