Garden Railway Forum

I prefer the simple plan, less cluttered and train set looking.

tom_tom_go:122723 wrote:I prefer the simple plan, less cluttered and train set looking.

I think I may have the outer loop Lower than the inner (by lowering what is there now) then when the 'scenery' is built up around it will look a bit more natural.

ust a couple of issues with the auto reversing modules not switching properly to solve but i've now got the full length loop up and running.

Three minutes all the way round and back to the beginning.

I thought you ran DCC, should have no issues with reversing loops?

tom_tom_go:122888 wrote:I thought you ran DCC, should have no issues with reversing loops?

It is DCC, i think it may be a problem with the wire gauge, need to use a thicker gauge (thus less resistance) for the reversing loop feed so it triggers more easily - either that or the module is just knackered.

Installed a dusk / dawn sensor on the outside of the garage, this is then connected to a DS64 input (via a relay) so TrainController on the PC knows if it is dark outside and turns the loco lights, carraige lights and tail lights on when trains leave the garage.

Test it with a black bag to simulate darkness and all working.

Using LED strips inside two coaches and a couple of spare decoders i had...

We now have a choice of blue, white or combined lighting + the rear coach has a red tail light and the other one has separate lights in the toilet compartment.

That is a very cunning idea.
It just shows how far this hobby had moved over the years.

Back area trackwork in progress, just the block wiring left to connect.

Half way through Half way through Finished track ready to be fixed in place

That is going to be a busy railway when it is finished Steve.

tom_tom_go wrote: Sat Apr 08, 2017 9:06 pm That is going to be a busy railway when it is finished Steve.

Should be able to have 5-6 trains running under automation at once, will probably be more like 3 moving and the others stopping in station and waiting in passing loops etc.

How are you programming the locos for automation? Will they run in a block system with sensors or shuttle mode?

looking great looks like your very good at electrics keep it up and keep us all posted

one thing the light sensor you have used iv seen used before and the plastic on the top tends to fade and make the sensor not work .

tom_tom_go wrote: Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:12 pm How are you programming the locos for automation? Will they run in a block system with sensors or shuttle mode?

Its DCC (or MTS as LGB call it)

Its a block system using TrainController Gold from Freiwald with Digitrax hardware.
BDL168's for occupancy detection.
DS64's to control the solenoid valves which in turn allow air to control the points.

jim@NAL wrote: Tue Apr 11, 2017 11:43 pm one thing the light sensor you have used iv seen used before and the plastic on the top tends to fade and make the sensor not work .

I'll keep an eye on that, it was just a £15 job so i wasn't expecting much at all!

On with the 'scenery' - this arrived full this morning Then got spread out to fill in the back area, piled up high at present as from past experience it settles quite a bit.
Will possibly do a top cover of smaller size slate chippings (20mm i used everywhere else, these are 40mm as that's all the patio center had in a dumpy bag) Next step is some of that plastic fake grass to go round the vegetable patches

I was going to sell off some auto carriers as they are the incorrect scale (full size and I've only got narrow gauge RHB stock) but turns out that with some chopped up broom handles and bamboo canes they look ok as some logging cars.

https://youtu.be/XtWvDt6k-0E

Progress has begun on landscaping / walls on the back return loop area.

Getting there Steve, looks promising...