Dublingham Goods Station
- Thread starter 76043
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76043
Western Thunderer
So loads achieved this weekend. The fiddle yard superstructure was started, no pics yet as it's just a lot of glued sections. More wiring was completed, which just seems to be endless, and will continue to be as I've still got switches and baseboard connectors yet to be installed. Two of the four point motors were installed and tested. Once the remaining two are completed, the foam board can be glued into the cabinet.
As it's the first time I've used solenoid motors I was dismayed to find my test controller (Gaugemaster Model E, i.e. cheap) only seemed to throw the points one way. I thought I can't need a CDU for one point, so fired up my repaired Gaugemaster transformer and it's clearly got more ooomph as it throws those turnouts quite violently!! A check of the specs reveals it is 1 amp over 0.3 amps of the model E.
I'm hoping it can throw two points in one go as I want the runround points to throw at the same time, but otherwise it's a CDU or throw them separately.
Pic below shows the motor installed into my styrene box and held using cable ties that are not excessively tensioned. The Peco accessory switch was hot glued to the motor at the sides rather than the base to enable easier removal.
As it's the first time I've used solenoid motors I was dismayed to find my test controller (Gaugemaster Model E, i.e. cheap) only seemed to throw the points one way. I thought I can't need a CDU for one point, so fired up my repaired Gaugemaster transformer and it's clearly got more ooomph as it throws those turnouts quite violently!! A check of the specs reveals it is 1 amp over 0.3 amps of the model E.
I'm hoping it can throw two points in one go as I want the runround points to throw at the same time, but otherwise it's a CDU or throw them separately.
Pic below shows the motor installed into my styrene box and held using cable ties that are not excessively tensioned. The Peco accessory switch was hot glued to the motor at the sides rather than the base to enable easier removal.
76043
Western Thunderer
I do like a bargain. Been thinking about the backscene lately as it needs to go in fairly soon. Following my query about 1.6mm aeroply, I gave up on that and plumped for plastic. I looked at a variety of types and decided upon 1.5mm foamex, as I want to shave as much weight as I can from the cameo cabinet, so foamex it has to be.
I saw 1mm sheets going on ebay for £30-40, but decided to pop into my nearest printshop and they sold me a 1.5mm 8'x4' sheet for £15, bargain! It will do this layout and the next one too!
I'm considering either printing an image @PMP style or leave it natural similar to Arun Quay's overcast day effect. If I go down the photographic route the most annoying thing is to see any kind of join, so I can safely stick a vinyl image on top of my foamex because it will be hewn from a whole sheet.
I saw 1mm sheets going on ebay for £30-40, but decided to pop into my nearest printshop and they sold me a 1.5mm 8'x4' sheet for £15, bargain! It will do this layout and the next one too!
I'm considering either printing an image @PMP style or leave it natural similar to Arun Quay's overcast day effect. If I go down the photographic route the most annoying thing is to see any kind of join, so I can safely stick a vinyl image on top of my foamex because it will be hewn from a whole sheet.
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76043
Western Thunderer
So more progress this weekend, the fiddle yard frame was completed, cladding and fitting out comes next.
The foam board was grip filled into the cabinet and main board wiring was almost completed with transformer, switches and sockets put in. Transformer can be removed as it's cable tied in place.
I realised I have no space for a track plan to be drawn around the point switches, so just put them inline. There's not enough ooomph from the transformer to throw two points, so I settled for the run round to be thrown individually. Gaugemaster HH handheld was wired in, left-hand white wire.
All was tested and working, last item to be done is the power feed to the fiddle yard now.
The foam board was grip filled into the cabinet and main board wiring was almost completed with transformer, switches and sockets put in. Transformer can be removed as it's cable tied in place.
I realised I have no space for a track plan to be drawn around the point switches, so just put them inline. There's not enough ooomph from the transformer to throw two points, so I settled for the run round to be thrown individually. Gaugemaster HH handheld was wired in, left-hand white wire.
All was tested and working, last item to be done is the power feed to the fiddle yard now.
76043
Western Thunderer
Just looking again at the RAW footage, the stuttering in the first part of the film is dropped frames! That's a bit annoying.
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
The problem is you want to play trains now which prolongs the finishing of the layout
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76043
Western Thunderer
The fiddle yard is now proceeding well, the monitor is also in place.
Here's the back view, the track deck is yet to go in. A shelf will go in here too for stock storage.
I found some old IKEA fittings that would enable the two sections to be discreetly bolted together with M6 Allen bolts.
I do have some pattern makers dowels, but can't find them, so plumped to two 10mm dowels as I judged the amount of pulling apart makes metal unnecessary. They keep the two halves perfectly aligned. When and if they are damaged I can just put another pair in.
Here's the back view, the track deck is yet to go in. A shelf will go in here too for stock storage.
I found some old IKEA fittings that would enable the two sections to be discreetly bolted together with M6 Allen bolts.
I do have some pattern makers dowels, but can't find them, so plumped to two 10mm dowels as I judged the amount of pulling apart makes metal unnecessary. They keep the two halves perfectly aligned. When and if they are damaged I can just put another pair in.
76043
Western Thunderer
More progress today, mains adaptor was bracketed into the underside of the blue foam. The fiddle yard fitting out continued with the track deck and stock shelf going in. The fact that the thing is a parallelogram in plan didn't make it easy.
A single road cassette will act as the fiddle yard road, this will be made of perspex sheet. The small joining pieces of track were also cut. Next job, cut the PCB for those tiny pieces of track.
Lastly, I'm thinking of applying either an emulsion wash to the cabinet or Danish oiling it.
A single road cassette will act as the fiddle yard road, this will be made of perspex sheet. The small joining pieces of track were also cut. Next job, cut the PCB for those tiny pieces of track.
Lastly, I'm thinking of applying either an emulsion wash to the cabinet or Danish oiling it.
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Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
76043
Western Thunderer
More progress this weekend. All track wiring is now complete as the fiddle yard cassette was also completed. Shot below show the fiddle yard wiring.
There is only one cassette and it contains two tracks that align only with the run round tracks. The power is supplied by the home made curly wires that plug into a 2.5mm jack socket, allowing the cassette to be slewed to the appropriate exit position.
Below, shows the simple alignment of the cassette, which is just a bolt through the perspex into the ply. I suspect this will wear in due course, so I will sleeve the ply with brass when slop becomes an issue.
There is only one cassette and it contains two tracks that align only with the run round tracks. The power is supplied by the home made curly wires that plug into a 2.5mm jack socket, allowing the cassette to be slewed to the appropriate exit position.
Below, shows the simple alignment of the cassette, which is just a bolt through the perspex into the ply. I suspect this will wear in due course, so I will sleeve the ply with brass when slop becomes an issue.
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76043
Western Thunderer
The Raspberry Pi is now mounted along with the monitor power supply, the dangling USB cable is the receiver for the PowerPoint clicker. This means the only wiring left to do is the lighting. Next stop the front facisa, which when complete means I can move onto the scenic stuff.
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
Rather than a manual 'clicker' could you use a magnet under the loco and a reed switch at the fiddle yard entrance to set the train describer/monitor?
Simpas
Western Thunderer
Tony,
This is looking very good, a bit of a mixture of old and new but for someone like me who has always wanted to tinker with the raspberry. ...
I'll definitely need a crash course on the Pi "withoot doot...!"
I've just never had time to study the form yet.....
Mick S.
This is looking very good, a bit of a mixture of old and new but for someone like me who has always wanted to tinker with the raspberry. ...
I'll definitely need a crash course on the Pi "withoot doot...!"
I've just never had time to study the form yet.....
Mick S.
76043
Western Thunderer
I must confess I never even thought of it, I'm sure it's possible, I just don't know how. Would be a good project for a youngster to sharpen their digital skills, I just know enough to get the thing up and running like my Apple Macs. Programming is a whole different level for me.