Cheers
Rod
ps How much would you pay for this one?
And do you know where the prototypw was installed?
Every signal operates with pull wires or servos can be stacked under layout, separated by angle cranks. Mine will be a lot easier to operate,
RY
2020/07/28
2020_07_28 Forgot this :(
2020_07_28 Wodonga signal?
Cheers
Rod
ps How much would you pay for this one?
And do you know where the prototypw was installed?
Every signal operates with pull wires or servos can be stacked under layout, separated by angle cranks. Mine will be a lot easier to operate,
RY
Cheers
Rod
ps How much would you pay for this one?
And do you know where the prototypw was installed?
Every signal operates with pull wires or servos can be stacked under layout, separated by angle cranks. Mine will be a lot easier to operate,
RY
2020/07/27
2020_07_27 New PL Cars!
2020_07_27 Mailman delivers if Exhibitions fail to :D
Not happy with my Neo Austrains carriages!!
WHY? Because they make my 6 old PL cars look so bad :) Ha Ha.
Very Happy with the upgrades. WoW check out the roof vents. Who would have thought the old ones were so oversized.
Nice safe packaging and no loose bits either.
Very crisp accurate production with very good lettering as expected from SDS
Close coupling without special couplers. So far they perform nicely around my tightest curves on the branch.
Nice detailing better than my pictures show.
They are nice reproductions of the older VR passenger carrages we all caught to outer suburban schools.
The guards compartment
And marker lights (sadly unlit)
Nice rake of 4 carriages, looks about right :)
Full under body detail. Almost want you to put strategic mirrors, perhaps a bridge over a river?
Sitting nicely behind a single T. Will look lovely behind a D3 with an AW mixed in among them :)
Set up in the late afternoon for an early morning departure.
And as soon as the crew arrive to light it up, T408 will take the PL's to the end of the line.
Pretty happy with these little cars. Must do a video of them on the branch.
Cheers
Rod
Not happy with my Neo Austrains carriages!!
WHY? Because they make my 6 old PL cars look so bad :) Ha Ha.
Very Happy with the upgrades. WoW check out the roof vents. Who would have thought the old ones were so oversized.
Nice safe packaging and no loose bits either.
Very crisp accurate production with very good lettering as expected from SDS
Close coupling without special couplers. So far they perform nicely around my tightest curves on the branch.
Nice detailing better than my pictures show.
They are nice reproductions of the older VR passenger carrages we all caught to outer suburban schools.
And marker lights (sadly unlit)
Nice rake of 4 carriages, looks about right :)
Full under body detail. Almost want you to put strategic mirrors, perhaps a bridge over a river?
Sitting nicely behind a single T. Will look lovely behind a D3 with an AW mixed in among them :)
Set up in the late afternoon for an early morning departure.
And as soon as the crew arrive to light it up, T408 will take the PL's to the end of the line.
Pretty happy with these little cars. Must do a video of them on the branch.
Cheers
Rod
2020/07/26
2020_07_26 With Comrade Andrews revelling in his new powers....
2020_07_23 They say a change is as good as a holiday?
And I definitely must post more often. Maybe an update every Sunday? Maybe I can make MS a little useful and set it to remind me? ok
The change is walking away from the layout as such. First I was thinking about scenery, but my confidence is waning and I feel I am not ready or prepared for that task yet. Trees? Yeah someday.
So I decided to start unboxing all the (still) DC locos and think about upgrading them to DCC and sound. Fortunately I always purchased a sound chip with each new loco, so not being able to get to a hobby shop was not the problem.
The older engines like the original 930's and 44 Class required a lot of work, mainly because they were fitted with globes instead of led's and in some cases mounting sound decoders and speakers became a real pain. In fact I have arranged to send the more difficult engines away to be converted by professionals.
And so after 5 weeks of wiring and more wiring I have now completed 21 DCC conversions and started another 12 or so, with at least 20 more in the to do bins. :(
As each loco tested OK, I added them to the track, here.
Moved the computer to side, to gain better access! The 44 Class as an early one and getting new lights and a new DCC sound decoder.
The Flat Top T Class are rather difficult to fit sounds to. However unless you have really good ears and can hang un-baffled speakers to the side, you can get great results if you cut out the speaker mount and add a sugar cube speaker
This is the modified speaker which was sold to me by Mike Walters who also suggested the speaker mount. And it works perfectly (Only 5 more to convert)
https://www.dccsound.com/
Tell Mike Rod sent you :)
So with a few projects lined up on the desk, here are some more in the Q.
The hardest part is finding all the engines and matching up the bits that fit them. Fortunately, Mike from DCC sounds marked all the ESU sound boxes with the loaded sounds.
The sounds are all authentic and each decoder has the correct speaker already attached. Then it is only a matter of finding suitable wire and LED's to finish the project.
I am trying to finish one project a day, and that includes adjusting the decoders on my computer using a programmer and the ESU software and finishing off with DecoerPro
Decoder Pro is really great when used on Tsunami and TCS chips.
Cheers
Rod
And I definitely must post more often. Maybe an update every Sunday? Maybe I can make MS a little useful and set it to remind me? ok
The change is walking away from the layout as such. First I was thinking about scenery, but my confidence is waning and I feel I am not ready or prepared for that task yet. Trees? Yeah someday.
So I decided to start unboxing all the (still) DC locos and think about upgrading them to DCC and sound. Fortunately I always purchased a sound chip with each new loco, so not being able to get to a hobby shop was not the problem.
The older engines like the original 930's and 44 Class required a lot of work, mainly because they were fitted with globes instead of led's and in some cases mounting sound decoders and speakers became a real pain. In fact I have arranged to send the more difficult engines away to be converted by professionals.
And so after 5 weeks of wiring and more wiring I have now completed 21 DCC conversions and started another 12 or so, with at least 20 more in the to do bins. :(
As each loco tested OK, I added them to the track, here.
Moved the computer to side, to gain better access! The 44 Class as an early one and getting new lights and a new DCC sound decoder.
The Flat Top T Class are rather difficult to fit sounds to. However unless you have really good ears and can hang un-baffled speakers to the side, you can get great results if you cut out the speaker mount and add a sugar cube speaker
This is the modified speaker which was sold to me by Mike Walters who also suggested the speaker mount. And it works perfectly (Only 5 more to convert)
https://www.dccsound.com/
Tell Mike Rod sent you :)
The hardest part is finding all the engines and matching up the bits that fit them. Fortunately, Mike from DCC sounds marked all the ESU sound boxes with the loaded sounds.
The sounds are all authentic and each decoder has the correct speaker already attached. Then it is only a matter of finding suitable wire and LED's to finish the project.
I am trying to finish one project a day, and that includes adjusting the decoders on my computer using a programmer and the ESU software and finishing off with DecoerPro
Decoder Pro is really great when used on Tsunami and TCS chips.
Cheers
Rod
2020/07/13
2020_06_13 Quick update
2020_06_13 Still plugging away.
Wiring is still my biggest headache. However I have been maintaining locomotives, mainly to do with sound and split muffs on drive train. I have Austrains X Class, T Class as well as Trainorama S an 44 Classes that need upgrades. Have plenty of wheel sets but finding the T Class offset muffs to be a problem.
I ordered 3 new B Class with sound fitted, a heap of Tam Valley as well as some new Digitrax controllers.
Parts for my Wodonga and Albury control panels have arrived. Should get into that soon.
Wanted to buy the new Powerline Z Cars but as usual, they messed them up. They just cant help themselves "they are good enough the sheep will buy them anyway"
Peter shows the prototype A car and below is the model. All seats can face the direction of travel
This economy car (picture by Powerline) shows the seating is probably for First Class cars and stands much too high. First Class cars have at least 14 windows as shown by Peter's picture.
EDIT Note the seats on the BZ were recliners and could face direction of travel, not fixed as I thought
You can see what I am griping about? We waited over 25 years for these! We should be able to plonk them and run them. Much better than the original S Cars, however they are relatively 3 times dearer, today's dollar.
And I really am sick of paying premium prices and getting lima quality toys :( I wanted 6 of them) and will end up giving them a miss, I think unless Auscision decides to build them as part of their SOP sets.
Anyway hope to show you more next time ;D
Wiring is still my biggest headache. However I have been maintaining locomotives, mainly to do with sound and split muffs on drive train. I have Austrains X Class, T Class as well as Trainorama S an 44 Classes that need upgrades. Have plenty of wheel sets but finding the T Class offset muffs to be a problem.
I ordered 3 new B Class with sound fitted, a heap of Tam Valley as well as some new Digitrax controllers.
Parts for my Wodonga and Albury control panels have arrived. Should get into that soon.
Wanted to buy the new Powerline Z Cars but as usual, they messed them up. They just cant help themselves "they are good enough the sheep will buy them anyway"
Peter shows the prototype A car and below is the model. All seats can face the direction of travel
This economy car (picture by Powerline) shows the seating is probably for First Class cars and stands much too high. First Class cars have at least 14 windows as shown by Peter's picture.
EDIT Note the seats on the BZ were recliners and could face direction of travel, not fixed as I thought
You can see what I am griping about? We waited over 25 years for these! We should be able to plonk them and run them. Much better than the original S Cars, however they are relatively 3 times dearer, today's dollar.
And I really am sick of paying premium prices and getting lima quality toys :( I wanted 6 of them) and will end up giving them a miss, I think unless Auscision decides to build them as part of their SOP sets.
Anyway hope to show you more next time ;D
2020/06/19
2020_06_19 Wodonga Station
2020_06_19 McKenzie Signal bridge test fit (Oakliegh Signal Bridge)
Tony K visited today and brought a new signal bridge so that we could see if we had room to fit one
Success!! One has been ordered!
Oakliegh Bridge obviously not right for here.
Cheers
Rod
Tony K visited today and brought a new signal bridge so that we could see if we had room to fit one
Success!! One has been ordered!
Oakliegh Bridge obviously not right for here.
Cheers
Rod
2020/06/01
2020_06_01 Track laying? Wot?
2020_06_01 Have I forgotten?
Well I guess Al will complain that its not right Ha Ha. I keep letting him do it because he likes it so much ;)
Anyway the frustrations of wiring this up is keeping me well and truly occupied.
So lets see how I did?
This little yard is needed to store some of the NSW rolling stock that I have accumulated to make Albury a little more interesting. NSW 4 wheel vintage rolling stock, will not normally run on the Victorian side and basically will run to and from Albury via the two reverse loops, and store in these 5 new sidings to keep the layout clear for thru modern bogie operation through to Dynon.
Ok first find the tools. Now where did Al hide them?
Check to make sure it will fit in place, that point motors are not obstructed.
Yeah, this will work.
ok straight along backdrop? I have a block of wood that appears to work. Now lining the points up this way the straight roads need straightening.
The electro frogs have wire shorts to remove for live frog operation.
And I wire the blades to each dropper to guarantee continuity.
Check!!
Mark the positions of the droppers and drill through the base board.
Mark location of the point motor and drill the board out for that.
Push the wires through and give them a test tug.
Stand back and admire the work. It looks great to me :)
Go inside and check head for bleeders? Oh not needed :) Did not hit it once Ha Ha
Yeah I am happy with that... But what will Al think of it?
Cheers
Rod
ps the New Helix is next, and that finishes off all the track to lay.
pps notice that all lighting is from the overhead LED's Maybe first job should be to build a canopy and light your layout? Sure makes working on it easier (except when its low and chops up your head, eh Al?)
Well I guess Al will complain that its not right Ha Ha. I keep letting him do it because he likes it so much ;)
Anyway the frustrations of wiring this up is keeping me well and truly occupied.
So lets see how I did?
This little yard is needed to store some of the NSW rolling stock that I have accumulated to make Albury a little more interesting. NSW 4 wheel vintage rolling stock, will not normally run on the Victorian side and basically will run to and from Albury via the two reverse loops, and store in these 5 new sidings to keep the layout clear for thru modern bogie operation through to Dynon.
Ok first find the tools. Now where did Al hide them?
Check to make sure it will fit in place, that point motors are not obstructed.
Yeah, this will work.
ok straight along backdrop? I have a block of wood that appears to work. Now lining the points up this way the straight roads need straightening.
The electro frogs have wire shorts to remove for live frog operation.
And I wire the blades to each dropper to guarantee continuity.
Check!!
Push the wires through and give them a test tug.
Stand back and admire the work. It looks great to me :)
Go inside and check head for bleeders? Oh not needed :) Did not hit it once Ha Ha
Yeah I am happy with that... But what will Al think of it?
Cheers
Rod
ps the New Helix is next, and that finishes off all the track to lay.
pps notice that all lighting is from the overhead LED's Maybe first job should be to build a canopy and light your layout? Sure makes working on it easier (except when its low and chops up your head, eh Al?)
2020/05/29
2020_05_28 Al Day Thursday more track?
2020_05_28 Almost all track down?
You can see Al was not going to have a painless day of it. The track is at the back board and the top level is in the way.
The track along the wall, is SG and was used by NSW shunters to combine trains arriving from Melbourne and because of space limitations I am going to add a BG track in the space between, to simulate transfer of wagon loads between gauges.
to the right of the bottle the BG track points lead to the new transfer roads.
The point work is from SG make up road and leads to SG wagon storage.
BG refers to broad gauge track which was the Victorian Railways standard of 5 ft 3 inches. and SG refers to the NSW standard gauge of 4 ft 8 1/2 inches. Here simulated by running code 100 track for all SG track and Paco code 75 for all BG track. The only place on this whole layout that a SG or BG train can transfer to the other gauge is the Coal Sidings Bogie Exchange roads.
Cheers
Rod
You can see Al was not going to have a painless day of it. The track is at the back board and the top level is in the way.
The track along the wall, is SG and was used by NSW shunters to combine trains arriving from Melbourne and because of space limitations I am going to add a BG track in the space between, to simulate transfer of wagon loads between gauges.
to the right of the bottle the BG track points lead to the new transfer roads.
The point work is from SG make up road and leads to SG wagon storage.
BG refers to broad gauge track which was the Victorian Railways standard of 5 ft 3 inches. and SG refers to the NSW standard gauge of 4 ft 8 1/2 inches. Here simulated by running code 100 track for all SG track and Paco code 75 for all BG track. The only place on this whole layout that a SG or BG train can transfer to the other gauge is the Coal Sidings Bogie Exchange roads.
Cheers
Rod
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