Chris: My first layout

Speaking of time zones--- When and why were time zones enforced??
Fred

Hi Fred. Have a look at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_zone#History .

Chris.

Thanks Chris- That went into more depth than I knew before. I have crossed many time zones on my round the world cruises, lost and gained days etc. Imagine - a clock with two minute hands and Philedelpia with 6 clocks. And just think how accurate our little time pieces are now! We have come a long way baby!
Fred

Hi Guys.

I don't know if anyone reads these updates but, if you do, please have a look at my latest. The subject is the semi-automatic control of trains into and out of the Breitefurt station. Sample circuits are shown for the down end of the station. Any questions, please let me know.

Address is trains.manvell.org.uk/z-scale/layout/ .

Best wishes,
Chris.

Dampflok wrote:

Hi Guys.

I don't know if anyone reads these updates but, if you do, please have a look at my latest. The subject is the semi-automatic control of trains into and out of the Breitefurt station. Sample circuits are shown for the down end of the station. Any questions, please let me know.

Address is trains.manvell.org.uk/z-scale/layout/ .

Best wishes,
Chris.

It's nice work, Chris. I'm not sure I could live with those Marklin switch motors but that just me. Any plans to bring Breitefurt south of the border? I'd love a chance to see it in the flesh, so to speak.

Hi TailUK;; thanks for the reply.

I can put up with the point motors but I regret having decided to use only Marklin proprietary trackwork as all those blocks of brown plastic are very off putting.

At the moment, the furthest south I have been asked to exhibit is Falkirk. One problem is that it is 280 miles to the border, much of it on Highland roads (tourists in summer and snow in winter!) and I'm not getting any younger. As the family have no interest in my hobby I exhibit alone which is also a problem. However, maybe some day, but it's got a lot of work still to be done.

All the best,
Chris.

Hello Chris,

I have been following your blog about your layout. I must have read it several times, but I'm not really electrically minded. I have purchased several of the Marklin 8945 relays, but haven't installed them. What I like about UK layouts is the hidden yards.

Robert

Running Tweezer Trains
on the Left Coast

loadmaster wrote:

I have been following your blog about your layout.

You have my sympathy!!!

I must have read it several times, but I'm not really electrically minded. I have purchased several of the Marklin 8945 relays, but haven't installed them.

They are very easy to use and Marklin give you various ideas in their paperwork and track books. They are not really necessary if you are using semaphore signals but essential with colour light (where the signal is driven from the set of three terminals and the track is powered through two of the set of four).

What I like about UK layouts is the hidden yards.

And you should see some of them! A friend of mine runs a single track exhibition layout and has 20 tracks in his hidden sidings (fiddle yard).

Running Tweezer Trains on the Left Coast

Ah, but which left coast - there's an awful lot of them!

All the best,
Chris.

Hello again everybody.

Just posted another update to cover the completion of the automatic control of trains into the up platforms and relief track. It's all installed and tested and the updated circuit diagram is shown.

Next task is to do the same for the entry routes for down trains.

With best wishes,
Chris.

Chris,

The Left Coast of the USA i.e. Southern California about 70 miles North of Jim and the CCRR. Fiddle Yard, that was the word I was trying to remember. Does your friend have a website showing his layout?

Robert

Robert wrote:

The Left Coast of the USA i.e. Southern California about 70 miles North of Jim and the CCRR.

I was in Anaheim for 4 1/2 months back in 1986. SOme fantastic railway stuff there, esp. on the north side of Griffith Park. (You can keep the diesels tho'; I'm a steam fan, esp. early steam.) Must say that when we left that almost incessant sum my wife swore she would never complain about Skye weather again, and she's pretty well kept to it.

Fiddle Yard, that was the word I was trying to remember.

I guess fiddle yard sums up its purpose but I prefer hidden sidings (Nebengleis on my layout). Having looked at a few layout plans, I note that most are just a series of sidings that re-enter the main line, or are simple sector plates with no pointwork. I use mine like that at the moment but want to try to use them to reverse trains as well.

Does your friend have a website showing his layout?

Sadly no. He models the metre gauge Albula line in Switzerland and has had the layout published in Continental Modeller several times. If you like, I could scan a couple of images from CM and email them to you. If so, send me a PM on this site with your email address.

Well, that's all for now.

All the best,
Chris.

A couple of photos of the Albula line.

www.z220.org/shows/zedex2005/page040.shtml
www.oxfordmrc.org.uk/images/zedex05/full/zedex0512-full.jpg (possibly)
www.oxfordmrc.org.uk/images/zedex06/full/zedex066-full.jpg

Scans from the CM would still be best tho'.

Hi everyone.

I've not been here for a while due to several different projects going on all at on all at once. However, I have been plodding on with the layout. Since my last update, and after a lot of hassle, I have finally wired up the automatic train and power routing for trains entering the up end of the station. Part of the trouble was that, not wanting to say goodbye to over £100, I sourced four latching relays (about 1/8th the size of the Marklin ones!) from eBay. These relays were for use by the comms industry and capable of handling up to 4A per contact! Anyway, turned out that they were polarised so will only work on a DC supply connected the right way round. I finally got it right on my third attempt. Anyway, it all works now (well it did yesterday) so I spent all evening tidying up the wiring and things are looking good.

I have, as usual, put a short update on the website (at trains.manvell.org.uk/z-scale/layout/). Do have a look.

Now I just need to wire the control wires into a couple of spare 72720's.

Best wishes to all,
Chris.

Thanks Chris. Would you please explain, at least in outline, how the automation you've just installed works.

Hi Ausman.

It's quite simple really. So here goes....

Specification:
1. The user, using a single action can set up a route out of the station and automatically apply power to that route.
2. By using a single push button, the user shall be able to set up a route into any platform in the station and apply power to that route without having to select power to individual sections using switches. Also,

Solution.
1. As trains will normally be travelling in one direction only, they can be fed through diodes. These are necessary to prevent conflicting movements when the various sections are powered manually (e.g. for shunting). For instance, refer to the down exit diagram at <trains.manvell.org.uk/z-scale/layout/images/20090516-Down-exit-signalling-1.jpg>. The signal's switch applies power to the two sections that it controls. This power is derived from the exit route on the left via purple/brown/red wires. (Ignore the diode symbols next to the tracks.) At the same time the turnout is set to the correct route via the blue wire coming from the signal motor. Again, the diodes prevent the manual operation of a single points motor from feeding to all the other motors.

2. uses exactly the same principles but is more complex because more points need to be set. Also, the power is fed from the entry track, rather than back from the exit track.

Once the loco reaches its destination it operates a trip switch which returns the signals to danger and removes power from the route. (Yellow wire in my example.)

I hope that is clear - I am rather tired and haven't got round, yet, to properly documenting it all. Suffice to say that if I sett up the two routes 1 (entry and exit) a train can be run right through the station with power applied only to the two (entry and exit) track sections. Only time will tell whether it really works.

Best wishes,
Chris.

Interesting system and it appeals to me. Going to follow this one.

Hi Havoc. When I get a moment, I will post all the circuits on my website - possibly later today.

Chris

I'm in no hurry! First it is too hot, next it will take years before I need this for my own layout. Take your time, relax...

Already done as others have shown an interest.

Chris.

Interesting system Chris.