Friday Operations Session Breakdown

I cleaned up around the yard on Monday before heading to the shed in the afternoon.  It was overrun by ants.  I think I then committed ant-genocide with some fly spray.  When I went back down to the shed on Tuesday morning, I saw that I left the layout switched on overnight.  Whoops!  When I got over to Old Cassino, I saw a loco and its carriages on its side.  I have no idea how that occurred.  I tested the phone systems between North Coast Control and Grafton Yard/Acacia Ridge Yard.  They were working.  I must have fixed that loose wire a while back.  I did not remember fixing the wire, but I did remember that there was a loose wire to be fixed. 

Every time I sit down and relax, I think that today is Saturday.  I don’t know how many times I thought that over the last week.  Every day I think.  After lunch on Tuesday I vacuumed up all the dead ants and most of the stuff on the floor.  I continued running my track cleaning train from Hothan Street at Cassino through to Acacia Ridge Yard.  It ran through both tracks - the main and loop in each crossing loop.  I decided to splice in a new siding in Acacia Ridge Yard and that is where the Track Cleaning train can stable at this end of the layout.  The track and the point have been sitting in this location for about 6 weeks.  So it is finally installed.  I wired around the point and gave it a test.  All working.

On Christmas Morning I went to the shed while the cook was busy preparing lunch.  I continued the track cleaning activities.  I continued to run the track cleaning train from Acacia Ridge Yard all the way to South Brisbane Interstate.  I then ran the track cleaning train back to Cassino, where it then went on a trip to Murwillumbah.  It then ran back to Grafton Yard and was stabled.  I need to put new Chux rolls on my knurled steel track cleaners.  These ones are absolutely disintegrated.  I then tested a few locos.  One 44 class loco was replaced as the wheels need regauging.  I went through the timetable cards for the next 40 trains and everything is where it needed to be.  I got a new hot water urn for Christmas.  So that was positioned in the shed and tested.  Late in the arvo, after a great lunch, I started cleaning up the shed a bit.  Now North Coast Control has somewhere to sit.  I found out that the ‘shunt list’ cards were missing.  That sent me in a spin.

Boxing Day was clean the table, chairs and pergola day.  This was because Friday was Operations Session Day.  Well didn’t that start up well?  Not!  The headsets did not work after I previously tested them.  The one headset I picked up to test the system on Friday was not working, that was why I could not get any sound out of it.  I picked up another set and they were working.  Then North Coast Control’s headset was not working.  We just yelled out to NCC.  Marty could not get his ubeaut TCS wifi throttle to work on my wifi.  Operator error I think.  Eventually he got it going.  But it would not work in the back aisle (Cassino) of the shed.  I have since relocated my Wifi-trax WFD30 wifi plug in to above the backdrops so the layout decks do not affect transmission.

In the Ops Session, eventually two manually controlled points broke, when the wire through the central hole, from the actuator came out.  Following the initial layout hiccups, things ran much better.  Not perfectly, but better.  26 trains were run and 24 cans a couple of tea/coffees were drunk.  So today I fixed one of those points.  I identified where I need more lighting over Acacia Ridge Yard and eventually Rocklea Siding I think as well.  I have created an attack plan for all the minor improvements.  I will chip away at these over the next week.  One item that was mentioned a few times at the Ops Session, is that as we all get older, we can no longer read the original timetable cards.  So today I rewrote them to be A5 in size for each train timetable card.  They were previously A6, 4 to an A4 sheet.  Now they are only 2 to a sheet.  I’ve also fixed up some more text on the timetable cards, trying to be more descriptive.  I’m also thinking that I need to make changes to my shunt lists.  Currently I print them one to an A4 page.  I will look into printing them two to a sheet of paper.  During the Ops Session, there were the same questions asked.  That is the address of the 5 digit loco numbers.  The answer is the last 4 digits.  That was why I sent out the Operations manual to everyone one a few days before the session to re-acquaint themselves with the layout and provide a list of changes made since the last Ops Session.  Everyone has been given remedial homework post session.  Marty has responded that he read his homework.

Sprung!  Darren taking a photo of NL3 arriving on the back platform road at cassino heading to Murwillumbah.

Old Cassino was chockers.  Trains everywhere.

At old Cassino, the driver of Number 14 (Darren) waiting the driver of number 11 (Marty - you can tell by the big gut) to clear the main line, so #14 can continue to Cassino and onto Grafton Yard

Border Loop is full of Railmotors.  What is the collective noun for railmotors - a toot?

The driver of the fruit express (Glen) on Cougal Spiral, heading towards Border Loop and then onto South Brisbane Interstate.

Geoff running the ARHS CPH railmotor tour past Rocklea Sidings heading to South Brisbane Interstate.

Geoff caught in the headlights once more continuing through Clapham Yard towards South Brisbane Interstate.

North Coast Control almost asleep at the Controls

Following the session - North Coast Control's desk (my beer though).

Half the Crew

The Other Half

Clapham Yard following the session.  Nothing on the standard gauge tracks.  They were all full before the session.

On Saturday I checked out a Digitrax DS64 that Marty was looking at.  Many years ago I used to buy these to control four point motor outputs.  I have quite a lot of these, maybe 15 (maybe more) on the layout.  A mate also has many more than I do.  A number of years back, we sent two DS64’s back to the US for fixing (one each).  My mate’s DS64 came back and worked, mine was still stuffed when it returned.  At that stage I could have snotted the person that did not fix my DS64, but returned it anyway.  It was not cheap to send these DS64s twice across the Pacific.  Anyway, a couple of years on, I now use NCE QSnaps instead of DS64’s.  Anyway, a couple of weeks back, I gave my DS64 to Marty to have a look at it.  He did and could not fix it.  He returned it on Friday at the Ops Session, but he said if I remove two transistors from the output 1 circuit, the other three outputs should work.  Components were getting very hot in the Output one circuit, so no doubt something was cactus.  Thanks for trying Marty.  So on Saturday I removed the two transistors and then tested the outputs on address 2.  It worked.  Brilliant I had a place for this point controller.

Today I had a list of work tasks to be done that was quite long.  I did none of those tasks, and did a whole different list of items when in the shed.  I have started installing posts on Acacia Ridge Yard to support the future layout lighting structures at this location.  Now sitting back thinking about it, I might actually change were I have installed them and have them come out from the centre of the blobs, and hang over to the front of the layout, instead of being at the front of the layout.  More thought on this topic tomorrow.

I installed the modified DS64 today at Grafton Yard, where the main point that directs traffic around my Reversing Loops to the In or Out direction was automated.  I also motorised the next point on the Out side, that directs traffic from all the dead ended tracks (where trains reverse into here), or from all the return loops Out tracks.  I have about 7 of these single ended (dead end) tracks.  These two points are running on DS64 outputs 3 and 4 and are working well.  So I can automate these in the future when I add my CTC to Grafton Yard to Cassino.  One more point at Cassino will also be motorised, maybe tomorrow.  I have an NCE Snap-it for this task.

Happy New Year everyone.

Operations Session Preparation

The clock is ticking and the upcoming operations sessions are getting closer.  A huge amount of work has been completed and much more still needs to occur.  A control panel for Cassino for the eventual automation of the Main to Back Platform Road point was installed and connected up to Loco Pilly NCE Mini Panel.  That will be coded up tomorrow.  Future plans for 2025 is to install CTC from Grafton Yard to the southern end of Cassino, just like was installed in the real Cassino in 1991.  That will mean that North Coast Control will then have control of all the points in that section and he will also be able to see where the trains are.  The staff machines for these sections will then be withdrawn.

The panel for Yeerongpilly narrow gauge loop was installed, tested and is working.  This included running wires from Yeerongpilly to Dutton Park, and then along the Fisherman Island branch as that was the nearest NCE Mini Panel with spare slots for automation of the panel push buttons.  The Fisherman Islands NCE Mini Panel was coded up with the new commands.  A Panel for Park Road’s narrow gauge loop was also installed, wired run to the South Brisbane Mini Panel and that was coded up.  The various panels for the Dutton Park panels at the three side of the Wye, (angle in QR parlance) still need to be thought through.

The narrow gauge trackwork at South Brisbane was finalised, and nailed down.  Power was also added to the end of the tracks, at the far end after the points and all trackwork is now live and runnable.  This track was all tested.  I also tested the running of trains through the Dutton Park junction, with both narrow gauge and standard gauge all working.  I had a cold solder joint that caused the dual gauge crossing to not work for standard gauge trains.  The power feed to my manual reversing switch was fixed and it all works like a bought one now.  Ideally I will eventually have an auto-reverser for this task. 

I have started track cleaning with the section from Grafton Yard through to Hotham Street level crossing at Cassino completed.  It look me about 5 minutes of searching around the layout to find the track cleaning train.  But it was sitting at Grafton Loco in a track there hidden.

I have written up my Train Notices for the next Ops Session and it also gives some background information as to what has changed since the last Ops Session whenever that was.  Maybe last December.  I sent a new copy of my Operations Manual to a couple of new attendees.  All other attendees will geta copy this week.  I’ll have to issue a test to ensure that they actually read the instructions.

On Saturday the Tuesday Nighters ventured over to the northside of Brisbane and PK’s place to check out his airconditioned shed and drink his coffee and eat his biscuits and chips.  During the week, I also placed an order for some more 12mm bogies, which I am hopeful will be posted from oversea tomorrow.  That means potentially a delivery just before or after New Year’s Day.

I’m also looking at doing a bit more work on my double doors in the Cassino Refreshment Room.  It looks like I have 5 doors which are the exact size of the required doors.  That saves me making them.

More Shed Work and Club Christmas Party and Modelling Comp

The heat was oppressive on Monday.  Infact it was oppressive all week, although I did get around to mowing my lawn.  On Monday I went to the shed and placed my newly purchased points from the previous weekend's model railway show where they were to be installed.  But the heat got to me so did not stay long.  I sent out my email calling for operators for my next Operations Sessions.  I have also started writing up my layout notices for the upcoming Operations Session, so attendees know what has changed, etc.

Tuesday night we went over to Barnacle’s place and there were 15 of us there.  He put on a great Christmas spread.  That is our last get together for the year.

On Thursday I went to the shed for a short time and installed all the trackage for the end of South Brisbane.  I’m thinking that I need to move it north by about 1.5 inches, to provide greater clearance around a post holding up the baseboard lights in that area.  But it reduces the space in the headshunt.  

Saturday was the my train Club's Christmas Party.  Last year the modelling comp was very well represented, this year however, only three entries were submitted.  But they were all very good.  We had a great afternoon with lunch provided and a few raffles drawn.  As usual, I did not win anything.  Now, while I had prepared to put an entry in for the modelling comp, I never completed my entry, so I can't complain about the lack of entries.  But congratulations to those that put their models in.

In the Master's category, this was the winner.

This entry even had a painted out the back of the building painting the walls with a roller.

This entry was the winner in the Apprentices Category.

While at the Club I was taking orders for some more 12mm bogies that I will get from OS.  So far the order is getting quite sizable.  That will be placed early this week, and hopefully shipped from OS before Christmas, and we should get them before New Year.

I have had lots of events to attend to this last week, and some more this next week.  I will need to turn my attention to cleaning the tracks, cleaning loco wheels and ensuring the headsets and phone systems are also working optimally prior to the Ops Sessions.  I still have plenty of modelling activities to dive into, but I might have to put them on hold until after the preparation tasks for the upcoming Operations Sessions have been completed.

12mm Motor Bogie Rocked Up and It Passed Its Test

Monday was the day to fix a few minor items on the layout.  I started by adding extensions to the three wires on my control panel just south of Dutton Park.  This will control the standard gauge point setting it to either to Fisherman Islands or South Brisbane Interstate.   I then attached the panel to the layout fascia.  I tested the panel and it threw the point at Dutton Park.  I then moved the staff machines for the sections Clapham Junction to Dutton Park, Dutton Park to South Brisbane Interstate, and Dutton Park to Fisherman Islands, all were moved out to the front of the fascia.  I had built out the narrow gauge track in front of the old location of the panels.  I left room for the next panel for the Dutton Park narrow gauge section.  When I eventually get some push buttons to arrive, I will build this panel.  However, upon testing the staff machine for the Dutton Park to Fisherman Islands, the indicator light would not light.  I toggled the switch at the Fisherman Islands end and it then lit up.  I then switched the Dutton Park panel and worked out that the problem was going to be a loose wire at the Dutton Park end.  So I pulled it apart and re-soldered that bad wire.  All good now, working like a bought one.  One other thing I noticed was that the Staff sections in Power district 4 all came on this morning.  This stuff just confuses me sometimes!  So my next task was to run a standard gauge train from Dutton Park to Fisherman Islands through the dual standard gauge/narrow gauge crossovers.  I set the switch to standard gauge and the train stalled.  It worked out I had a cold solder joint on the track.  So I re-hit it with teh soldering-iron and all good now. 

I went upstairs and started work on the various changes to the Operations Manual for Cassino.  It has included the various new sections of track, and I have also documented the various new staff sections now, discussed the various auto reversing sections which were not mentioned in the previous version of the document.  I have also added a whole section on procedures for passing through Dutton Park.  I also made a space for the future trackage to Sunnybank.

Following lunch I went back down to the shed and installed various jumpers so I should now be able to run a train all the way into platforms 1 and 2 at South Brisbane Station.  Gee it was so stinking hot in the shed, both in the morning and the afternoon.  The humidity level had to be above 90%.

Tuesday was going to be delivery day.  I had ordered a 12mm power bogie and 12mm dummy bogie from Germany for my QR 2050 class scratch built railmotor model.  The package was dispatched 7 days ago and was due to turn up late Tuesday.  I was following the tracking information and all I knew was that it was in Brisbane.  Out of the blue, it rocked up at lunchtime.  I removed the packaging and applied a 3V power supply to the motor bogie.  It ran.  I then applied an old 9V battery and it still ran.  I took the bogie down to the test track in the shed and gave it the full 12V treatment.  It ran very well.  I was then perplexed as to how I would affix the bogies to my 12mm railmotor model.  I quick google search revealed how.  They also said what types of styrene to use.  I did not have any of those sizes.  Bugger!

So I rigged up a bogie frame for the dummy bogie, and it clipped in and clipped out and I was pleased.  I then thought I would build another bogie frame, this time for the power bogie.  I did that, attached the two bogies together by a stiff 5mm square styrene rod about 8 inches long and then put that on the test track.  It ran!  I then had to wonder how I would then transfer this frame from a prototype into my scratch built railmotor.  Hmmm!  I decided to cut out the current base (floor) of the railmotor and I would slip the frame inside from below.  This was so I could get the model sitting at the correct height above the track according to my QR plan.  I had to add some packing to the inside of the model to lower the model closer to the track.  Two x 1mm strips was enough and I was happy with the heights obtained.  I started with the rear of the model and first to install was the motor bogie.  I then thought I could start working on the front bogie.  But there were difficulties.  Some bright spark decided to add the internal walls of the railmotor model and internal doors.  Guess where the bogie was to go?  You guessed it!  So bit by bit, I removed the floor of the model.  I decided to sleep on it until Wednesday.  I continued work on the floor removal and I then had to remove about 3mm from the bottom of the internal components.  I added two x 1mm spacers were again in order and I could slip the bogie support frame inside.  Just like a bought one.  I gave it a test on the kitchen table, but it was a bit light on its feet.  So I added a strip of lead between the bogies underneath the model between the two bogies.  I then added a small amount of lead to each end of the model and it now runs acceptably.  Just before lunch I added the rear exhaust stack to the model and then added the front cow catcher.  I also drilled a couple of holes for where the headlights and marker lights could go, if I choose to fit them in the future.  I then took the model to the paint shop.  It got a coat of silver. 

The two 12mm bogies as delivered sitting on my Computer.  I cannot believe how small the motor is.

The dummy bogie in its cradle.

The power bogie in its cradle.

The two bogies joined by a styrene bar.

The next step was to attach wires to the bogies and work out how I would get the wires from underneath to the decoder.

The next step was to fit a decoder that I had to remove from a model that someone wanted to buy without DCC installed.  So I got a donation of an old NCE D13SRJ decoder.  Fitting the decoder was very easy.  I’ve been running the railmotor back and forth.  No lights have been fitted as yet.  I have had to do some very light surgery under the loco so the drive shafts do not hit the underside of the railmotor as it goes over various bumps in the track.  I did a bit of a gouge to the floor. 

Saturday and Sunday was when the RMCQ was holding their Model Train Exhibition at a sports complex at Brendale, which was not that far from the clubrooms.  I attended both days and did some modelling on the NMRA stand.  I was accompanied by a few other members.  Was it hot!  That is an understatement.  Quite a few other attendees from some clubs were also NMRA members.  I picked up some more Peco 12mm points so I can now complete the trackwork at South Brisbane Station, and then I will also complete the wiring activities.  On both days I was allowed to steal some running time on the brilliant 12mm layout Walloon run by the Logan District Model Railway Club.  My QR 2050 railmotor did about 4 laps on Saturday and 1 and a half on Sunday.  The main achievement is that the motor bogie looks very usable for many other QR Railmotor models.  We will work next weekend to put together a bulk order.

Dutton Park is Working

On Tuesday morning, I spent some time working on two troublesome points in Rocklea Siding that were not throwing.  The first point a standard gauge one, had its point motor replaced and all was now good.  Attention turned to a narrow gauge point that also would not throw.  I replaced the complete point.  Re-attached the point motor and everything was now working.  Damn Stiction.  I hate it.  In the arvo on Tuesday I did some track installation at South Brisbane.  I finally installed the first set of points in the run around for platforms 1 and 2. 

On Wednesday morning I ventured down to the shed and soldered a few wires to the bus around South Brisbane.  So I can run train further in that area now, but not down to teh run aaround area yet.  In the afternoon, I started recoding the Mini Panel located at Loco Pilly.  I realised that I needed to run a single wire all the way from there to the Panel for Rocklea Siding.  I also needed to add an extra push button to that panel to set the points for the narrow gauge Sunnybank branch when it gets installed next year.  I tested the new updates to the Mini Panel and the push button and all are working well.

The plan was to install the new trackwork at Dutton Park, but I have lacked motivation to install it.  Access is a royal pain...  I was planning on doing it Tuesday, then Wednesday, and then it was going to be Thursday but the wife and I went into town to see my daughter in court doing her thing.  Friday I did not get motivated to do anything either.

Saturday was NMRA Christmas Party at the Monier Hotel.  There were about 30 people there.  A great meal and some good conversation.  When I got home, I bit the bullet.  I went down and started installing the pointwork at Dutton Park.  Just because of where it is located, and the reach needed from the various aisles, it was a tough job.  After about 3 and half hours, I had all but the last piece of track installed.

Sunday morning I installed that last piece of track.  Attention then turned to see if I had created any shorts.  First the standard gauge was tested.  Second the marrow gauge was tested.  While I had no shorts, I had some dead track sections.  I worked out what sections had to be jumpered around the insulated joiners on points.  I tried to run trains through the dual gauge crossovers and the trains just stalled.  I thought that they might coast across before I could afford an auto-reverser for the crossovers.  So I had to wire up a DPDT switch that I set to either narrow gauge or standard gauge for trains to travel across.  I have only tested the narrow gauge sections so far. 

A view looking south towards Dutton Park where the tracks junction to Fisherman Islands on the left and towards Park Road and South Brisbane on the right.

Looking north as the trains approach Dutton Park

This view from Fisherman Islands with the 'Y' to Park Road for the narrow gauge.

Now I need to start testing all the point motors. Initially the two at the southern end of Dutton Park, and the ones for Fisherman Islands branch to Park Road for my ‘Y’ and the two at Park Road station can be tested but I do not have a DCC Controller to permanently connect them to.  I do have a spare Snap-it that the point motors can connected up to, one point motor at a time to see if they work.  That will be next week's job.

This is a view of Park Road with the QR SX set approaching the station.  Next week this train will move into South Brisbane and I will test the power supply here to make it operational.

During all this track work, I accidentally pulled off some track bus wires and some wires to some control panels.  This will be Monday’s job to re-attach.  I also have an issue with two of my staff machines sections.  They are not powering up.  I am thinking that it is related to a wire I bumped in my building process.  Again a job to investigate next week.  Also track power will be tested in South Brisbane next week.

Track Laying Continues

On Monday we travelled back from Armidale towards Brisbane.  First stop was the bakery at Glen Innes and then to Rohan’s place to check out on progress on his layout.  We actually picked up Rohan from his business just out of town and took him home.  A few of our group had not seen this magic layout and were gobsmacked.  This layout continues to get better.  A great way to lose lots of time, is watching trains on Rohan’s layout and checking out his fantastic scenery.

Tuesday was a trip to my local Bob Jane T-Mart to book in the car.  I picked up a screw in my travels the week before our Armidale Trip and it played havoc with us.  I had to fill the tyre up each day.  Wednesday it was fixed.

On Tuesday and Wednesday I completed all the track work at Rocklea Siding and have been running narrow gauge and standard gauge trains through the area for a shake down.

On Thursday I started work on the relaying of the Fisherman Islands branch and adding benchwork from Park Road to Dutton Park.  I made a trip to Bunnings for another sheet of 12mm ply on Friday.  Before lunch I cut in the north fork of the Wye from Fisherman Islands Branch to Park Road.  On Thursday it dawned on me that I needed to add an auto reverser to the section from Dutton Park north to South Brisbane.  I think I will wire all the trackwork north of the wye points onto the auto-reverser (when I buy one).  That way I only have one train entering the reversing section and it is long enough for my longest narrow gauge train.  I was thinking on putting the auto-reverser in the small leg from the points between Fisherman Islands and the points at Park Road.  But I could have a train longer than that section.  Alternatively I could have made the whole Fisherman Islands Power district an autoreverser, but I could have many locos sitting in that section.  I thought electrically, it would be simpler making the Park Road to South Brisbane narrow gauge section the auto reversing section.

It was very wet in the afternoon of Friday so I did not go to the shed.  I just watched the cricket on TV.  Saturday I went to Jaycar and bought some wire for the bus for Dutton Park to South Brisbane narrow gauge section.  I then installed that bus for the auto reversing section.  At the moment, the power is controlled via a DPDT switch set to either Dutton Park, or Fisherman Island on the panel.  I also relayed the track from Fisherman Islands back out to Dutton Park.  I also laid the track from Fisherman Islands to Park Road and installed the northern leg of the wye.  So in theory I can now run a narrow gauge train from South Brisbane to Fisherman Islands. 

So on Sunday afternoon, I ran that test train.  However, when I turned on the track power I had a short in the newly laid section.  I traced back some wires, and sure enough, I had attached the track feeders to the wrong bus wire on the last wires I connected.  So these were swapped and I then ran a train from South Brisbane to Fisherman Islands.  I realised that I need to attach a few more feeders around the Fisherman Islands branch as I had removed some of the old dual gauge track which had power feeders attached.  But I have trains running.

I then added some extra benchwork through Dutton Park to take the extra narrow gauge tracks.  At this stage the relaying of the track through Dutton Park is next on the to-do list.  That is maybe Monday or Tuesday’s job.

This is the new narrow gauge trackwork at the northern end of the wye from Park Road to Fisherman Islands.

This is the other end of that wye connection at the Fisherman Islands branch.  The narrow gauge crosses over the standard gauge at this point.

Turning to the left, we see the two tracks that now go into Fisherman Islands Yard.  Originally these two tracks joined up just outside the yard and were dual gauge towards Dutton Park and all teh way to Clapham Yard.

The remaining section.  This is the old Dutton Park junction, which will not be two tracks in each direction.  This will be relayed next week.

I am also working on the wiring diagram if I ever get around to removing the staff sections from Grafton Yard to Rappville and Rappville to Cassino.  These sections would be replaced with a CTC panel monitored from a laptop used by North Coast Control.  I would also remove the head set plug in points at those locations.  To do this I need to build about 14 or so track detectors.  I would also have to ensure that the first, last and middle wagons on every train are fitted with wheels sets with resistors, so that they will cause the track circuiting to pick up the locations of any trains in this area.  This will be a mammoth task, but that is a job for the whole of 2025.  I would also have to buy a stack of signals to be installed at all the crossing loops at this location. 

New England Model Railway Convention Week

On Monday a crew of us went on an outing.  The southsiders caught a train from either Kuraby, Altandi or Sunnybank and ended up at Roma Street Station.  We then went and picked up PK and Clinton and we ventured out to Kippa Ring by train.  We then caught a bus from there, along the water front at Redcliffe and across the bridge and into Sandgate.  From there we had coffee and then caught the next train out to Shorncliffe, before catching that same train back to the city and out to Cleveland.  There we went for a walk and found a nice cake shop and had some lunch.  Then back to the City (or near enough for 3 of us at Park Road Station).  I caught the Gold Coast train to Altandi, while the two others caught the Beenleigh train.  

Tuesday night 10 of us met up at Glen’s place for a run in his shed followed by adjourning to his dining room table for coffee and supper.  We were solving all the world’s (and NMRA’s) problems on that night.

So shed activities were slow to start this week.  On Thursday I adjusted the already laid 12mm track to Rocklea by about half an inch, and added in all the new standard gauge track.  I still have to splice in one more piece of track, the splitter for narrow gauge and standard gauge on the south side of Rocklea Sidings.  That is just a Dremel cut next Tuesday.  Then the trackage will all be tested and the point motors will also be tested again following the changes I made on last Thursday.

Friday was driving day to Armidale for the New England Convention.  PK and Glen rocked up at my place early, and we hit the road.  At Warwick, we caught up with the other 2 cars in the convoy.  More food was consumed at Glen Innes, and as we were leaving the hail hit us.  It poured most of the way to Armidale.  We had dinner in the Bowls club and caught up with many faces we had not seen since 2 years ago.  Saturday was presentation day.  I was second up straight after morning tea and before lunch.  The room was packed.  I also attended some good sessions.  It was interesting that there was some tie in between the sessions that I attended.  The Dinner on Saturday night was very nice.  Good company and great food, and average speaker.  Sorry I couldn’t resist Marty. Hehehehe!  At the Trivia contest our table did rubbish.  Glen called himself a NSW driver.  His knowledge of NSWGR history was crap. 

On Sunday I presented again, this time first up in the morning.  Again, the room was pretty much full.  The other sessions I attended on that day were enlightening.  So a great convention over all.  Thanks NEMRC for a great Convention.  We want to be back in 2 years time.  We then had a few beers at the Bowls Club, followed by the usual dinner at the White Bull.  We booked a table for 16, but 29 turned up in our side of the bar, and there were a few others, maybe 6 on the other side of the bar.  We did a bit of table rearranging to cater for the 29 that we had for dinner.

Tomorrow is visiting visiting Rohan day followed by our convoy’s drive home.  Let’s hope that the New England Model Railway Club will arrange the next convention in 2 more years.

Rocklea Siding Possession

This week started off slow.  I did not do anything in the shed.  I was advised that a delivery of track was being shipped on Monday, so it raised my anticipation juices.  I was also still waiting for some electrical switches early in the week.  I tossed up if I was to go to Jaycar and buy some alarm cable, but I decided to wait a few days.  I eventually picked some up on Wednesday using my NMRA discount.  I saved about $3.

So early in the week I did scan through a presentation that I was preparing, adding a few extra words here and there.  I had promised our Div Super I would have four new presentations completed by February next year.  One is complete and the second only needs pictures added.  That is probably a week's work to do it properly.  A third is also almost complete and the last one is nowhere near being started.

I finally got a delivery of some track on Thursday so I went straight to the shed to install some trackwork.  I decided to change my strategy and prioritised the Rocklea Siding area.  So I took a track possession.  My God it was hot and humid in the shed and I just dripped sweat as I pulled out the trackage at Rocklea and re-laid it.  The narrow gauge track work was all completed on Friday.  Again very hot and humid.  I reinstalled the point motors and gave them a test and they all worked, except one standard gauge one.  This one will no longer throw.  So I will look at the point and point motor at a later time.  I then decided to try and run a narrow gauge train through the area that has been relaid.  I had to jerry-rig the power to the narrow gauge section, as it gets its power from the standard gauge bit of track, and that was removed.  Slight overlook there!  But one was connected up, the loco ran well through the new trackwork to the old Rocklea Sidings.  I still need to install an auto-reverser for the standard gauge/narrow gauge diamond crossing.  Until this is done, I cannot run back out onto the mainline towards Acacia Ridge.  So that will be Tuesday's job after I mow in the morning - I think.  

Saturday was NMRA meeting day where we got to view Jim Costello's New Haven layout.  Very nice indeed.  When I got home in the afternoon, one of my deliveries of switches was in the letter box.  

I was waiting until the Sunday Buy and Sell so I had planned to I pick up some more lengths of second hand 16.5mm flex track - to complete the standard gauge trackage through Rocklea.  So while at the Buy and Sell I picked up a couple of extra points and some more point motors and I will swap out the sticky one in Rocklea on Tuesday.   I sold some bits and pieces, but ended up spending more on my purchases.  There were some absolute bargains to be had.  I plan to have the whole Rocklea area re-done as of Tuesday afternoon, or Wednesday at the latest.  

With my point work being delivered on Thursday I had also joined the other bits of track for two of the three ends of the angle going into Dutton Park.  I will spend some time this coming week working out what extra baseboards need to be installed before this gets installed.  Some of the baseboards may be just too narrow to support two tracks.  I will see.

We all know that good things come to those that wait.  While at the NMRA meeting on Saturday, a presenter showed a photo of a location where I was planning to base my future exhibition layout.  He used to live next to the track there.  So a USB is coming with a few hundred photos.  This will help me with the planning over the next year or so.

Further Work on the 12mm Empire

A new week means more building projects.  Monday started off with me laying a lot more wires for Yeerongpilly station.  In particular the control panel for the points here.  I ran out of wires.  I was also installing the baseboard for Park Road Station and ran out of screws.   On Monday I also reinstalled the fascia for the nolix between Clapham Yard and Dutton Park, or at least the section in front of Yeerongpilly station.  I also made room for the new control panel in the fascia.  I also ordered a stack of push buttons for 5 new control panels and some toggle switches that allow me to isolate each of the panels.

Tuesday was replenishment day.  More wire and more screws were purchased.  When I got home I added the baseboard for Park Road.  This was three separate boards that take the layout an extra 2.7m and will allow for the station to be installed at Park Road.  I then reinstalled the staff machine for Dutton Park-South Brisbane Interstate and the headset plug in points to the layout.  I'm thinking that I will need to add some more headset plug in points at Yeerongpilly and Park Road and maybe another one at South Brisbane.  These jobs can be the last ones done, as the track will not be in use at the next Operations Session in December

On Wednesday the plan was to lay a bit more track through Park Road Station.  That was easy.  I have identified the two points and point motors for this location.  In doing do, I realised that I need two more point motors for the Dutton Park.  Luckily there is a Buy and Sell next weekend, so I'll hopefully pick them up there.  As a background task on Tuesday, I cut up my last string of pallets into 27 individual ones.  On Wednesday afternoon, I painted 20 in Blue and 20 in Red.  

Yeerongpilly Platform laid.  A future headshunt will potentially be installed here at the end of the platform

Park Road Platform laid in front of Park Road Siding

My delivery from Australian Modeller rocked up early on Thursday.  So I quickly installed my QSnap up to 3 sets of points.  Two work perfectly.  The third set which was an existing set at Dutton Park for the dual gauge, is now not throwing in one direction.  I will get around to looking at that later on.  Given that I have laid all the track I am going to lay now, until my points and crossing turn up from QSM, I will switch modes to jump back onto my railmotor and motor drive setups.

The new Mini Panel installed

Dutton Park about to be upgraded with a separate narrow gauge trackage and a narrow gauge triangle included.

On Friday afternoon I plugged my Procab into one of my NCE Mini Panels (Loco Pilly) to check out that the locations in the Mini Panel that appeared to be free were actually free.  Bugger!  They were not.  I had previously used them and I had not updated my hard copy of the code in the Mini Panel.  Now I need to run some wires a huge distance from where the panel is to Fisherman Islands.  That particular Mini Panel is basically three quarters empty.

Loco Pilly Mini Panel exposed after removing the fascia here.

South Brisbane Mini Panel is also full up.

Fisherman Islands Mini Panel, has lots of space free.

I also investigated how I would get some track to a future Sunnybank station, a passenger terminus of my future passenger empire.  I investigated the trackage through Rocklea Siding.  By slewing the tracks over by up to about 3cm.  I think I have enough room to run a narrow gauge line (Rocklea Siding to Sunnybank) next to the current dual gauge line (Clapham Yard to Acacia Ridge Yard).  Also in doing this work, I will consider also changing the standard gauge entry into Rocklea Siding.  This is slightly problematic with the standard gauge point operation.  I can just move things around and have the standard gauge entry just a little bit closer to Clapham Yard.  What this means is that the narrow gauge entry onto the dual gauge will be after the standard gauge entry to Rocklea Siding, and not before it.  A much simpler point arrangement in this area.  But a future project for implementation.  I want to get Dutton Park completed and operational first.

The top of this picture shows Rocklea Siding's point work.  The layer below Rocklea Siding is Acacia Ridge Yard.  I have laid some new track over the top of Rocklea to get a bit of a view of what it will look like once it is redesigned.

A standard Peco 12mm crossing, was split down the middle with a dremel tool and made into a standard gauge - 12 mm crossing.  It seems to work.  It will go into the new Rocklea Siding point work.

On Saturday morning I tried to lay out the actual point work needed to rebuild the Rocklea Siding entry and make allowance for the new Sunnybank narrow gauge main line.  So I made a wish list for purchasing.  At the same time, I thought about running wires from the new panel at Yeerongpilly Station to the Mini Panel at Fisherman Islands.  I think just purchasing a roll of 4 core alarm cable is the way to go.  I still need to run a single cable as well as I will need 5 cables for the 2 point motor controls with 2 positions each and the common wire running from the control panel to the Mini Panel.  At this stage I am not thinking about the South Brisbane Mini Panel required for new narrow gauge crossing at Park Road.

While I was in the shed, I plugged my Procab into the other 4 Mini Panels and verified what locations were spare.  I found some more locations that had not been kept up to date.  So everything has now been updated.  But the Fisherman Islands Mini Panel is half empty, so I will run my cables from there to Yeerongpilly for my new crossing Loop at that location.

Hopefully this week I will get a delivery of some push buttons for 3 control panels and some point work, that I will then start installing into Dutton Park.  NMRA meeting next Saturday and a Buy and Sell on Sunday and then Armidale the week after.  Hopefully I will pick up a three lengths of standard gauge flex track and three point motors at the Buy and Sell.  I wonder if I can get this all completed before I head off to Armidale on Friday week?

The Narrow Gauge Empire Expands

 Monday afternoon started in the shed with me finding a stray coupler dropped by a Tuesday Nighter in the Lismore area - (Geoff).  I then tried to re-glue the roof back together on the damaged Cassino Fettler's Shed.  I then put my newly acquired far North Hobbies Paybus on the test track and it ran very well on DC.  I am yet to decide what I will do with that.  I have one of these Far North Hobbies ones myself, but it has a DCC chip in it, but unpainted.  But the new one, is all painted.  So I might swap the DCC bits and pieces over to the new one, and then I will be left with a mechanism that might be able to be narrowed down to 12mm for use in my railmotor.  Again that is all future work.

My attention then turned to pulling up the standard gauge track between the two points at Park Road Siding and South Brisbane Interstate Station.  The track was then slewed over slightly by reducing the radius of this rather large horse-shoe curve by about 3cm radius.  I then through a couple of lengths of 12mm flex track down on the outside of the standard gauge track to see if both tracks will fit on the current baseboard.  They certainly did.  However, I had to move the point motor of the Main/Siding at the northern end of Park Road Siding was moved from outside of the curve to the inside of the curve.  That was re-tested and worked.  The point for the Siding 1/Siding 2 at the northern end of the Park Road Siding was also adjusted to move this point motor the further away from its original position.  This is because the narrow gauge track work will be travelling straight through the old position of the point motor.  So this was moved, tested and was OK.

The point motor at Park Road was relocated from the outside of the track to the inside, and the radius of this curve was reduced by about 3cm.

This point motor was moved outwards with an extension added to the throw mechanism to allow for the 12mm track to go through there.

Looking North, the new 12mm track is on the outside of the curve.

The next section looking further north.

I then did some more work on the baseboard at South Brisbane for the 12mm trackage.  At about 2/3 of the way between Park Road Siding and South Brisbane on the 12mm narrow gauge track it needs to start to rise so that it can clear the standard gauge track for sidings 9 and 10.  It is all just planning at this stage.  Future changes could be made.  But I plan to have everything in place before too long so I can perhaps run some 12mm trains just in this area and sort out the point work and track work at South Brisbane.  Again lots of work needs to still be done for the track work between Dutton Park and the northern end of Park Road Siding.  So now thinking about this, does this mean that I can install a crossing loop and possible platforms for Park Road making a 12mm station?  That might allow me to then have a separate block sections from Dutton Park to Park Road, then Park Road to South Brisbane.  This might speed up traffic traversing the Dutton Park junction section.  

So on Tuesday I completed the standard gauge changes and tested everything and this area is all back to normal.  I will contemplate the Park Road 12mm changes.  But I did lay a few lengths of 12mm track from the end of Park Road Siding around the curve into just short of the throat of South Brisbane.  I have been building the incline into this location as I go.  Initially it will float and when complete I will make the incline ramp permanent.

I also purchased a sheet of ply for the extra 12mm baseboard width from Dutton Park to Park Road Siding.  It will be used to increase the baseboard width from Loco Pilly to Dutton Park as well.

On Wednesday while the boss was out, I spent some more time in the shed, installing the edge barrier, and then taking the track all the way into the point work at South Brisbane.  I also laid the SX siding outside South Brisbane station.  I've even tested the running on the track from South Brisbane to just before Park Road Station.  Nice!

On Thursday, the soldering iron came out and I started to tie the 12mm trackage back to the main power district bus for that power district.  I then installed some more barriers for South Brisbane and then started to lay some more trackage here.  

Looking south from South Brisbane towards Park Road the track barrier (Plasterer's Angle) on the left.

Now looking north towards South Brisbane Interstate and South Brisbane Station.  The SX siding is on the far right.

Wagons sitting just outside South Brisbane Station.  The SX siding on the left.

So on Friday I started ripping up a sheet of ply.  I then added extra baseboard width along the trackage from Loco Pilly to Dutton Park.  I added about 4.2m of baseboard.  I have decided to add in Yeerongpilly Station, and then change the track layout for Dutton Park.  It currently is a point with Dual gauge to Fisherman Islands and standard gauge to South Brisbane Interstate.  I was going to build a dual gauge point here with all three rails going in both directions, but by removing the dual gauge splitter way back just outside Loco Pilly, I now have separate standard gauge and narrow gauge tracks running from here (out of Clapham Yard) to Dutton Park.  That allows me to put in Yeerongpilly station.  I then can adjust the track layout at Dutton Park, with a standard gauge point and a narrow gauge point forming a crossing the separate tracks continuing to Park Road, where a Park Road Station will be built.  I just need a standard Tillig crossing for narrow/standard gauge.   In the other direction, towards Fisherman Islands, the Dual gauge splitter piece of track that I removed from outside Loco Pilly, will go into use here, before Fisherman Islands.

So on Saturday after visiting the local hobby shops and picking up some track at one, the other had nothing that I really wanted.  So I went and purchased one of the items online from Australian Modeller - who seem to have it, and then ordered some other items from Queensland Scale Models.  So I'm spreading the love around.  When I got home, The track maintenance crew took possession of the track and removed the old gauge splitter track outside Loco Pilly.  They then straight railed the standard gauge line, so that is back working in a short period of time.  The two power feeds for here were reattached on Sunday.  I then started to lay the narrow gauge on a new alignment through Yeerongpilly station.  The point was installed and the hole in the baseboard cut.  The power feeds for this track, and wire the point motors for Yeerongpilly back to a yet to be delivered QSnap were also installed.   

The Tillig Gauge splitter is being removed.  The new extended baseboard for Yeerongpilly platform will be to the right.

These changes will not be cheap, but you only live once, and it is only money.  I will need an additional NCE QSnap, and a standard Narrow gauge crossing from Tillig - again not cheap.  I thought I needed 4 new sets of narrow gauge points.  But after spending some time in the shed on Saturday, I then thought I will need only an extra 2 sets of point for the track re-arrangement at Dutton Park.  Isn't time amazing.  I laid out some trackage on the floor to get an idea how much room I'd need at Dutton Park and then it dawned on me.  If I purchased another QSnap (Oh the pain!), and another two sets of points, I can actually install a 'Y' at Dutton Park just like in real life.  This will allow South Brisbane narrow gauge to get to Fisherman Islands.  Now I also need a second Tillig Crossing.  So the track coming north from Clapham Yard is laid all the way to just short of Dutton Park.  The point at the far end of Yeerongpilly was also installed.

I had Darren visit today and I bounced a few ideas off of him while we had a beer.  I have no idea how my safeworking will work between Clapham Yard, Yeerongpilly, Dutton Park, Park Road and South Brisbane.  I might have to call on my two QR Train Controller mates to earn their free beers from Ops Sessions to put them to work, deciding how this will be implemented.  But what it will allow me to do is run narrow and standard gauge side by side between Clapham Yard and South Brisbane/South Brisbane Interstate, allowing me to replicate my childhood travelling to and from school.

Tuesday Night Antics, or No Imagination - Followed by - Roadtrip!

We had a visit from the Tuesday Nighters on Tuesday.  About 12 or 13 turned up.  Tuesday Night antics included turning about 6 cars upside down (sitting on their roofs) on the layout.  These cars were (1) near Fairy Hill Signal box and (5) near the Cassino Meatworks.  There were also cars swapped from right hand drive to left hand drive around the road system at Cassino, Three of these were on Simpson Parade at Cassino and two on Barker Street at Cassino.  Two more were similarly treated at the Lismore Level Crossing, and 4 at the Old Cassino level crossing on West Street.  Another 4 wheel drive car was moved and placed on the tracks just outside a tunnel in the Border ranges.  Luckily I saw it before I ran a train as that could have caused a derailment and then some damage to fences and scenery.  The next issue was the bobcat operator that is usually outside the gate at Ron and Marg's B&B - near Fairy Lane, which is near Fairy Hill Crossing Loop, he had walked onto the middle of the track and was standing there.  Again luckily I saw that he was there or he would have derailed a loco 2 inches from the edge of the layout and causing a loco to go over the edge of the layout.  

I also had a thumb planted through the roof of the Cassino perway shed next to the Cassino Signal box.  That has been there for close to 15 years minding it's own business.  God knows why?  Also a tree had been uprooted near the Rocla Siding.  It will need to be replanted.  Monday's job.

So on Wednesday I decided to make another 27 pallets - because I could.  That was quite easy while watching the idiot box.

But I did have a brain wave in the morning.  I was wondering if I had the available real estate to add a separate narrow gauge line from Clapham Yard to South Brisbane.  I could put a 2 road runaround in at South Brisbane for the 12mm.  It might even have two lay over sidings, one for a railmotor and one for another SX set.  Now at the other end of the narrow gauge world, or nearly, somewhere after Rocklea Siding, I might add a turnout that takes the narrow gauge track south towards Sunnybank.  That will also allow a turn around of trains and maybe a goods siding as well.  Sunnybank used to have a siding there.  I can then run my QR SX set from location to location, and I might have to get a second set.  Alternatively I could run a future QR silver bullet (or two) between those two locations.  I might have to work out the safeworking arrangements for these new sections.  For the complex track work at Dutton Park, I will need to have an actual dual gauge RH point, with the third rail on the left hand side, before its gets onto its own right of way.   

On Wednesday night at 7:00pm I was asked by the Superintendent to do a presentation for this Saturday's NMRA meeting.  Bugger.  Not much time!  I had only just started working on a potential article for AMRM along the topic of Prototype Modelling following some of the lighthearted feedback I received on Tuesday evening from the crew.  So I thought I'd turn that into a Powerpoint first.  So that was Thursday afternoon's job.  Basically it was finished then.  I did a bit more on Thursday evening, while talking to a few NMRA guys on Discord.  On Friday morning I did a few small tweaks to it, before I went out for a happy hour at work.  

Saturday started pretty early.  Not as early as the north side crew - hey PK?  We went down to Lismore and Casino for some layout visits at some NMRA guys places - 5 in total.  I gave the presentation on Saturday afternoon and it had the required affect.  A few laughs.  But we did find 3 typos in it.  Whoops!  Oh there was a pub visit for dinner on Saturday night.  Sunday included a lap of the Casino Miniature Railway and Museum.  A great weekend and over 500km travelled.  Well done to the organisers, the hosts and the various attendees.

On Thursday afternoon, I did some work on my South Brisbane deck.  So it has been installed and I need some 3mm MDF for the baseboard here.  The baseboard is very narrow, just wide enough to handle 2 tracks and has a length of pine underneath supporting it.