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| Wiring the Model Photos below show the wiring of the model as it progresses. The control panel is, for me, a major part of the whole layout. Once the layout is completed this is where I'll be spending most of my time as everything will be operated from this one place. With a layout not much bigger than your average door, it's too small for walk around controllers and the like. However, the operating area needs to be big enough to comfortably fit three operators, who I shall refer to in future as the signalman and the drivers. When it comes to the electrics, I like to keep it simple. When I look at electrical plans that include diodes and relays and such things I run a mile. Basic railway wiring is simple even with electrofrog points and route lighting but when you start getting involved with return loops, double diamond scissor switchovers (or whatever) then that's a little too complicated for me. As I said, I like simple. Coupled with my complete inability to perform a nice neat soldering job which means even things like multi-pin switches and the like do not form part of my railway modelling vocabulary. |
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Control Panel - As at 23rd October 08 Control panel is formed of hardboard covered in photographic paper on which is printed the track plan. Unfortunately my measurements were out and I've had to do away with the perspex so I'm hoping the photopaper will stand up to the job. The right hand section has all been drilled out ready for the switches, the left hand waiting to be done. The left hand section is for the upper level main station and maintenance depot so will have all the point switches as all lower level points are behind the scenes and will be manually operated. The right hand section of the control panel is mostly section switches with a couple of train indicator lights. All that needs doing now is finishing off the edging and perhaps staining or painting the whole box. |
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Control Panel - As at 15th October 08 Control panel has separate train controllers, two each side of the panel which will allow operation by one, two or three operators. (Ideal being one signalman and two train drivers). Two controllers will run the up trains and two the down with the maintenance depot and engine sheds controlled jointly by both. The panel display when finished will be made of computer generated plan printed on photopaper and covered in thin perspex. The whole thing will then be finished off with a neat wooden edging. Should look alright. |
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How not to solder Photo shows my attempt at soldering a wire to a piece of old track. Lots of melted sleepers and big lumps of solder. Fortunately a large number of my track feeds will be out of sight. Having said that, advice received from South Downs Railway is to use 60%:40% leaded solder rather than lead free as it melts at a lower temperature, which is just what I need so what I'll use in future. Apart from this, there's not a lot of wiring to look at. (There will be, I promise) |
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Control panel LCDs Photo shows the idea I've had for fixing the LCDs to the panel. Simply cut a bit of old biro inner tube, (that's biro, not bike), stick it on the leg of the LCD and poke the wire into the gap with a blob of solder. This not only holds the LCD in place but provides good insulation from other elements of the control panel. (well that's my theory - it looks like it should work!) |
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We have drawings Photo shows the first drafts of the control panel route displays drawn in Word Draw. The final ones will be printed on photopaper and fixed to either hardboard or thin ply then covered with a thin sheet of perspex. The whole thing will then be bordered with a narrow wood beading. One half of the control panel is going to be the station workings and the other half is mainly the section switches for the rest of the layout. The points for the two fiddle yards are all going to be operated by hand as this will save a load of work on wiring and cutting out holes, not to mention the cost of several point motors. The money saved in point motors alone will buy a nice two or three car DMU at least. (Talking of buying DMU sets, any mention of running lots of trains on this layout is purely hypothetical - lots of trains have yet to be bought! I currently have one little diesel loco and that's lost its coupler but from little acorns mighty oak trees grow - or so I'm told). |
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Other Half See above. The train detection lights are there because the operator can't see Addlesford station as it's below the cliffs so it's necessary to use infra-red train detectors to get round this. |
