East Coast Main Line - in the sun

Its' a good job I have more patience than I thought I had. I got all the wiring completed, so I thought, and then found that a short, like a train jumping off on points or similar, can cause the DCC Concepts point motors to go off in a tizzy and reset themselves i.e. loose their address. Ok after various conversations the solution is to fit PSX units and power points etc from one and track from the other (or others). Ok re-wire 50+ points and buy a couple of PSX2 units and a PSX3 then off we go. Well actually no. I now find that the Tam Valley auto-reverses, of which I have 3, trip slower than the PSX units, so a train entering an auto-reverse area trips the PSX unit temporarily until the Tam Valley unit catches up then off we go. So all trains stop for a second before they all start up again. OK so I am planning to switch out the Tam Valley units for Digitrax BXPA1 units which auto-reverse and do track detection but will I still have the problem?

The only other option I can think of is a short section of track (300mm) either side of the auto-reversing section and the auto-reverser powered independantly directly off the Digitrax controller. Any thoughts or other suggestions?

Thats must be incredibly frustrating. 
I have to say I have gone off a lot of DCC concepts products…..technically brilliant but not always reliable. Sorry thats not very helpful but you are not the first to report total memory loss for all Cobalts on a circuit after a single brief short

I have never used auto juicers but I believe you can vary the the break delay on PSX……perhaps it is possible to reset the PSX so the dlay time matches the auto juicer?

HTH

Best wishes

John

Just a quick update on the ongoing electrical work for anyone interested. I contacted the supplier of my new Digitrax BXPA1 which had been bought to replace the Tam Valley auto-reversers, as they include track detection, to see if the new units would react faster than the PSX units and solve my problem. Although I got a quick response it was basically to say he didn't like PSX units and suggested, as I use Digitrax controllers, to replace them with Digitrax PM42 units. Needless to say that won;t be happening 2 x PSX2 and a PSX3 weren't cheap and I am not sure PM42 units would solve the issue either.

Anyhow decided to have a go with my idea yesterday and do a separte 300mm section either side of the auto-reversing section and, along with the autoreversing section itself, power them directly off of the controller. Success on that section at least. The same method can also be used on the other down ramp so that's two out of three that can be sorted. That just leaves me with a couple of insulfrog long crossings which appear to trip the PSX uits and the thrid autoreversing section. The points will just be back to back on some wheels I suspect but sure that is a minor problem. The third auto reversing section is the real headache as it's immediatley followed at poth ends by points in the fiddle yard so no room for 300mm sections. All this is not helping me make progress with my terrace houses on a slope and station canopies but it is a little embarassing when people call in and see the layout and trains are stop/starting all over the place.

It's been a while since I posted anything so thought I'd report on progress. My package arrived from the UK with loads of goodies including the cables I need for the Digitrax BXPA1 auto reversers/track detection but, shamefully, I haven't connected it up yet. Could be I am trying to avoid the anticipated bad news that some form of track re-design may be required on the section with points either side so I really must give it a go.

Two of my three second hand locos I bought down on the coast are up and running, that just leaves the Heljan Railbus which was suposed to work but just juddered when I test ran it on DC. On stripping it down I found the final drive cogs on both axles were just rotating which, after closer inspection, revealed split cogs which turns out to be a well known weakness.

I'll post an update on my latest distraction soon - an overall canopy for one of my main line stations. Other than that my friend in the town, who also has a layout but in N gauge, rang to say his parcel had arrived but he was a bit stumped. So trying to be helpful, I suggested he pop round and explain. To put this in context he had bought a Deltic with sound a couple of weeks previously and was very impressed. He arrived to show me a sound decoder for his other Deltic and he also proudly announced that he didn't want to leave steam out so had bought 3 TTS decoders for some of his steam locos. Oh and could I fit them for him! Now although there is more room in the Deltic it wasn't DCC ready and the sound chip he had bought was a direct plug 21 pin. So cobled together harness and testing first with an old 21 pin chip I had in stock finally got it installed. Next week I am going to attempt a steam loco - more distractions!

Why don't I have a local friend like you to chip my locos?  Hmmm, perhaps we should retire to Spain!
Michael

Well what with Christmas etc and the weather here turning decidedly cold (down to -5 overnight some nights) there hasn't been much progress upstairs in the railway room. Instead both me and the boss have moved bits of our respective hobbies down in to the dinning room where we keep it a bit warmer. I have been up there a bit and installed the first Digitrax BXPA1 auto reversers/track detection unit. I have to say it isn't straight forward to get it to work as the address you set it isn't the address it rersponds on. Anyway sorted and two more now in the UK awaiting a new bundle for onward shipping.

So the main post Christmas work has been down stairs starting assembly of the overall station canopy that I have laser cut.



As you can see there 7 A frames done so far, only another 9 plus 2 ends to do. There will be additional supports on the platforms but I want these to be more decorative columns if I can find some at a reasonable price. Once the whole structure is assembled (about 1400mm long) I will spray it a dark grey and weather it before installing lights and putting on a roof. Unfortunately I have run out of tubing so it's now on hold pending a delivery. I have also found in our local "chino" shop some items for ladies to use with stud earings which look exactly like an industrial lamp shade. I have installed a micro SMD light in one and after some painting it will look great I think. I will post a picture soon.

Anyway time to do some more work on the Metcalfe terraced houses from my old layout. They came from the UK and have lost nearly all there chimneys and a few other bits are loose. I also want to remove the grain of wheat bulbs and replace tem with SMD lights.

Keep modelling and safe.

That is absolutely amazing! Where do you start designing that? And did a company cut it for you?
That is gong to be fantastic!

Hi. I had original bought some 2nd hand station canopies from that well known auction site but, when it came too it, they didn't fit together to my satisfaction and would need modifying to get exactly the span I needed. So I looked around for other alternatives but then decided to have a go myself. I have some design software that was recomended for my laser cutter so experimented with that. Unfortunately my cutter can only manage 150mm x 150mm so the main A sections have to be made in 3 parts. The A frames are 80mm apart and the canopy is designed to cover the four running lines and two platforms of one of my mainline stations.

So I cut it all myself. The main A frames are 2mm thick MDF and the fine cross girders are ceral packet card. The white plastic tube is 3mm and 5mm. I have already talked to the guy who runs dexterscove.com about cutting/printing them along with some of my other designs (like the terrace row on a slope or the single platform canopy) should anyone else want them. If anyone does wants them I can give measurments and more photos and I am also happy to modify the design width for people as I really enjoy the design process.

That is amazing with some brilliant planning! Sounds like I need a laser cutter to make an amazing station canopy!

That is indeed an amazing piece of engineering, which looks fabulous.  The completed structure will be stunning.  Good job Sir!
Michael

Thanks for the favorable comments. I know it isn't designed on any particular station canopy but I think it looks OK. Just had an email to say I have a parcel to pick up today, from the post office, which should have some more materials in - not enough to finish but at least another few A frames. That will keep me going for a bit anyway. I hadn't realised the Green Stuff World was not that far from us here in Spain. Unfortunately it is in the next region and crossing regional barriers is not allowed at the moment so mail order it will have to be for now.

As promised, here is a picture of the ear ring bit I found (no idea what they are actually called) which I think will make great hanging lights in the station.



I think the top of the shade painted black and the underneath white will look the part. I have some liquid rubber stuff for painting on electical joints which should coat the two cables to the LED quite nicely.

I think they have the wonderful title of "Back Earnuts"!  Or Earring backs.  I have to say they are a marvellous find, and will definitely look the part!
Michael

I do occasionally go in to the various "chino" shops with my wife when she is on the look out for something for her art or the house, but then it's the same in most shops - now what could I use that for on the layout. One of these days I might even go in to a shop and buy something that's not for the layout - now a clothes shop might prove a challenge for model railway items.

That's easy Dave -  some types of cloth make an excellent carrier for plaster land-form, I've seen shirt buttons used as shades for street lights, larger buttons make those cast bosses seen on old buildings to prevent the walls falling outwards etc.  Zips might prove slightly more difficult to utilise ……….. :roll: 

I've even heard that some people buy clothes to wear - each to his own eh !….. :cheers

That roof looks brilliant Dave. More authentic and definitely more robust than my Scalescene model

I get the impression that you are far better at looking ahead and planning than I, so you have probably already thought through the access/visibilty issues that I had to address with my overall roof.

The biggest issue for me related to being 100% certain that automated coupling/uncoupling had actually taken place. Nothing more irritating, and embarrassing if spectators are present, than a train charging off to its next destination……..without its coaches! :oops: :oops:. Stay Alives and a lot of time spent ensuring Kadees are perfectly mounted has got my success rate up in the high nineties but I still cant resist moving over to the station to peer through an unglazed section just to check! I am experimenting with both a camera and shaving mirror in the storage yards.

I will be interested to see how your operations work out……meantime congratulations on a super build

Keep Safe

 

Thanks for the comments. Not sure about the forward planning John, although there has to be some to get all the bits to fit together properly. It really would have helped if my laser cutter was capable of cutting the main A frames as one piece as this meant compromises in the design to allow for joints. As it stands the stucture is about 500mm long and very rigid, it can also be easily be lifted by one finger. I want to make the final stucture in such a way as it can be lifted clear of the layout if required. Weight will not be the issue but once the roof is on you won't be able to grip the centre ridge. I was wondering about making some vents to go along the ridge which lift off to reveal hooks for lifting. Any other ideas greatly appreciated. My wife suggested building it in sections but I really try and avoid joints where ever possible, joints never seem to totally line up on this sort of structure.

Just a thought, As  both ends remain open how about a length of plastic waste pipe or doweling padded with a wrap of foam that is longer than the overal length of the station you pass through the station and gently lift ? You might need to add two or three bracing points up under the roof for the pipe to rest against but if its as light and rigid as you suggest they may not be needed ?  I'm sure you could take the basic idea of the pole and develope it into something that you simply pass through, that supports the structure so it doesn't swing or slip

Lovely cannopy ! Can't wait to see it finnished and in place  :thumbs

Cheers
Matt

[user=1886]DaveH_Murcia[/user] wrote:

Weight will not be the issue but once the roof is on you won't be able to grip the centre ridge. I was wondering about making some vents to go along the ridge which lift off to reveal hooks for lifting. Any other ideas greatly appreciated. My wife suggested building it in sections but I really try and avoid joints where ever possible, joints never seem to totally line up on this sort of structure.

I omitted some of the glazing…..primarily to aid visibility as mentioned in my first post but also to provide lifting hand/fingerholds.

Overall roof with partial or even zero glazing was not uncommon following WWII

Thanks for the ideas, much appreciated. I'll wait until its is at it's full 1.6mtr length with some of the roofing in place to see just how rigid and heavy it is then before deciding on a final solution. Unfortunately the awaited package for further materials has been sent with the wrong size of tube and although it will come in handy for another project I will have to source more before I can continue. I am also researching cameras, I have already decided I want a surveillance camera system so I can see variious points on the layout from the control area, but if I can find one where I can attach small camers then this might solve the visibility issue under the canopy.

 In the mean time I am trying to add lights to some of my old terrace houses and I few that came ready made from down on the coast when they were being disposed of. Unfortuantely the build isn't the best but I am sure they will work. I am removing any building I previously put in gran of wheat bulbs off my trail layout in the UK and replacing them with SMD Led lights both for heat and current draw.

[user=1886]DaveH_Murcia[/user] wrote:

I am also researching cameras, I have already decided I want a surveillance camera system so I can see variious points on the layout from the control area, but if I can find one where I can attach small camers then this might solve the visibility issue under the roof

I am trying that…..works brilliantly in the storage yard

Do let us know how you get on……particularly how you handle multiple cameras.

Keep safe