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

[Pauljag900]

38 minutes ago, tt0880 said:

I know this is super late, but I think I found where the confusion came from, since my name is Tim, and we were just talking a few days before. Thanks for the help as always, Paul (It's convenient that your name is in your username!) 

 

This looks SO good! I was wondering, how did you wire up the Kato Diotown Shops with lights? I just finished putting stickers on those and wanted to dabble in interior lights, but I'm thinking I'll have to drill a hole for the wire in the bottom of the shop. Is that what you did?

I ll mail you with some pics TIM👍😀😀😂😂😂

[NXCALE]

These days, I have been working on a suburban station for my layout (red square below)

 

The main idea was to join two stations to obtain a larger one. Below the station after the mods (i.e. 2 stations in 1)

This was the first time that I made these mods so it took me some time.

 

These are the 2 stations at the begining

 

This was a good excuse to get my first Tamiya paints

 

I also had to make mods to the stairs of the station.

 

and now it looks like this.

 

 

Cheers!

[bill937ca]

Been working on the large tram layout. Most of the scenery is cleared off the table or pushed aside. I have been testing my new Tomytec trams and trying out my new track configuration and remote control tram stops.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2018 by bill937ca

[Pauljag900]

Looking good bill, that kato track looks superb,I know it’s more expensive than the tomix stuff but you can see why.If I had nt had space limitations I d have used this with no hesitation.

so how did the tests go buddy?

[bill937ca]

1 hour ago, Pauljag900 said:

Looking good bill, that kato track looks superb,I know it’s more expensive than the tomix stuff but you can see why.If I had nt had space limitations I d have used this with no hesitation.

so how did the tests go buddy?

 

I mainly have trams so I can have what I want. Although the latest Hobby Search order did drill a hole in the pocket book.

 

Three out of my four stop blocks are working, the turnouts work and the trams run fine. And all the cables are sorted out!     The one block that isn't working I will swap with other pieces of track tomorrow. But everytime you make a change to the track you have to turn the layout over to check the feeders. 

Edited March 6, 2018 by bill937ca

[Pauljag900]

44 minutes ago, bill937ca said:

 

I mainly have trams so I can have what I want. Although the latest Hobby Search order did drill a hole in the pocket book.

 

Three out of my four stop blocks are working, the turnouts work and the trams run fine. And all the cables are sorted out!     The one block that isn't working I will swap with other pieces of track tomorrow. But everytime you make a change to the track you have to turn the layout over to check the feeders. 

3 from 4 is nt bad I guess,all the messing about and the checking is a pain,more so where wiring is concerned,but it’s worth it in the end.

yesterday I spent a total of four hours extending and hiding the point motor wires and getting them all working,25 in total,and I forgot to number the wires,so I had to try each one in turn to connect it to the correct switch,ha ha,all done now tho.

[bill937ca]

Now all four tram stop blocks work and all the turnouts work. Great! I made a video of the Berlin tram running around the inner loop on the outer track showing it stopping at the flick of a switch and then proceeding.

 

Edited March 6, 2018 by bill937ca

[Pauljag900]

Good work bill,is that the tomytec german tram and chassis lrt 04? If so how does it perform? Got my eye on that one!!😂😀👍

[bill937ca]

1 hour ago, Pauljag900 said:

Good work bill,is that the tomytec german tram and chassis lrt 04? If so how does it perform? Got my eye on that one!!😂😀👍

Yes, that is it. I am very happy, its a smooth runner rarely stalls.  But that is why I like Tomytec trams.  They will run over any clean track.  When you put the body just make sure all three sections are pressed down.  On both my German trams the windows fell out of center section while placing it on the power unit.

[Martijn Meerts]

Haven’t done anything train related for quite a while, however, having just returned from a trip to Tokyo, the motivation to work on the layout again is coming back. 

 

Hopefully I can do something this weekend, even if it’s just temporarily putting my trains on the yard to take pictures of them all :D

[Pauljag900]

2 hours ago, Martijn Meerts said:

Haven’t done anything train related for quite a while, however, having just returned from a trip to Tokyo, the motivation to work on the layout again is coming back. 

 

Hopefully I can do something this weekend, even if it’s just temporarily putting my trains on the yard to take pictures of them all :D

Hi Martijn,

hows things buddy?

have you done any more to the smallish layout you got with your dad?

paul

[Martijn Meerts]

2 minutes ago, Pauljag900 said:

Hi Martijn,

hows things buddy?

have you done any more to the smallish layout you got with your dad?

paul

 

Not yet no. I don't really have much time to work on it other than during the weekends, and only when the weather is good. The layout is in the garage, so when it's either too cold or too hot it's not really doable. I do hope to be able to work on it in the upcoming spring at least, try to get all the digital components installed etc.

 

Other then that, still very busy at work, but that too should slow down a little in about 2 or 3 months.

[Pauljag900]

1 hour ago, Martijn Meerts said:

 

Not yet no. I don't really have much time to work on it other than during the weekends, and only when the weather is good. The layout is in the garage, so when it's either too cold or too hot it's not really doable. I do hope to be able to work on it in the upcoming spring at least, try to get all the digital components installed etc.

 

Other then that, still very busy at work, but that too should slow down a little in about 2 or 3 months.

Hi Martyjn,

i know all about that mate,as you know,mines in a shed.I ve got a heater in there but when it’s really cold it just about takes the chill off ar best.I tend to do the model making indoors when it gets that cold outside.

[TCC Railroad]

On 2/27/2018 at 10:07 AM, Pauljag900 said:

Hey Kurt,

i doubt there s anyone on here that would be any diferent.What starts as a hobby very quickly becomes an obsession.

we re all the same deep down,but what else we gonna spend it on?😂😂👍👍👍

i ve got to admit I was slightly put off at first by the price tag and was a bit confused as to what all the fuss was about.

then it started to appear in posts on here and I. Videos on YouTube,I then realised exactly why it caused such stir and was a bit pricey,by comparison it was nt that expensive.It certainly is a lovely train model and one day I ll probably end up with one.

The only price I have seen in the US is $600. The price from Japan, including shipping was $330. Yes, it was expensive, but no more expensive than the Milwaukee Road Hiawatha Olympian, and it is a much more spectacular train. I am lucky to have a loving spouse who allows me to such expensive toys. 

[TCC Railroad]

On 2/28/2018 at 11:31 AM, cteno4 said:

 

Ouch! Sorry to hear about that. How exactly did it go off the layout if you don’t mind me asking? Over 15 years of doing shows with the club layouts we have had a few spills. We are always looking for ways to prevent this sort of thing with the club layout as other folks trains are on the layout. We had a few off the end of the yard spills onto the ground either thru inattention, wrong direction thrown and trains talking a short while and too much voltage, and wrongly thrown points. We finally put a deadman pushbutton switch to power the yard so if anything does start to go sideways just letting go kills the power and errant train entering the yard will stop. A couple times cases were knocked off the yard while putting up or taking down trains.

 

we use to use those 2’x2’ interlocking foam floor mats around the layout for both relief of the feet and to help cushion a falling train, but they got to be too much a pain to schlep around. They did save a few.

 

fortunatley over the years we have had fewer and fewer disasters. Once you have seen one it does make you more careful!

 

jeff

Hey Jeff,

We just put a track on the back side of the yard module that is right up against the edge--something you are never supposed to do. I had parked the train there so I could grab the boxes and put it away. One of the younger members of the group leaned over the module to do something on the mainline track. He was wearing a zip up sweatshirt that was open (another no-no) and caught the train when he leaned back. End of train.

 

We actually used those 2x2 blocks, but they were on the outside of the layout, where most people work. That was part of the reason I went to the back of the layout. We are going to put up a 2" acrylic panel along the back edge to prevent a future event like mine.  Before I was in the group somebody lost a pair of Big Boys when somebody lifted the bridge without looking. I guess that was a spectacular crash--two locos and 45 grain cars. They put a kill switch on the tracks after that.

 

Live and learn. 

[chadbag]

2 hours ago, TCC Railroad said:

The only price I have seen in the US is $600. The price from Japan, including shipping was $330. Yes, it was expensive, but no more expensive than the Milwaukee Road Hiawatha Olympian, and it is a much more spectacular train. I am lucky to have a loving spouse who allows me to such expensive toys. 

 

A couple days ago Kato USA showed this in stock and available for $270.  It now shows it sold out. :(  for those looking.

[cteno4]

7 hours ago, TCC Railroad said:

Hey Jeff,

We just put a track on the back side of the yard module that is right up against the edge--something you are never supposed to do. I had parked the train there so I could grab the boxes and put it away. One of the younger members of the group leaned over the module to do something on the mainline track. He was wearing a zip up sweatshirt that was open (another no-no) and caught the train when he leaned back. End of train.

 

We actually used those 2x2 blocks, but they were on the outside of the layout, where most people work. That was part of the reason I went to the back of the layout. We are going to put up a 2" acrylic panel along the back edge to prevent a future event like mine.  Before I was in the group somebody lost a pair of Big Boys when somebody lifted the bridge without looking. I guess that was a spectacular crash--two locos and 45 grain cars. They put a kill switch on the tracks after that.

 

Live and learn. 

 

Ouch! Yep the leanover is a bad one. Clothing and badges are always clipping trains, but rarely a problem than a few derailments, never taken one off the layout like that. I hate to have the plex walls but they do save trains. We had a bad curve on both 1.0 and 2.0 layouts that dropped a couple of trains so we put up plex and to stop little fingers (actually usually the BIG ones are worse offenders), but they get in the way of viewing and can do hotspots with flashes. Hoping to avoid them on 3.0 here.

 

ohhh I can visualize the train going off at the bridge! The Kadee couplers pulling the rest of the train over the void! Oh the humanity!

 

thanks always good information to keep sharing and storing away to prevent in the future!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[NXCALE]

I cut wood to have my first module some days ago. As it can be seen, the suburban station fits just there.

 

Also, I started to design the "bus terminal" (this station is a mixed station: buses and trains)

 

The idea is to have lanes for the buses to reach the end where the bus turntable should be.

 

At the same time, I need some space to have some buses parked.

 

I checked some JPN bus stations and these look quite square, actually they do not like my design.

If someone knows a JPN bus station that has a similar design as this one even just a little, please let me know the know its name so I can research more about it.

 

I would like to try adding lights to the station. So I was checking the forum and I noticed that LED strips can be used.

As there are many tipe of LED strips available, is there a particular type of LED strip which works better for buildings? could anyone share his/her experience? Thanks.

 

[Pauljag900]

3 hours ago, nxcale said:

I cut wood to have my first module some days ago. As it can be seen, the suburban station fits just there.

 

Also, I started to design the "bus terminal" (this station is a mixed station: buses and trains)

 

The idea is to have lanes for the buses to reach the end where the bus turntable should be.

 

At the same time, I need some space to have some buses parked.

 

I checked some JPN bus stations and these look quite square, actually they do not like my design.

If someone knows a JPN bus station that has a similar design as this one even just a little, please let me know the know its name so I can research more about it.

 

I would like to try adding lights to the station. So I was checking the forum and I noticed that LED strips can be used.

As there are many tipe of LED strips available, is there a particular type of LED strip which works better for buildings? could anyone share his/her experience? Thanks.

 

Hi nxcale,

there s a few options available for adding lights to buildings or such,yes you can use strips but they re usually 

multiple LEDs,or you can just use the cheap single leads which work fine,I ve used both of these but then I discovered these,

It s a single led on a hard plastic base about 1cm x 1cm and they re 12volt,also as it has a hard plastic base it helps to stop the bulb shining through the walls,it s the best option I ve found.Here s the ebay link to them

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F322185746827

hope this helps mate,

paul

[Kiha66]

18 minutes ago, Pauljag900 said:

It s a single led on a hard plastic base about 1cm x 1cm and they re 12volt,also as it has a hard plastic base it helps to stop the bulb shining through the walls,it s the best option I ve found.Here s the ebay link to them

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F322185746827

 

Thanks for the link paul, I've ordered a bunch of these for my own use. (from a different seller as that one didnt ship to my country).  These look really useful, no need to worry about resistors.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DD00WM-10pcs-Pre-Wired-WARM-White-SMD-3528-Led-Lamp-Light-Set-12V-18V-NEW/272801862729?hash=item3f84421449:g:jJYAAOSwRYBZjmjg

[NXCALE]

Thank you Pauljag900 and Kiha66.

That's going to help lots, I will order it right after this as it will take a couple of weeks to arrive.

Cheers!

[Pauljag900]

Not sure this should go here so appologies in advance gents.

As most of you know my intrest in Japanese Trains started when I accidently stumbled across a video on YouTube of the nozomi500 about 6 years ago,for anyone with the same thoughts,Check this out,it was posted yesterday,

A superb video of the most beautifull train in the world.😀😀

[Pauljag900]

2 hours ago, Kiha66 said:

 

Thanks for the link paul, I've ordered a bunch of these for my own use. (from a different seller as that one didnt ship to my country).  These look really useful, no need to worry about resistors.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DD00WM-10pcs-Pre-Wired-WARM-White-SMD-3528-Led-Lamp-Light-Set-12V-18V-NEW/272801862729?hash=item3f84421449:g:jJYAAOSwRYBZjmjg

Wow,a good price too there buddy,I ve used a few int the rd plate buildings but bought them mainly for the station platforms.

[Pauljag900]

15 minutes ago, nxcale said:

Thank you Pauljag900 and Kiha66.

That's going to help lots, I will order it right after this as it will take a couple of weeks to arrive.

Cheers!

No problem buddy👍👍😀😀

[Pauljag900]

Spent a lot of time this week wiring in and connecting the points for the storage yard and lights for the buildings.

All burried in a channel under the cardboard which will be sceniced over once everything is finished on there.I ve got some crossovers on the way which should be here any day,oncevthey re in and  connected I ll be able to finish it off.Still got a few more trains to get back out there too.