We Are Wimps!?!?!?!

[toc36]

Time Lapse Temp Layout.  You might get dizzy.

 

 

 

 

 

[cteno4]

Ahh brings back memories of the old jrm layout 1.0 setups at shows!

 

http://japanrailmodelers.org/pages/layout/setup.html

 

http://japanrailmodelers.org/photos/_setup/index2.html

 

Jeff

[Kiha66]

Thats one benefit of unitrack, 3 hours instead of 5 days!  Did you guys use the kato switch controls on the 1.0 set up Jeff, or just throw switches manually? 

[ToniBabelony]

Setting up a T-Trak layout is much quicker and has at least scenery. :P

[kvp]

5 days is way too much even if they decided to construct (and solder) the whole digital control system during the build. Even a much larger lego layout with terrain and two large terminal stations could be set up under 3 days, including soldering some of the control wiring after most of the landscape was installed. (not to mention the MLVK layout is usually run analog with cab control and with digital locos using on board batteries) This 5 day construction was probably (i guess) done after the normal work hours and most of it was used to figure out a trackplan. With unitrack and analog controls or prewired digital equipment (and a complete trackplan), this setup could be done in around 4-5 hours.

 

But i agree with Toni, ttrak is better!

[sandiway]

So is this about $10,000's worth?

[serotta1972]

Eh, I do that almost daily albeit at a smaller scale - specifically N Scale.

[kvp]

Ahh brings back memories of the old jrm layout 1.0 setups at shows!

Btw. i seem to remember that you mentioned a trackplan for the new JRM layout back in april...

[cteno4]

Yes we had all the points wired in 1.0! We had a system using serial cable pins to plug them all in (slimmest plug/pins I could find to snake point and power leads thru the module bases easily each setup). But we found that the layout was large enough you couldn't see all the points and since the layout was only up every couple of months folks had to really think and use the track plan or walk around to look to try to get the points set right with the kato controllers (we didn't do a control panel, although I was thinking of doing one with bcd circuits.) Also the job of crawling around under the layout to plug these and the power connection into the dangling feeders (these were slipped thru holes in the modules from the loose track) was not a coveted one! Also easy to make mistakes wiring in the dim light under the layout. Also points did not always throw completely under power (another reason I was thinking bcd) with these temp setups.

 

So in the end we stopped wiring the points and usually we work as a team with one person on the throttle and the other manually setting points and being eyes where the person on the throttle can directly see the train. It's fun and we are assured the points are fully thrown. Works well for our limited operations and promotes working with each other.

 

With the 2.0 and now 3.0 sectional layout, wiring the points requires a lot of cabling that we are trying to avoid for simpler, faster and more reliable setups. Yes we could do D.C. buss but that starts to get costly quickly and its own finicky points on something that has to comes apart all the time.

 

Looks like it took the guy a day or so to set up then the rest was the show. That's a lot of work for looks like mostly one guy to do, especially if the first setup! Kudos to the dude for doing this, I know how much time it can take!

 

Jeff

[cteno4]

Btw. i seem to remember that you mentioned a trackplan for the new JRM layout back in april...

I'll get it up and more on the layout when I get some spare time here, been a bit busy lately.

 

Jeff