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Bninthenorthwest
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24.01.2022 I needed a programming track, I was going to use a siding on the layout which could be switched from normal ops to programming, but I had nightmarish visions of something bridging the gap and either reprogramming the entire layout or letting the smoke out of something. So my solution was a modular programming track. There will be a plug in the fascia which will be hardwired to the command station. This section will just clip onto the fascia when needed.
21.01.2022 At long last, 600 axles have arrived. It’s time to get some rolling stock onto the layout!
18.01.2022 Over the past few months progress has been real slow, but I have managed to grab a few minutes here and there which has resulted in progress. I’ve installed a new power supply and run it’s bus cable through the half of the layout that it will power. With this power supply installed I’ve been able to get another 27 turnouts operating electrically. Still lots more turnouts to connect....
18.01.2022 Progress towards the signalling system continues. I've started installing the detection boards. In the first photo is the "motherboard" for 12 detectors. In the next photo I've installed the detection boards and you can see the red LED is illuminated. The LED is showing that the yellow box car has activated the detector.
18.01.2022 With a little bit of shift work induced insomnia the other night, I found myself in the shed wondering what to do, so I wrapped the fascia around the end peninsula. Unfortunately I didn’t take a before shot! It does look much better.
15.01.2022 Well it’s been a while since my last post, whilst there isn’t a lot of visual progress to report on, there has been a lot of eBay activity going on. I have thinned out my collection substantially and have almost finished selling the unwanted rolling stock. When I started out in N scale I started with European trains, now all gone! At some point I collected a small amount of Japanese prototype, now all gone! And along the way I bought some American prototype items that I looke...d at recently and I thought what was I thinking, now all gone! It’s been time consuming but worth it. I’m currently working on improving the ventilation in the shed, it’s pretty well sealed which is not good. So far I’ve put a vent in the door. Layout wise I’m installing control boards for the turnout motors. Three installed so far, five or six to go. These boards only require one output wire from a computer interface to change the motor wiring polarity. See more
15.01.2022 168 axles replaced so far. Just over 25% done.
14.01.2022 Last week I hosted the Thursday nighters. It was an opportunity for them to see what has been happening in my shed, for some it was the first time they’d seen the layout. There was a couple of trains cruising round the layout whilst everybody socialised and enjoyed themselves. I must remember to take more photos next time!!
12.01.2022 I’ve been busy installing switches to control the turnouts. Because installing the fascia is sometime in the future and I’m not yet sure where and how control panels are going to be arranged, I’m doing a temporary install of the switches. I’m mounting them in line with the throw bar. The switches are mounted below the baseboard and in just far enough that they don’t protrude into the operator space. I’ve passed halfway, but things are going slow right down for the next few months due to some work related training.
11.01.2022 Finally all 119 tortoises have been connected to their control boards.
11.01.2022 That’s my wall of wagons waiting for wheels that are on order. The flanges of the plastic microtrains wheels are too deep for the code 50 rail. Been waiting for wheels for a wheely long time...
09.01.2022 That’s a pile of 312 axles, which equates to 78 wagons that are good to go. I’ve past the half way mark.
09.01.2022 Here’s a blast from the past. New wheels installed and ready for revenue service.
07.01.2022 Finally finished off the lighting pelmet.
05.01.2022 It’s time to get the tortoises powered. Two 12vdc 6amp power supplies have arrived. They will power all the 12vdc stuff on the layout starting with the tortoises. Also pictured are a lot of switches for the tortoises. Yep more wiring....
05.01.2022 I’ve spent a few hours unboxing some of my locomotives. Some of these hadn’t been run for probably 20 years, so they needed a little bit of tlc to get them rolling along. Still more to do....
04.01.2022 All these items are waiting for new axles with the low profile wheels. Unfortunately there are none anywhere at the moment.
04.01.2022 Finally the last two switch machine control boards have been assembled. Just 32 tortoises’ left to connect and test! It’s taking forever
02.01.2022 480 axles installed! At last the yard is filling up. I still have 120 axles to go, but it is all older Atlas stuff with weird axle lengths. It’s probably going to be easier to just change the bogies to the micro trains branded ones.
02.01.2022 Despite having very little time for modelling over the past few months, I have managed to complete the wiring of all 119 turnout motors. No more reaching under the layout, hoping that as I manually change a turnout I’m not pulling out wiring.
