[RudyB]

To make space to set up the tables for the layout, 2 large bureau tables need to be sold first.

In the mean time some investigative work has been done on how to mount the servo drives for the points under the table.

There are many ways to do it ... this is possibly one of the simplest and cheapest ways. Link to the video.

[michl080]

Zitat von RudyB

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There are many ways to do it ... this is possibly one of the simplest and cheapest ways.

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Hi Rudy,

you may want to check what I wrote in my thread below:

viewtopic.php?f=60&t=65847&p=1239624&hilit=wellendingen#p1219251

The method you use may be good for some designs of turnouts, but the movement is not only translational, it has a major rotatory component that may cause problems.

drop me a note if you have problems with my German writing...

best regards,

Michael

[RudyB]

Hi Michael,

You're right, this simple solution is not a pure translation. As lng as the spring wire is flexible enough that does not pose a problem. Your solution looks good too. As does your layout!

When this simple method proves not to be reliable in practice, I'll fall back to the more complex, but very reliable, method we se at the club. Since I have access to the lasercutter there, it is possible to aqcuire the needed components.

[RudyB]

Yesterday some good progress has been made ... the tables are placed. I really have to thank hobby club friend Richard. Without his help it would not have been possible to accomplish this.

The two pictures show the metamorphosis. A few more pictures can be found on the blog via this link.

The tables are not finished yet. A 7mm soft top layer is planned for sound damping and I'm also going to add a heightened edge along the sides, such that rolling stock can't fall off the table. And it probably will also improve the looks a bit.


From:



To:

[RudyB]

Almost did not dare post my first weathering experiences here. But then ... not every story is a success story.

My first weathering attempts were not more than that ... an attempt. Oh well ... one has to start somewhere.

Link to some really bad weathering pictures:

On the positive ... I was able to get 48 shades of weathering powder on the cheap: eye shadow from the local supermarket for just €0,79 a box, 12 colors plus 2 foam appliers. But maybe that's one of the iussues ... probably not the right material. However ... it seems it can be used nicely to add some rust or dust spots here and there.

[RudyB]

Today a few more steps have been made. First, the green top layer of 7mm soft board is placed. Pictures follow later this week.

Then a test has been performed with track fixing. I do not like to glue. I like to keep the option open to change the layout, or maybe even start all over again with another layout, at a later time. Not impossible with glue, but still the rail becomes a bit messy. Alternatives could be to use nails, or screws. Yet, I opted for another solution ... the use of metal flower binding wire.

The 1st image shows the fixing wire when it was still green, and therefore visible. After tipping it with a black marker pen it became so well camouflaged that it is almost invisible at normal viewing distances.

More info and more images on the blog via this link.

[RudyB]

This morning the final screw was tightened in the table ... it is finished!

A green soft board layer is added, which should take care of some sound damping. And as a 'finishing touch' a border is mounted along the entire edge.

Next thing on the agenda is to lay some track. When I have any track that is. This weekend I plan to visit a model railway trade show where hopefully I can tick off some of the items on my shopping list there.

More pictures on the blog via this link.

[RudyB]

A couple of important changes have been made to the layout.

First, a few points needed to be moved. They were placed exactly on top of wooden bars under the table, which would have made it impossible to properly install the servo drives.

Second, the connection of the industry tracks has been changed. They were attached to station West main line, which means traffic would have to be interrupted with any shunting operations. The tracks are now connected to station South via a long lead, whch means shunting can take place while (fully automated) main line traffic can simply carry on. A big improvement in play possibilities.

Link to layout page on the blog.


New situation:



Old situation:

[RudyB]

Past Wednesday an order for 21 points and 13 buffers was placed at www.ehattons.com, a UK company. Order processing and shipping from UK to the Netherlands went very smooth … the package was delivered next day.

I combined the points into the 6 'junctions streets' that I need. With some points it was necessary to remove two outer ends of 2 sleepers in order to be able to connect them. This was easily done using a Dremel, still I wonder why Peco did not design this in?

Then ... yesterday another internet order was delivered from Modeltreinexpress: 2 locs and 2 ESU LokPilot-4 decoders. Of course I tried them out immediately, luckily they seem to work fine.

More info and images on the blog:
- The first track has been laid
- New rolling stock: 2 DCC loco's

[RudyB]

... and ... it works.

This is the link to the video.

Parts used:
- Small piece of debris wood
- Plastic closing clip of a bread bag
- Paperclip (straightened)
- 2 small screws
- 1 largr screw

Total cost: less than €0,20.

[Echaztal]

Hi Rudy, I'm really looking forward to see the Progress of this model railway. Just the table is a real on looker.

I'm not sure maybe overread in in you Blog: do you have already any examples of good weathering you made yourself? (as a woman I like the part with the eyeshadow especially ) As a complete newby to weathering I'm still looking for tons and tons of how to's.

[RudyB]

Hi Christine. Best wishes for 2015.

Hehe, I can understand you like the idea of using eye shadow powders
Unfortunately I have mot had time yet to improve on my weathering attempts.

On our 'search to perfection', after having seen all the available youtube video's and having read many articles, I guess the best we can do is to just experiment. Try out different materials, tools and ways of working, and experience what we like and what works for us.

For instance ... in many video's airbrush is used. That is a no-go to me, since I do not (yet) want to invest in decent airbrush equipment. And the cheap equipment will probably only disappoint. Therefore, for now, I stick with powders. These can be the 'official' powders and acryl varnish (like e.g. Humbrol) ... or experiments 'on the cheap' like the €0,79 eye shadow

I wish you good luck in your (ad)ventures. And please show us your weathering work, even if maybe not yet perfect ... we can all learn from each others experiments.

By the way ... how nice to see a woman in this predominantly male railway hobby world. Your layout has already progressed a lot further than mine!

[Echaztal]

Actually for my weathering attempts I have to rely on my own share of the model houses or my own engines and wagons. I've been totally forbidden to touch my Brothers engines, wagons and favourite houses. Same with my hubbies engine. Somehow I believe they don't trust my skills

I might give the pastel crayon a try. The pigments might have better adherence qualities than the eyeshadow. Looking for the the three carts I've ebuyed yesterday. They are already a bit scattered so weathering could do them good.

Well, my layout didn't start from scratch like yours. It was already built in the 1980s, than time forgotten. Now with having kids on my own it became a family hobby to build up the layout again and transfer it to the year 2015.

What you do looks so professional it will be fun to watch it grow.

[RudyB]

They don't trust your skills?

Hmm ... don't tell me they may have good reasons for that!? (Oops )

Well ... I read you have 3 brand new cars to try out your crayon ideas. Good luck ...and curious to see them of course?

[RudyB]

First of all ... best wishes for a good and healthy 2015 to everyone.

Finally there was time to do some serious track laying. The South loop has gotten its definitive shape, it's ready to be fixed to the table. Also the two East-most points have got their place, including the servo- and frog wire holes drilled in the table.

I must admit that laying flex track is not something that comes easy to me. To make curves (which is 100% the case with this layout , after bending, the rail has to be pushed or pulled back and forth trough the sleepers. Then bend again ... then push or pull again ... etc. It is quite some 'fumbling'. Also using the Dremel to cut the rails at length can easily go wrong. A few tenths of a mm too short and you have to start all over again. Luckily that has not yet happened and I must say, when done, the end result looks really satisfactory.

For the pushing and pulling I did not like to use pliers just like that. Metal on metal the rail could easily get scratched or damaged. There is a simple solution: I used a piece of rubber of an old bicycle inner tube as a protection layer. This works very nice in 2 ways. It has better friction which makes pulling or pushing easier, and it protects the rail from being damaged.

The blog has a few extra pictures.

[RudyB]

Interior lighting for €0,32 per wagon? Yes ... it's possible!

Yesterday, at the club (EMV), I worked on interior lighting for my Roco sleep carriage. It's always nice and heart warming to experience how members join in with ideas and with actual help to make it a 'joint project'. A big thanks to Ad, Jan L, Jan R and Jaques.

Around Christmas a local supermarket had strings of 3 foot, battery fed, LED lights on sale for just €0,95 (!). I wondered if it would be possible to use these for interior lighting of coaches. I took the plunge for a 'depth investment' and bought 2. That should be enough length for the 6 coaches I have. If it would not work out, the damage would be just €`,90 ... I would survive

It worked well to build the led's inside the coach wagon. Electrical wires are coming out, which will connect to the next wagon. Today I did the second wagon ... that one works well now too.

The third wagon, to complete one train of 3, is still to do. That one is more complicated, there are 3 extra's:
1. The batteries have to be mounted into this one.
2. I like to have 2 red LED's as tail liaghts
3. A reed switch and a small metal plate need to be assembled inside, such that it is possible to switch the lights on/off with a small magnet on the outside.

More info and more images on the blog.

[RudyB]

Station South and its surrounding loop is laid. 13 junctions have got their exact coordinates and the track in between is accurately cut to length using a Dremel and is connected. Time for a test drive!

The track is not yet fixed to the table. I'm not even sure if I'm going to do that. It seems that when the junctions are fixed, which is needed because the servo's execute a sideways force on them, the track in between stays put all by itself. Here and there the track is slightly lifted, apparently there's some tension on. It has to be flattened to the table at those points. But the rest ... I'll first see how it goes with a minimum of fixation points, it's always possible to add more later.

Here's a video of the first test drive.

[RudyB]

The third wagon has got its interior lighting built in, together with tail lights, the batteries and a reed switch plus an external magnet for easy on/off operation.

More images and also a short video are available on the blog.

[RudyB]

Some progress has been made this weekend.

A new way of mounting the servo's has been tried. I think this is a keeper. See this post on the blog for more info and images.

Also some progress has been made with track laying. The outer three tracks of the 'North Bend' are now ready, from junctions to junctions.

To create the curves I used a new tool / jig that I call the 'Rail bending helper jig'. It's two wooden blocks, both with 2 grooves exactly at rail gauge distance. The blocks smoothly slide over the rails. When one block is pressed down firmly, while the other it moved away while applying a rotational force, the tracks bands and the inner rail lengthens towards the far end. It worked quite well ... the jigs are a definite keeper.

In the mean time also a few other special 'home made' tools are available to aid with track laying.

More images and info on the blog.

[Kupzinger]

Hi,

this looks like a very nice project! The track plan has very smooth curving, i like it very much. Maybe (if not too late) I would plan some short straigts in the S-curves. In real-world track planning, since Preussian's times, at least the Germans have a minimum of 6 m straight between left and right curve (for small radius).

Cheers
Kupzinger

[RudyB]

Thanks for your nice feedback K. With regard to the S-curves ... actually every S-curve does have a short straight in between. Maybe not always the correct minimum length, but an attempt was made.

[Echaztal]

The roof of the platform was weathered with first using acrylic paint in silver, the second layer was black acrylic paint - both used as a glaze, much water and only minimum paint. For the finish I used a rust coloured pastel crayon. Just rub of a bit of powder with a thick dry paintbrush. Then pick up the powder with a small moist (near dry) painbrush and apply it on the surface.



Doesn't look too bad in my opinion

[RudyB]

Hi Christine, indeed a very nicely weathered roof!

[Echaztal]

Hi Rudy, we had this conversation about weathering wight pastel crayon. This pic is to show that they do work really nicely. Haven't had a try on the eyeshadow yet.

[RudyB]

Almost every day a few additional tracks are added to the layout. The North Bend is final now, with all 6 tracks ending at their Westbound junctions, for which the holes are already drilled in the table. Still to do:
- Station West
- West Corridor
- 'Inglenook' Sidings

In the mean time I tested some track underlay, home made from 2mm foam that is used as laminate floor underlay. Treated with brown Acrylic paint straight from he tune, it gives a reasonable result. Not particularly beautiful, yet I think it makes the track 'come alive' just a little more. Not 100% decided yet ... I give myself another week to think this over.

A few more images are available on the blog.