Twinwoods & Bedford

[RudyB]

@Walkinthedog. True, at some places it's just 3 cm. So far we have not experienced trains ever derailing, so we don't worry about trains falling off the table. But probably, also for the better looks, we'll have a small vertical wall (plastic or thin wood) all around the layout.

[Walkingthedog]

You have been very lucky. So far.

[RogerB]

On my last layout I used a low Perspex edging c.6” high. I still have it in preparation for the new layout. I would not remotely consider leaving it to chance. R-

[RudyB]

Yes, a perspex border is an idea.

[Walkingthedog]

I use the same.

[RudyB]

Twinwoods & Bedford - 04 - Simulation with EEP

Before putting the saw into the wood, constructing tables and laying track we planned to do two simulations, one in Traincontroller and one in the very nice EEP 3D (model)railway simulator, which this video is about.

Any possible issues found in this stage will be much easier to resolve than after the tables are mounted and track has been laid. Besides … it’s just fun to create a layout in EEP and have trains run fully automatic, thanks to the additional software that was created in a joint cooperation with German hobby friend Frank Buchholz.

So … what are we looking for? Well, mainly if the layout looks nice … in our eyes that is, some will think there’s too much track and too little scenery, but that’s how we like it . We also want to check if train flow is smooth, varied, and without any traffic jams or hiccups, or opposite to see if there are any tracks that are never/seldom used.

This is the link to video Twinwoods & Bedford - 04 - Simulation with EEP

For those who like to try out EEP:
This is a link to EEP on Steam.
This is a link to the free EEP Automatic Train Control software.
This is a series of videos on EEP automation

[Walkingthedog]

Until you actually lay track you never know if a planned layout is going to work.


How can you simulate a model railway. I understand you can plan a layout on a computer but how do you know trains will run well on the layout?


The layout looks great in 3D.

[RudyB]

The simulation in the video uses block control, just like a real railway. If the block ahead is occupied the train gets a red signal and will slow down and eventually stop, until the block ahead is free. In the sim we can configure which trains are allowed in which blocks, which makes that each train stays on its allocated route and station tracks.

Or maybe this was not what you were asking ... 'how can you simulate a model railway'?

Next video will be about Traincontroller ... then we'll have the traffic flow in view, exactly as it will be once the layout is built.

[Walkingthedog]

OK now I understand. Hope it goes well

[RudyB]

Twinwoods & Bedford - 05 - TrainController

The second test before sawing the tables is to try the layout in TrainController. TC is a Windows program for control and automation of digital model railways. It has a simulator mode which makes it possible to already test a layout before it is physically there.

TC uses block control. Every block has an entry sensor. These can be reed switches operated via a magnet under the train, or current measurement, or other. The sensors tell TC when a train runs into a block. If it has to stop in this block, the brake marker is the point where the train starts to slow down, until it reaches the stop marker. Distances between the sensor and the brake- and stop marker are user specified.

Once the layout has been divided into blocks, ‘Schedules’ can be defined. These specify which trains should drive where. Once the train reaches the end point of the Schedule, TC selects a new Schedule from a list of ‘successors’. This way fully automatic traffic is created, while it still is possible to drive trains manually, in between the automatic traffic.

The test is performed to see if traffic keeps flowing, if there are no hiccups, or deadlocks, or if there are blocks where no train ever comes. All went well … so … it’s time to start sawing the tables!

This is the link to video Twinwoods & Bedford - 05 - TrainController