Round and Round

Given that my layout is round the shed shelf type, with one town on one side and the staging yard on the other, I was thinking about how to add little more engagement rather than 'set and forget'.

One idea that I came up with is to divide the layout into certain sections and have certain speed restrictions throughout.  For example, over the bridge, all locos must reduce to 30 (on the NCE LCD readout), on the curves locos are allowed a maximum speed of 35, and on a straight section, 40.  Going into loops - 15, going into staging 25, within staging 15 ( These equate to mph I think - will need to double check).  I tried this concept and it surely added another dimension, partaking as a loco driver.  The drawback is that since I have a wired NCE throttle, moving round the layout is a hassle.  Anyway, I think this concept should work...will give it a few more tries.  Maybe you could also try it on your layout.

Cheers

Track Plan and Progress

Well, little tentative to post my latest Track Plan since I have changed it so many times, I'm not sure it will be the latest one, although I *think* this one will be it. Not based on any prototype, tried that a few times and it left me with an unsatisfactory result. Maybe due to our space limitations compared to the space in real life.  However, the industries include a small cattle yard, goods shed and maybe a silo.  Quite difficult to make an operational track plan given its a shelf layout because an 'intermediate' station so to speak requires about five tracks, with Road #4 leading to the cattle yard / Silo.

Anyway, when I feel more confident that this is *the* track plan I will post it - basically a five track station, with double slips and a couple of stub ended sidings, with the VR Goods Shed opposite the station.

In the mean time, I have some videos for your enjoyment :)

Building Some Trees

I decided to make a tree or two after reading about how to do this from the author of the book Electronics for Model Railways Book 2 by Ken Stone. Basically using copper wire, solder and a soldering iron to make very realistic looking trees. A very good idea and full credit to Ken. Here is what I created....offcourse I still need to paint it and add leaves.

B Class Passing By

Scenery or Operation?

Considering I have a shelf type layout and hence limited to 60cms, I am faced with a choice of having a layout based on operation (alot of track) or one based on 'scenery'. I think the two are mutually exclusive on a shelf layout.

I have found that the true joy in model railways for me personally is seeing models of trains, which entails the locomotive, the wagons, the wheels, the noises of clicks over the rails, the rocking, the beautiful curve produced by a string of wagons as they negotiate a broad prototypical looking turn, more appealing than seeing a train pull into the stage, shunt or drop off passengers and then leave the scene not to be seen again.

With this realisation, I am pretty much going to drastically down size my tracks and cull the yard I was going to build as my layout. I have also started to think about fitting a small station, e.g. Armstrong on the far end of the shelf and then make the mainline run in the foreground. To seperate the two 'scenes' I think building a 'tree scape' between the two may work. The trees will fit in well with the 'small' country station atmosphere as well is provide a somewhat convincing backdrop for the mainline in the foreground.

Well, now I have to sell all those points I am not going to use. If anyone out there is looking for any Peco Code 100 points in good condition, then let me know :)

Seize the day!

Airbrushed some Tank Cars

I decided to get the air brush to 'rust' some of my shiny silver Oil tanks that I bought and painted silver a while back. I was after a well used and rusty look. Its amazing to think that the TW wagons were actually silver (well some anyway) but due to the elements, they turn black and rusty pretty soon. So I mixed Humbrol 60 (Matt Red) with Humbrol 33 (Matt Black) about 15 to 1, and then thinned accordingly to give me the desired look.
After they were made rusty, I went through them with another spray of Matt 33 to tone them little.

I think they turned out OK.

Cold in the shed!

It was a chilly 7C in the shed yesterday morning at 07am. I had to take a photo to remember it!
Also, here are some morning shots of the layout.