N gauge automated layout - Weston Parkway

[Nick]

Thought I should start a thread on this, a new exhibition layout I am constructing. It is planned to be fully autonomous! What with the virus going around, I have pretty much a year to have this ready for shows!

 

Plugged it in for the first time last night and everything worked as intended, which is a good sign!

[Paddy Mac Namara]

looking good nick, welcome to the forum, is that brooklyn bridge in your profile photo?

paddy mac

[Nick]

That is Brooklyn Bridge you are correct! 

 

The result of today's 13 hour mammoth session of wiring;

 

[Midland Man]

Look class

what is the overall lent of your layout?

 

[Nick]

14ft by 6ft with a 2ft by 10ft central operating well 

[Midland Man]

Prity big!

would look even bigger when modeling N gauge.

[Nick]

43 minutes ago, Midland Man said:

Prity big!

would look even bigger when modeling N gauge.

It breaks down in to 4ft x 2ft boards to take to shows though, so still quite manageable, got to love full length HST at speed though 

[Georgeconna]

H.S. That pretty awesome and to see full Length HST flying about too. Will this be on the irish Circuit?

Thing is now when you start running trains things slow down a bit cause your watching them more!

 

[Nick]

8 hours ago, Georgeconna said:

H.S. That pretty awesome and to see full Length HST flying about too. Will this be on the irish Circuit?

Thing is now when you start running trains things slow down a bit cause your watching them more!

 

I hope it will go on the Irish circuit, I just have to get the other three lines working and some scenics on it before I start trying to exhibition managers to take a look. The main focus point however will be the automation, I will have a large screen public facing showing the automation working on the layout. Only thing is, it takes 20 trains to run to capacity, I only have 10 DCC so far! Might have to get some guest operators with stock, or an invite to come and run your DCC stock at shows... or I could buy up some more stock! 

Edited March 23, 2020 by Nick

[Midland Man]

So if it is a Irish layout what era will it be

[Nick]

1 hour ago, Midland Man said:

So if it is a Irish layout what era will it be

It's British outline, but the layout it's self is physically in Waterford

[Nick]

And British modern image, 2005 to present day

[Midland Man]

Sound great 

 

[Nick]

Second loop active! 

 

[Noel]

Looking good. Its great to see proper length trains. N gauge really lends itself to scale length trains. Class.

[Nick]

The rest of the track laying is done, just awaiting some more dcc point decoders. They are out for delivery so will make a start on those when they arrive. 

 

 

[Midland Man]

Looks great

Love the concrete and wooden sleepers.Looks more realistic with the mix.

[Nick]

And some views with a cleared-ish baseboard! 

 

 

[Nick]

Some more very basic automation. More required to sort out the headways etc. 

[Sven-E]

Excellent. Lots of activities for the viewers and more to come when you get further.

What software do you use to control the layout?

[Nick]

15 hours ago, Sven-E said:

Excellent. Lots of activities for the viewers and more to come when you get further.

What software do you use to control the layout?

Exactly, I want it to be a proper crowd pleaser

It is ran by iTrain with digikeijs and dcc Concepts equipment, the same as the new casino fry model railway in Malahide I think. 

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by Nick

[Nick]

Sorry for the lack of updates. I have since tidied up the wiring underneath to be as resilient as possible. I have also used conduit in the fiddle yard to act as a buffer and to stop me knocking over stock with my computer mouse in the branch fiddle. Seems to work. 

Edited April 18, 2020 by Nick

[Midland Man]

Clean work whitch is important for good running. Keep it up

[Nick]

This morning we had the first experience of full automation. 

 

 

[Nick]

Had to deal with some track expansion in this warmer weather, undone a join, nipped a small section out and resoldered in and we're back to good again. 

[Broithe]

I had a thirty+ foot run of 00 in an unheated boxed-in car port with a polycarbonate roof - temperature and humidity levels were rather variable. There was a straight along the back and life was a bit difficult before these Fleischmann expansion joints were fitted - they offer most of an inch of movement and solved the issue fairly completely, whilst masquerading plausibly as a crossing.

I felt that the majority of the movement was humidity-related - shrinkage of the 'wood', rather than expansion of the metal rails.

Edited April 21, 2020 by Broithe

[Nick]

2 hours ago, Broithe said:

I had a thirty+ foot run of 00 in an unheated boxed-in car port with a polycarbonate roof - temperature and humidity levels were rather variable. There was a straight along the back and life was a bit difficult before these Fleischmann expansion joints were fitted - they offer most of an inch of movement and solved the issue fairly completely, whilst masquerading plausibly as a crossing.

I felt that the majority of the movement was humidity-related - shrinkage of the 'wood', rather than expansion of the metal rails.

Now those are a great idea! I didn't think I'd have the issue on 4ft x 2ft boards to be fair, but here we are! It has done it in a few locations, a lot in the fiddle yard. I have relaid all the expanded tracks properly and have glued them down now. Glad I waited for the warmer weather to glue them down to see whether there would be any issues. 

Edited April 21, 2020 by Nick

[Nick]

Seeing as I can't run trains right now, I have made a start on the urban landscaping on the town end. Loads more to do, but it's a start! 

 

[Nick]

I've gone with some superelevation on the curves, cider bottles to hold track in place whilst glue sets! 

[Midland Man]

Love the engines. Ocheard theives is a favorite engine of mine

[Nick]

A quick run on the newly superelevated section.

[Nick]

Decided to add a bay platform this evening to Weston Parkway.

[Nick]

So I've been using this SPC tool, so good I made a video on it.

[Nick]

Going to be a thread of videos at this rate! Here's my latest experiment on Weston Parkway. 

 

 

[Nick]

First platform has been started. Plywood is down, I will stick peco edging to the sides and filler on top and in any gaps. Just the other platforms to go. Weighed down with the obligatory ciders to set the glue right.