What did you do on your layout today? (N scale)

[Martijn Meerts]

Haven't done anything on the layout for months, and not sure when I'll get going again. 1 issues is that I just don't really know where to go with the layout. I had a very general idea for the overal layout, but I'm really not sure anymore. I keep going from more modern, long trains to JNR era trains including steam to more of an urban line with short trains .. Of course, I already have the hidden yard built and mostly wired, so going to only short trains would be a bit of a waste of hidden yard really. I also have a lot of trains of all shapes and sizes, so I don't really want to exclude any of them. Selling them is also no option, since I hate selling stuff ;)

 

Could always continue the T-Trak modules I had lasercut, but then there's the question whether it should be DCC or not. Hard to go back to analog when you're used to DCC really ..

[kvp]

Could always continue the T-Trak modules I had lasercut, but then there's the question whether it should be DCC or not. Hard to go back to analog when you're used to DCC really ..

Just my 2 cents, but i would say both. It's very easy to install bypass jumpers under a ttrak module to allow analog power routing and dcc power everywhere operation, just by moving a few jumpers to connect turnout isolated blocks into the mainline. Also you could leave the up and down tracks isolated, which would allow both analog and digital operation, just by connecting two throttles or one dcc booster with an Y cable.

 

Turnout and signal control should be (imho) independent of track power, so you can use whatever you want, even DCC control by using a separate stationery decoder bus.

[Martijn Meerts]

Hmm.. That'd be another option. I wonder if that's a bit doable when you want to add a block system for computer control though. Considering a lot of software is moving more towards a single feedback per block, it should be relative straight forward. Probably something worth testing. I guess in the end it's going to be a lot of wiring on relatively small modules, especially when you start adding LEDs and various effects :)

[Marcin]

60% complete :)

[Pauljag900]

Did a bit of detailing around the tram station and laid the ground cover for the fairground.The street light in the foreground are nt the best but I got them for £3.64 for 40,less than 10p each and at least they re leds.Also been sorting out the power strips for the buildings and street lights as I intend to wire it all up next week.

[JR 500系]

Nice work there as usual Paul! I love that Metrological map poster on your Shin Yamanote building!

[railsquid]

Unseasonal snow?

 

bus-garage by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

Nope, just an outbreak of foamboard to form up the ground level. A while back I was planning to do this:

tram-crossing by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

but the best laid plans often don't survive contact with reality, and here non of the trams really liked the curve-on-a-gradient, and there wasn't really anywhere for them to go on the other side anyway. So the crossing has been reduced to a small road one:

crossing-scene by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

and I was originally planning to have the tram line end in a small depot or something, but that didn't really work, so have pruned the tramline back to a simple stop in front of the station.

 

station-area by Rail Squid, on Flickr

[JR 500系]

I really love that incline, Squid! Oh so common sight in Japan captured really well!

[railsquid]

By the time I'm finished it will have more scale elevation than Singapore ;)

 

Snow has melted away already.

 

station-scene-painted by Rail Squid, on Flickr

[cteno4]

Man your road crews are fast! And even working in snow!

 

Jeff

[railsquid]

Man your road crews are fast! And even working in snow!

 

Jeff

 

This is Japan you know...

 

Peeking beneath the elevated viaduct...

Station scene by Rail Squid, on Flickr

Edited August 6, 2017 by railsquid

[Martijn Meerts]

Quite a while ago, my father and I bought a complete layout from a friend who wanted to sell it due to health issues. I mainly bought it for the Dutch rolling stock, and because my father helped building the layout. It's nothing really special, but it has scenery and the ability to run several trains at once.

 

The idea was to rewire the layout and add a block system to it, but due to my new job I've been really busy, and the past months I haven't been able to do much on it at all. My father hasn't done much either, since he can't do the wiring himself, and can basically only run some trains now and then.

 

So, last weekend I updated my iTrain license, and started adding the switchboard of the layout to iTrain, and determine what to do with the blocks, where to add them, how many occupancy detectors per block etc. The idea is to start working on the actual layout next weekend and try to wire up enough to get at least 1 full loop. There are some issues though, mainly bad rail connectors, so I'm likely going to solder the track together here and there. Some of the track is also covered by an upper level, and while that track is easy to access for cleaning and such, there's no space for soldering anything.

[Marcin]

Almost finish my t-trak Japan City layout  :)

 

 

[Pauljag900]

Good work Marcin,looks great,well done buddy,

Paul

[cteno4]

Very nice Martin! Doh I had not noticed you were doing modules with both trams and train tracks! That's going to be a big setup!

 

Jeff

[Marcin]

In last modules I do also Tomytec move bus, but street with wiring cost to much time and I will do, only in Station area.

[Pauljag900]

Fitted the lights to the buildings and street lights and glued everything in place,flipped the base on its side and wired everything up.

I dug out the polystyrene and hot glued the wires in.I made a base and back from mdf and sat the model on it,eventually it will have a 4" side and front rail to cover the polystyrene.

I then wired in the power supplies and connected everything up,

This more or less completes the Japanese section apart from a bit of detailing.The three taller buildings at the back are nt wired in yet,there a bit heavy and I m worried that when I tip the board they ll rip off so tomorrow I m going to glue them together and wire all three with a pluggable terminal block so it can be removed when i need to tip the board.

[buckingham]

You do some lovely stuff.

[Pauljag900]

Cheers Buckingham,I see you re just up the rd from me,where abouts are you?

[serotta1972]

Making good use of your time off huh Paul. Good stuff!

[Pauljag900]

Ha ha ,you know me so well junior

[Marcin]

What I do yesterday ;) Chinese latern from aliexpress :)

[Pauljag900]

Last few days I finished of the baseboard and gave it a couple of coats of light grey paint,routed all the track power and point leads under the foam board and connected all the power supplies.

Also added a bit of detail,signs,telegraph poles etc.Finally connected up the lights to the three taller buildings at the back.[attachment=27181

[Kiha66]

Looking good paul, love how the tram plaza came out! 

[Pauljag900]

Hi kiha

Thanks for the comments.I was unsure at first as to how it would look connecting the train track to the tram track but accepted that was the only way to do it.When I first laid it I was nt totally happy with the way it looked but now it's all done I m not sure if I just do nt notice it anymore or just got used to the way it looks now.The area where the trams park will eventually have a glass roof over,assuming I can find one the right size,the one I originally found from kibri is a bit too big so I ll keep looking.

Paul