This week I struggled to get any motivation. I had plenty of opportunity to do some modelling work, but no inclination. However, I was planning to spend some time on Saturday looking at installing some decoders into two N scale Big Boys for an acquaintance. However, after work on Friday I thought I might get a head start. The first one I looked at, I could not get the motor out, so I could get to the underneath motor terminal. No chance in hell. I needed to do this in order to fit the decoder outputs to the motor. If I did this, I might have had to cut some loco frame away in order to place the decoder in the loco. There was talk from the owner that he wanted to set up some lights. That would have been extremely difficult. Especially back up lights, as they would have to go through the loco to the tender to reach the rear light. Not an easy job, and it would have meant that the loco and tender could not be uncoupled. At least upon testing the loco it ran quite well on DC power.
I looked at the second big-boy and the motor had a bind. I could not get it to turn. So that was a waste of time. Again I could not get the motor out of the frame. Given that the loco wasn't mine, I was hesitant to apply too much force and completely wreck it. Not getting the motor out of the frame, I could not determine if the bind was in the drive shaft, the front drive wheels, or the rear drive wheels. So that loco was put back into the box and items returned to the owner.
On Saturday I decided to test out the last bit of Arduino code the other week. This was for Bob and was for the Flashing Buoy and the Flickering Street Light. I worked out an alternate trigger for the street light circuit (it was so simple) I have no idea why it alluded me before now. I turned on the Arduino after uploading the code, and guess what. It worked first time. I could turn off and on the flickering street light and the flashing LED for the Buoy worked continuously.
My next step is to see if I can also incorporate the additional code for Shelton the Photographer into the same Arduino program. We will see how that pans out.
Sunday I decided to see what was happening at the Logan District Model Railway Club’s Open Day and Buy and Sell. I spoke to a few people there that I knew. I was certainly tempted to purchase some of the Australian outline items at Col’s second hand table. I was very tempted at the prices he was offering. I also was tempted by some other items at a couple of other stalls as well. But I held out. Later this afternoon I got some paints out and completed the last few touch up jobs I needed to tick off about 20 improvements to my two QR QGA wagons. I think they are pretty much complete now. I just need to fill in the paperwork for the competition entry for Rosehill. Who knows I might get two Merit awards – we can only hope.
Tuesday this week, we are off to Geoff B’s place for our fortnightly get together. We have not been there for quite some time. I should pick up a couple of ACCOs that were purchased on my behalf from Glen and a miniature Marty and Gordy from Geoff C.
No comments:
Post a Comment