Automating Signals

In preparation of buying some signals for the layout, I considered the prospect of placing a couple of Home signals on the layout. I wanted to control these signals with a button and make the signal drop to red after the train goes past it.

I saw this as two issues:

1. The ability to control the signal just like in CTC and to have the circuit detect the passing of a train to drop the signal to red.

2. The detection circuit.

Now, railpage user JLB51 has helped me tremendously. He provided me with a circuit that uses two 555 ICs. The first 555 is used to drive the RED led whilst the second is used to drive the GREEN. The first 555 is set up as a bistable circuit whilst the second as an Inverting Buffer or Schmitt trigger. Thanks to JLB51, I was able to create his circuit on a breadboard and to my delight the circuit worked! Here are some pictures

This one shows the signal set to Green.




This one shows the signal set to RED




Now, I need the detection circuit! Again, JLB51 has kindly provided me with some valuable information to get started on this.

New Track Plan

Well I have made some serious changes to the layout. When I first started, I thought running a train behind a backdrop at Stawell would be a good idea as this is some what realistic in that a train only goes pass the major station once. However, after laying out all the track and spending countless hours building the layout, I found that running a train behind the main station in a hidden fashion does not work at all!

There is much more pleasure derived seeing the train in motion. So I have done away with the crowded yard which was Stawell and gone totally fictional, but still somewhat based on VR prototype.

Here is the new plan. I think this will operate more realistically. Only problem now is that I don't have too many industries to shunt too.

Major Changes to TrackPlan

I have made major changes to my layout - I don't know but when I was playing, I felt disengaged and kinda bored with the trackplan based on 'Stawell'. Now, I have created a new plan (and will have to rip up track again) and this time it is freelanced but still based in Western Victoria. I have quickly made up the track plan (attached) - major changes.

The significant change is that now instead of leaving Stawell (renamed to Stawham - i have made up all the town names quickly) and setting the DCC system to autopilot to watch trains go by, now I am more like a 'driver'. Just like what you were trying to tell me in the first place! I know I am really slow to pick up things. Anyhow initially I didn't know what to expect or what I wanted.

So, the staging tracks are gone! Yep, they are gone, but not totally - instead of making them invisibile I have incorporated them into the layout - so Stawham has say 3 yard tracks and Meredith has two, at both these locations, trains will be made up and broken up. So staging comes in the forefront of the operation. That's what I thought initially happend at Stawell.

So, a goods train would leave Stawham, go pass Johnson, pass FarPlace, and eventually arrive at Meredith.

Sometimes a train will stop at Johnson and FarPlace to pick up wagons or set them out. Still have to work on this little as Australia doesn't have all those industries as the Americans have?

With passenger trains, some trains will stop at all stations. The terminating stations are Stawham and Meredith.

I think with this plan, I am more engaged just like your Border District plan. It's kinda based on a medium trafficked branch line - yes it is all made up.

The major disadvantage of this plan is that the number of trains in an operating session is limited compared to the Grampains plan.

Connection of Layout

Connect the track work as per the plan behind the main train station. Trains will leave staging, do three laps behind 'Stawell' and then run through the main station, and immediately exit to staging.

Did a mock run today and had a pass at Stawell, with T375 waiting at Stawell, whilst Y164 did three laps and then passed through. As soon as T375 stopped at Stawell, then only did Y164 depart staging - I think there was about a 5 min wait for T375.



This seemed quite realistic and I enjoyed myself watching the trains roll on the other side of the layout - got an eye-level view as the benchwork is some 140cm high and sitting on a stool, it seemed just like train-spotting!

Objectives of the Layout

The purpose of the layout is to provide some operational possibilities as well as continuous run.
On the plan, you can see a track that goes behind the main station 'Stawell'. What I want to get at is the feel that the train is doing mileage before going through the scene 'Stawell'. I like to see a train go through the main scene once.
However, on the other side, I will be looking at dipicting a country scene so it doesn't really matter whether the train goes through this scene multiple times.

Here are some of the elements that I am looking for in the layout:

* Era early 1970s
* Continuous Running with Operational elements

* Two trains, should not cross more than once, therefore, once there is a cross made at the station, Stawell, then one of the trains will immediately exit into staging. The other will then be able to proceed - just like in real life.  (Basically this means that the mileage dipicited or mileage that I am modelled, is from the last loops on either side of Stawell.  This being Great Western on the Melbourne side and Deep Lead on the Serviceton side. 

* A train should only travel through the main station once
* Both passenger and freight trains will operate on the layout
* Some passenger trains will terminate at the main station, freights will not.
* Trains will consists of 'Express Goods', 'Fast Goods', 'Goods', 'RoadSide Goods', and Light Loco - Roadside goods will shunt at the station. 
* Not sure whether a fast clock will be used.

This is what I think an Operating Session will be like:

Six trains at staging:

A train departs staging, does a few laps of the layout before arriving at main station, where it will be scheduled to wait for another passing train. This train departs staging, does a few laps, then passes the stationary train at Stawell, and immediately dissapears into staging.

The clear is given to the train stopped at Stawell, this train then immediately goes into staging.

One can have a maximum of three trains stopped at Stawell, one in the Station Track, one at the arr/dep track, and a DERM at the docking station.

Lets see if this works out.....

Point Automation

I purchased a set of Servos and a SwitchMaster from Time Saver Layouts (http://www.timesaverlayouts.com/) to automate some of my points. I connected the first one this week to the point that targets the staging yard (on the plan, the lower left point).

After a few days, I got the thing to work.
Initially, I had the servos travel too far which caused the metal connecting rod to protude very high into the air - making this look somewhat unrealistic. I then made the servo arm travel only a small area and this looks much better.
The speed of the points changing looks very realistic, however for that particular point, I didnt mind if it 'snapped' to one end or the other.

Unfortunately, I had to remove the spring inside the point. A good website that shows you how to do this is : http://www.sol.me.uk/hogallery/steeltrack/index.html

Here is a small video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnE5NxiKDU0
Now, back to creating the staging yard.

Layout Details

NOTE* I am indebted to railpage.com.au user tsubameau for helping me tremendously to create a realistic Western Victorian track plan.

Begin construction of the benchwork in Jan 2009 - before that did some initial plans.
Layout will be round-the-walls, and will span 6m on one side and 4.6 on another side.
The height will be 135-140cms, on 12mm plywood.
It will be located in the Shed outdoors.

The operations will be based on Western Victoria in the early 1970s, most likely 1971.

Track plan:


Some photos of the layout so far: