Progress (or otherwise) on Jeff's new layout

That looks very smooth Jeff, reckon you would be best pleased with that result.

Yes, smooth as a baby's b..

I remember reading in the Toddler many years ago, to test out trackwork, is to run a variety of trains backwards at speed, this assumes the rolling stock is 99% perfect in wheels.

[user=19]Marty[/user] wrote:

That looks very smooth Jeff, reckon you would be best pleased with that result.

Certainly a lot (nay, a LOT) smoother than before. I am very pleased with it, even though it will involve a tiny bit more effort to access the lifting section in the future. That is really intended for emergency access only anyway.   :thumbs

[user=606]Sol[/user] wrote:

Yes, smooth as a baby's b..

I remember reading in the Toddler many years ago, to test out trackwork, is to run a variety of trains backwards at speed, this assumes the rolling stock is 99% perfect in wheels.

That's essentially what I do. I use something with a rigid wheelbase - usually a couple of 4-wheelers like SR-style CCT/PMV vans - pushed at high speed by a locomotive that I know is sensitive to irregularities in the track. In this case, I have used the trains you see in the vid first, but conducted more higher-speed tests later, including propelling a 4-car German double decker push-pull set at speed through the tightest line. I did take a little video of that too, but the camera work is a bit shaky. I know that Roco Swedish double loco is sensitive to out of gauge track - I must get around to checking its back-to-backs - which makes it a good candidate to use for testing purposes. Also, I had just restored the electrical connection between the units, having accidentally disturbed it recently. It uses one decoder for both locomotives.

Fiddling around yesterday and today on the layout, I shifted the ESU LokProgrammer and the Power Cab PCP for the programming track, to make room for a control panel to go in. The Lokprogrammer moved to the left, while the PCP moved to the extreme right in the corner of the 'L'.

I also plan to put a wooden shelf further over to the left to mount the ancient DC controller that supplies the 16 Volts AC for the LokProgrammer and also soon for the now arrived Zimo MXULFA programmer, and controlled 12 V DC for the programming/test track. There are presently unused 12 V DC uncontrolled outputs on it as well, so it is still a useful piece of equipment. Currently it sits loosely on top of one of my Alex storage units.





I have pulled all of the European trains off the track and am now in the process of putting 1960s BR rolling stock on. The first two trains are the blue 4 TC unit 416 with class 33/1 D6520 propelling, and 3 x green 4 CEP units, 7128, 7156 and 7126 in multiple (consist).

Still on the tracks from earlier running sessions are blue and grey 2 HAP 6063, NSE class 455 5838 with 456 007, and NSE class 319/1 9174.






The Underground trains are still a mix from several eras, with S Stock prominent in the photos, plus a pannier tank L89 on a short goods working, a set of CO/CP stock and Bo-Bo No. 8 'Sherlock Holmes' on the Farish coaches impersonating Dreadnought stock.

I have taken the plunge and pre-ordered a London Transport class 20 diesel from the Bachmann Collectors' Club, so that will fit in with a more modern era but could haul the imitation Dreadnought stock with Bo-Bo electric No. 12 'Sarah Siddons' topping and tailing. They are also offering 20 227 'Sherlock Holmes', but I am pushing my budget just getting one of these locos, and I already have a 'Sherlock Holmes' as mentioned above!  :lol:

Hi Jeff.   Very good and really excellent, but, what more can I say. I have just noticed the cable run that is carried over the track on an arch like frame, is this a “ Readymade “ item or a DIY job?  As I think I could make room on my plank for some LT accessories. Please advise. Best wishes Kevin 

[user=1801]Passed Driver[/user] wrote:

Hi Jeff.   Very good and really excellent, but, what more can I say. I have just noticed the cable run that is carried over the track on an arch like frame, is this a “ Readymade “ item or a DIY job?  As I think I could make room on my plank for some LT accessories. Please advise. Best wishes Kevin 

The cable gantries and arches are from Shapeways: 3D printed items. They are not cheap, but very characterisic of LT underground, and not available anywhere else, as far as I know.

https://www.shapeways.…ptionId=59433665&li=shops

See also this:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/NM9UV2S63/lucable-arch?optionId=64783861&li=marketplace

Check out some of his other stuff too - just click on his user name 'The Forth Rail' (Nigel Atkin)

Hi Jeff. Thank you again for your reply. You definitely were not kidding about the price of Shapeways cable arch.I have been thinking about the alternatives that I could spend any spare money on. It does look impressive in the correct setting after being painted and weathered, but, not for now. Best wishes Kevin 

[user=321]SRman[/user] wrote:

Fiddling around yesterday and today on the layout, I shifted the ESU LokProgrammer and the Power Cab PCP for the programming track, to make room for a control panel to go in. The Lokprogrammer moved to the left, while the PCP moved to the extreme right in the corner of the 'L'.

…..

Hi Jeff,


Where do you source your various NCE kit over here? I've a wish list of bits beyond the Power Cab base unit, e.g. a 2nd Power cab panel, those mounting brackets (although I could knock something up myself if motivated) etc. etc. Our fair city, fine though it is, is hardly bristling with suitable suppliers!


Colin 

[user=2170]Colin W[/user] wrote:

Hi Jeff,


Where do you source your various NCE kit over here? I've a wish list of bits beyond the Power Cab base unit, e.g. a 2nd Power cab panel, those mounting brackets (although I could knock something up myself if motivated) etc. etc. Our fair city, fine though it is, is hardly bristling with suitable suppliers!


Colin 

Hi Colin,

Most of it has come from the USA. There are a few dealers there who don't charge an arm and a leg for postage.

There are a few retailers in Melbourne who get NCE stuff in, but supplies are iffy at present; Brunel Hobbies in Cheltenham, Metro Hobbies in Box Hill, and Train World in Middle Brighton. The Sydney NCE agent is a surly individual, but you could try him as well - I won't.

I like your flight deck Jeff.  :thumbs

In the "smoothie" video, did I see a working signal bottom right ?  The green spectacle seems to be lit up - unless it's a trick of the Australian light ………………….. :hmm

Hi Peter, yes, the semaphores are Dapol working signals, upper quadrant Southern style. At present I have three home signals and one distant installed, with a couple more home signals available to put in. Technically, I should have more ditants, but I have compromised because of the shortened model distances; some signals simply have to be imagined they are present, because I don't have sufficient space between signals to represent a realistic block section.

The buttons to operate them are hanging down in the last photo, with the yellow wires.

You can see a couple of them operating near the start of this earlier YouTube video of mine. The LEDs were a bit bright when I initially wired them to a 12V DC supply, but nowadays they are on 9V DC with their own dedicated supply.

[yt]_pYJiYouVWI[/yt]

The underground lines have 2-aspect colour light signals, including a couple with 'feathers'. Some of these are Train-Tech Sensor signals, which detect the train passing them and return to red for a period of time.

Hi Jeff.   I have been viewing this video again. Would you please advise me on the “Bank “ of Powercabs ,  in this video. You have three? trains running at the same time, how  are they controlled? Do you set them running and then and then get back to your work bench? And the time lapse signal control, if I had a “ Roundy/ Roundy “ please excuse my terminology, I would rather work the signals manually, if I could work out how to do the wiring without interrupting the DCC sound system.   Best wishes Kevin 

[user=1801]Passed Driver[/user] wrote:

Hi Jeff.   I have been viewing this video again. Would you please advise me on the “Bank “ of Powercabs ,  in this video. You have three? trains running at the same time, how  are they controlled? Do you set them running and then and then get back to your work bench? And the time lapse signal control, if I had a “ Roundy/ Roundy “ please excuse my terminology, I would rather work the signals manually, if I could work out how to do the wiring without interrupting the DCC sound system.   Best wishes Kevin 

I  have a mixture of Power Cabs and Pro Cabs working off the 5 amp Power Pro command station buried under the boards. There is one Power Cab semi-permanently allocated to the programming track, actually working as a stand-alone Power Cab.

There are also one each of the Cab 04P and Cab 06 simplified controllers.

The Dapol signals are manually operated by the operator (me) pressing the momentary-contact buttons.

I prefer to have a separate controller for each train in operation, hence the number of controllers available. I can run two trains comfortbly per track on the upper level, plus two more trains (one per track) on the underground rails.

Hi Jeff.  Thank you for your reply. As I am stuck with my plank, I don’t have to worry about all the different controllers.As it happens I would like to set up a Dapol Southern signal, but, I think that they have so much going on under the baseboard they wouldn’t work. The “time lapse signal aspect change “ reminds me of early Railways and the first crash when the second train set off, straight into the rear of the first train. Remember “hands, face, space, stay safe “
Best wishes Kevin

A bit of wiring done today. I have now fully connected the Zimo MXULFA programmer to the programming track, including giving it its own connections on the 6-way switch. The connection was tested by using the 12V DC controlled output from the DC controller before finally connecting the wires to the plug on the Zimo unit.

Now all I have to do is learn how to use the programmer!

Now I'm confused Jeff  - not an unusual situation I agree but let me explain……

I too have a largely unused MXULFA programmer but simply connect it to a spare bit of track on the bench, or, to my rolling road.

My confusion is from looking at your switch connections and exactly how you've got that lot connected through a single switch.

Do I take it each of these is connected to you programming track ?  I therefore assume each has a power supply associated - is that its own dedicated power supply or a single generic supply feeding them all ?  Why the 12v DC on a programming track ?  I'd assumed you were all DCC……..

Oh yes, I also notice you have an "Error 2" showing on a controller at the bottom ……

Easy to use once you get the hang of it. Take no notice of that French renegade bloke. Orf with his head when I've sharpened the Guillotine… I did notice the Er2 though.  

Looks like tr2 from here, possibly for track 2?

 Bill

Yes, tr2 = track 2. I keep seeing it as 'err' at first, myself!

 
In answer to Peter's query/confusion, the rotary switch has six positions with two terminals for each position, feeding two output terminals in the middle of the rotary switch - one to each rail of the programming track. Five of the six outer pairs of contacts go to the various devices. 

12V DC is useful for running in and testing locos and units before fitting decoders. I even used it to test my extra connections to the Zimo programmer first, by simply touching the bare ends of the wires that were to come from the Zimo outputs to the 12V DC screw terminals on the analogue controller. With the rotary switch in the corect position for the Zimo wiring, that set off a locomotive I had placed on the track, with no short-circuiting or other ominous noises or flashes, meaning my wiring was all correct and the two wires could be connected to the screw terminals on the plug for the Zimo unit.

That same analogue controller supplies 16V AC for the Zimo MXULFA and the ESU LokProgrammer - the blue and green wires coming out of the left-hand terminals are the ones feeding the programmers with power. The output wires from the LokProgrammer were supposed to be yellow and orange, but when I extended the wiring a few days ago, I had run out of yellow, so have used white instead. My colour coding doesn't always work out quite as I intend!!