Where does time go?

I've been spending the time doing more of a chore than enjoyment, i.e. wiring, lately. But while doing so have made some pretty good strides in operational ability on the layout.

One of the thoughts that has floated in my head was converting the layout to run ONLY DCC. This would mean taking advantage of a few newer arrivals in the control front, such as a frog juicer for the power routing in the turnouts, which consequently does not support DC. I could always keep on looking, and trying other new arrivals, but as slow as progress has been, I worry I may never get there...

But having fun too; while doing running on just DCC, i managed to get a fairly good line-up of power in the staging yard:

Line up of DCC equipped locomotives; from left to right: Atlas GE Dash 8-40C, Atlas EMD SD50, Kato MPI MP36PH, Atlas EMD MP15, Atlas EMD GP9, and Atlas EMD SD9.I've probably got about twice this number again decoder equipped, so may go the DCC only route on this layout soon, if I can convert a few more GP and SD units easily...

Here is a shot with the flash, so you can what's what:

Tomorrow we may do more running. And a bit more tidying...

It's been a very long time...

Happy New Year everyone, and welcome to 2014.

I had not realized how much time had passed since I updated you on progress. Life REALLY threw me a curve ball, and in summary, it meant finding a new job. Three roles later (two were short-term gigs) I'm back. It's been hard work, but I love it, and know what I need to do.

Live my life too.

So, back to the hobby!

Trackwork On The Terminal Railway

I broke down and finally replaced a troublesome turnout and bit of track; the turnout had been repaired but was still troublesome, and the section of straight track dipped in the center. Need to power it and fit the turnout motor once the glue dries.

Ballast In Place

As the track needs to sit higher than the roadbed, I used ballast under it to hold it up (much like the real thing). The glue is drying, which can take quite some time...

And lastly (for now), what is a layout or track without power on a model railroad?

Added the feeder wires for this block, as well as the new turnout. Decided it was also time to fix another oversight and add the feeder for the existing frog in the crossover/route to the junction.Will tidy up the scenery tonight (so it an dry overnight) but today I plan to run some trains while I clear up the projects in the train room!

Sometimes small jobs can make a big difference to how it all works...

More progress soon?

Now that I have an iPhone tool for the Blog hopefully I can get more progress, usually small steps, up here...

Design is a Very Fluid Thing

After many months of speculation on how the city would come together, and several weeks of arranging and re-arranging, I pretty much had the "what goes where" part settled down. Not just on paper, but in actually physical buildings on plots where they would be for all eternity, which when scaled down to N Scale, means tonight.


A few weeks ago we started having electrical problems. A few visits from the electrician left a final course of action: rewire all of the electrical sockets in the house. So I had to move some boxes I had stored  on top of the storage cabinets in the layout room. And a few of them weren't empty. So, of course, we ALL know what had to be done then: I opened them up to take a look. Inside one of the boxes were two wayward Con Cor (I think) city buildings, or maybe they were Walther's by then, I don't recall, partially built. Along with two fast-food restaurants.


So I decided to do a little shuffling in Townhouse Row. This is what was there:

I did think of this configuration first:

But thought that the Hut didn't quite fit in with the area; plus, there would be no room for the parking lot that is always around them, and I didn't really want that much open space. 

As luck would have it, inside another box was the answer:

The DPM structure doesn't look quite so out-of-place as the Hut did, and NO way there was going to be a Burger King back there either.

Now I just need to think about re-jigging all of the townhouse plots, as I have quite a few to place and re-place...

And Then There Were Two...

I just realized I never updated the progress on the scenery; I've colored the slope and tidied up the ground area near the junction; I'll have to snap that tonight...


[Place Holder]


And I've been slowly adding lights to the structures, as I really think it NEEDS to be done when they are in your face. So this morning I finished the wiring for three of the four lighted areas in the DPM "Reeds Books"; part of the second floor Condo, and the access area/stairwell on the right:

There is a bedroom window lighted up that you can only see from the back. I want to experiment with the effect of that light on a night scene, and it (the room) also has some furnishings, so since LEDs never "burn out" (so far) it might end up in a different position one day. I have a picture but can't seem to find it right now; I'll add it later.


I figure if I move along, instead of random "doing", it will be a better scene. So next up is the tall "Department Store" behind this one, then the cafe to the left (barely visible).


For control I'm considering using DIP switches mounted on the fascia, similar to this:

Photo from http://www.digikey.com/; one of the places I have bought stuff from

That way I can alter the scene with a minimum amount of set-up or hassle; simple solder these to a board, and connect the power to a bus on one side, and wire the lights to the board off the switch, with a common return.


Since some are lighted with 12 volt "strip mounted" units, and some are individual LEDs, I'll probably run the power at nine volts, and use resistors in series with the individual LEDs...


More to follow!

New Year's Day Progress

A belated Happy New Year from all of us. And as it's New Year's day, and the wife had to work, I decide I'd spend some time working on the layout while it's quiet. After fixing the dryer and looking at the vacumn's lack of suction. You gotta do what you gotta do for domestic tranquility...


The Layout: I 'finished' the corner in the back of Bedford Cut, as it has been far too long with the "rough" look. 


Before:

Now:

I've squared off the street in front of the Bakery, with an eventual plan (that I'll get too), as the area just needed a little more 'something'. It also means a space for another structure, which was kind of driving the whole job anyway:

The view of the important parts (track view), but before I'd replaced the structures:

I've also been contemplating something that's missing; a way for my citizens to get to the depot! In my mind is an old wooden bridge, leading to a lane off the layout, and behind the depot. I've seen a few I like in train videos, and the N-Scale primer had a variation of this as well. So it's always in my view so to speak. I'm just not sure if I want to block the view of the depot. But then again, a rickety wooden bridge would be a nice touch...


The concept shot:

I need to build a better mock-up to see how the idea sets in my head, using the board and scrap plastic tubing for the legs perhaps.


More to follow!

Commuter Service Returns to Bedford Valley

It's always nice to see train services being expanded and extended, and even better when they happen in our home town. Many years after commuter rail service was withdrawn, and replaced briefly by express bus service, Metra announced the newest route to it's web of Chicago services. Dubbed "West Central Service", Bedford Valley will see two train an hour peak, one an hour off peak and Saturdays, but no Sunday service as of now.


Service was originally provided by the Pennsylvania Railroad, then Penn Central, but limited ridership (due to the deplorable state of the trains perhaps?) lead to the transit commission's endorsement of a request for termination at the start-up of Conrail. Independent service provider MARTA (Metropolitan Area Rapid Transit Association) ran trains, and then replacement service via express buses for a two years, but folded up after rumors of financial  misconduct were reported by the Tribune.


Here, Metra's newest equipment makes a trial run through Bedford Junction the day after Christmas:

Hopefully we get to keep the depot, but time will tell whether it gives way to standard-issue bland...