Amiens Street Terminus

[RedRich]

Cheers lads! Little darling no. 3 distracted me rightly there for 6 months too, but now the kids are back to school and some semblance of normality has resumed

 

CTC is installing, then I want to finish the lighting project that's been sitting on the floor for 7 months (!) Basically LED profile strips running at a 45 degree angle on the roof, to provide 'daylight' light levels on the layout.

 

Once done, I've another 20 or so cobalt motors to fit, then wire the motor / accessory bus for the pc to talk to the points!

 

Probably get that far by year end!

 

Oh those sleepless nights Stephen. Still worth every second though. The modelling season seems to be kicking in again, keep us up to date. I will be using cobalt's myself, expect plenty of questions.

 

Rich,

[Aussie Phil]

Just read the thread and you layout looks amazing. Always blown away by the idea of controlling the layout from a computer. It is a brilliant concept but one I am not tech savy enough to engage with. I'm still only learning basic wiring

[Hunslet 102]

Good to see you back on the modelling trail again Stephen,look forward to further instalments in the coming months.

[BosKonay]

 

Making progress!

 

This is the CTC version of Amiens street and the facing yards.

[BosKonay]

Tomorrow's task!

 

 

 

[heirflick]

good luck with that lot!! love the ctc:tumbsup:

[Glenderg]

That's the spirit Bosko! Tackle a job that looks like you need a hape of letters after your name to understand!

[UP6936]

Nice computer signalling, it looks pretty complicated though. What are the blue things in the second picture?

[BosKonay]

The blue boxes are Cobalt digital point motors.

 

http://www.dccconcepts.com/index_files/Cobalt_turnout_motor.htm

 

The whole layout uses them for digital switching. They make wiring much simpler and will work well with the computer controlled route management.

[BosKonay]

For me I find the technology actually simplifies the task but then I've been working in IT for 15 years!

[Dave]

Looking good Bosko! Is that JMRI?

[BosKonay]

BigBear DCC actually.

 

I'm finding it very straightforward to use !

[BosKonay]

http://forum.moorestreettmd.co.uk/mstmd/forum/default.asp

[Dave]

Just had quick look, looks good. Its the way forward for controlling points, the labour involved in analogue with LED point indication is huge.

[BosKonay]

Once all the points are configured you can pick a route by simply clicking and dragging on the diagram. You can also set one click keys to handle repetitive routes. There's no easy way to do this analog without miles of cables and custom circuits.

[UP6936]

I can see how it would simplify things once you learn how to use it. Maybe once i finish my IT GCSE i will be able to do something similar

[BosKonay]

It is honestly simpler than almost any other method - trust me Any questions let me know! I've wired things so I can easy insert block detection in time and move towards near full automation in time.

[Glenderg]

With the complicated throat entrance and shunting possibilities from the various storage roads, how many simultaneous trains are you expecting to have running?

[BosKonay]

That's a good question! When fully finished there will be almost three mini layouts, each joined by mainline.

 

Amiens Street terminus includes two long push pull platforms, ostensibly the enterprise platforms but also for mk3 and 4 sets.

Platforms 2 and 3 have the loco release road and are for all of the above as well as loco hauled and specials.

Platform 1 at the front is the shortest and is intended for the commuter dmu service. ( maybe in time emu too)

The additional sidings at the from here are dmu stabling with the facing two lines a running shed for same.

Opposite is a freight yard (top three lines on right) a small per way years then three coach sidings and the shed.

The shed and coach sidings have access to all platforms with some shunting required by the pilot to prepare freights for the road.

Then there will be Blackrock Road Depot, a preserved small terminus with associated works and storage yards.

There is an as yet unnamed through station on the mainline and Cement yard which will be a small cement unloading yard and maybe a small commuter halt.

I'd expect pilots at Amiens street and Blackrock road to be very busy preparing services, DMUs shuttling around (eventually on autopilot) handling the rush hour and then the mainline services competing with freights on the two line mainline. A little like the real thing

I'd hope with help to have 10-12 trains. 'Active' at peak use with 4 out on the mainline at any one time! Why I need block detection and automation might now make sense! That or my madness is exposed!

Edited September 22, 2013 by BosKonay

[HighlanderMSP]

I'm interested to hear what you think about the Cobalt point motors - I was thinking about Tortoise as I can't stand the 'thwak' you get from Peco and Seep motors - what swayed you to go with Cobalt and what's the installation been like?

[BosKonay]

As you say, I didn't want the BUZZ THUNK of the normal points, I also required computer control, so any solution had to have a digital control side.

 

I reviewed the tortoise and cobalt and tried one of each but went with the Cobalt as they are much smaller, the DCC decoder is integrated, and you get additional switches to allow the addition of signalling and frog control, all with just two wires to the motor.

 

In practice they are solid, reliable, throw beautifully and are very quiet. However, I hit 'wierd' issues around programming them, with roughly 50% of the motors I ordered. After many attempts and tweaks without avail, I'm awaiting a replacement box of motors at the moment. An odd issue certainly, but not one that's put me off them, and the customer service from Modelshopbelfast, Gaugemaster and DCC concepts was faultless.

[Riversuir226]

watching this with interest haven given up on using the peco point motors im looking for an alternative. Absolute cracker of a layout so far Bosko:tumbsup:

[HighlanderMSP]

Appreciate the reply - I'll watch (and learn) with interest - cracking layout.

[BosKonay]

Here is an earlier video of the Cobalts in action on the Platform 1/3 Loco release

 

[HighlanderMSP]

That's a nice action that they have, did you remove the spring from the peco point as well? I see you're using the trackbed foam from Woodland Scenics, I've used it in the past to good effect - more stable and durable than cork, with quieter running - how do you find it?

[BosKonay]

I've butchered the peco points a bit, removing the spring, trimming off the 'handles' on them and soldering jumpers to power them directly (and cutting the default wiring connecting the frog to the blade).

 

This way, the motors can do their thing and they maintain the tension when thrown to hold the blade in place, and each point is a self-contained powered unit, with insulating joiners to the rest of the layout. This way you're not depending on the point at all to conduct and can weather the bejaysus out of them, including the point blades, and just keep the surface of the rail clean.

 

I've used woodlands almost everywhere, with a run of Noch / Gaugemaster ballasted underlay too. Both work well but once ballasted the noise deadening isnt' fantastic either way! (still a lot better than cork though!)

[Broithe]

(still a lot better than cork though!)

 

Are you a Clare man?

[BosKonay]

Lol

[RedRich]

Stephen they really look the business and the movement looks spot on. As an aside is Thomas smiling because he is happy, or is it a fear grin because of the proximity of the snips.

 

Rich,

[HighlanderMSP]

Nearly new to the forum, so ploughing through this entire thread for input to my own project - this Tamper is one amazing piece of kit!

[BosKonay]

Not much progress to report. Here's a photo to show the second screen for computer control running and a tasty overview of the utter mess and chaos around if

 

 

[Glenderg]

 

Two widescreen Dells. Seriously jealous. Any progress on the ballasting?

[BosKonay]

Ahem. Not yet

Though I've great plans to kick into it as soon as I get the overhead lighting finished!

 

Plan for the screens is Amiens street on the top with the two branches on the lower screen.

[Dave]

Wow, very tasty Bos

[Kirley]

So this is the future!!