Ecos DCC Control Box

So a little building work this week, i need a place to house my Control system, so i found the perfect bit.  I will be use the Mobile app to run my locos, but its here tucked out the way, encase i need to add new Loco's

There is loads of room below for the locos to pass, and you can get to the points ok under there.  So another job done

Roseville Rail Yard - The largest rail yard in the West Coast - Californ...

Now this is an Amazing yard

First Lift out Section

 I feel this is a big step for me.  My layout is sitting in parts just now, The lower Yard, The Helix, the First Level run around, nothing connect.  Well here is my first connection.  I can now run from the lower yard onto the helix, and i can run around the back line into the complete siding (one piece of track to finish the other).  When i get onto the Helix i can go up three turns when i come off to the first level, where i need to build the next lift out,  I will need 4 in total

The point on the lift out was an after thought. I had an idea to have a small spur come off there that coal wagons can drop coal into Hoppers that will be below, for the Steam Loco's to be refilled before heading to the roundhouse.  The first of the three tracks is the Spur, the Second takes you up the Helix, and the last is a run around, that takes you to the two sidings at the back of the yard.

The Lift out is constructed of 11mm OSB and a 38x38 stiffener fixed below.  As i am using Ground Throws i am not to worried about wiring here, i will add a few connectors to allow power to transfer to the lift out.

Helix Side of the lift out,  I will add in the missing sleepers at a later time, and of course the ballast.








Workbench side of the liftout.  I am worried about the outside line begin to tight a radius for the Challenger,  I might be able to re-lay the track here if it is, but that will cause me alot of pain.  Tomorrow will tell if this is the case as my friend is bringing his over to test it.  If i cant get it around or fix the track, it means it wont be able to run into the back yard.  I was hoping to have it run everywhere and no restrictions on the layout, but i will live with this one.

Very Sad news RIP Richard Chown

A Great man, beautiful layout, sadly missed.

http://kokutetsu-jnr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/club-castle-rackrent-visit.html

Richard Chown-1941-2017

The below is from a Club Visit i attended to see his amazing layout

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Saturday, 23 March 2013

Club - Castle Rackrent Visit

I have said before i am a member of a model railway club in Edinburgh, and last night there was a club visit organised to Richard Chown's layout Castle Rackrent in his basement for a running session. Castle Rackrent is a Large O scale Irish narrow gauge layout. All the loco's, Rolling stock and buildings are scratch built or kits, some very nice stuff.

This is the first time i have seen this layout or even been to a running session on one, so i was not sure what to expect, but what a great night of fun and laughs I had.




We arrived just before 8pm there was 8 of us, John B, John H, Donald, Brian, Ian, Steve, myself and of course Richard himself. We had a quick run down of how the layout was operated and how the controllers and bell signals worked, then we were allocated a section of track to operate, there are 6 available so 2 of us doubled up.


(This picture shows myself to the left, straight in front is Ian with brain just behind him. Brian section was on the right. Way in the back is John B in the terminus station and layout out owner Richard is on the right.)

I was given a small station section and was working with Ian, which was handy as i had no clue to what I was doing and Ian had operated there before, so he left me to do most of the work, while keeping a close eye on me. Each station had a laminated sheet with a hair clip to keep your place, on one side there was a timetable and the other had all the bell codes. above your head there was bells that were connected to different sections, we had two above our head the connected up to John B in a terminus station, and the other down to Steve and John B in the main station.




These are the station bells, for contacting the station up and down the line. to let them know what you are getting or giving them.



Signal levers
We started our day at 4pm on the timetable (hair clip showed us this) then we were off. there was bell's going off all over the place, 1 ding for attention, 2 dings for season clear, 3-1 dings for P1, working the signals and points, it was a good laugh, and Ian helped me allot, we started about 8:20pm and when i next looked up it was past 10pm. I think over the course i saw about 5 trains, which does not seem like allot but, there was always things to do, and you were kept very busy.




John B at the Terminus Station ( the easy bit if you ask me, but john thought different)



At the front Steve and John H behind at a very busy section



Crib sheet for all those bell codes and the life saving hair clip.
With this being my first operating session, its an area of model railways i have never experienced before. I have been to exhibitions with club layouts and operated for the general public to watch, and answering questions, but this was very different, it was more relaxed, there was good banter and a lot of laughs. I liked the idea that from where you were standing you could not see other people's sections and you had a timetable with a list of trains to follow, it was all very well organised.

It has made me think allot about how my layout will operate, i will not have the space to have as many people in the attic, but i think 3 people would fit in ok, so i might look at ways to be able to operating running session in, rather than just a long run around. But I might be able to have both.

Last line must go to a huge thanks to Richard for a fun night, many thanks.

Lewis Lake railroad - Testing

I need to improve my camera skills, but it is off a phone.



This is a very nice site to see :-)

Lewis Lake - St. Leonard's Yard

The track plan on the left shows the extent of the track at the lower level of the layout.  

I just need to fit one piece of track to the back siding and add a piece of track to join the mainline to the point just before the Helix.  

I have a loan of Challenger 3958 UP to test all my curves and its running fine i am very please to say.

To finish this level i need to sort the lift out section across the door.   Then its on to Ballasting........

New Rolling Stock

This weekend i took advantage of a good Bonus at work about bought myself 3 Loco's to run on the Layout.




I really like the Black and White of NS and found this F7a number 4271 on Ebay fully chipped and Sound  I will be keeping an eye out for a F7b unit to sit behind it.  This is my first Sound Loco, so i am looking forward to giving it a spin around the tracks.




I had a few days away in Blairgowrie in the North of Scotland,  while there i was close to a shop Mac's Models,  The shop is a bit like a jumble sale with bits of everything everywhere.  They has just took in some second hand HO so i had a look through it and found these too loco's both DCC ready.

The first was Athearns C44-9W NS number 9669,  this is DCC ready and i am looking to put a sound chip in this some day, but at first i will just get a cheap decoder to let me get it running on the track.

The next was - Broadway Limited Number 800 H0 U.S. diesel locomotive ALCO RSD-15 AT & SF this is a cracking looking loco, and i will be trying to put a sound Chip in this






I have managed to get a lot of work done over the weekend,  I have about 6 lengths of track to go in on the bottom yard, to have that finished.  I have connected most of the wires together so all the track outside the Helix is now powered.  Once i have finished the Yard, i will work on sorting the wiring in the Helix, one step at a time thou