It’s been some time since I’ve added a post. I’ve been working here and there on the layout as time permits. It seems like I have been bringing lumber home continuously for the past year. I’m sure the neighbors wonder what is going on. I’ve laid some track on the top level including putting in […]
I was able to get some work done on the WVR this week. I put up Masonite backdrop and worked on benchwork. I used 1/8 inch Masonite hardboard for the backdrop. I had to take some time out of my schedule today to give my able assistant a bath and a trim. I think it […]
I have not been able to update the blog for a while, been busy working outside. Finally finished up a new paver patio and grilling area a couple of days ago. Unfortunately my wife and I used most of our two week vacation putting it in. I did manage to squeeze in a little work […]
I’ve been working on the layout off and on for the last few weeks. Haven’t taken the time to write a new post because I just feel like I haven’t been getting much done. I’ve been wiring up an new section of track with three turnouts and going back through some of my previous wiring […]
Having finally figured out the electronics and methods (for the most part) I want to use throughout the layout, I have started with more benchwork. I have a rough plan or two for the yard area along the north wall, I’ll call it the North Yard for now. The lower level is the yard. I’m […]
I am using this slip ring to transmit power to the rotating turntable bridge. I made an adapter from plastic, the brass tube fits inside the axle of the bridge and the other end fits the diameter of the slip ring. I decided to use four of the 6 wires in the slip ring, two […]
I was thinking of purchasing a Walthers turntable sometime in the future. I will need two turntables for my planned layout. They sell a 110′ and 130′ ready to run turntable which can be converted to DCC with an additional board. After some research, I am not so sure that I want to go that […]
I got my first (of many) semaphore working last week. For my initial test, I used one of my turnout decoders to operate it. I’ll need those for turnouts (plus a few!) so I designed a new decoder for the signals. It is a simplified version, based on my turnout decoder. Of course the code […]
Here is a You Tube video showing a test of a Tomar semaphore on my layout. The semaphore is animated by a hobby servo connected to a DCC accessory decoder based on an Arduino Pro Mini board. JMRI is used to control the signal based on block occupancy. I’m utilizing RR-CirKits for block detection. All […]
I took a little time to visit one of the layouts on the CID April layout tour yesterday. I needed some inspiration to keep me trudging ahead on my own layout. I talked my wife, Chris , into going. I think she enjoyed it, but she made me go to the “At Home Store” with […]
