Layout Progress - Lights, DS64s and Station Building

We are now in the first week of the new no work world.  This involved some tidying up activities but I also got to the shed.  I started by installing the string of LED lights above South Brisbane Interstate Yard.  I also installed a short 1m length of LEDs from South Brisbane over to Park Road Siding.  This section of frame was also painted black to hide it.  I also added about 35cm to a length of LED frame above Border Tunnel.  Actually it was above the trackage to Fisherman Islands.  This is where a huge number of levels of trackage cross.

On the middle right is the lights above South Brisbane Interstate.  On the middle to the left is the extra 1m extension I installed.  In the foreground above that are the sting of LEDs above Park Road Siding.

This is the section of trackage that had multiple levels.  Staring from the lowest is the track (just above the digitrax DS64) between The Risk Crossing Loop and it goes around a large loop and comes in at the next level up entering the Tunnel.  This is Border Tunnel between New South Wales and Queensland.  Above this level is the trackage from Fairy Hill Loop to wards Kyogle.  In Kyogle Yard is my railset train.  A few inches above this is the dual gauge trackage leading to Fisherman Islands Yard on the left.

The next piece of work was to build the frame for the LED lights from Fairy Hill Loop (northern end) to Kyogle Loop.  The string of LED was then stuck to the new LED frame.  I then painted that section of frame to hide it.  As this length of LED strip was only about 2.5 metres long, I then added two small 1.2m lengths of LED strip between The Risk and Border Loop sections.  These three lengths were then tied back to the same power plug.  I did not have any power supplies left, so I ordered 4 more midweek.  To blow my mind, they rocked up on late Friday afternoon even though they said that delivery was going to be mid to late next week.  Brilliant service.  A test on Saturday morning proved that they were all in good working order.

I decided to do a bit of running.  First trip was running my XPT from Acacia Ridge Yard to South Brisbane Interstate.  That was then followed by a trip back from South Brisbane, all the way back down to Cassino.  While driving I discovered that two point motor push buttons were not throwing their respective points.  I tried those DCC addresses directly from the NCE handheld and they also did not work.  I double checked the wiring and that looked all good.  I did notice that whenever I tried to throw the point in Park Road Siding, that the Digitrax DS64 did not light up when the fourth address was activated.  So it became apparent that the fourth address in that particular DS64 switch decoder, had lost its marbles.  So I reprogrammed all the four addresses again, and you guessed it, all four now work.  Now the second point address that did not work was over in the narrow gauge yard in Clapham Yard.  Unfortunately, to get access to this DS64 decoder, I had to crawl under the layout, pop up in one of my viewing holes in the corner of the shed and again program all four addresses again.  So I did this and Voila.  That narrow gauge crossover came back to life.  It was another instance of the third address on this DS64 losing its marbles.  This is probably the most difficult location in the shed to access.  Hopefully I won't need to do this again.

I also finally got around to installing glass in the 6 toilet windows in the back platform road side of my Cassino station building.  These were then installed into the building.  I then made up two new front windows for the station building.  I also cut some frosted glass for these windows.  Next step was to build another five windows for above the various doorways in the building.  I also added an internal door into the Mens toilet and a window above that.  All of this occurred prior to and during the AFL final.  Go Lions!

I also did some work on the railmotor - adding the backing to the steps.  I also installed the toilet windows to the back platform road of the Cassino Station building.

The next task for this coming week is to add a roof to the Cassino Station Building.  That will be followed by creating basic box structure for the Cassino Refreshment Rooms building.  The project will then be parked for a while other work is performed.

Game, Set, Match. That's a Wrap. It is All Over!

No more work.  I have retired, well actually, I'm on extended Long Service Leave until August next year.  But they have taken my work accesses away, both physical, and electronic and if they want me, they will have to negotiate!

On Thursday a few of us, possibly about 40 went to the Platform Bar across the road from work and had a good meal and a few ales, or just popped in to say good-bye.  So Friday was my last day at work.  I made someone cry, and HR did not have to get involved.  I got a few hugs as well.  We had a morning tea and a couple of speeches.  I finally got a Golden Screwdriver among other items.  I have no idea where they found it.  I may have to mount the old Golden Screwdriver in the shed.   We then went to the roof of the old work place and celebrated with a few guys and girls from work.  We ended up with 169 Coronas on the table, only because they ran out.  We drank them dry - again.  We got a few photos of the old team, unfortunately after Tony Bourne had already left for the evening.

Most of the old team! Rob, Wikus, Rod, John, Good Looking, Shaun, Dave, Fitzy and Richo and Chrome Dome in the front.

The tables by the end of the night

Saturday was the monthly NMRA meeting day.  The old engine was not firing on many cylinders on Saturday morning.  But after a few Panadol and a bacon and egg sandwich and lots of water and some coffee, I at least had a moving body.  It took until after the NMRA meeting started at 10:30am before we had all cylinders firing.  A few at the meeting mentioned that I was unusually quiet.  We actually had a great meeting with Ross Balderson MMR talking about some of the tricks used to build structures on his masterpiece layouts Sydney Central and Newcastle 1899, followed by more presentations from Marty, Barnacle Bob and Glen (our stand in co-ordinator for the day - I'd give him a pass).  I can't wait to see Sydney Central in person (and maybe again).  I think I might have seen it in person previously at a Modelling the Railways of NSW Convention once in the distant past, but I can't remember for sure.  A great day at Sparkles house was had by all who attended.

I also spent about an hour in the shed today and attached a power supply to power the LED lights over South Brisbane Interstate Yard.  I still need to connect the lights to the pelmet this coming week.  I will also be looking at mounting the LED lights over Fairy Hill Loop through to Kyogle next week as well.  I seem to now be unencumbered by this 'work thing', and can almost be my own boss.  However, I still need to keep the real boss happy. 😉

So since then, I bricked my home laptop trying to remove some old work related email accounts.  So I had to reconfigure my email from scratch.  I have got all my personal emails back, but lost all my family birthdays in the calendar etc.  After a not so short period, I think all these events have been painstakingly put back in.  There must be 100 events with about close to 40 nieces and nephews alone, before their kids were added, along with all the anniversaries etc.  All my regular meetings, etc.

I might sleep in tomorrow.

Go the Lions!

SX Problems Solved and a Day Out

On Monday this week a group of us distinguished modellers went down to the Gold Coast via train and tram.  We had lunch at the Broadbeach Tavern and then came home.  I think Clinton is still on his way.  Clinton missed the train down, missed one of the tram sections.  It was quite amusing.  While on the trip Arthur was advising what 12mm wheel back to back that he uses.  I eventually got a new battery for my Vernier Callipers and then adjusted all the originally IDR SX bogies to Arthur’s magic 12.3mm  Most of mine were set to 12.3mm – 12.34mm.  I also had to cut out some of the underside of the centre sill so the bogies can turn to fit though some Peco 12mm curve points.  I also had to move the couplers out to the outside location so I do not get coupler lock through a set of Peco 12mm points configured in a cross over arrangement.  However, I have now completed all my improvements to the coaches and they run through all the trackage on my layout without issues now.  One might expect that for $750 they might come already in that mode.

On Tuesday, I added a power supply to the Fairy Hill section.  This is a bridge rectifier connected across the track power and then a capacitor added to smooth out the power.  I connected that to the Arduino used in this section to power the Fairy Hill Community Hall Disco and the various vehicle lights on Fairy Lane.  So I have removed a USB power supply from the Arduino and now use track power.  I also used that power supply to power the sound module I acquired from Barnacle Bob.  This module produces some random outback dunny noises from behind the Fairy Hill Community Hall.

A view from on top of Helensvale Station.  The Gold Coast Tram is on the right.

I also wired up the double output ‘N Scale’ street light that I used as a platform ramp light at Kyogle.  That works pretty well.  I also added a bit of a flash to one of the lights because I could.

Modelling work has been adding as few doors and a few windows to the front of my Cassino Station Building.  I also added the roof beams to support the rear platform awning.  Next step is to add the awning supports for the main platform, along with the corbels and the roof beams for the main platform as well.  I should complete the windows by next weekend.

Friday I picked up Glen and we travelled over to PK’s place.  We checked out his wood working skills.  he even provided us with coffee and biscuits.

Saturday went to the Club and attended the AGM.  I think we had 49 or 50 in attendance and about 5 or 6 proxies.  While there Trevor gave me some 3D printed locomotive motors to decorate around the layout.  Two x 8 cylinder ones for my 1720’s and 2 x 16 cylinder ones.  They are brilliant.

I also picked up an overhead crane from PK.  So on Saturday night I cut up some styrene and made another 6 legs for the travelling rails, extending its travel length.  I still need to add some length to the overhead rails, but this kit will go into my Rocla Sleeper Siding to help move concrete sleepers, which then get loaded onto my sleeper train in my Ops session

Station Building Progress, SX Set Troubles and Track Work Changes

Monday this week was a work day, then I pulled the pin for the next few weeks – more Long Service Leave.  On Tuesday the boss and I went for a bus and train ride and walk around the city.  We checked out the new casino and the sky deck.  That was followed by lunch in town.  When I got home, I cut the large beams above the sliding windows (lintels) in the Station Masters office in the Cassino Station building.  These were then painted and let dry overnight.  I however fitted the sliding windows in the breezeway end of the Station Masters Office.

Tuesday was Tuesday Nighters so I took the model to show the rabble.  I also took possession of some N scale double LED lights that PK acquired for me.  One of these is going into the Kyogle platform lighting when I find time.  I have since drilled a hole in the baseboard from underneath and fed wires from the LED light down through the hole.  Now I have to remember what gets wired to where.

The end of Kyogle Platform.  The double headed light is in the middle of the ramp.

Wednesday morning I fitted the beams above the large sliding windows in the Cassino Station building In the afternoon, I cut out the 12 pane windows from the AMRI station kit and used 0.020” x 0.030” styrene strip to replace the windows making them 9 pane windows, as per the prototype.  These were painted and allowed to dry.

On Thursday I installed the 9 pane windows on the Cassino Station building.  That just leaves the windows above the doors and the many toilet windows to build and fit and then the back platform side of the Cassino Station building will be complete.  So I then made the window above the sliding door.  That was scratch built, painted and then installed.  On Friday I built the windows above the doors.  These were also painted and allowed to dry.  They were fitted on Saturday.  More work will occur next week.

The next Thursday task was testing my $1.50 motor.  I added a resistor in line to see if I could slow down the extremely large RPM from the motor at 3V.  A 33 Ohm resistor works, as does a small 10 Ohm resistor.  More testing to come.  So I might order some of the small 8mm x 4mm motors that I can see online.  My plan is to mount these on the bogies of the QR 2050 railmotor I am scratch building.  I don’t have to pull 40 coaches with this method of propulsion.  I only need to pull the railmotor.  I am thinking that this might help me qualify for the Master Builder of Motor Power AP.  I’ve had some input from Laurie McLean MMR, Gordy Robinson (President of the world) MMR and a few others.  More work will follow here.

Late in the morning on Thursday I received a package from IDR Models with my QR SX set inside.  In the afternoon I placed the wagons on the layout.  They look very good.  I think they look much better than the myriad of 3D printed ones at the Club.  Don’t get me wrong, the 3D ones are nice models and have a place in the hobby, but these models are much better.  I have not been able to compare them to scale.  They will occur in the future.  However, the IDR SX cars are very light.  I added some weight to mine.  I also noticed that some wheels were under-gauge for 12mm, when I compared them to some existing 12mm wheels I had laying around.  The IDR models SX set has trouble running through a 12mm cross over without derailing.  The couplers lack swing.  This was adjusted and thus their performance improved markedly.  Following more running, I’m not that impressed with their running ability.

I was thinking about it on Friday night.  I decided to head over to Modeller’s Warehouse and see if he had some 12mm wheels and some 3D printed SX bogies used under the 3D printed SX cars.  I acquired two sets for a trial.  When I got home I swapped the IDR wheels and bogies out and replaced them with the 3D printed ones.  There was some adjustment work to the 3D printed bogies, but that was 5 minutes work.  They now run immensely better.  Go Figure!  I think I will buy some more 3D printed bogies next Saturday and replace the whole set’s bogies with Wuiske wheels and 3D printed bogies.

The end two coaches have the replacement bogies and Wuiske wheels.  They run so much better.  The third coach has one of each.  Guess which end keeps derailing?

Most of the work on Friday was track work related in Clapham Yard.  While running the SX cars through one set of points, they kept derailing.  So I did a bit of work on the kitbashed HO points with a third rail for 12mm track through them.  So I relayed the third rail (on track 4 - the dual gauge track) and they now run much better.  However, while checking out my work, it dawned on me that where I leave my 4 car carrier wagons in Clapham Yard, is just not long enough to fit between a set of HO crossovers (tracks 3 to 4 – standard gauge) and a set of points at the end of the yard fan out.  So I decided to move the crossovers back to the other side of a 12mm set of points on this dual gauge track.  So now I have another 157mm to play with and the car carriers fit perfectly in this section.  I had no idea why I had not thought about this previously.  So I then re-attached all my power droppers to the rails in tracks 3 and 4.  You guessed it – a short!  So this was tracked down to the third rail in my recently adjusted HO points.  The third rail was too long.  That was adjusted by 1mm and mow it is all good.

Tracks are numbered from the top.  The standard gauge points from track 4 to 3 were moves from the right of the narrow gauge cross over from track 5 to 4.  My car carriers now fit in track 4.

More Cassino Station Building Progress

On Monday this week, I was trying to find some appropriate motors that I might use on my QR railmotor.  My plan is to use a 8mm long x 4mm round motor that I would direct drive onto the wheel rim.  I would mound the motor on the bogie and it would fit between the 12mm wheels.  However, that only motors that I can find are 20K rpm up to 47K rpm.  That is way to fast.  If they could do 2K rpm, or even up to 5K rpm that would power the railmotor at a convenient and more appropriate model speed.  But I cannot find any of these such motors.  I’m sure they exist.

Tuesday morning I decided to do some station building work before heading back to work.  I wanted to make my sliding windows in the Cassino station building.  I looked at a couple of ways to make them, but decided that I needed some scale channel and have each window run inside the channel.  However, I had no styrene of that type.  No matter, I headed down to Hobbyone.  Bugger!  They did not have that size styrene in stock.  However, they checked the supplier and they could have it here in a day or two.  I said Saturday was fine.  I had to go to work for the rest of the week. 

So after lunch I cleaned up the first 25 of the awning brackets that Greg 3D printed for me.  I then gave them a touch of Mission Brown paint from the spray can.  I also cleaned up the support blocks that support the awnings.  I also painted them up with a cream colour.  I also cleaned up a few door and these were also painted.  The doors and awning brackets were added to the building, and then the support blocks just under the awning brackets.  The model was starting to look good.

On Tuesday afternoon, I decided to make the sliding door in the Cassino Station Building and paint it.  So that was easily done.  But after that one was installed on the model, I realised that I needed two of them – one on each side of the building.  At this time, I am only adding detail to the back platform side of the station building.  The second sliding door got completed and installed on Saturday afternoon.

I got a text message on Saturday morning advising that the styrene was put aside for me at the shop.  Great service and also cheap.  So when I got home I glued two strips of channel together and fixed it to the top and bottom of the window openings all around the Station Masters office.  I then started making the individual window sliders.  Once put in and tested, I then added the internal panes.  The windows were then spray painted and allowed to dry.  So the first 6 were completed later on Saturday afternoon.  The two window openings for the breezeway end were cut up, thus 4 more windows were completed on Sunday morning.  These have been painted and are now ready to install into the station building.

The four windows for the end of the station masters office.

This is the back platform view of the Cassino Station building.  Two doors and one sliding door have been installed.  The windows above the doors still need to be built, painted and installed.

The rear of the Cassino Station Building at the Station masters office end.  These six windows can all slide in their own tracks.

So between all this activity, I decided that I needed to make another lot of pallets.  I made 27 on Friday evening after work.  I made another 27 on Saturday evening before dinner.  I also did another 26 this morning.  I think I will put together another 50 odd over next week and then paint these up, so I have about 125-130 ready for sale in various colours.

Three strings of pallets ready to be cut up.