RSR new layout.

[RSR Engineer]

Many thanks for your kind compliments, gentlemen.

The actual wiring up of the control panels was not that time-consuming, MG. I had the biggest one, northern sidings, wired up in an afternoon. Of course, it first had to be designed and "manufactured", which took somewhat longer. The track diagram was only successful after several attempts. I haven't bothered with indicator lights of any kind. I use webcams to monitor siding occupancy and always set up a route from scratch, i.e. by pushing all relevant buttons along the desired path. Although most points have a "default" setting, I don't rely on my rickety memory to reset them.

On the 3rd rail project I used 1 x 15 mm blackened steel "nails", the heads filed blank and pre-tinned. Like I say, I'm not the best with a soldering iron. Also, the solder I used is quite modern but does, as far as I know, contain lead. But the mix? Who knows? The 3rd rail project is now - what shall I say? - dormant and its awakening has a low priority. Do you mean a soldering gun like the Weller, MG?

Had a look at a satellite image of Lamesley Yard and it seems to have 22 tracks, like my northern sidings. Prototype for everything.

There are a few more pix and videos on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/53775591@ ... 9488313446

Cheers,
Artur

[Mountain Goat]

Yes. A Weller. I believe they were also made by different makes as well using the same design.

I actially wired up two panels and the indication lights were to indicate which panel was controlling which track section. It was wired in such a way that neither panel was dominant and many panels could be used as one switched in or out. I saw the wiring diagram years ago in a 1980's or early 90's Railway Modeller. If two or more people switch in at the same time the track section simply switches off. Double pole changeover switches are used that do not have a centre off position so the track sections are on or off. The indicator bulbs used were red or green. Red to show another panel was switched in or green to show that you were switched in. No indication meant the track section was free to use.
The switches were placed on a mimic track diagram.
Points were just ordinary stud and proble using bolts so one just touched the probe on the bolthead.
It was very simple to use. It was not found necessary to have an indication of the points setting, as one first checked if the track sections one needed were available, and then switched in, and after one then changed the points along the route via their solenoids, so it didn't matter if they were already set in the right direction or not. I later bought a CDU.
My youngest brother could control a train wherever he wanted it to go in complete control when I was also using the layout and he was 3 years old at the time.
Tracing faults or tracing a short circuit was easy, as one could hone in to the exact area where the short circuit or fault was.
The only drawback was the amount if wires needed between panels. I seem to remember having what must have been about 140 to 200 wires as I had 46 or 47 points and about 12 track section areas on the layout along with wires between the panels for the indication lights. I wasn't counting! The majority of the wires I had free at the time as they were offcuts. Brother was an electrician at the time. Was ideal as long as he was not working wiring up windmills.

[RSR Engineer]

So it was a form of cab control, MG, if I understand you correctly. The wiring sounds a bit daunting, a bit like mine, but to compensate there's always the job satisfaction when it all works.

Cheers,
Artur

[RSR Engineer]

No great progress this time. Just a relocated camera and the first bit of real superelevation. It was already clear that superelevation on a model layout serves no real technical purpose but just a cosmetic one in giving the impression of a train leaning into a curve. The pix I've published will show how well (or not) I've succeeded at that. Also, the monitoring cameras and floodlights for all the contrun2 loops and sidings are up and running. I think I can finally close the contrun2 phase and get on with contrun1. Heaven knows, I've been tiddle-tarfing about for long enough.

The work is documented on flickr, as usual: https://www.flickr.com/photos/53775591@ ... 145/page2/

Cheers,
Artur

[RSR Engineer]

The so-called long sidings are laid in but still to be wired up. I decided that steel track is good enough, since they'll be parked full of rolling stock most of the time. Since the boards have to be dismantlable, there are several gaps in the rails. Getting current across these gaps without a load of obtrusive wiring (since these tracks are in the open) is going to be a challenge, I fear. This is another consequence of a lack of forward thinking. The track, although second-hand, was nice and straight, so laying it (more or less) without kinks and wiggles was not the problem I feared it would be. The Peco bufferstops are only temporary as, being 00 gauge, they are a bit high for H0.

This posting is, I'm afraid, yet another in a never-ending series showing naked tracks on unpainted underlay and hardly a wheel turning, or bundles of wires going everywhere. And I still have a way to go, unfortunately. If (if if if) things go according to plan, I reckon I can start test running on the entire layout around Easter. Bear with me, please.

The work is documented, as always, on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/53775591@ ... 4145/page2

Cheers,
Artur

[Bandit Mick]

It's coming along slowly but surely - well done. At least you've got a good excuse for the time taken - it looks like a big layout. I've been working on my small layout for 4 years and it's a case of 2 steps forward and 1 step back (or the other way round). Just today, the power from my garage to shed blew yet again. To be honest, I'm getting a bit disheartened at the moment.

[Chris]

You weren't joking about long sidings! given im currently working on 1m x 0,6m good progress and with such a huge amount of track its worth getting it right rather than rushing.

Mick, think we all get that, things dont seem to progress or go right and you loose heart in it. maybe try to progress a different area as a break from the current focus.

[glencairn]

Looking good and impressive, Artur.

Glencairn

[RSR Engineer]

Thank you for your feedback, gentlemen.

Don't lose heart. Mick. I know how you feel (and I like Chris's idea). I must be honest and admit that there have been times where I've done nothing for days on end, then I've had a dose of bad conscience, because after all's said and done I want to play trains and sitting around won't get the layout built. And there are areas that will certainly cause a lot of head-scratching (watch out for splinters), e.g. the parts of the old layout that will need to be patched and rewired where I've taken out awkward rail gaps across board joints. I'm still undecided as to how to integrate the wiring of these new boards into the system of the old layout.

See flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/53775591@ ... 4075/page3 pix 218-26/8/9/42/3/5-50.

Cheers,
Artur

[Bandit Mick]

Thanks for your kind words. Good news is the electrician is coming Saturday morning and will hopefully solve the problem (and others) once and for all. In the meantime I'm having a rest from fiddle yard/turntable construction, got myself a big bag of jelly snakes and am having a relaxed time making some guttering and drainpipes from scratch - life in the fast lane and no mistake!