A local shopping center has a multiscale train display I maintain. By popular request, some time in the next month or two I'll be replacing the simple HO loop in the corner with a small 'Island of Sodor' display. There are four timer controlled buttons available for making things operate in this area. Space constraints limit what I can do, but I want to at least include a "Bredam docks" area, and a turntable/sheds area. So far this is what I've come up with:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4689/39419278682_4edc41d836_h.jpg)
The "Brendam docks" spur will be set up to have a loco shuttling a couple of cars back and forth between the two spurs when a button is pressed. I plan to build another T030 ship https://scalescenes.com/product/t030-cargo-ship/ to take on cargo at the docs. Two buttons will control trains on each of the loops. And the last button will make the turntable, with a loco on it, rotate.
Those same space constraints mean I'll be using Trix C-Track, with R2 curves on the inner loop, and R3 curves, and curved turnouts, on the outer loop. The dock turnout is a 12.1deg turnout. The turntable is a motorized Atlas unit I already have. It's only function will be to make whatever loco is on it rotate around. So far I have a couple of Thomas and Percy locos, allowing them to be swapped out for maintenance.
Any suggestions on what else I can include in the limited space, or locos that can handle the curves, would be appreciated. Keep in mind, for safety reasons, I cannot block aisle & access hatch at the top. This display operates, with buttons being pushed quite often, from 8:30am - 6:00pm.
Len
I would think a Salty model at the docks would be a nice touch (and cranky too) and based on what I know salty would be able to handle the same curves as thomas and percy if need be. rosie or oliver and some basic rolling stock would look pretty neat too.
Quote from: Griffin on January 02, 2018, 02:23:08 PM
I would think a Salty model at the docks would be a nice touch (and cranky too) and based on what I know salty would be able to handle the same curves as thomas and percy if need be. rosie or oliver and some basic rolling stock would look pretty neat too.
I've got Cranky, is Salty available as a seperate purchase item?
(The on-line store is apparently down for maintenance, so I can't check there.)
Len
Sadly he's been discontinued as separate sale for a while, check eBay though as I've seen models floating around there very often. worst comes to worst you can always purchase his set and get 3 pieces of thomas dock-esque rolling stock (most of which is also discontinued ... a bonus!) or simply use another engine.
Given the functions on your layout here is what I would personally do:
Not sure if you have this already but first and foremost I would make sure the layout is protected with plastiglas to keep the layout protected from any small hands or fingers getting on the layout. I have been a member of my local club for almost five years and this is an issue my club faces regularly, to a point where we have had areas restricted to guests due to countless instances of younger visitors touching the trains causing them to derail. I would advise to get some barrier to keep the models protected while on display as well as allowing easy access for yourself to get your arms into the display. Even with plastiglass it is still an issue, our club is almost tempted to put a "Do not touch" sign on our window, but even that won't seem likely to stop the issue. ::)
Regarding the functions on the layout, I would personally limit the loops to only Thomas and Percy. They are not only the two most recognize characters in the whole series, but they are also the cheapest and seeing as how you have multiples of them, fixing and repairing them and having replacements will not be an issue. Plus whenever I run models at my club and visitors see my Thomas models go around, they refer to the characters as just "Thomas" or "the Thomas train". Even when I run narrow gauge most people who are general visitors and not fans automatically assume it's Thomas (or sometimes James) not being as familiar with minor characters on the show. If it is for the general public (which based on your description of a local shopping center, it sounds like it is) for the loops, I think Thomas and Percy are the only two you would need.
That doesn't mean those should be the only two there. Personally I would get creative beyond just Brendam docks and have other engines parked in the sheds/turntable area. I would suggest Gordon, Emily, and Toby parked at the sheds and James riding on the turntable. Again, these are more of the most-known characters on the show, and visitors who are fans or not would have a higher chance of recognizing these characters. Salty would be a logical addition for your harbor, if you can find him, but from what I've seen he's not too hard to find on eBay, both in the set and not. Perhaps even have Henry parked on the other harbor siding to make it seem like he's waiting for Salty to give him his freight cars? Obviously the larger engines I mentioned earlier wouldn't run on the tight radiuses like Thomas and Percy would, but touches like what I mentioned earlier makes a huge difference on the layout as a whole. Even if most engines I suggested aren't running it does make it more lively when they are there. I've done this before at my club too with another friend and we both got positive responses from visitors with this. Even the Bach-man's Sodor layout has various locomotives parked in sidings/sheds and it always attracts visitors to look at his layout.
Not sure what you got going on there in that extra siding behind the docks. If you are unsure of what to do with that area perhaps maybe include a coal hopper and water tower there? To complete the steam team you could have Edward parked over there or any other character of your choice.
Good luck with putting this together, button-pushed layouts can definetely be a lot of fun for visitors. Would love to see pictures/videos of it in action.
Initially the lower spur will be a holding area for a second train that can be swapped out on the outter loop for some occasional variety. Eventually it may end up as a Circuitron AR-2 controlled, without a button, back-and-forth track.
There is a wall around the entire layout that comes to the top of an average sized adults head. The upper half is plexiglass, allowing the layouts to be viewed. Currently there is an O-gauge 'up & over' figure-8 using O-63 curves of Atlas-O track, and a rather large O-gauge loop using O-72 Lionel FasTrack curves. Buttons for the 'Sodor' area are at the top of the layout drawing, on the outside of the wall. There are two other sets of buttons for the O & S loops at other points around the layout.
There was a Large Scale loop outside of that, but our last loco died and parts were no longer available. Management decided Large Scale equipment was getting too expensive to replace, so a decision was made to change that loop to S-scale. S-Track flex-track on cork roadbed has been installed, and a train is running. But ballasting and replacing the Large Scale buildings and scenary was put on hold until after the holidays. Once that is done, I'll be starting on the 'Sodor' area.
I'll try and get some pics of where things are at now, with updates as things progress as they go along over the next few months.
Len
Just a note about Salty, people were saying he was still available in his set, but I don't see that listed in the Bachmann store either. Seems like an odd choice of all the locos to get discontinued. I think he is pretty essential to most layouts if you wanted to do the docks.
Quote from: DrNickRiviera995 on January 03, 2018, 03:45:25 AM
Just a note about Salty, people were saying he was still available in his set, but I don't see that listed in the Bachmann store either. Seems like an odd choice of all the locos to get discontinued. I think he is pretty essential to most layouts if you wanted to do the docks.
Now there's an understatement if I ever heard one.
Len
Here are a few pics of things as they are now.
This is the corner where 'Sodor' will be going from the outside. The four buttons will only control things in the 'Sodor' area, not the rest of the display. The cardstock buildings you may notice are 'quick and dirty' builds for space determination purposes. The permanent buildings will be a bit more finished. Note Percy and the Troublesome Trucks just above the blue button:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4726/27710935469_ff53b8790c_b.jpg)
This is the corner, and the basic loop of track currently there, from inside the walls. The On30 loco and cars that were running there are sitting on the shelf below the table top. The gap above that shelf will be filled in up to near the blue Christmas light, but that's as far as I can go there. 'Cranky', the switch tower next to him, the water tower in the foreground, and station platform will be part of 'Sodor'
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4598/24620621627_e575c54a22_b.jpg)
This is the 'Sodor' corner looking towards the wall where the buttons are located. The table top here will be extended to a bit past the bottom of the picture. 'Brendam docks' will be roughly in the area with the water tower and station are in the picture.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4595/27710941189_324d7bb23b_b.jpg)
This is the same view from a bit farther back. You can see a few of the old large scale structures, the station, switch tower, and coal bunker, that will be coming off the layout. And the new S-scale track on the old large scale trackway. That will be getting ballasted and sceniced to make it blend in better once the Christmas stuff comes down. The table top will be getting extended out to the white circle about half way between the table edge and large scale station corner.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4599/39456839312_0dd596692f_b.jpg)
This is a general overview of the rest of the display. There is one set of buttons for this portion of the display on the far wall, and one on the wall directly behind where I was standing. The bare looking areas are from removing things so I could get the S-scale track installed, then being told to stop work and leave things alone until after the holidays. A farm scene belongs in the area where the Christmas tree behind the bridge is sitting.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4641/24620630937_8047b7c5fa_b.jpg)
At any rate, this is what I'm starting with. I'll try and post update pics as things move along.
Len
Quote from: DrNickRiviera995 on January 03, 2018, 03:45:25 AM
Just a note about Salty, people were saying he was still available in his set, but I don't see that listed in the Bachmann store either. Seems like an odd choice of all the locos to get discontinued. I think he is pretty essential to most layouts if you wanted to do the docks.
The usage of a character on the show and the sales of the model are two completely different things. Even though it makes sense emotionally to keep Salty in the range, like Gordon's express coaches it probably would not make much sense for Bachmann to keep them around if they are not selling.
Thanks for sharing pictures Len, and answering my question regarding the display. Glad to hear that small hands will not be involved in the process of running. I'm sure the layout will be very popular, especially with the colorful button display visitors would enjoy. Looking forward to seeing progress on the new setup.
A couple of points about the main layout. We have 8 O-gauge locos for the two 'O' tracks. They are rotated out every two weeks for service, and to give kids a chance to look for the changes. Except for the two locos that were running when I took the pics, they are all modified Williams, or Williams by Bachmann diesels.
These are all "modern" can motor powered locos, so the main modifications are removing the reversing unit and smoke unit if it had one. This keeps reverse units from cycling when buttons are pushed, and allows the entire layout to be powered with DC power packs. Direction is 'locked' by using a 50V 25A full-wave bridge rectifier between the power pick-ups and motors.
The same is done with the S-scale diesels. The old American Flyer steamers have had their motors replaced with flywheel equiped Timko can motors. Their electro-mechanical reverse units were removed and replaced with the same type of rectifier.
Speaking of spotting changes. I just got the flashing LED on top of the radio tower in the forth pic working the week before Christmas. Every 'regular' kid spotted it immediately, almost none of the adults did until it was pointed out to them. Kids do notice things.
Len
Update: After further discussion with the folks in charge, it was decided kids would rather see a train running more than just spinning around. It was also decided a hill would help break up the 'see it all at a glance' view of the display. So, with a bit of shifting around, it looks like a hill with a narrow gauge line, instead of the turntable, will get the fourth button. What do you think??
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4596/38830722044_e9ffa35f20_b.jpg)
Len
Sounds good, but remember the Skarloey railway engines, if thats what you're planning on running, are very expensive!
I have a maintenance budget for replacing and repairing worn locos. And I can get two Bachmann Skarloey or Rheneas locos for way less than a replacement Williams by Bachmann diesel. On second thought, I may just get one of each and rotate them as they come due for maintenance.
What's going to be a pain about this is making a not so obvious access hatch to get at the mainline tracks for cleaning and dealing with any derailments. I added the red box to the diagram to give a rough idea of the size of the Scale Scenes cargo ship that will be going at Brendam docks.
Len
Sounds wonderful, I love the idea of the NG line over the round house. And alternating between the 2 engines sounds great.
The budget doesn't allow for ordering everything at once, so I ordered the track for the two basic ovals to get Thomas and Percy running at the same time. I'll be hitting the 'Borg' for some 2" pink insulation foam later this week. Once I have that, I'll start clearing out the old HO stuff.
Len
Discovered the narrow gauge hill would create some interference problems with the S-Scale track, so I made some changes to the layout. Brendam Docks has being relocated, and the narrow gauge line will run around the perimeter. An interchange between the narrow gauge and standard gauge lines will go where Brendam Docks was on the old design. The spur on the inner loop was eliminated to make more room for buildings and such. Dealing with some issues on the main display delayed the start of construction, but I should be able to start pulling up the old HO stuff in a week or so. What do you think?
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4772/40160821584_83d422b41e.jpg)
Len
Score! There was a local train show yesterday, and I was able to get enough Kato track for the 'narrow gauge' loop, and then some, for just $45! I had planned to use R315 curves, but all they had was R348, so I snagged them instead. Should make things easier for the 'little guys'. About the only thing I'll have to order for that are the power feeders.
I start the 'tear down' of the old HO area tomorrow. I'll take some pics and post them when I get some time later in the week.
Len
Tear down of the old HO area is under way. The corner area:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/978/41078519235_456144a2b0_b.jpg)
And the area closer to the S-scale track. The diagram is my 'cut sheet' for the new plywood deck:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/828/27109241837_2dc77c7000_b.jpg)
About all that's left is the Thomas and the old track. That can't go away until I get a temporary track for Thomas set up in the center area of the main table, here:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/977/41078519955_4d19009572_b.jpg)
I'm having to move a bunch of buildings around to do that, so I'm "rezoning" and creating a 'business district' in one area. Residential will move towards the 'Sodor' end. While I'm at it, I've started hooking up some of the building lights:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/908/41078520845_b299d22a52_b.jpg)
It's a little hard to see, but the station lights are finally on:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/955/27109242197_cb32336d86_b.jpg)
Once I get the temporary track for Thomas, which may become an On30 loop later, set up, I've got the track and paint for 'Sodor' waiting for the expanded table top:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/974/41078518955_4bbcad1df1_h.jpg)
Len
Thanks for the pictures Len, looking forward to seeing progress!
The new trackplan looks great too. Nice basic setup and it would work great for the display you are aiming for.
Sorry for the lack of response but please continue to post pictures and keep us posted!
Next step is getting the area for the temporary Thomas loop primed and painted, and while the paint is drying running the wiring for the temporary loop. They only pay me to come in one or two days a week, so there won't be much new to see for a week or so. Once the temporary loop is in, I can start pulling the old extruded foam, etc., and cutting up the new plywood.
The original used 1/2" blue foam. I plan to use a layer of 1/4" pink foam, with two 1" layers on top of it. That will give me the height I need for the Brendam dock side, while letting me put channels between the 1" layers for the wiring. I also find the pink extruded foam isn't as "squishy" as the blue foam. 2-1/4" of foam will also raise the height to the bottom of the surrounding plexiglass, making it easier for the little ones to see what's going on.
Len
Len, that looks awesome! Keep up the photos, this looks like an amazingly fun project!
Got the tempory track for Thomas set up on the main platform:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/893/27473065327_5cd038dcaa_h.jpg)
Which let me pull the old HO track so next week I can start removing the foam from the old HO area, and clean every thing up for installing the new deck and foam for 'Sodor'.
My biggest problem so far is the main layout deck was supposed to be 42" above the floor. But I was out sick the week the support structure, seen through the access hatch, was built, and someone changed the height to 36". That might have save a little material, but it makes running wires, etc., underneath a royal pain.
Len
Well, I managed to get the old HO track and wiring removed. Once I had the old track out of the way, I did some measuring and discovered for the larger 'Sodor' table, the relays the buttons activate would have to be relocated. Here they are in their new location:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1756/42427787512_1a81d47414_c.jpg)
The buttons connect to the terminal block, with jumpers to the relay connections. The green wire is the 'common' for all the buttons. Track power connects to the relays through the blue terminal blocks in the upper left and right of the relay board. One track power lead connects directly to of the power pack DC connections. The other goes to one side of a blue terminal block, the other side of the blue terminal block connects to the other power pack DC connection. Push a button and the relay makes the connection allowing power to flow to the track. The trimmers labeled 1, 2, 3 & 4 at the bottom adjust the timer for how long power will be applied.
For comparison, this is the relay panel for the main layout. Because of the higher currents involved with 'O' and 'S' locos, a two relay setup was used:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1747/42478261951_ce1ba45e04.jpg)
Again, the buttons connect to the terminal strip to the left of the relays. They are jumpered to the small relays just to the right of the terminal strip. The small relays trigger the high current capable relays to their right. The high current relays connect to the track in a manner similar to the HO relays, and also have the timer for controlling how long each train will run.
The brown wire coming out the front of the case is for the temporary 'Thomas' track on the main table. Once I have the new 'Sodor' area up and running, I need to come back and remount the main layout relays. You can see they're a bit worse for wear after almost 15 years of use.
Len
Just a quick update. After pulling the foam from the old HO area, I made an unexpected discovery. Iit had been laid directly over old "liquid water' lakes, old plaster cloth, and other odds & ends from the original layout construction, creating all kinds of 'humps & bumps'. So I'll be spending the next week or so cleaning that mess off so the new deck will lay flat, instead of starting on the new deck.
More pics when I can actually start laying the new deck and foam.
Len
A bit of progress! I finally got the old scenic "gunk" off the old deck, and was able to start on the new one.
First I had to install supports along the walls for the new plywood edges. I should have hired a contortionist to get at some of the locations I needed to put drywall anchors in:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1837/43718690112_f7647c67f1_h.jpg)
Once that was done, I was able to get the new primary deck plywood in place and screwed down. I still need to do a couple of 'filler' pieces for scenery support, but they're not critical to laying track.
Looking from 'Brendam Docks' side towards the 'button wall':
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/940/28830945747_0cb1108468_h.jpg)
The narrow gauge/standard gauge interchange will be just the other side of the blue line:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/939/28830945477_37c640ce22_h.jpg)
This is where the hill with the narrow gauge line was originally supposed to go, but the clearances with the S-gauge track just didn't work:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/860/43718689032_42b2e38153_h.jpg)
The next step will be to lay out the track, mark the locations where feeder wires will go, and drill the holes in the deck. Then I can start laying foam on top of the plywood. Things should go pretty fast from that point.
Len, I really do like seeing the progress on your layout. Keep up the good work!
A bit more progress, although it took a lot longer than I figured on to get all the track out of it's packaging. At any rate, I laid out the basic loops, marked them on the plywood, and marked the feeder locations. One bit of aggravation, the track pieces with the removable roadbed edge to connect to the switches got backordered. So I had to approximate the spur locations for now.(http://) Next, I take the track up, drill the feeder holes, put some primer on plywood areas that will be exposed later, eg., Brendam "sea". Then I can start laying the foam base. Some more pics...
The track finally unpacked:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1798/43782655992_15836ca541_c.jpg)
Rough layout of the narrow gauge line:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1835/42926895805_080530a3f5_c.jpg)
I'll probably put a 'flat' of building fronts between the narrow gauge line and the S-Scale loop here:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1813/43782655782_cf25931055_c.jpg)
The interchange between the narrow gauge and standard gauge operations will go here:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1837/42926895595_1accfc73b8_c.jpg)
And of course, Brendam Docks. Cranky will sit between the narrow gauge and standard gauge tracks. The Scale Scenes T030 cargo ship will sit in the wide plywood area in front of the narrow gauge track:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1798/43782656162_0ed0164c6e_c.jpg)
Keep in mind that once this is done, the track will be raised up level with the bottom of the windows by 3" of pink foam on top of the plywood.
Len
I lost the room the shopping center was letting me use as a work shop, so progress has slowed some. I did make a bit of progress today, so a few more pics of what's going on.
First thing was to prime and seal the few areas of plywood that will be coming in direct contract with plaster cloth, and/or other water based scenery material.
The Brendam side:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/928/43935096162_5507b70efa_c.jpg)
Near the Narrow/Standard Gauge interchange area:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/935/43935095692_08f6385235_c.jpg)
You can see the two layers of foam used to build up the track height to make it easier to see by the little people clearly here. I'm still trying to decide whether to fill the grey triangle area for a narrow gauge extension, or just taper it down into the rest of the layout:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1836/29045620727_2a3d38811f_c.jpg)
Raising the base for the 'Sodor' area is creating a valley for the S-Gauge track to run through. Which is actually a good thing, since the kids like to see trains "disappear", then show up again somewhere else:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/928/42174425900_374de8d0f1_c.jpg)
This gives a good idea of what the Brendam Docks area will look like. The white primed area will become the 'sea', where the cargo ship will sit. The vertical face of the foam will will get the Scale Scenes "concrete" dock/sea wall edge treatment that can be seen here: https://scalescenes.com/product/t016-dock-edge/
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/933/29045620837_8dbcaba890_c.jpg)
Next time I take all the foam off, vacumn all the bits and pieces up, and start glueing things down. Once the primary pieces are in place, I can do the 'bit and pieces, fill in the gaps' stuff.
Len
Still looks the same, so no new pics, but I managed to get the main foam pieces glued down today. So next week I can do some 'bits & pieces' fussy work, then start on some scenery base.
Len
Frustration, they name is 'Sodor'. The extension pieces for the Trix turnouts finally came in from backorder, so I started laying the track out on the foam to mark where streams, etc., would go. Wouldn't you know it? Just as I'm getting ready to pull the temporary Thomas track and move it to the 'Sodor' area, I'm told to leave it in place until Labor Day weekend, after school is well and truly started. Argh!
At any rate, here are a couple of pics of where I got to before being called off...
With the turnout extenstion pieces installed it's easier to get an idea of what Brendam Docks will be like. Cranky will sit between the standard gauge and narrow gauge tracks:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1898/44214094512_9e66c634de_c.jpg)
The narrow gauge line needs to move closer to the access opening, and there should be a curve from the temporary Thomas loop at the start of the 'interchange' spur:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1854/42454928680_0d2832707b_c.jpg)
Len
Went in to work on 'Sodor' this morning, and was told to shut down the entire layout because the shopping center is going into "Florence Prep" mode, and they don't want to take any chances with the electrical in the event of flooding. So it looks like everything is on hold until sometime next week, after the storm passes. If there's anything left to work on.
At least we're not in a storm surge flooding area. All we have to worry about is possible damage to the shopping center skylights, flooding from heavy rains, and trees going over from high winds and saturated ground.
If anyone's on the VA/NC/SC coast, listen to the evacuation orders, stay safe, and get the heck out of there. The coastal flooding on this one is going to be really bad. Way worse than 'Floyd', which was bad enough.
Len
Stay safe, the worst in my area right now is flooding, and even that's starting to go down. Better to be safe than sorry.
Now that Florence has moved on, it's back to work on 'Sodor'. Since they're apparently let free accounts 'hot link' again, I'm back to using Photobucket. Much easier to get the links than Flickr.
Laying out the standard gauge track on the foam to mark power feed and switch wire locations. This is an overall shot showing where the station will go:
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Track11_zpsp256ka3u.jpg)
The Brendam Docks area, with power feeds and gaps for the reversing unit that will make Salty shunt back and forth between the two spurs. The white area above the spurs is actually 3 inches below the top of the foam, and will become the "ocean" for the cargo ship:
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Track12A_zpssvc9rzki.jpg)
And the standard and narrow gauge interchange spur. There will be a narrow dock and shed between the standard and narrow gauge tracks:
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Track12B_zpslfb1j5yg.jpg)
Tomorrow I lift it all up, drill some holes, smooth a couple of rough places out, and start on the base scenery. Then it's drop some wires and put all the track back in place. With a bit of luck, and no more storms, trains should be running by Halloween!
Len
Moving along. Everyone's tired of looking at pink foam, so I put some paint down to give folks an idea where the 'Brendam Docks' area will be when they look at the diagram. And I figured out what to do with the corner in front of the narrow gauge interchange area. And, believe it or not, I even managed to track down a 'Brendam Warehouse' for the docks! It should be here later this week.
I added some grey paint to mark out the dock area, and some blue for the water. The water level will actually be around 3/4" higher, and muddier looking, when it's done.
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Brendam2_zpswxma14ua.jpg)
The triangle shaped area to the right of the water will be for dock offices and such. I'll be facing the vertical face of the dock with Scale Scenes T016 concrete 'Dock Edge': https://scalescenes.com/product/t016-dock-edge/ It's the second one from the left of the small pics, click to enlarge.
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Brendam3_zps9s3ncrds.jpg)
I added some more foam to create terraces in the corner in front of the narrow gauge interchange area. I plan to add a canal, with a couple of Scale Scenes T018 Narrow Boats and Locks https://scalescenes.com/product/t018-narrowboats-and-lock/
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Terrace1_zpsoxeyqqfg.jpg)
Along with the locks, the T018a Lock Keepers Cottage https://scalescenes.com/product/t018a-lock-keepers-cottage/ and a T018b Canal Bridge https://scalescenes.com/product/t018b-canal-bridge/ will go in this area. The bridge will go on the upper terrace, and the cottage on the lower area.
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Terrace2_zpsirkrqqei.jpg)
I can't remember if any of the Thomas & Friends episodes had canals and narrow boats, but I think the kids will get a kick out of them anyway.
Next step is laying out the grass mat and cutting it to size for the main 'Sodor' area. If things go smoothly (knock on wood) Thomas and Percy should be running before Halloween.
Len
The paint always makes a nice difference. Glad you were able to locate the Brendam warehouse, that is easily one of Bachmann's best resin buildings!
Progress, of sorts. Thought I'd be able to start cutting the grass mat to size, but it's still too curly from being rolled up. Spread it out in an unused storage room to flatten out, so hopefully I'll be able to get on with that Saturday. In the mean time, Brendam Warehouse arrived, so it placed it, and some other key buildings, in place to make sure everything will fit okay.
One problem with Brendam Warehouse, it has a track side dock, but nothing for lorries on the other side. This might not be a problem on a layout where only one side is seen, but in this version of Sodor both sides are visible. As can be seen here, in this view of the back side:
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Brendam6_zpsd9m5abfw.jpg)
So what I did was use some scrap cardstock to make a template for the rest of the interior floor and a lorry loading dock at the back. I'll glue some printable planking for ship decks to make the flooring, and brick sheets for the vertical walls, to heavy cardstock for the back side dock. The template is the grey thing leaning against the seawall:
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Brendam4_zps8dwkn966.jpg)
Here you can see some of the key buildings. Brendam Warehouse and Cranky are Bachmann, the Station, Switch Tower, and Water Tower are by Hornby, and the canal Lock Keepers Cottage is a cardstock mockup that will eventually be replaced by the Scale Scenes model. The Water Tower stand pipe is placed to service both the Standard and Narrow Gauge lines. Cranky is also placed to reach the Standard Gauge track closest to the seawall, the Narrow Gauge line, and the ship:
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Brendam5_zpseiesrah6.jpg)
I also did a quick mark out of where the Narrow Boat Canal and Lock Keepers Cottage will go:
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Terrace3_zpssam2ajht.jpg)
Speaking of which, in pictures I've seen those canals don't look wide enough for two way traffic in a lot of places, especially at locks. Do any of our UK friends know if signage giving 'Upstream/Downstream Hours' are posted along these canals?
If everything goes well, and I get the grass mat down, next week the track goes back in place and I start dropping power feeders.
Len
Got the grass mats placed and glued down. A bit of edge work to finish up, but that's minor and will keep for a while. The white things are chunks of 12 gauge house wire marking the location of feeder wire holes, so I can find them again next week. Next week I drop the feeder wires, put the track back, and start hooking things up. Trains will be running soon!
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Grass%20Mat_zpsk1lrgonu.jpg)
Len
Next week is here, so I've dropped the feeder wires and put most of the track in place. Trix C-Track is essentially Marklin C-Track without the center rail, and uses the same power connectors and power isolators. Marklin makes prebuilt power feeders, but I'd have to make splices to extend them to the power packs. Plus they're all the same color, and I wanted to color code each sections wiring. So I got some Marklin crimp on power terminals, and spools of 'Wire Works' 2-conductor stranded wire in different colors. This lets me run continuous feeders to the power packs, without an splices.
Here you can see one set of the primary loop feeders, with a couple of crimp on connectors just in front of them. The yellow & blue pair is the inside loop, the red & black pair is the outside loop. A Marklin prebuilt feeder is in front of them for comparison.
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Wire1_zpspwiaevpf.jpg)
There are two sets of tabs on the power terminal that have to be crimped. After stripping 1/4" of insulation, one goes around the insulation as a strain relief, the other goes around the bare wire. The is one of those jobs where a real crimping tool, rather than a pair of pliars, is really needed. I picked this pair up at a local 'Home Improvement' store:
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Wire2_zpssplgmf1s.jpg)
Here you can see a set of brown & green feeders installed on what will be the interchange spur with the narrow gauge line. Both this spur and 'Brendam Docks' will be wired to an Aristo-Craft reversing unit I had laying around. So when one button is pushed, trains on both spurs will go back and forth. The special wiring for that will be covered in the next update.
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Wire3_zps1vfppkxe.jpg)
In order to isolate the interchange and 'Brendam Docks' special plastic "boots" slide over the under the roadbed electrical contacts. They are the red things seen here. You can also see the removable piece of roadbed that goes between the turnout and turnout extension piece.
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Wire4_zpszisuw8ly.jpg)
And it's starting to look like something. I temporarily hooked one feeder from each loop to a power pack, and let Thomas and Percy have a run, to make sure bent contacts under the roadbed weren't creating any dead spots. Each loop will have two feeders in actual operation. The brown & green wires between the narrow gauge loop and outter standard gauge loop is the feeder for 'Brendam Dock' tracks. The narrow gauge loop uses three standard Kato power feeders. They are "plug & play" with Kato extension wires, so splicing isn't an issue.
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Wire5_zpsgp1d2stz.jpg)
Next will be getting the 'Brendam Docks' tracks in place and wired for auto-reverse operation in tandem with the interchange spur. Once I'm sure the trains are operational, it will be on to buildings and scenery.
Len
Things are starting to come together. The main ovals are in place, and Thomas and Percy made test runs lasting a bit over an hour with no problems. Since the narrow gauge locos may be working on the mainland until next year, I used an 'N' scale loco to test the narrow gauge line So now I can start adding the wiring to the buttons that will let the kids control the trains. There are still a few kinks to work out with the Brendam Docks automatic reversing set up though. The sea wall and cargo ship are still under construction, but here's the rough set up of the Brendam Docks area:
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Brendam7_zpsdahjl05r.jpg)
Here it is looking from another angle, with Thomas and Percy under way. You can see the lorry loading dock I added to the Brendam warehouse:
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Corner5_zpsyfy7kwgc.jpg)
A better view of the station area. Once I get the reversing track kinks resolved, I be able to start adding buildings, road, and other scenery to this small version of 'Sodor':
(http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/Pickanotherid/Sodor/Corner6_zpsbszx1tvj.jpg)
Once everything is up and running, I'll have to see about borrowing something to make a video with. Maybe after Christmas.
Len
Major milestone today! Thomas and Percy's loops are wired to the relays and have power. Little fingers were putting the 'really useful engines' to work while I was still tie-wrapping wires. I don't have video capability, so you'll just have to imagine the trains in the pic above running around their loops.
I should get the rest of the parts I need to set up the reversing circuit for Brendam Docks some time next week. If I can track down a Salty to go with it, he should be able to get Cranky cranking soon after.
Len