Arduino Code - Tick, Weathering HO Grain Wagons - Tick, Decodering N Scale Locos - Cross

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.

Layout Tours Galore

Saturday was the monthly NMRA meeting.  It started early with a pickup and travelling to Archerfield Airport, which will be the base for the day.  From there we visited Anthony’s HO Scale Southern Australian/Victorian Border Region layout.  Those attending for the first time got to run a train and got to learn how the car card system works.  Anthony had his Sheriff there (Brendan) helping.  From there we went to Malcolm’s place.  Also a South Australian layout (N scale) based on the areas between Belair and Murray Bridge Railway.  Malcolm also had two helpers.

We then headed back to base and a BBQ prepared by the help staff of Bob Tisdell’s airline company.  We then had our usual update from Paul and then it was a trip to two more layouts.  First was a stop at David’s Bakersfield to Tehachapi layout in a 6M x 9M shed.  Trains rose 1m above the base deck and were up to 8m long.  # locos, 19 wagons, 2 mid train locos and 18 more wagons and a van with 2 rear train pushers.  It had about 100m of track in its loop to loop track arrangement.  The running and sound was flawless, but scenery is yet to be completed.  We left then and visited Denis’s place just down the road.  Denis has West Ridge layout down stairs in the garage, which is impeccably sceniced.  Many mini scenes are ion this layout.  Upstairs in a bedroom is a British outline layout which was also impeccably sceniced, but trains are currently not running on this layout.

We then drove back to the airport, where we said our good-byes and then dispersed.

This morning was a similar early start, with Darren picking me up at 8:00am.  We drove to Brendan’s place, picked him up and then arrived at about 10:05am in Toowoomba for another day filled with layout tours.  First stop was Bill’s HO Tenterfield layout which is developing around his 6m x 6m shed.  After a viewing, we had coffees by our barista Smithy (who cannot count – he made 9 coffees for the 8 guys in attendance).  We then went over to Paul’s place about 2km away.  He had a shed, in which HO trains could be automated to depart staging and run around the layout and then return to staging.  They also can be manually controlled from his PC or from his Digitrax controller.  From there is was back to Bill’s for a BBQ lunch.  We then went across town and visited Steve’s place.  He has cleaned out his layout room and changed from HO Victorian, to O scale NSW since we were last there.  Currently he has all the track laid and kit building of locos is underway.  We also got to say g’day to Ben who was there all day and Doug who dropped in while we were at Steve’s place.

Following a drive back to Brisbane, I’m sure we are all railwayed out after 10 hours.  Darren had to drive to pick me up and then go home, so it was an 11 hour day for him.  What a great weekend!  

Model Feedback

This week I thought I would jump back into doing some modelling.  Well not quite.  I did make a few Filing Cabinets and 3 cubic meter Industrial Bins last Sunday, but that was it.  During the week I attached the coupler release bar to my NOCY.  I also then painted it with a small mico-brush.

Friday afternoon, following work, I started to look at my flashing or more correctly a flickering street light code in my Arduino.  I tried two versions.  The first one, was OK.  The second version I found on the internet was brilliant.  So I think that version will be what I use in my Arduino for Barnicle Bob’s layout.  I might even have to deploy it on my layout in a location or two.  My only concern is that in an ideal world, this code should be merged with my other flickering code in the Arduino.  However, it does not really lend itself to be merged in with other code in the Arduino that handles other random lighting functions.  I will try and see if I can merge the code.  If I can it will be brilliant. 

Yesterday I had a club meeting to attend.  I missed the meeting the previous month.  I loaded up my half completed wagons and hit the road.  At the Club I sat with Laurie McLean MMR and for a good hour going over my 6 wagons that I plan to present for my NMRA Master Builder Cars AP certificate.  I learnt a hell of a lot.  I also wrote a list of about 90 items on a 'to do' list across the 6 wagons.  The same suggestions were present on most wagons.  So that is about the next 4 months that it will take me to complete this body of work.  I might need to take a week or two of holidays to knock this list off.

Today I did not do anything model railway related except look for photos that I thought I had on an old PC.  The answer was no.  Bugger!  I might need to put the call out online for some photos of a wagon similar to NSW NZBF 1036 but the blue version of that wagon, with the crew seating on top at one end.  I’m not sure if it was NZBF 1041 or NZBF 1047, or maybe a different number all together.  But I would appreciate a copy of any photos of this wagon.

Catching up with Filing and Putting Stuff in the Bin

This week on Tuesday we went to our prodigal modeller, Shelton’s place.  He had been away for almost 6 months in Melbourne, but he is now back.  We had a good turn up.  He had done some changes to his track plan and more are in progress.  He has implemented a return loop.  We had previously suggested that he do this, but he said no.  However, after maybe a couple of years he has now added one to his trackage.  During the week, I searched through my articles and found the on eon 3 cubic meter industrial bins.  I started building some last weekend, But I was not certain I was building them the correct size.

This weekend again I had some great plans.  Saturday came and went and I did nothing.  Actually I went out to watch some kids and old boys football and rugby.  However, on Sunday I started to fire up.  I started by cutting up enough styrene for 8 more industrial bins.  The first 4 have been put together completely, and the next 4 just need the side attachments that the garbage trucks lift them up by.  I then cut up enough styrene to make another 10 filing cabinets.  These have been put assembled.  I then thought that I might try making two N scale filing cabinets.  So these have also been completed.

During the week, I noticed that the coupler release bar on one of my models had come adrift.  I had no idea where it is.  The plan was to also shape up some brass wire and drill some styrene mounting posts to the wagon, paint it and then start detailing the wagon with various accent colours.  However, it started raining on Sunday afternoon, so I thought it wise to not do any painting and weathering.  Maybe one afternoon during the week.  However, I have bent up the wire, and drilled holes in some 0.030” x 0.040” styrene, so the coupler release bar is ready to fit.  I might get around to do that later tonight.

Next Saturday is a Club meeting so I was planning on taking my model over to show off to Laurie, in the hope he would be in attendance.  I am after feedback after seeing the models up close instead of theoretical feedback, or via the computer camera over the internet. 

The next task is to rewrite my Arduino program for Shelton the Photographer.  But I cannot get motivated to get into that as yet.  I will see if I can start that during the week.  Next Sunday I will look at a couple of N scale locos that someone game me to install a decoder into.  I have previously mentioned that I had installing decoders.  And I do with a passion.

Another new task that is soon to hit the To Do list, is to paint Gordy and Marty.  I went halves with some postage with a mate after he said he was doing a miniprints order.  My share of the order was Gordy and Marty.  I have quite a bit of figurine painting to do.  But I’m sure both those figurines will take quite a bit of paint to cover them!