2023 Ops Session Update

On Wednesday this week, I had the dirty Dozen rock up at my place for an Operations Session.  This was the largest roll up for some time.  It did not start well as the head set system which was tested a couple of days before went down immediately.  So we had manual correspondence back to North Coast Control, who was tracking who was where.  Apart from a new operator plugging into my Powercab slot and trying to control a train, most things went reasonable well.  I did find about a dozen KDs scattered in trees, in end loader buckets, etc.  And this, when there was no Marty present.  Feedback was that everyone had fun, but I felt that the session could have been better.  We ran about 25 trains.  Hopefully the layout will be the better for this session.

Various crew members

More crew relaxing post session.

Greg (left) did a wonderful job as North Coast Control

Following Wednesday’s Ops Session, I ventured down to the shed on Thursday afternoon.  I went looking for the locos mentioned in timetable cards, or those that we O-5-O’ed during the session that needed some more work on them.  I brought 6 locos up to the house (it was cooler up there) to be reset via the portable Powercab.  I then gave those locos a wheel clean.  While in the shed, I found that a few banana wagons where not in the correct place.  There were two in the Old Cassino Yard, instead of the Goods Shed Siding.  I have now updated the timetable card to mention the Rear Good Shed Siding, in lieu of the other track in the Old Cassino layout which has a building on it for transhipping goods to trucks.  The banana train was then seen in the Norco Siding at Murwillumbah instead of the Banana Siding at that location.  The Banana Siding is before the Murwillumbah Platform, while the Norco Siding is after the Platform.  They are quite some distance apart.  The diagram on the aisle fascia does identify these locations quite visually.

I also made some changes to the ballast train timetable card, as it said to ‘propel back from Cassino to the Bonalbo Ballast Siding’, then it said ‘await line clean by train No.6’.  I think it really needs to read, ‘Await Line Clear, and then ‘Propel back to the Ballast Siding’.  But the driver did not then fill the wagons with ballast.  Now I have to pay overtime rates to fill these wagons with ballast.  Maybe this was because the timetable card said to fill them with coal.  So that was also fixed up on the timetable card.

I did hit one of my Austrains 442 locos with a file to the cow catcher.  It was bottoming out when travelling through Fairy Hill Loop where there was a change in gradient.  So that has now been fixed.  I did also get some reports of a 44 class loco bottoming out in Lismore at the level crossing and the Fairy Hill level crossing.  More research needs to be done here.  I could not replicate that.

I did hear about issues at the Bruxner Highway Level Crossing.  But have not yet investigated.

I need a new sign to place underneath the Layout’s Powercab plug in point.  As a new operator plugged in his Powercab (acting as a Procab) there and then could not control any loco on the layout.  I did not realise where he was plugged into when I started to problem solve his issue.  After about 10 minutes of me getting very frustrated, as the train ran very well on the test session a couple of days earlier, I realised the cause.  I looked like a right big dork.  The problem had me thinking as every loco I tried from this operator’s throttle, did not work.  Which was very unusual. 

Another issue that I have not had before is that one operator using a WI throttle was trying to run my CPH set.  It was long address CPH 03 and CPT 051 in a consist.  The operator could not access long addresses under 128 on this throttle.  Surely that is not an issue with WI throttle?  That must be able to be done.

I did receive some feedback from some attendees and I have been going over some of these suggestions.  I did a clean up on a few more timetable cards.  This included changing the locos in a consist as one of my locos has totally died – or at least the decoder did.  So I’m now ready for the next printing of the timetable cards.  I think I need to have a copy of my layout Operations Manual available next to the timetable cards.

On Saturday morning I ventured over the Club via a local hobby shop that had a 10% sale on.  I picked up about $100 worth of styrene.  On the way home, I dropped into PK’s place and left him my Auscision Paybus.  He now has it running just like a bought one.  I then went to another Hobby Shop and cashed in a $50 voucher that, to my surprise the guys at work gave me, and I purchased some detail items for the layout.

On Saturday afternoon I completed three trains in the timetable that were almost at their destination but needed to do some shunting.  I also adjusted 2 trains were they were left in the wrong places. I then went about moving all the trains in the timetable to their location as at 8:25am in the timetable.  This involved with running 4 trains doing their shifts in about 30 minutes.  When doing this I tweaked another 4 or so locos with start voltage and headlight changes.  So next session will start at that time, with about 6 or 7 trains out in the layout.  Not part of the Ops Session, I found three joiners that needed a bit of a solder to make them work.  These were in Acacia Ridge Yard on the dual gauge trackage.  I also ground down some instances where there was different code track next to each other, e.g. Code 75 and code 100. 

I have plans for the beginning of this week.  This includes to look at the headset power supply.  Put up some more shelves above the light pelmets, as I was given a light box for Christmas so I need somewhere to store it.  I was also given a Bunnings voucher and purchased some stuff there today along with my Powerpass card discount for being an NMRA member.  You get up to 5% off on some items with Powerpass.  I have some clothesline to make along with some plastering and painting to do around Rocla Sleeper Siding and then some work on Kyogle Station Building.

Plenty to do while still on holidays and start off the new year.  Happy New Year everyone.

The rear well.  A few looking over Cassino

The crew are looking at Clapham Yard as others try to walk through this narrow aisle.

Crew checking out Acacia Ridge Yard

Geoff is doing the cement train shunt, sitting in the walkway.

The aisle showing the two staging yards.  Grafton Yard below right and Acacia Ridge yard on top on the right.  On the left is Lismore on the bottom deck, Kyogle (and Fawcetts Creek) next level up and Fisherman Islands on the top left.

Ops Session Preparation

Friday this week was the start of my holidays.  I went to the shed and started to tick off all the items on my 'To Do' list in preparation for next week's Operations Session.  I had three trains to complete the previous timetable, that was started a couple of years back.  These trains were run to completion.  Once that was done, I identified the various electrical maintenance changes that I needed to make around the layout.  The control panel at Murwillumbah had a wire off one of the buttons.  The control panel at Cassino also had the power supply wire off.  Both of these were reconnected.  I also reconnected the incinerator wire at Border Loop.  I also found a cold solder joint in Cassino Up Yard.  That was fixed along with the Down end points at Cassino Meat Works. 

Once that was done, I identified the locos that are needed to run on the first 50 trains in the timetable.  Each loco was tested up and back to ensure that it was working correctly.  Three locos needed a bit of a heart bypass.  Twenty nine locos were tested.  Nine other locos were also tested and these are classified at spare locos.  So if I have an issue on Wednesday, I can do a 0-5-0 swap of locos with one of these ones.  I also identified a dodgy power connection in Clapham Yard on the points between tracks 2 and 3 at the Up end.  This cold solder joint was also fixed. 

On Saturday, I also identified that following the relaying of the track through Grafton Yard earlier this year, some of the wire jumpers between tracks one, two and three were removed.  So unless the points were set for tracks two and three, then there was no power to the tracks.  The same was encountered for the lead to tracks 8-13.  All these power issues have now been remedied.  While working under the layout at Grafton Yard adding these jumper wires, I also pulled a wire off the staff circuit for Grafton Yard to Rappville Loop.  That was also easily reconnected. 

I also needed to clear the track.  The XPT was out at Lismore taking up a track.  It had to get back into its hiding place at Grafton Yard.  So I tried to give it a run, but one the power cars refused to move.  I reset its address on the Powercab and I had to recreate the consist between the two XPT power cars.  A minute later and the train was running back to Grafton Yard.  It had a couple of hiccups on route.  I really need to work out why the bogies keep coming off the track when it goes around a curve.  

During the evening, I got the mobile Powercab test track out, and took it into the house and tried to resurrect the decoders in the three locos that needed a hear bypass.  First one, a 442 class loco would not run.  I put DC power (9V battery) direct to the motor and it ran.  So I did a full reset of the decoder, gave it its address again and voila.  It ran.  I cannot get my Auscision Paybus to acknowledge that it has an ESU stay alive inside it.  Either the ESU stay alive is dead, or there is a cold solder joint on the connection to the decoder.  The other locos I tried, was a 48 Class.  I’m not sure what brand it is.  Maybe a Trainorama.  But I let the smoke out.  Bugger.  I will pull it apart later tonight or early tomorrow and see what I can find.

Early on Saturday before it got too hot, the yard was mowed, then later that night a rather severe burst of weather came through and we got quite a lot of rain.  There were a few branches down up and down the street, but luckily no issues at my place. 

Today I went to the shed and placed the rail paybus and the 442 class back onto the layout ready for their part in the upcoming session.  The 'To Do' list is getting rather short now.  The last few things I needed to do, was to identify why the staff machines from Cassino to Fairy Hill were not working.  The first thing to check was to determine if they were getting power from the track.  The first power supply was converting the DCC to 12V DC.  I checked three staff machine locations and they were all good.  I got to the fourth and a wire was off the DPDT switch behind the panel.  So that was repaired and Voila, that section is now working.  Next task was to check the head set plug in points and their power supply.  All plug in points worked upon testing.  Brilliant!

Everything is basically set before the Ops Session next week.  I'm sure I can find some things to do on the layout before then over the holiday period.

Track Has Been Cleaned

My plans for an early Friday with some time spent in the shed were cancelled after a major incident at work.   I worked a full day.  Saturday morning I was able to get down to the shed and start running my track cleaning train around the layout.  I started at Grafton Yard and ran through to Cassino.  I went up and down all the sidings at that location before heading onto the branch and going to Murwillumbah.  I ran back to Cassino and then headed north and ended up getting to Fairy Hill where the train laid over for the night.  I had to get then get ready to attend my daughter’s graduation in the Convention Centre. She graduated with first class honours. 

Sunday after an early breakfast with the family at a local cafe to celebrate the graduation, I could not get motivated.  As lunch was called in the cricket, I headed to the shed.  The track cleaning train continued its way north.  It went to Acacia Ridge and only went through track 1.  It then proceeded to Clapham yard, where a tested some points and it cleaned tracks 3 and 4.  Tracks 1 and 2 have trains on them.  The train then continued to South Brisbane Interstate and went through the first 5 tracks.  It also visited the next 3 tracks and cleaned the first part of those sidings, as there were wagon stored at those locations.

The train then back tracked to Dutton Park and then made its way into Fisherman Islands Track 1.  I will eventually (maybe one night this week when it is cooler), go up and down the three standard gauge tracks and the dual gauge track in Fisherman Islands Yard.

I have identified that I have about two wires off from some control panels and various electrical items.  I also identified where there is a bad power supply to a couple sections of track.  This is a track in Cassino Yard and the siding at Cassino Meatworks.  The track joiners have stopped transmitting power.  When I wired the track, I didn't have droppers to every piece of track, but to about every 3 pieces of track, which was about every10 feet.  So in some locations I can touch the join with a soldering iron and fix those power links up.

But I still have to clean my loco wheels and test the headsets and my staff sections.  I know that I have one staff section not working, from Cassino to Fairy Hill.  So I have one wire coming adrift from one of the 6 staff locations on this section, which I need to find.  Just getting around and testing each location will keep me busy another night this week.

2023 Modelling Competition

Well this last weekend was the 2023 RMCQ Modelling competition and Christmas party.  I got there just after 10:00am and there were some tables already set up for the modelling comp entries.  So I put me entry in.  Soon the complete list of entries were being registered and the swarm of club members who wanted to see what was on offer grew.  OMG!  There was some pretty good models on offer.  There were only two rules.  The entry was to be a diorama of 6” x 6” and it must have some track on it.  We did not care what gauge it was.  We had entries in 1:12, G scale, O scale, S scale, HO scale, N scale and Z scale.  In HO we had 12mm and 16.5mm track.

At the appointed hour, every members had the opportunity to vote First Second and Third and place their entries in the bin.  Our organiser then counted up the votes.  There was hush over the Club as the wining names were read out.  Peter Akers was the winner with his N scale automated tram layout.  Yes an operating tram on a 6” x 6” module.  Second place was the Z scale entry from PK.  It was a scene with lots of Z scale items, truck, tractor, wagons, bear, sheep, fencing, trees, lots of small stuff.  You really needed a magnifying glass to see some of the small stuff.  It was a tie for third.  It was two entries from the same person.  Ken Howard had his S scale wagon being unloaded in a siding, and the other entry was a HO scale station abandoned building with a family taking photos of it.

Great effort by the members.  I think it will be same again next year.

After that we had our Christmas Party.  $5 and it was great.  Ham and chicken with some salad followed up with some plum pudding with custard and cream.  I was full.  Did I mention $5.  Great job by those placing orders for the food and the plates we used.  I’ll be back next year.

Now for some photos of the entries.

A section of abandoned G scale track

A piece of 6' x 6' tiled floor with three 4' x 2 modules under construction. a few tools are there and the first pieces of track have been laid and the gauge is about 1.4mm with is a module of HO track in a 1:12 world.

The backyard view

A water way under the 12mm track

A wagon with a load.  The building had lights.

Peter's winning Tram

Now the tram is at the other end of the layout

Some animation.  A dog with a tail waging.  The guy next to the dog had his wobbly boots on.  The other two guys had passed out.  Must have been some good stuff they were drinking.

Pk's second place entry with the Z scale mountain.

N scale track with a loco that had seen better days.

Thomas with some bad eyes.  The lava in front of the track was scary

Keb's 3rd place S scale unloading scene

Ken's other 3rd place entry in HO scale.

A very nice HO scale entry with a 12mm item of rollingstock.

The whole list of entries lines up and being meticulously studied by club members,

Christmas is in the Air

This week I had a few Christmas parties to attend.  Wednesday was our team at work.  We went to lunch in town and then did 2 games of bowling.  I won the second game.  Friday was the social Club Christmas party.  Our table was small in number but we had a good time, even though a storm came barreling in while we were on the roof.  Yesterday was the NMRA Christmas Party at the Monier Hotel.  Just under 40 people turned up and had a good meal, some chat and maybe a refreshment or two.  That is a nice way to end the year.

Today I did a small amount of work on laying some track on my 1:12 module.  That module is of a HO scale 4’x 2’ layout module.  Track gauge is works out at about 1.3mm.  It is hard to lay track in that scale.  It was just as hard trying to make the sleepers and paint them, and then attach them to the baseboard.  This module is due to display next Saturday at my Club’s annual modelling competition and Christmas BBQ.  I still have a few items to complete, and that leaves most nights next week to do it on.  I also have Friday afternoon following work.

After that event, my focus turns to cleaning up the shed and preparing for an Operations Session on the layout after Christmas.  I have a truck load of activities to attend to.  Some plastering of some new scenery needs to be completed and then painted and if time permits scenery put on top, track cleaning takes a good day, loco wheel cleaning with my new test rig, ensuring the timetable cards are all there, cleaning the North Coast Controller’s desk, and testing the headsets.  There is also about a dozen other items on my To Do list as well.  These other items are quite long in duration to complete.  So I will have only about 8 work days left to complete these tasks.

Invitations have gone out for the Ops Session and already I have 9 replies.