Petermac's Railway

I've just got home from a "French lunch" with friends - I'm actually quite surprised I'm home before dark but sorry for the delay in writing - and also for any typos which may result from my support of the Bordelais vinyards  ……………………………………………………………………………. :cheers :cheers

If I may, I'll answer Michael's questions first -

1. All the sounds, except maybe me tripping over a box, are from the decoder - including all whistles, clanks, puffs and voices.  Apparently it is the responsibility of the train guard to give the driver certain details about the train such as the weight etc.  Paul has included these in his project.  I think this chip has around 16 different sounds and uses 26 or 28 different buttons.

2. Most, but not all, sounds are user controlled via the hand throttle - in my case, a Lenz Set 100 but the make isn't important.  A few sounds are either automatic or user operated.  Immediately springing to mind (I don't have the sound details in front of me so this is from memory), is the sound of coal being shovelled into the firebox and another, the pressure relief valves blowing.  Both these can be switched on or off via the throttle but will also trigger automatically from time to time when the loco is static.  Another user controlled function I didn't show was the light/heavy start.  One can take the light engine from the yard and hook it up to a heavy train.  Steam chuffs are light and "hissy".  Once hooked up, the engine sets off on full pressure with the heavy train in tow producing heavy poweful chuffs. There's a function which sounds like the coupling "chink - chink - chink" as the train moves off and the slack is taken up.  He's done a really amazing job and it takes time to learn all the effects.

3.  All engine sounds are perfectly matched to the loco speed.  Ever faster chuff - chuff - chuff when accelerating, and just a slight coupling rod clank on deceleration with no steam sound.  There are speed related flange squeals for bends and points etc. - the slower the loco is moving, the louder the squeal. As it moves faster, the squeals become less evident and eventually disappear altogether.

4.  The sound is matched to the particular loco.  Paul travels the country making sound recordings of any preserved locos he can find and then edits those recording for his projects.  He always uses Zimo decoders, considering them the best for functionality and is himself considered the undisputed master of the UK sounds/Zimo decoder mating.

There are other manufacturers and other sound projects, some of which I have but, in my opinion, the Zimo/Chetter combination is in a different league.

It's not for everyone - indeed, for those running big mainline layouts, I suspect it could be quite boring just listening to locomotives, steam or diesel, rushing round a circuit with little to listen to.

At lower speeds, one really is driving the locomotive and sound really comes into it's own.  I don't know if you've noticed but 'm totally sold on it.   :cool wink

Now, the thorny question of that unfenced and unbridged representation of the Aire and Calder Navigation …………………………  :hmm

To the left of the "Loco Leap" is the new fiddle yard area and to the right, the original boards.  The original board in that area is topped with Sundeala.  Over time, the Sundeala has, shall we say, "moved".  When I built the fiddle yard board, the edges matched perfectly but I hadn't realised just how much sag there was a foot or so back from the edge.  When I laid the track, I was faced with either a big dipper type structure or a very definite downwards kink.  To resolve this, I removed the end  panel - 4 inches or so - and sanded the remaining Sundeala where the track was laid to create a more gentle transition.  A further advantage was that, at present, I can still hinge up the left hand board to access the point motors etc, underneath but to do so, I have to split the tracks at this void.  You will see that a few of them don't exactly present a snug fit at the joints.  Once I'm all set and confident I won't need to flip the board again, the void will be properly bridged ………………. :cool wink

The skeletons of the bridges are done as here:



The viaduct hinges to the left whilst the main flap hinges to the right.  I almost need a pre-launch checklist to ensure everything is done in the correct order !!

At this point, I'm half way round the unit with the gradient.  The track is level at both ends of the unit (where there are 90deg. corners) but climbs at 1 in 50 on the remaining 2 sides.  Given that ultimately, the clearance between the two levels will be double what you see here, I'm pretty sure I'll have plenty :



My plan is to clad the viaduct skeleton with card, forming the arches and side walls in the process.  The lower level track supports will be hidden by trackside/canalside warehouses/factories etc.  All the buildings sited on this section will be removable to enable the lifting flaps to operate.

Thanks Kevin - I'm waiting for bricks at the moment ………………………. :lol:

It will cross the canal on a plate girder bridge Chris.  Either side will just be on a brick embankment, possible with the traditional 2nd hand car dealer lock-ups built into them - if it's high enough.

Most of it won't be seen anyway because there will be lift-off mills and factories built tight up to the railway - just as one would normally see in an urban setting.  John Dew's Granby is my guiding light in this respect - both his memory and imagination are far better than mine !!

The industrial structures will have locating "beds" to sit in when in situ but will be lifted off to enable the hinged flaps to operate.  Either that, or I'll crawl underneath to get in and out ……………………..  :cool wink

I am glad to read that I share that same problem with both John & Peter regarding that "tool" !!!