More Ops Sessions Fixes and Signal Panel Progress

I had to continue my list of fix ups on Monday morning, this last week.  I started with my Bachmann Tamper.  It would run on DC but not DCC.  So I checked CV 19 = it was not in a consist.  I checked CV 29 and it returned 115?  What?  So I reset it to 0 and then set up its address again – 083 – and it was running.   This time the CV29 was a decent number.  I think I have had this happen before.  It must have been a short somewhere had scattered the decoder's brains.  But it is all good now.  

I had a another loco - 4894 - a reasonably new Powerline loco that was causing some issues and I tried to fix it.  During the recent Operations Session I removed a nail and a small screw from under the loco and I thought it might have another one inside.  So I pulled it apart, reset the loco and it was running well.  So this loco is a bit of a problem.  It ran in the wrong direction.  So I reversed the bit in CV 29 and it ran correctly, but the headlights now come on in the wrong direction of travel.  So I set up the two CV’s for the Output 1 and Output 2 in the reverse direction of travel and with dimming on F4 and all was good.  So that loco has been put back into service on one of the stock trains.

I checked the headset plug-in-point at Grafton Yard, and it was working, so there was no more to do.  Bill had DM’ed me on Saturday night and advised that one of the plugs in the plug-in-points at Cassino had been pushed through the panel.  I’ve had this happen before, so I just add a styrene shim in front and reattach it and all is good.  About 2 minutes work.  I had an issue with the point control for track 4 at the southern end of Clapham Yard.  So I thought I’d try direct entering the point motor address and it would not throw the curve route.  So it was either the output of the Point Controller or the point motor.  I looked at the point motor first and the common wire had come off one of the terminals.  So a quick solder and that was back working.  I also had an issue with the track power into tracks 2 and 3 at Acacia Ridge Yard – also the southern end.  This small section of track is fed directly from the point.  I got some sandpaper into the point between the stock rail and the point blade.  It was now working.  I then ran the train a bit further in track 3 and it went dead.  I looked up the line a bit further and I noticed that a crossover point was set to crossover.  I turned that point to straight and the loco moved.  Looks like I added this crossover and never added the jumper around the point.  So that was added and that section of track is now powered and now works irrespective of the point setting.  This section of track is where the 4 sugar wagons get dropped off during an Ops Session.

While I had the soldering iron going, I went to Cassino and switched two wires on a control panel for various lights in that area.  I had a car’s headlights and street lights labelled incorrectly.  I switched the wires and now they work according to the descriptions on the panel. Before my next Ops Session, I think I need to install some more layout street lights and control these with various switches on the layout fascias.  I think I will add two lights to West Street at Old Cassino and two lights to Fairy Lane just outside of Fairy Hill Crossing Loop.  But I think I’m out of miniature switches.  So ebay might get some more business from me.  I have ordered some more switches and a stack of LED street lights, so in a couple of weeks, I will get around to installing these on the layout.

There was mention on a timetable card that maybe one of the trains needed to come into track 1 at Acacia Ridge instead of track 2.  A review of the timetable shows that this logic was indeed correct,  Just 5 minutes before train number 18 was due to arrive, train 7A gets to track 2 and drops off some steel wagons in track 2.  So we have probably never had this issue because train 18 has been really late and the track has been cleared by the shunt train number 70.  So new timetable cards have been printed for train 18 advising the new arrival track.  I also added an extra line to the timetable card for train 7A to cover his shunting that occurs from 9:00pm until 9:10pm in track 2.  This tells the North Coast Controller in his string line diagram that train 7A is hanging around for a few more minutes in that track.  I also had feedback that one of the staff machines was turning off and on, but that occurs if there is a train running through a set of points and causing a short in a power district.  I checked out the three staff machines for this section, and all were working correctly.  Someone was just being too cautious. 

On Tuesday I had some success with my future control panel.  I identified one of my Arduino Port Expanders was not working.  I also identified that I had wired some jumper leads incorrectly.  So I fixed these jumpers, added the correct drop down resistors to the network and replaced the bad Port Expander, and wouldn’t you know it, everything on the I2C bus was reporting its address correctly.  Happy with my progress, I did some more shed work.  I found a loose wire off behind one of the Staff machine panels at Clapham Yard.  I also started running some narrow gauge trains.  I was running one from Fisherman Islands and one from Acacia Ridge.  I am going through the narrow gauge timetable, identifying what wagons will be placed in what sidings.  I have some fixing up of some trackwork, particularly in Acacia Ridge Yard.  I added some dual gauge points to a section and now the narrow gauge track does not have power.  So on Wednesday I fixed the staff machine wiring at Clapham Yard.  I also found the wire that had come off the narrow gauge track at Acacia Ridge Yard.  So all is now good.

Now turning my attention back to the Future exhibition layout's signalman's control panel.  I added the remaining connections to the white track detection LEDs on the panel and changed my test program and I had further success.  They are all working very nicely.  I then got the UP signals all working.  Next was the Down Signals.  There was some weird things occurring and it was not until I looked at my initial definitions that I left out signal output 3.  After that was fixed they worked brilliantly.  Next was the Branch line signals.  I think I had a bad green LED.  So that was replaced and then they worked too.  I added in the last two Port Expanders to the I2C bus and everything stopped working.  It looked like that the last one had an issue.  So I swapped it out for another Port Expander and it then joined the I2C bus.  So I then tested the Down Dual Gauge signals and they worked.  Then it was the turn of the UP Dual Gauge.  I had one Green LED not light up.  A quick check revealed that its common on that LED was not wired up.  I soldered that and all was good.  So next week’s job is to now wire all the shunt signals, the two sidings signals and the branch indicator signals. 

This Signalman’s Control Panel might just actually work.

Wednesday Walk

On a Wednesday I usually walk from my place to past the rail bridge and return and get a good 6.3km of exercise in.  This last Wednesday I heard a toot of a horn, just as I was walking under the rail bridge.  I thought that might be a train going past Barry's place.  So I waited a few seconds, and heard what I thought was a train approaching.  I think it was pretty obvious that someone was tooting Barry as the train was heading northbound.  I just had time to get my phone out and snapped a couple of shots.

Operations Weekend

I saw that The Great Southern train was in Brisbane and due to leave at 10:15am on Monday on its way to Adelaide.  So I went down to the local park for a potential photo opportunity.  The issue was that the train was many hours late into Brisbane so the departure was likely to be late as well.  I stayed for about an hour after scheduled departure time, and it turned out it went past about 15 minutes after I left.  I can hear my travelling train buddies laughing out loud, after our last few road trips to conventions and exhibitions.  I’m just in a rut guys!  I will get my power back.

The Interstate line next to a local park.  But no train.

The week started off with more preparation for the Operations Session for Saturday this weekend (yesterday).  Finally, I drilled the holes for and then cut the various jumper wires for track bus connections in Sunnybank on the layout.  On Tuesday I finally soldered them up.  I have yet to apply power and see if the section runs, but that is next week's job. 

I had a bit of a cleanup in the shed.  I put a lot of stuff away that I had out to take to various working bees on the Division Freemo Modules.  I cleaned the dispatcher’s desk so he can use it.  I tested each plug in point for the headsets and they all worked.  I ran a cleaning train from Grafton Yard to Cassino, and then branched off and ran to Murwillumbah.  I ran through each track in each of the crossing loops.  I then ran back to Cassino and then took the main line through to Acacia Ridge, and then to Dutton Park.  From here the train went to Fisherman Islands and ran down tracks 3 and 4 before derailing in track 4 as the narrow gauge point was set for a crossover and that was not good, as I was going straight ahead.  We then back tracked to Dutton Park, and then ran through Park Road and ran up and down the first 4 tracks in South Brisbane Interstate Station and Yard.

I also turned on the shed wifi, and then turned on my Wifitrax WFD-30 wifi device which then works via the shed wifi.  This gives me up to 8 wifi devices in the shed.  I then logged my Procab-W (the one with a wifitrax WFN-32 wifi card in it) onto the wifi.  Because I have a password on my wifi router for the great unwashed when operating on wifi, I had to enter that into the Procab-W.  But I cheated, by pressing the WPS button on the router and it auto logs on and is given the password.  So that was made ready for the Operations Session.

I had a couple of issues when running the cleaning train on the layout.  The push button in Clapham Yard South Panel that controls entry into the dual gauge track in the yard, was not working.  I will have to get behind the panel and see if a solder connection has broken off.  A major issue was the fact that when my train was running across Fawcett’s creek Bridge at Kyogle, it derailed over the bridge.  This bridge is all scratch built, and the track was hand laid.  Upon closer inspection one rail had come loose over a considerable distance, no doubt due to the various hot days we have had lately and the track was only originally secured by Aquadhere.  It must have just popped.  So after the train cleaning train running had been completed and I turn track power off, I got out some track gauges, and placed them over the code 60 rails across the scratch built bridge and used super glue to try and secure the rails to the wooden sleepers.  Time will tell if this was successful.  But it held up through the Ops Session.

I had also been spending considerable time, adding wiring to the Future exhibition layout control panel.  I had added hundreds of wires to the various LEDs on the display board.

I tested a few things and some worked, some others didn’t.  Then eventually my Arduino Mega went up in smoke.  I ordered two more, but at a dearer price than the first one.  I discovered a few things.  While I await delivery of a new Arduino Mega, I have swapped in am Arduino Uno.  The issue is that my signalling program is too big for the Uno, so I had to comment out about 2 thirds of the code and variables associated with the Down track, Branch line and the Dual gauge while I do some debugging.

It appears that I need to add some external power supply to the Arduino, as well as all of the 16 port Port Expanders.  I also need to add some pullup resistors to the Port Expander I2C wiring.  So this has caused a redesign of the wiring layout inside the Control Panel.  So while this is being done, I will test some of the changes bit by bit.  I tried a few things and I am having issues with more than one device on the I2C bus from reporting its address.

I went to the shed on Friday morning during Lunch at the Cricket and gave all the locos in the remainder of the timetable a test run up and down their current siding location to ensure that they are all running.  I was also investigating what I might do to the troublesome point at Dutton Park and how I can get it throwing.  I have another Peco Right hand medium point, I also have a large radius Y point to replace it with.  I also have totally different point with no internal over centre spring in the switch from Micro Engineering (I think).  I picked up about a dozen of these at a buy and sell some time back.  I might try and make my own version of the Peco over centre spring and install that on the micro engineering point.

On Saturday morning as I was preparing to set up everything for the Ops session, like the BBQ, the urn and tea/coffee in the shed, etc., I saw I had some messages when two attendees had issues and could not appear as crew.  So that left us with just 6 drivers, North Coast Control and myself.  Kyle took control of North Coast Control and I think he did a pretty good job for his first time.  Barry was back after a long absence and he did a good job running trains.  Arthur was able to run 6 trains by himself during the session out of the about 25 that ran.  It should be realised that some of these trains can take well over 30 minutes to run from South Brisbane Interstate to Grafton Yard.  The other drivers were Geoff, Geoff, Bill and Greg. 

Kyle on North Coast Control.

Grafton Loops starting to fill up with trains.

The Gold Coast Motorail at Murwillumbah waiting for line clear to head to Lismore.

Just ahead of the GC Motorail, is the paybus, going flat out to get clear of the Motorail.

The Gold Coast Motorail eventually gets to Lismore Station.

There will be a couple of fix ups that need to occur following the session with a couple of wires coming off some track sections, and some additional signage will appear on some fascias.  One additional train that ran towards the end of the session was the XPT from Grafton to Cassino on a trial run.  This train is not in the Ops Session timetable, so it was an extra.  I guess those XPT critics - Marty, Glen, Clinton and PK will just have to see the various photographic proof and take the verbal acknowledgments from those present that this movement did occur.  I did have one slight issue with one XPT power car not wanting to run.  So I cancelled the consist, reset its address and re-added the consist and we were away.  basically the session ran pretty well.  Lots of question from the crew "How to I do this?".  "Where do I do this?", "I need some help here".  We completed the timetable, found a couple of locos that were not in the correct place and today I worked out that one train that was sitting in the Yard at Cassino, was mid route at the end of the previous session, but its timetable card was put in the completed list, not still running list last session.  So I finished it off today. 

The XPT is mid-section heading towards Cassino on a test run.

At Cassino, the XPT has arrived, and thus caused mayhem with the roads available.  Arthur has to take the back platform road as he is heading to the Branch.  he has just set the points at the far end of Cassino to allow a train coming through on the loop to exit back to the mainline on its journey south.

Just seconds later the mixed train is heading south through the loop.

"You can't take that track, I'm going to take that track!"  Geoff and Bill almost come to blows working out who gets the mainline.

These two got tangled up, between their throttles and headset cords.

Greg is running his steel train through the Border Loop main.  he happens to be overlength for this crossing loop.

This was going to be fun.  Two overlength trains arriving at Border Loop at the same time.  I think this is called a Geoff-off.  This is easily accomplished by using the two runoff roads on the loop.  

Today I have started work on a few suggested improvements and added some text to the fascia at Acacia Ridge Yard and Clapham Yard.  I also have some more text to add to the fascia under Fisherman Islands.  Yesterday afternoon at the end of the session, it appeared that I had an issue with a short in Power District 1 (Grafton Yard to Cassino) as it looked like I had low voltage in that area.  However when I turned the layout on this morning, I saw no remnants of this.  I also had an issue with a Bachmann tamper yesterday.  So I reset it today and it will not run.  All the lights work.  Just thinking now, it may be in a consist.  It runs well on DC, just not DCC.  I'll check it out tomorrow.

I have also updated my Operations Manual with some more thoughts and updated my Pre and Post Operations Checklists.  All in all a good day.  I will just go through everything this week, and ensure that the timetable is ready for the next iteration.

More Control Panel Progress

Again this week I have failed to get down to the shed, until just a few hours ago.  My time this week has mostly been taken up sitting in front of the idiot box watching the cricket.  When not doing that, I have been sitting on the computer churning out code on my Arduino to continue the signalling logic I am writing for my future exhibition Layout.  So the Signalman’s control panel for this layout is progressing.  I have the point control switches logic that are on the control panel and talking to the Arduino, working correctly when the switches are changed on the panel.  As I have this input being successfully read by the Arduino, I also included code that if someone tries to change a set of points on the mainline, and the various signals around that set of points are not set to stop first, then the points will not change, thus preventing a catastrophe on the layout.

I have wired up all the common returns from the control panel track detector indicator LEDs.  I have then written the code that when an infra-red (IR) detector senses a train over it, it reports this to the Arduino.  It also then illuminates the LEDs on the track control panel, showing where the trains currently are.  As the trains move past the IR detectors, the indicator LEDs extinguish.  These LEDs are white.  I currently have 5 temporary IR detectors connected back to the Arduino and this allows me to simulate a train running on the UP track though the monitored area and this is currently working well. 

I have started wiring the signals on the control panel, which will replicate the signals on the layout.  I started with the Up Line, to bring these back to the Arduino output boards that provide me with another 16 output addresses on each board.  I have configured five track signalling boards (of course not all out addresses are being used on these boards.  The boards are - one for the Up line, another for the Down Line, one for the Branch line, and two for the Dual gauge, (one for the DG UP and one DG DOWN).  I have another two boards configured for the White track LEDs for tracking the trains.

So everything looked like it was working.  I then moved the test Arduino off my workbench and installed it in the Control panel.  The amount of wires that I have set up in there is enormous.  Hopefully I will be able to trace issues back to the source if required in the future.

Early next week, I will fire up the Arduino in the control panel from a new power supply, and also have it connected back to my serial output (monitor) to enable me to trace how everything seems to be working in a full simulation of the UP logic for the layout.  The last item to complete is to install the various control panel switches and their outputs back to the Arduino.  These switches on the control panel allow the signalman to set and hold signals at stop so points in advance of the signal can be changed, and various shunt moves across the mainlines can be undertaken by train crews. 

This rabbit hole adventure has also taken another turn.  I think I will soon be installing a small 20 character per line by 4 lines LCD display on the control panel to give some form of feedback to the Signalman if he tries to do something when it does not fit with my logic.  I will enhance the Arduino code to display a message and these messages will probably scroll off the 4 line LCD display as more future messages occur.  I should get my LCD display from evilbay delivered just after Christmas.

So once I have the Up logic all tested, I will move to the Down track logic, followed by the Branchline track logic.  That will leave the two directions of Dual Gauge logic on the single line to be completed.

However, over the next few days I need to turn my attention to my upcoming Ops Session next weekend.  I will complete my layout notices, timetable notices, and then clean the track, remove various cobwebs in the shed, and clean some junk I have layout around following various building activities.  I will also test all the layout lighting strings, ensure the wifi is working inside the shed to keep Marty happy, and ensure that the fridge is well stocked.  I also need to wash the outdoor furniture again and clean out the pergola and the BBQ for next Saturday’s BBQ lunch.  The most important task is to remind the boss to buy some snags and afternoon tea goodies.

Today I had an antenna man come out and check out my various rooftop antennas.  It used to annoy me immensely that when a bird perched on my house antenna, I would get a really bad picture on the TVs inside the house.  So that has now been fixed.  My TV in the shed stopped working completely, and it became obvious to me why when the antenna man mentioned that the antenna was not facing the correct way.  So over time, various birds, and high velocity winds (and maybe the cyclone from earlier in the year) must have caused various trees to move the antenna away from pointing towards the TV stations on Mt Cootha.  However, when channel 7 moved from normal definition to HD a few months back, that channel stopped working altogether.  So I either need a new antenna in my shed, or a TV that handles HD.  More expense!  At least all the channels that are not HD are now working in the shed.

Late this afternoon, I started work on drilling holes in the baseboard at Sunnybank to allow me to install wire jumpers around all my points for the DCC track signal.

Hopefully next week I will have some photos of the Operations Session activities.  I might even have some photos of my working future exhibition layout control panel. 

Signal Control Panel Takes Shape

Well I still have not got down to the shed to work on the Sunnybank wiring,  I finally got my Arduino working with some additional output boards via the I2C protocol.  I found a Youtube video that had some sample code.  This video's version of the sample code had an extra parameter on the creation of the i2C board object.  Other versions of sample code did not have this.  So I added it and my board started working.  I have LEDs flashing controlled by a secondary board.  I have had a few more of my online purchases show up, but I’m still waiting for another.  It has been about 3 weeks since I purchased some DPDT switches, but I believe it may not have gotten shipped from China.  However, the seller reached out to me on Saturday. 

I have been working on my signalman’s panel.  I had installed all the track markings with coloured electrical tape.  I changed the colour of the tracks, Blue is narrow gauge, Black is standard gauge and Red is dual gauge.  I have also started installing all the LEDs into the signalman’s board, to replicate the signals from the layout.  I have purchased all the various red, yellow and green LEDs.  However, I was short quite a few white LEDs as the local Jaycar did not have any left.  So on my way to the Train Club yesterday for our Christmas Luncheon, I detoured to a local Jaycar on Gympie Rd.  They had my missing white LEDs.

When I got to the Club, I showed off my control panel.  It had quite a few inquisitive people hanging around the panel, understanding what it will be able to do.  I think I am creating interest for the layout.

I got a text out of the blue on Saturday arvo from an ex-workmate who lives in the next suburb.  He had a sting of cat5 ports that was in excess of his requirements, so I said I’d take it for my control panel interface to the various signals on the future layout.  He brought it around on Saturday evening, so I took him into the shed for a viewing.  I plan on using cat 5 cables from the control panel to each signal on the new layout.  The control panel will break out the wires in the cable to the various ports in the control panel for signalling and infrared detectors, etc.  I was quite surprised by the number of spider webs that have sprung up inside the shed in the last few weeks.  I can feel that they will all be getting a bad headache tomorrow when I give them a blast of spray.

Sunday morning I started installing the switches for the point indicator lights on the control panel.  These are 3PDT switches.  Two of the poles are wired in a crossover fashion, so switching the switch, reverses the polarity of the circuit and thus my Red/Green bi-colour LEDs will switch and the point indicators will toggle, showing which way the track is aligned.  These were all installed and connected to a power supply.  I added a resistor to reduce the voltage going through the LEDs.  They do exactly as I planned when I change the various switches on the control panel.

The Control panel with LEDs installed

This view of the panel has the mainline point indicators lit.  Toggling the switch causes the indicator lights to switch their colours.

I then installed the white LEDs into the track diagram, which will register the location of the trains as they go past a signal.  When they are detected, the white LED will light, and the red signal will light. 

It looks like that tomorrow’s activity will include installing the first few signals into the baseboard for the UP trackage into the control panel and I will use temporary IR detectors to simulate the movement of UP trains on the layout, and give the Arduino signalling code a good test.

Helping Bob and the Division

This week I was very slack and forgot to keep track of my various modelling activities.  On Monday I got an SOS call from Barnacle Bob and installing LED lights into his 1900 Class QR Railmotor.  We had previously worked on a process to build a chassis made from styrene to install his 12mm bogies into.  Bob had drilled out the various headlight and marker light holes in the railmotor shell and needed some help to wire up the LEDs.  We made arrangements to catch up on Friday at his place to check it out.  On Friday I explained parallel and series and we worked together install the two 0402 white LED headlights in series, the two 0402 white markers in series and the two 0402 red LED markers in series but in the reverse configuration to the white markers so only one came on when power was applied.  So these three pairs were wired in parallel.  We then built up the other end’s lights in the same manner and then joined both ends up.  So when the headlights and markers came on at one end, the red markers came on at the other end and the opposite happened when we reversed the polarity to the lighting infrastructure.  I think Bob was happy by the end of the work session.  These still had not been connected to the power pickups by worked off a 9V battery,

Earlier in the week a few of the Tuesday Nighters group were online on Tuesday night and had a good time.  One activity I did do in the shed was find all the items and tools I needed to take to the working bee on Saturday.  The cricket on TV sort of distracted me from a lot of other activities.  That is finished now, so I might have time for more modelling activities next week.

On Saturday I met up with a few other Div 1 workers and we continued to work on the modules for the Div 1 Freemo layout.  So we did some plastering, added scatter, some greenery, and then some fencing.  We also made our own split post fencing from kebab skewers and other 2.5mm pieces of dowel from a $2 shop that we cut up and them split them into individual fence posts.  These were then stained.  I think everyone there was working on the install of these fence posts.  Basically the comments being generated were about people learning new skills in the scenicing of the modules, so this was a great positive outcome.  Late on Saturday night, we again gate crashed the British Regions Brew and Natter.  Gordy forbade us from talking about the cricket.  Well I complied with this edict until I left the chat and posted a comment in the chat.  Hehehehe!

Another week has gone past, and I did not get to go to the shed to work on the Sunnybank Extension and the various track wiring in this area.  Perhaps this coming week.  I did however spend some time trying to get a piece of electronics that I picked up at Bob’s (a different Bob) on the previous Sunday, to work.  I could not get it to talk through its I2C protocol to light LEDs.  So I will have to wait until some more are delivered by mail (hopefully) this week.  The general consensus was that It might have been damaged or had a problem which was why it was lying about at Bob's.  I also have some other pieces of electronics also turning up this week.  These are needed for the new exhibition layout control panel and the layout.

More Layout Planning

Whilst I had plans of wiring up the Sunnybank section of the layout this week, I have not got down to the shed to do anything on that project this last week.  With the various storms and rain events early in the week, I just never got to the shed.  So this has now been pushed back as a task to be completed this coming week.

Tuesday we had a great turn out at Glen’s place for our Tuesday Nighter’s get together.  We watched his favourite 81 class locos circulating around the layout, as well as an 8 car electric.  We then adjourned to Glen’s front veranda and sat in the cool night air and watched the mandatory storm coming from the west get closer and closer.  We all hit the road as it came closer and I got home just before the storm hit.  However while I was there I was talking to Bob about Arduinos and adding additional addressable ports for my signalling.  He had a device that added 16 ports to an Arduino.  So I asked Bob to send me some sample code that allows us to access those extra ports.  I looked at using this instead of using 3 Arduino Megas for my signalling with the three Arduinos all locked together for inputs from the control panel and the layout.  When the sample code came through I did not understand everything in it.  Maybe I need to go back to introduction to programming, or my throw my newly finished IT graduate son at it.  He might get it more than me.  However with a few texts back and forth with Bob, we arranged to meet up at his place on Sunday and now I have a whole new understanding of how this will work.  Bob loaned me one of these extension boards and I will spend some time next week trying to get it to work with my Arduino Mega.  If I can get one or two LEDs working, that will be it, and I will order 5 more boards, and replace the one that Bob loaned me, and continue connecting up 3 of these devices to my Arduino Mega.  This will also work out a cheaper solution.

While the boss was out on Wednesday I unrolled the paper track plan for my future exhibition layout.  It went down the hall and I worked on throwing lengths of flex track, and various points that I already had in my kit bag onto the paper schematic to see how it looked.  I adjusted the locations of some of the trackage by an inch or two here and there, in order to make it look like it was flowing and everything fitted in.  I have worked out where the baseboard joints should be.  At this stage I have 3 x 2.4m modules and 1 x 1.2m module for the front of the layout.  I will be designing the next module or two that fits in behind the front modules or Tuesday or Wednesday this week when the boss is out and I won’t get in trouble for having stuff scattered all over the floor, creating a tripping hazard.  This next module is where all the sidings will be incorporated on the layout.

The northern end of the layout, with the dual gauge point and one of the two Tillig narrow gauge/standard gauge crossovers in place.  The green tweezers at the bottom of the photo is the baseboard join.

The next section looking south, with the sidings on the left and the branch on the right.

Going farther south.

This shot is where the sidings have a run around and the two main lines UP and DOWN have no track laid down for them as yet.

On Thursday I reserved an amount of 12mm track for today’s Buy and Sell.  I also arranged for a 12mm turntable for PK at the same time.  I went to the rooftop drinks on Friday and then to Shephen’s retirement drinks.  I think we will be convincing him to join our rooftop group next year.

Saturday was another full on train day.  I had to drop some fence posts off at Geoff’s work before he went home, and then went to an Operating Session at Anthony’s place.  This was a great time, as usual.  His staff machines really blow me away.  The layout runs well.  paperwork is excellent and the attendees are fun too, even if they go down the wrong tracks hey Iain?  However, some of the shunting required really tests your grey matter.

A nice fuel unloading facility.

A new stock race in place.

The train in track 2 was my first train of the day.  The motive power has already been removed and is heading to Loco.

My next train is leaving from the dock.

The combined staging on the layout.

My train awaits this train getting to the main station and clearing the section.

These magnificent staff machines now control access to the various sections of track on the layout.

Staging looking the other way.

The second last train of the day.

Garry has the last train of the day.

Today I went to the Buy and Sell and picked up 25 sets of 12mm points, and 8 sets of 16.5mm points.  I also scored 84 insulated joiners and a dozen lengths of 12mm flex track.  The cupboard continues to be stocked for the day when I hit the go button on the layout.