tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28375413231536126162024-03-13T09:35:01.136+11:00NSWGR Southern Line Layout In A ShedA NSW HO Branch Layout Takes ShapeRodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.comBlogger150125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-12973962244706843762015-09-06T21:01:00.000+10:002015-09-06T21:01:20.227+10:00Detail Time...Have only had a minimum of time this week to move along with Crookwell Station...<br />
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I have decided to detail the "innards" of the waiting room (at least) and all of this has to be completed before the roof assembly is attended to. Seems a waste of time to detail the interior and not provide lighting to enhance the scene, soooo this is another chore that will need to be achieved before the roofing contractors move in.<br />
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During my visit to Crookwell last weekend I took a plethora of detail photos and these have been invaluable in an attempt to portray the feel for the station and other infrastructure. The waiting room seating was one aspect that I wanted to portray accurately and I think I have achieved the feel and accuracy I was striving for. I would imagine I have visited the station over 40 or so times but there is always another aspect that needs to be checked and rechecked and our closeness to "Hooterville" makes this task somewhat easier...added to this is the fact that there is always something previously unseen, no matter how often you visit this time capsule called Crookwell<br />
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Another aspect that has required much research, is the exact prototypical length of the platform and facing. Most printed matter refers to Crookwell as either a 100' platform or a 42 metre platform, while some articles refer to both measurements in the same breath. A simple conversion suggests that these two dimensions vary wildly from each other and almost certainly (unless there has been significant fundamental changes to Crookwell over the years)...the quoted 100' length is certainly in error. <br />
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Indeed the only firm ( and hopefully reliable) dimension that I have been able to unearth, is the Departmental, Signal Arrangements Diagram issued in 1902 at the time of the line's opening, which indicate a total dimension (including ramps) of 45 and 1/3 yards which when converted ends up around 41.5 metres which will be close enough to 42 metres for me !!! Never occurred to me to measure the damn thing before the fairly recent and questionable modifications to the platform took place.<br />
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I will sometime this week laser up the base that will hold the station building, platform and facing, fencing, signage and other items all in one mini diorama for later fitment to the layout...<br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-42262106695549642792015-08-31T20:59:00.002+10:002015-08-31T20:59:29.557+10:00Crookwell...The Groundwork ContinuesPlanning and decisions continue to be made for the proposed Crookwell Layout. Firstly is the decision to hand lay all track and utilise Fast Tracks jigs to manufacture required points. I am hoping that the jigs will accept code 75 rail as I have an abundance of Peco rail. I have the ability to laser up all general sleepers, point sleepers and rail fish plates and this will lower the overall cost of required accessories. In the wash up, I feel that this layout will certainly benefit from hand laid track.<br />
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As the building of all infrastructure items moves ahead, I decided that a visit to Crookwell was in order and with the girls in tow, we took a drive out there yesterday and made a day of it. I took an absolute plethora of shots to add to my rather extensive existing collection, but with a layout now being the focus, attention moved to the "micro" elements rather than the overall feel. Of course all things have a habit of changing in the prototype world and Crookwell Station precinct is no different with some major modifications taking place since my last visit earlier in the year. I am not convinced that all of the changes have improved the appeal of the place as a tourist attraction...but the area is well maintained, neat and tidy.<br />
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With the construction of the A5 station building well underway, I was also keen to measure a myriad of detail items to ensure integrity with the model is maintained. Most important was the internal details of the waiting room as this will be a focal point due to it being on display as an open type waiting room. The station building will be part of a small, self contained, diorama that will include the platform, facing, lamp room and toilet (C4) and some rear scenery. This method should allow me to work on the details away from the layout and when complete the "diorama" will then be placed and blended into the surrounds.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Progress on the station is coming along...The actual colour does not present well<br />
in the photos...it is in essence an off white colour...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Façade, eaves, barge boards and finials fitted...vents will be fitted in the coming days<br />
as well as other internals</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sgcIFFBYAKw/VeQvsPCge1I/AAAAAAAABjA/_qIZ9fky7J4/s1600/STATION%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sgcIFFBYAKw/VeQvsPCge1I/AAAAAAAABjA/_qIZ9fky7J4/s400/STATION%2B2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting room floor can be glimpsed as well as a start being made on the<br />
chimney structure....Once all internals are complete, the roof trusses and assembly<br />
will be fitted...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How Crookwell Station presents today...</td></tr>
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I was also especially interested in studying the area immediately around the yard throat and out towards the down home signal location. This area will also become a scenery break on the layout and the low timber trestles/bridges that carry the line over the Kiama Creek in two locations were also of interest. Time has certainly taken it's toll on both structures but all dimensions were recorded as well as the construction methods and these two structures that flank the Harley Road level crossing will certainly be a focal point on the layout.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back (up direction) towards Goulburn...<br />
The Down Home signal can just be seen in the depths of the cutting as viewed<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking in the up direction with the yard entrance behind me.<br />
Harley Road level crossing can be seen.</td></tr>
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More to follow!<br />
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<br />Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-45926331394551782012015-08-23T20:05:00.000+10:002015-08-23T20:05:23.751+10:00Long Time Between Drinks...It has been some time since my last post and plenty has happened in the intervening period...<br />
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Firstly, the layout once known as Fish River has been permanently closed with all track being removed and once the river scene and bridges have been "detonated", as in true NSWGR style...little will remain of this location for rail historians to trace in years to come...<br />
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As readers will no doubt be aware, I have been at "loggerheads" with my modelling for some time and with much soul searching over that time, have arrived at what I think has been the underlying problem. Simply put, I think I "bit off more than I could chew" with the original layout in terms of size. With an area of 12m x 3.5m to play with and a fairly full "other" life...I could never anticipate a time when the originally planned layout would ever reach a state of completion that would satisfy me. While I am certainly a disciple of the "it's the enjoyment of the journey... not the end" logic...I could not see it working with the present project.<br />
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I think a secondary issue may well have been the decision to model a "freelance" location rather than a prototype location that I could identify with, either extinct or still in existence. Either way I was not really progressing on any front and as much as I knew that model railways would always be a part of my life, I needed to find a happy place rather than the regular pilgrimages to the shed, that ended in frustration some 5 minutes after arrival and a swift return to the house.<br />
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I had examined the possibility of modelling the Crookwell Line ( a line that branched from Goulburn NSW) not long after moving down here in 2002 but at that time I had visions of a "vast empire" and the ability of continuous running...so that idea was shelved very early in the piece. With my present "malaise" washing around in my head and during a regular visit to Crookwell, late last year, the idea once again surfaced and a firm decision to go ahead was made over the winter months. It is ironic that the Australian Model Railway Magazine had an article in the latest magazine regarding Crookwell as a modelling proposition.<br />
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The attractions of such a line in model form, are many...but for me the following facts were to push it across the line. It is on my doorstep with the line leaving Goulburn and with Crookwell ( the terminus) being only 40km by road from home, it is easily identifiable. The yard and station environs at Crookwell are relatively intact. There is a goodly amount of research material locally available, making modelling decisions an easier proposition. The loco requirements are fairly small in both numbers and classes that traversed the line with rolling stock also falling into a comparatively narrow type of traffic.<br />
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I have decided to model the terminus of Crookwell and at least one or two intermediate stations. Maybe "Roslyn" will come into play and depending on the period chosen will also allow the junction of the Taralga line to be either modelled as open...or after closure with the earthworks still evident. <br />
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The basic infrastructure requirements for Crookwell station and yard are: A5 station building ( presently under construction) a C4 lamp room and toilet at the end of the platform, a G3 goods shed (under construction), a 5 ton overhead crane, 50' or 60' Sellers turntable, depending on the era modelled and I will be utilising a recently purchased Anton's 60' Sellers unit and an elevated water tank and stand (already have) A small cattle and separate sheep loading platform and loading bank just about exhausts the requirements.<br />
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All DCC equipment, panels, wiring and Cobalt point motors can be recycled and it is more than likely I will introduce signalling and interlocking due to the minimal numbers required...so the new layout should end up being fairly "finance neutral" which is also an attractive point in the equation.<br />
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In relation to the layout "fit", the proposed Crookwell Branch will only require 3 walls of the larger layout room and allow the duck under to be permanently removed and this also is a major benefit as my back stacks on the years.<br />
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I guess as we all get older, our wants and expectations from the hobby change and in this decision, I anticipate that every segment of the hobby I enjoy will be available in manageable and equal proportions with an achievable personal outcome being the end result. I certainly don't harbour any regrets with my past decisions as all I know is that my hunger has returned to a level that I have not experienced for years, and even my blogging should now have a purpose...<br />
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I have included some photos of progress on the new venture...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last remnants of the existing layout...sadly will succumb to the NSWGR wrecking crew...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proposed location of the Crookwell terminus pretty much ready for tracklaying to commence.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crookwell Station under construction...all laser cut basswood and acrylic base. <br />
All components have been drawn for the next round of lasering, with the roof assembly to come next</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">60' Sellers Turntable which only needs some detail and weathering before being installed...</td></tr>
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-22298667348053785592015-03-05T22:00:00.001+11:002015-03-05T22:00:28.501+11:00A Mixed Bag...All,<br />
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Before I get down to the modelling side of things, it would be remiss of me not to pay homage to our latest New South Wales preserved steam recruit. Following an extensive rebuild in Canberra and a couple of trial trips to Goulburn, Beyer Garratt locomotive 6029 finally stretched her legs on the Main South and was a star attraction throughout last weekend. Fortunately, I live opposite the main south railway at North Goulburn and captured it's passing last weekend. I had planned to chase it but due to the foggy conditions, made do with a couple of shots out the front, comfortable in the knowledge that we will see much of this loco in the future. I have included one of the original shots and also had a play in Lightroom to recreate the past in black and white...anyway, I hope our OS modelling friends also enjoy a view of our newest preserved kettle.<br />
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And now back to the modelling....<br />
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Earlier today I received a package from Mike at DCCSound which contained the much anticipated "voice box" for my Auscision 45 Class.<br />
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Much has been written regarding these locos...so as to not bore everyone with yet another review of this release, I thought I would just offer my experiences with the DCC and sound conversion.<br />
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First things first, and following the obligatory perusal of the loco instruction sheet...disassembly was commenced. It may well be that Murphy decided to pay a visit to the workbench but the normally simple removal of the couplers proved to be a real pain in the proverbial. Due to coupler box / pilot clearances, they certainly were not about to slide out through the pilot forwards and so after a period of cajoling, I finally had to slide the coupler boxes inboard until the coupler trip pin was against the pilot and then remove the coupler box lid ( again inboard ) and this then allowed the removal of the coupler tang forward and the coupler box base and sheet spring were then removed from behind the pilot as well. (Reassembly was obviously the reverse of this fiddly method). With the couplers now removed and the four chassis / body screws removed, the body came away very easily indeed.<br />
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As I have said in earlier posts, I do like Tsunami decoders, but as Auscision persist with 21 pin sockets on the boards and the lighting circuits become more intricate...I will continue to utilise DCC Sound on this manufacturers offerings. Installation of the decoder is very simply a case of removing the existing board and plug in the Loksound offering. Care has to be taken due to the length and relative fragility of the pins. Orientation of the decoder is also important but close inspection of the dummy pin and decoder plug should ensure all goes well. In this case the decoder is fitted under the main loco board and is a very close fit with the speaker enclosure. The overhang of the decoder is also an issue to keep an eye on and I finished the installation with Kaptan tape to ensure the decoder did not become dislodged over time and to also keep the two mating parts ( decoder and main board ) parallel. The supplied speaker is a very nice and snug fit to the enclosure and the only gap that requires sealing is the speaker wire recess in the speaker enclosure. All in all a very neat conversion.<br />
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I programmed the loco earlier this evening and as much as I have had no time to fiddle with the settings with Decoder Pro... the "factory settings" sound and operation is stunning. Unlike the DCCSound 48 class decoder volume issue...the 45 class offering is quite "audible" straight out of the box and more than likely the master volume will require reduction at some time in the future. The sound quality is unmistakably "45 Class" and to my ears is nothing short of stunning and a credit to Mike and the DCCSound team. Presently the loco is set to 28 speed steps and performs brilliantly with silky smooth start up and very nice momentum ( straight out of the box ). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overall view of the loco chassis with decoder and speaker fitted...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decoder shown in position under the main board...note clearance of decoder and speaker box...and decoder overhang which needs to be supported...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of Decoder and speaker after installation...wiring to be tidied up and Kaptan tape fitted...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And to finish with a prototype picture...<br />
4520+4490+44211 returning to Sydney (through North Goulburn) at the head of the 2010 Melbourne Cup charter train </td></tr>
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-12583055899352360052015-02-22T19:21:00.001+11:002015-02-22T19:21:23.792+11:00Sprogs!!!...And Other Things...All,<br />
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Prior to my layout hiatus, one of the constant sources of annoyance was the need to be "trackside" when wanting to explore the decoder settings of my fleet of locomotives. As I have stated before, I use NCE for the layout operation and with Cobalt point motors and panel mounted Cobalt decoders I am able to either utilise the panel or the NCE handpiece for layout control and all works well. On the locomotive/rollingstock front, I have a mix of QSI, Tsunami and ESU or Loksound decoders, and given the advances with DCC/Sound decoders I would imagine that this variety will grow. I certainly have grown to favour Soundtraxx Tsunami for a number of reasons but feel reticent to pull a perfectly brand new loco or railmotor apart just to change the decoder.<br />
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While it is perfectly reasonable to assume that a factory fitted DCC/Sound loco purchase should work adequately straight from the box, and some people are quite happy to do so...I like to constantly learn about and tweak the performance and attempt to have my locos performing and sounding in a fashion that satisfies ME. I do think at times that this holy grail of operational/sound perfection is an "urban myth" but nonetheless the upside of all of this reading and tweaking is that I have a better understanding of just what makes my locos tick and now have the confidence to at least attempt to exploit the seemingly endless possibilities that DCC can offer.<br />
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Some years ago, following the successful conversion of an Austrains 442 to Tsunami, I took the plunge and downloaded JMRI Decoder Pro and Panel Pro software. As an aside, in this increasingly commercial world... it still baffles me that this brilliant software is free...but I digress. The software loads beautifully but connecting the PC ( via serial cable ) to an NCE system can be trial and error and dependant on the serial cable being configured correctly. Once successful configuration is achieved...a whole new world of DCC awaits...<br />
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Now that I am forging ahead with the layout, the ability to programme locomotives has again become a necessity and as alluded to in the first paragraph of this post, I needed a more convenient method that allows the programming to be carried out quite separately and untethered to the NCE system and train room.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Existing Layout Computer with NCE power supply and command station tucked away at left...</td></tr>
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Enter the SPROG!. Apart from a slang terminology for a child, I have no idea why the name SPROG was chosen for the DCC command station....maybe the fact that the unit is so small is why it was coined with that name. While it may be small, it is a brilliant piece of equipment, easily setup and configured and quite portable...all the attributes I had been looking for.<br />
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As can be seen from the above shot, connections are quite simple. Power in x 2 and Track out x 2 (on the left) and USB connection to PC or laptop in this case ( on the right ). Installation of the PC drivers is very straightforward unless utilising Windows 8 or 8.1 which required a bit more juggling about...but still relatively easy...even for this scribe.<br />
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As much as the unit ships with an installation disk...this does not assure the latest incarnations and updates of all software...so my advice is to download the latest releases of DecoderPro and PanelPro directly from the JMRI site prior to installation of the SPROG. I also took the opportunity of downloading the user manuals and supplementary notes on installation to a PC operating under Win8 or 8.1.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The SPROG II User Guide gives the bulk of the info and is supplemented with the SPROG 3 user guide..</td></tr>
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The only other piece of equipment required is a power supply for the SPROG. The requirements suggest a regulated power supply 12-18V, 3 A. There are several "solves" available but I elected to also purchase a Cobalt PSU2+ power supply with Dual 9 V regulated or bridgeable 18V supply at 5A. This unit may be overkill and there are plenty of cheaper wall plug type power supplies, but I have wanted one of these for a while to try out as a dedicated point motor supply..so the decision was a convenient no brainer.<br />
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I guess it is timely to mention that the SPROG3 and Power Supply were both purchased from DCC Concepts in WA and were delivered to regional NSW within 48 hours of ordering...In comparison it took around 9 working days to receive my Traino 48 Class from Sydney...so hats off to the guys at DCC Concepts...<br />
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I have also fabricated a test track and base that is 1.3 metres in length and houses the SPROG unit and associated wiring. This test track is also portable, so coupled with a laptop computer, research, learning and programming can be carried out almost anywhere.<br />
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In conclusion, the SPROG's ease of installation, ease of use portability and seamless integration with the JMRI suite of programmes has been a complete game changer for me. I have no idea why I did not purchase the earlier versions of the SPROG...but better late than never. Those bitterly cold late night trips to the layout room in the dead of winter, to spend some time loco programming are a thing of the past and I will be spending some more time looking closely at the offerings of the PanelPro software as well... While SPROG and DecoderPro are not cure all panaceas for all brands of decoders...they certainly offer a high level of easy programming and an unrivalled way to learn the secrets behind the dreaded CVs...<br />
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Of course the SPROG is not new...and many DCC-ites will have availed themselves of it for a great many years...but I will post another instalment of the SPROG and JMRI software in practice... if readers would like...We will learn together! Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-54040987242403466732015-02-13T22:58:00.001+11:002015-02-13T22:58:46.939+11:00Back In The Saddle...All,<br />
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During the sorting out around here, I unearthed a couple of unopened Rails North BMF Milk Tank kits. I am guessing I purchased these in the mid 80s and by the look of the staples holding the packs together and the rust stains on the instructions ( which incidentally are on foolscap paper ) would imagine they have not seen the light of day in 3 decades. Anyway they took my fancy and I decided to commence construction this afternoon.<br />
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I decided to have a play with the tanks to get a feel of just how the wagon will look when complete and the condition of the tanks will give me a guide as to how the decking and underframe will be weathered.<br />
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Some time ago, I briefly described the salt weathering method on a structure and decided I wanted to capture the same basic feel with these tanks. There is not a lot of research material on these particular wagons and apart from a vague recollection that the tanks were white...I am flying blind. I also have no idea as to when these wagons were condemned...so it is fair to assume that they would have been a real mess towards the end of their lives and it is this condition that I envisage recreating. <br />
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The tanks are a solid cast resin and while this was the rudimentary method of kit manufacture back in the 70s and 80s...it is fortuitous, as the weight of the solid tanks means that very little or no added wagon weight will be required once complete.<br />
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I commenced painting the tanks with the normal etch primer...followed by a mix of Tamiya browns to taste. Because the Tamiya paints tend to dry extremely quickly on the painted item, I tend to thin it fairly well so that I end up with plenty of time to apply the salt and still have it adhere to the drying paint. You can at this point continue to paint the wagon with a mix of colours and salt layers so that you end up with several shades of show through colour when the salt is eventually removed. I finish coated the tanks with a "just off white" Lifecolour brand and then set it aside to dry.<br />
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When dry...the salt can be rubbed or picked off and the undercolours are revealed. There is another method where the painted object is sprayed with water and the salt applied to the water to adhere it to the surface. It all depends on what you are painting and what you desire the end result to be. In the photos in this post...I have probably overdone the salt to ensure the method is visible...but in most cases less is more and in the case of these tanks I can add another coat to hide some of the simulated pitting marks to lessen the visual impact and can also add rust stain runs to suit...The end result is certainly in the eye of the beholder.<br />
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There are so many variations that can be adopted and indeed just the salt added to the rust base colour can create rust bleeds and a kind of rust bloom or "flowering" effect that does not require a top coat...just removal of the salt.<br />
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I will post some shots of the wagons construction progress as time goes by...<br />
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The photos illustrate the workflow... <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the trial fit on the incomplete underframe...</td></tr>
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-41973860672807257452015-02-12T17:49:00.000+11:002015-02-12T17:49:46.199+11:00The Pheonix Rises...Well it has been a while between posts...and by now I would have figured I would have posted some sort of progress on the "new" layout. As per life, there have been some twists and turns that have changed things somewhat and with family input and compromises...things are again on the move.<br />
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We had booked a local carpenter (friend) to lend us a hand to dismantle the existing layout and reconfigure the shed for business use. This work was scheduled to begin in mid January and in the meantime I had been packing and stacking the modelling items, with some being Ebayised in readiness for his arrival. In late December I began to lift some trackwork in the hope that some could be salvaged but that operation only lasted an hour or so before I lost interest due to the thought of how much time went into laying it in the first place. This one loss of destructive appetite would later play a big part in the ultimate decision making process in the hobby stakes.<br />
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In the week leading up to the shed conversion...The carpenter arrived to gain a final understanding on our requirements and to make a list all items required for the work. As we toured the layout room and the adjacent shed area, I could tell that his mind was not entirely on the task at hand and his gaze seemed to be drawn to the layout itself. At that point my wife arrived with a cuppa for us both and it was then that our contractor decided to unload. His first point of conversation was to enquire as to whether we had looked at ALL options for the business and this question was quickly followed with a friendly but expletive ridden tirade on the sanity of destroying all the many hours that had been "invested" in the layout.<br />
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Well the upshot is that he did ultimately come up with some very sound options and as at the end of January 2015...the business has ended up with much of what was required and the medium term survival of Fish River has been offered up. Secretly, the family have been watching my disposition over the last few months since the demise of the layout was first raised and it would now appear that it was not only me who was agonising over the loss. And to celebrate the reprieve I received the "homecoming" gift of a Trainorama 48 class and an Auscision 45 Class!....I should make these decisions more often! As for the planned replacement 009 layout...I will certainly be pursuing this as well, as I now have much of what is required for at least a diorama and this will lend itself perfectly to those cold winter days in the Tablelands where even a trip to the shed is a harsh decision.<br />
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And now with that all out of the way...I will end this post with my initial thoughts on the Trainorama 48 class and experience gained with my first DCC and Sound conversion in quite a while.<br />
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Out of the box it would appear that Trainorama have produced a very nice model. My model (4819) has all the attributes that we have become used to from this manufacturer and the overall appearance, paint, detail etc does not disappoint. In saying this, at least two side mirrors have been applied crookedly, the sliding window panels have no "frame" to even simulate the prototype and the side filters appear to be an added part during manufacture and mine must have been fitted on a Monday. The other appearance issue is the wiring loom running (visibly) through the cab?...surely we have gone beyond this???. Obviously everyone has differing expectations and of course this is my view only.<br />
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I decided to add the DCC Sound conversion kit to my loco and of course this requires the removal of the body which compared to the Powerline equivalent was an absolute dream....Although joy was seriously tempered during reassembly, where one needs to reattach the brake chain and this was certainly a testing task for a middle aged fart with failing eyesight and an aversion to tweezers! I have left the chain off for now!<br />
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The DCC conversion went relatively smoothly. The Trainorama supplied speaker had to be replaced due to the use of the Loksound V4 decoder and while Trainorama should be applauded for supplying a true "sound ready" locomotive, the decision to incorporate the rear lighting assembly as part of the speaker enclosure is questionable as is the choice to mount the whole assembly to the chassis with the use of tape ONLY...<br />
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As I have yet to tweak the loco under decoder-pro...I can only offer my findings based on simple programming thru NCE. There is a slight audible motor whine at low speed which should be solved thru decoder pro or running in might also see the noise diminish I am traditionally an unabashed Tsunami fan...but as I get older, the thought of pulling each loco apart to fit decoders, speakers and sort out ever increasingly sophisticated lighting circuits, has lost some of it's gloss and in the case of the 48 class ( as was the same with the 422 conversion) it was just plain easier to fit the DCC Sound offering. While the sounds of the 48 Class can only be described as brilliant, as is the horn...I was disappointed to find that CV63 ( Master Volume ) was factory set at the upper limit and my installation requires a fair increase in volume just to overcome engine noise. Maybe a variation in speaker choice could add a slight increase in volume...but as the supplied speaker is hard wired to the decoder...it should be adequate, but certainly not in my case.<br />
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Another difference between Tsunami and Loksound is the notching...where the Tsunami offering can basically work acceptably "straight out the box"....The Loksound decoder appears to only offer manual notching which is a definite deviation from my habits and could end up being a right pain in the butt...time will tell. My other fear is multiple loco lashups where the differences between the brands could see more on track "arguments" between the locos and speed matching being an absolute pain, if not impossible.<br />
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I now have a decision to make regarding the 45 class conversion and will ponder the decoder choice in the coming days...in the meantime I have included a shot of the converted 48 class.<br />
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It is nice to be back blogging the NSWGR...<br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-82306677791811035522014-12-11T19:57:00.001+11:002014-12-11T19:57:23.539+11:00And Now To The Future...All,<br />
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With the business experiencing an extremely busy lead up to Christmas, all things rail have had to take a back seat. I have however, kept the postal system busy with both Ebay sales going to new homes...and the receipt of some very interesting deliveries from overseas.<br />
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Around 25 years ago I first dabbled in OO9 following the purchase of a book that described the narrow gauge lines in Wales. At that time, the availability of RTR rollingstock and locomotives to suit any venture were almost non existent and as much as I loved the building and detailing of kits from manufacturers such as Parkside- Dundas and the scratchbuilding of locomotives based on proprietary N scale chassis, the locomotives were never brilliant runners and Peco OO9 track and points were agricultural to say the least and the joys of DCC were but a mere glint on the modelling horizon. <br />
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Move forward to the late 90s and a call from a friend sealed the end of the rather extensive OO9 collection. He duly arrived with a friend who was starting out in OO9 with a view to building an "empire" and upon viewing what I had, made a cash offer for the whole lot that was obscene in the extreme. Me being me...I tried to temper his over exuberance and explain the pros and cons of purchasing at such a price and my perceived shortcomings of the scale...History shows that he did not quite accept the advice in the vein that it was offered, and the chat resulted in an increased offer and all I could do was shrug my shoulders, pocket the cash and offer him my best wishes in his endeavours as they left.<br />
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Some years ago I read an article on the Lynton and Barnstaple, narrow gauge railway from the Devon region of England and promised myself that one day I would revisit this extremely interesting line and gather as much research material as I could. As irony would have it, both with the demise and of the Fish River layout and my search for a new challenge, the L&B does provide a very attractive basis of a modelling proposition.<br />
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Over the last few months I have managed to track down some extremely interesting and hard to find books on this remarkable line. With a relatively short working life of the line ( 1898-1935) and at only 19.5 miles in length...it is surprising that any meaningful volumes on it's history exist at all. Indeed to the contrary this line appears to have an almost cult status, at least in the UK... and the reasoning for this becomes patently clear when one begins to read these books and the true wonder of the line, it's motive power, rollingstock, infrastructure and the landscape it traverses becomes clearer. While discussing the historical and research books on offer...it would be remiss of me not to pay some very deserving compliments to the people I have contacted to purchase these offerings. From the specialist bookshops, to the staff of the L&B Railway Trust...everyone has exhibited a desire to go out of their way to help me gather the books and other materials I went in search of. Eight days, door to door seems to be the average turnaround time for most purchases. I am not sure whether this level of service is across the board...but it sure beats dealing with historical bookshops and some hobby shops here in Australia who seem to think it is a privilege to deal with them.<br />
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At this point I must also pay special tribute to one of the books that I have recently received. "The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway...Measured and Drawn" is undoubtedly one of the finest books that I have had the privilege to peruse. This offering by Stephen D Phillips crosses the bounds of any particular interest. To clarify...it is a complete reference of every piece of rollingstock, locomotive, infrastructure, signalling and odds and ends that were ever associated with this line. Every item contained in this 252 page jaw dropper, has been painstakingly measured and drawn in absolute detailed brilliance. Also littered throughout are photographs and information that in the end has produced a complete folio of this one line...but as said, this book would be appreciated by anyone with only a passing interest in railways in general. The only way I could describe this book to Australian Modellers...is to imagine the whole collection of Greg Edward's Data Sheets, hardbound and littered with information and photos of the prototype. The book suggests that this has been an almost lifelong project by Stephen Phillips...and with the quantity and quality of the finished article...I have little doubt about that. <br />
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From a modelling perspective...the L&B certainly is engaging and the present seems to be a good time to make a start with many RTR items specific to this line now cropping up from PECO and with DCC ready L&B locos soon to be released from at least 2 well known manufacturers...it would appear that this often maligned scale/gauge is entering somewhat of a renaissance. To cap things off PECO also has a relatively new range of OO9 track and live frog points...which would also complete the equation.<br />
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Anyway I will now spend Christmas mulling over the broad details of a proposed layout. Apart from the books and reference materials, I have also purchased a cross section of RTR rollingstock and a few kits from Parkside Dundas to tide me over for a couple of months....just to get the juices flowing.<br />
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Originally I had visualised that any planned OO9 layout would draw inspiration from the UK lines and then I would "Australianise" these ideas in practice. My mindset has now been converted and to dilute examples such as the L&B would only serve to diminish the overall feel and of course the other major advantage in staying true to the prototype is the ability to utilise many fine examples of models ( road, rail and infrastructure) that are only available in 1:76 OO...<br />
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And so it is...that I have crossed over to the "Dark Side".....Just like Luke...it would seem I have a new father!!!<br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-72545941563287620512014-11-09T16:50:00.000+11:002014-11-09T16:50:34.751+11:00The End Is Nigh...But The Future Is Bright!All,<br />
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With the slated closure of the Captains Flat branch imminent, the enthusiasts were out in force to capture the last workings on offer. In just a couple of weeks the mainline will be truncated back at a town on the Sydney side of Fish River station and the once busy junction ( Fish River), the Captain's Flat branch and all downstream stations on the main, beyond Fish River... to the imaginary terminus, will be no more<br />
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It is a sad indictment of the layout's relatively short lifespan, that the mythical location of Fish River, it's reason for being and it's location within the NSW network was never really explained. Yes the actual place names that were used and or planned were real...but the context in which I used these names had no bearing on the prototype or location at all and due to the fact that the layout was "just evolving" meant that the relationships of all these locales and associated workings really had not been decided upon.<br />
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In the finest traditions of the NSWGR, passenger workings on the Captain's Flat branch were abruptly halted last Sunday, with little notice or regard for the travelling public...much less the staff assigned to the branch workings!. For the record...the last regular passenger movement, returned to "town" at a little before 6:00pm with 4910 doing the honours and the usually single CCA ( normally more than adequate for the loading) supplemented with and FS car to cope with the expected influx of enthusiasts keen to take in the last opportunity to experience the branch.<br />
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The final nail for the branch occurred at around 3:00pm this afternoon, with the last freight working arriving back into town with 4425 in charge. The outward movement was scheduled to leave town before dawn this morning and spend the day clearing all locations and sidings of rollingstock...with the main task of returning stored concentrate wagons from the now closed Captains Flat loader.<br />
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With the closure of Fish River scheduled for later this week...all locos, rollingstock, infrastructure both in use and stored...will be offered up for disposal via tender ( in this context it will be by EBAY). and another chapter of government mismanagement and apathy will come to a close.<br />
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While the demise of the layout is sad in some respects...it is largely unavoidable (as explained in a previous post) and has certainly given me the opportunity to plan my next (albeit a tad smaller) journey into this great hobby. My structure building will now quite possibly speed up and of course there are still posts to be written regarding the dismantling of the existing layout... and while the track and all "above track" infrastructure is to go...the control panels and electrics will be largely recycled and while not wanting to spill the beans just yet on my next project....I will leave you all with just one question...is it possible to DCCise a OO9 layout? <br />
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I can hear my ever obliging and patient wife muttering these now famous or (infamous) words.....<em>Oh The Humanity</em>!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not far to go now for the last passenger train on the branch!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the Fish River bridge now crossed....4910 is shut off and begins to drift towards the junction...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The very last train arrives back off the branch towards the junction in the very capable hands of 4425</td></tr>
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-38999186585778372322014-10-31T21:45:00.001+11:002014-11-01T10:02:09.746+11:00Deja Vu...With A Difference...All...<br />
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The following post recently appeared on my Facebook Page...<br />
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<strong><em>Start Of A New Era...</em></strong><br />
<strong><em> As of Monday...Vanessa will commence and take over the reigns of our business!</em></strong><br />
<strong><em> It has taken a while to snaffle her...but as she has the BAs in Business and Management...It is only fitting ( and the right direction for the business) that she becomes the boss and I revert to "Piss Boy"...</em></strong><br />
<span class="text_exposed_hide"><strong><em>...</em></strong></span><br />
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<strong><em> Apart from having many more letters after her name than me...she has a vast wealth of abilities, supreme people skills and the right "touch" to take us to the next level...</em></strong><br />
<strong><em> I can't wait to see her shine, grow in confidence and steer Harlow into the next 20 years...</em></strong><br />
<strong><em></em></strong><br />
So what has this all got to do with the blog and indeed railway modelling?....Well plenty!.<br />
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Over the last few years our signage and engraving business ( AKA My Day Job) has grown steadily and has now reached a point where my wife has been recruited to take the reigns and allow the business growth and associated pains to be shared.<br />
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Like any major decision...there are the up sides and also down sides. The largest negative of all is that after many late night chats and considering the many options, is that the layout will have to go and the space turned over to the business. The shed that presently houses the layout is around 12metes x 8metres in total and with the majority of it now insulated and lined...it is an obvious place to re-establish the signmaking/writing and sign construction part of the total business which in essence will physically separate the signs from the engraving arm...which for some time has logistically been a largely ignored requirement.<br />
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It must be said that the shed was originally built to house the business and the layout came about following a suggestion from my wife that in the interim it could be used for a layout. In the back of my mind I knew this day would most likely come, albeit not so soon... and now here we are!. Of course the suggestion was made that the area could be shared...but in reality, working within (and surrounded) by such a mouth watering distraction, is not conducive to me remaining productive on a day to day basis. Like most, earning a living has to remain the priority in the medium term, and the reality is that I absolutely love my chosen career and still jump out of bed each morning inspired to do what I do...so the decision, while disappointing...does have some positives.<br />
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So what will this mean to my modelling?. If the truth be known, I have for some time had inspirational issues with the actual layout, much preferring to construct buildings and mini dioramas. For some reason ( maybe it happens to us all) my source of enjoyment from the hobby has gone through many phases and for now I would like to concentrate any spare time to the myriad of structures that bounce around my mind on a day to day basis. Surprisingly, my foray into OO9 many years ago still has an unexplained attraction and I may well dabble in that as well. <br />
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Possibly the main positive to come from all of this is that the Laser Rail Bits range will certainly have much more time and resources available and this part of the business has probably caused me the greatest internal angst, as the projects/kits just never seem to receive the focus they so richly deserve. After nearly 10 years of production of present range of kits...we may have missed the boat to some degree as in the intervening years there has been a plethora of Laser Etched and Cut manufacturers that have entered the market. For me I will just continue on the path of producing ( what we believe to be ) high fidelity kits that include premium raw materials and as close to scale as is humanly possible, rich in detail. The Laser Rail Bits mantra has and always will be...NO MDF!!!, NO TONGUE AND SLOT COMPONENTS AND NO COMPROMISES!!!. Whether this vision is past it's use by date...only time will tell....?<br />
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With regards to the Blog??? Well in all honesty, a review of the blog history has revealed, to me anyway, that my inspiration has certainly changed over the years and it is the structure, scenic, diorama and weathering aspects of the hobby that give me the most joy. In reality I can't see my blog input changing all that much. I will continue to work on Australian "HO" structures of any variety and quite possibly will also look at some "O" structures as well.<br />
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In the washup...the layout, even in it's far from complete state, has given me a great canvas to work with and in particular I have been able to hone my skills in scenery, wiring and DCC installation, to name but a couple of areas that only a few short years ago seemed far too challenging for this "little black duck" and have given me confidence to move on and attempt more challenges.<br />
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Now the real work begins and much of my HO stuff will be dissolved and or liquidated as the need to clear the area and minimise "stuff" that requires storage has commenced in earnest... I am not sure just what to do with the completed river section of the layout and the related bridges...hopefully a method of detaching the associated benchwork in a painless fashion can be achieved and a new home for this section would also provide a living memory of "what once was"...This may well form the basis of a future blog post...<br />
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And towards the future we go....... <br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-80984038976226177212014-10-11T22:52:00.002+11:002014-10-11T22:52:38.143+11:00Just A Thought... Fuel Depots, Part 1All,<br />
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The only upside of another week deprived of modelling time...is the thinking one can do. As regular readers would be aware, the siting of the flour mill (on the outskirts of Fish River) has had me pondering for some time. My doubts were not so much the general locale...but the aesthetics of placing the industry so close to the bridge that spans the river. The sheer bulk of the building seemed to dwarf the bridge and to my mind detracted from the overall flavour of this area. While the comments from readers that emanated from that post were invaluable and gave many options, I had mentally mothballed the decision and refocused on unrelated structure building.<br />
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Apart from the flour mill, Fish River will play host to a small number of varied industries and amongst these will undoubtedly be an oil depot or two. While unearthing all of the "fuel depot" bits and pieces that I have amassed...the thought crossed my mind that the flour mill siding may well be a better candidate for a fuel depot while there may be a better option for the flour mill at the opposite end of town.<br />
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So...earlier this afternoon I set about placing the almost completed storage tanks in situ and while there is much more infrastructure to be added to a depot scene, at least I could get an idea as to whether the overall plan would fly. As I fiddled around with this concept, it dawned on me just how ironic it was that after spending half of my working life in the petroleum industry...in and around refineries, terminals and depots...why it is that I have waited so long to concentrate on this type of industry for the layout?. <br />
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Regional fuel depots, were a fairly simplistic affair and while there were many varied layouts in terms of physical appearances, the four main items of infrastructure that made up each depot were largely a constant. Storage tanks, package store, truck loading gantry and some form of an office were the norm and in reality it was only the location and surrounding population the depot serviced that decided or dictated the overall size of each of these components. In the early days ( and not unlike the railways approach to infrastructure) there were "types" of depots that each oil company had concept plans prepared for, and the intent was that these depots would all be built exactly the same at each location on a repetitive basis with the thought that it would ensure consistency and cost savings in terms of initial construction, basic equipment, operating procedures and maintenance. Of course just like the railways...there were many changes to this "master plan" and depots took on a uniqueness based on land availability, plot size, rail and road access factors as well as particular client/location requirements.<br />
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A typical depot of yesteryear would have consisted of one or more leaded (standard) petrol tanks, one or more distillate (diesel) tanks, a fire water tank (in some instances), a package store for storing and decanting of drummed product, specialty products, oils and greases, a truck loading gantry and as already stated...an office or amenities block for the employees. Other items that existed were elevated horizontal storage tanks for products such as home heating oil, winter diesel (in extremely cold areas) and in some cases kerosene. A blend tank was sometimes included.<br />
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In terms of rail unloading operations...this varied on a case by case basis and could be an "in depot" operation with a dedicated siding within the confines of the depot...or a "remote unloading point" which was located beyond the depot fence line on a dedicated or shared siding. There were of course depots that made use of a second or shared siding within the depot that also allowed easy transhipment of drummed and package product from rail wagon to package store and aided reloading empty drums to say 4 wheel S trucks. <br />
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Returning to the subject of the rail tank car unloading operation...Some depots utilised a dedicated unloading pipe for each product while some depots relied on a single multi-use line that entailed an unloading sequence where a diesel tank car maybe unloaded and then say petrol would follow up the same line and a depot operator would await the "interface" or changeover of the product to reach a predetermined location and then swing the valves to the correct tank. Yes it was an inexact science...but a good operator would generate very little "slops". It must be remembered that in the refineries it was common to put water slugs between products as separation...and water take off points in storage tanks were common...<br />
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I have included some photos of a rail car unloading point...and while they were taken in South Australia some years ago...the same theme was played out all over the country. It must be said that not many regional depots in NSW had a dedicated fire line secondary to the unloading line...<br />
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In the next instalment I will begin the Fuel Depot project for Fish River and post progress....in the meantime I have included one shot to show the proposed location...certainly a change from the flour mill...</div>
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-44760469819559850162014-09-27T22:28:00.002+10:002014-09-27T22:28:43.394+10:00Details, Details, Details...All,<br />
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At a time when we are swamped with "real work", I have had very little time to indulge in the hobby over the last few weeks. Of course having plenty of work is a good sign for any business...but I do miss my down time and the ability to bubble along with modelling projects.<br />
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I have however spent a few nights assembling some detail type items and having a quick flick thru the myriad of storage draws and cupboards just to reacquaint my ever diminishing memory regarding hobby items. Most of these items were bought in bulk when putting in an order either to the UK or the USA. They arrive and of course are labelled as " they will be useful someday". In reality they are moderately thought out purchases intended to be package fillers and take full advantage of the importation postage costs.<br />
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The first item to look at is the humble forklift truck. With the shed project almost complete, I am now searching for the final detail items and a forklift would be perfect to add some "movement" to the scene. There are of course, plenty of examples of HO forklift trucks either in kit form or RTR...and the quality is quite varied as well. It would have been easier to have chosen an out of the box truck with only weathering to be added before placing it in the scene. Unfortunately the only one I could find that fitted my requirements ( proposed shed vintage and detail) was in kit form...but as luck would have it I had purchased a few of these very kits some time back.<br />
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The chosen kit is manufactured by a mob called GHQ Models ( from the USA) and they are sold as part of their "Road Master" series. They have a fair range of industrial type vehicles and I did manage to purchase examples of most of the range although I did probably buy too many...ah well!!!<br />
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The kit was almost entirely manufactured from "100% Britannia Pewter" with only one brass etching...that being the driver protection cage. The parts are extremely well moulded with very little flash requiring removal and have more than satisfactory detail....Indeed it would appear to me that they have engineered the moulds to ensure that component removal is very well enhanced and well thought out! The instructions are very well written with plenty of photos to aid construction... The mast can be assembled to simulate any height and in my case I decided to model the unit with forks lowered.<br />
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For anyone who is keen to tackle a pewter/white metal type kit, this would be a good start. Admittedly it is a small sucker...but with little part preparation required, and not containing a heap of components...it is a good place to start.<br />
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Put it this way...upon completion of this kit...you should be able to postpone your next optometrists appointment!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An example of the GHQ range...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main components with a first coat of paint and trial fit </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dw-2ildPcRo/VCaq5KPIs_I/AAAAAAAABbk/sQGcGZ1qkx0/s1600/FORKLIFT%2B5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dw-2ildPcRo/VCaq5KPIs_I/AAAAAAAABbk/sQGcGZ1qkx0/s1600/FORKLIFT%2B5.JPG" height="281" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost finished and seeing if it enhances the scene...</td></tr>
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-52521126977341061212014-09-07T17:19:00.000+10:002014-09-07T17:25:31.092+10:00A Touchy Subject...All,<br />
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I have been formulating this post for some time and while the subject matter has the real possibility of polarising people...my recent blog trolling has certainly confirmed that the situation is indeed also alive and well at least in Britain.<br />
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I, like many thought that blogging may be like the "Yo-Yo" and just be another fad that came and went without trace. How wrong I was...Blogging now is a very important facet of our hobby and also has the ability of spanning and cross fertilising on a global basis...and more importantly is free! ( for now ). Inspiration, advice, kinship and just plain old enjoyment has allowed the blogosphere to go ahead in leaps and bounds.<br />
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While all of this is happening around us...I could not help but ask myself the question<em>..."Where does this leave the humble model related magazines and periodicals</em>?"... Magazines, certainly were a very important facet of my earlier years in the hobby and before the internet, the only real way for modellers to be informed, entertained and inspired...apart from the exhibition and the club scene. So where does the cyber advancements leave our paper based technology.<br />
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To my mind there are many factors that will influence where our magazines end up. Firstly ( just like the daily tabloids ) online information exchange will govern the future of the printed word. How long it takes for many day to day printed items to become extinct is anyone's guess...Newspapers, periodicals, magazines and indeed the humble phone book will all succumb to cyber space and with the advancements in computers, internet speeds, methodologies and just plain old economics...I think the transition will be swift.<br />
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The next logical question is...are magazines still relevant?. That one comment will probably incur the wrath of many individuals in our hobby at least...but let us just examine where we find ourselves before any reader of this post is moved towards "taking out a contract" on my very existence. Whether one will publicly concede this fact or not...every conceivable "bit" of information relating to our hobby can now be found online. Even the very advertisers that fuel the salaries and running costs of the magazine are now to be found online, with some now having up to date (in some instances) blogs attached to the parent website and many even have links to a "demonic", to some, facebook page.<br />
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Some time back, I made a conscious decision to reassess my magazine purchases and to concentrate only on magazines that are well written, have absorbing articles, have the content I am interested in and provide value for money. I opted for the British magazines...as they have not yet succumbed to totally being absorbed with the "plonker" type of readership and still have many articles on "modelling" and the skills involved. As I have stated in an earlier post dedicated to the subject...I have now trimmed costs even further by having my mags delivered electronically. This all seems ironic given that I model NSW outline...but most of the modelling, weathering and landscape articles have a universal appeal and I still become absorbed with the fringe articles as well.<br />
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As for the local magazine scene...I have taken an annual "digital" subscription to our "leading" magazine...but in all honesty I cannot see this continuing as my interests cover ALL aspects of modelling and are not limited to "new releases" and a short hop around a layout...Have we really lost the appreciation of the true art and skills of modelling???. We also have to move away from the overtones that we are "privileged" to have the magazines that are available today...Any commodity that comes at a price is not a privilege. I certainly want more than 1/2 an hour of interest from any magazine that I purchase...digital or paper. To be fair I still look forward to AJMR when a new issue appears and would love to see this magazine on a more regular basis.<br />
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I guess the reason why some British bloggers bemoan their local magazines is possibly due to that fact that there are a plethora of offerings and choice over there... and as I am a fairly recent convert to some of these mags...I still find the content quite interesting and valuable.<br />
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And this is where I see that blogs (for me) will sooner or later replace the printed word. A mind boggling variety of subject matter, differing writing styles and skills, evocative subjects, progress of specific projects, superb photos and illustrations, inspiration...no matter what your taste...and last but not least...true "real time" interaction with the blog owner / writer.<br />
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And following a week where "real work" overtook my modelling time yet again!...a couple of shots of the shed progress. Still much to do...but we are getting there, albeit slowly. Internal asbestos sheeting is now complete, as well as the timber guardrails, and truck loading bay "buffer timbers"....all internals are almost complete and in readiness for the roof to be permanently installed, barge cappings, gutters and downpipes can then be fitted...subtle changes...but time consuming<br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-3757671656762844642014-08-31T21:56:00.000+10:002014-08-31T21:56:16.750+10:00Laser Engravers...To Buy Or Not To Buy?All,<br />
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PREAMBLE.<br />
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Well I have finally put finger to keyboard on this subject and as the title suggests this subject may well span over a couple of posts, depending on any queries raised along the way. I would confidently offer that I get asked at least once per week about our experiences with laser engravers. The enquiries are probably a 50/50 mix of people from inside the model railway or allied hobbies, and of course people looking to add this technology to an existing mainstream signage, graphics or engraving business or those who are looking to venture into these businesses from start up.<br />
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BACKGROUND.<br />
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Our business, Harlow Graphics Pty Ltd, commenced trading some 23 years ago and started off as a purely signwriting and sign-making business. During those early years we outsourced our engraving requirements with patchy results to say the least. I should add at this point that we have always been focused on <u>industrial</u> signage and engraving with a leaning towards the petroleum, electrical instrumentation and aircraft industries. Of course these industries are understandably quite demanding in terms of materials, industry terminology, turnaround timeframes and correctness...and so it did not take long to work out, that to control all of these factors meant that we had to move quickly to equip ourselves with all the hardware and software to ensure we were in control of our own destiny...and so we embarked on an expensive "expansion program" to enable us to keep every facet of the business in-house. <br />
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With regards to engraving...we purchased our first computerised, rotary engraving machine some 20 years ago and then moved on to the laser technology over 10 years ago. While the graphics and digital print / sign making technology has evolved rapidly over those years...the basic principles of laser technology have moved ahead at a relatively steady pace...meaning that this years purchase is not redundant next year.<br />
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LASER ENGRAVING.<br />
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So...what is laser engraving?...well I always refer to it as "controlled cremation" and, as crass as that comment may seem...that is about all there is to it. While there are a two distinct classes or types of laser machines...we will stick to the traditional CO2 type of combination engrave and cut machines. While a complete run down of the technology can be researched on the internet and videos can be viewed on YouTube...I will try and stick to the basics and how it relates to our hobby. To explain the overall operation, I have borrowed a very nice little graphic from the internet and will try and keep it simple.<br />
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The laser engraver works something like a dot matrix printer but without direct contact with the material or workpiece. There is an X and Y axis gantry with the laser "head" travelling backwards and forwards across the bed and the whole gantry can be moved up and down the table...this is all handled by the controller, software and driver and has no real direct "hand input". The laser beam ( red in the graphic) is generated in a laser tube and is then transferred via a sequence of mirrors and then when above the workpiece...it travels through a lens assembly ( the blue component in the picture) to ensure focus is maintained throughout the process.<br />
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There are two main methods to achieve the process of engraving. The first is what is called "raster" and refers to the actual marking of a material, which is achieved by the rapid backwards and forwards motion of the laser head. This operation is again like a normal printer and as the laser head moves backwards and forwards the gantry moves incrementally ( again just like paper moving through a printer )...what portion is engraved is dictated by the graphics package you are using and the colour of the infill you have assigned in that drawing. The second operation is called "vector" and is basically the cutting function of the machine...where the beam follows a computer generated outline or line and cuts through the material. To reiterate...both of these functions are controlled by the software you are using...while the driver interface is used to control the power, speed and frequency of the machine depending on what material you are using and the desired outcome.<br />
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On the software front we tend to use either CorelDraw or Pagemaker although many other drawing packages and add-ons can be used.<br />
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USES FOR OUR HOBBY.<br />
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There is quite literally a myriad of uses that a laser engraver can offer to our hobby. There is also a large assortment of hobby type materials that can be lasered and while the listing is not exhaustive...these include: Acrylic, Styrene, Balsa, Basswood, Most Timbers, ABS Plastics***, Cardboard, Matt Board, Paper and many many others. I included ABS plastic in this list and while I "dabble" in this material it does have some limitations due to the flammability and toxicity when heated. I also certainly warn against any product that contains PVC for the same reasons as ABS.<br />
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Apart from the shear versatility of the materials that can be machined is the added intricacy and minute accuracy that can be achieved. It all comes down to your imagination and drawing capability which in reality is no hard slog with the software packages on offer these days. If I had to nail it down to one factor that makes the laser a valuable tool is that it absolutely "eats" repetitious jobs with extremely little or no clean up of the parts required before assembly can take place.<br />
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I encourage any reader to take a look back through the older posts on this blog to see what can be achieved and I also invite you to take a look at our "Laser Rail Bits" Facebook page.<br />
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THE PROS AND CONS OF OWNERSHIP.<br />
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I often ask myself whether I would have purchased a laser engraver purely for my hobby pursuits...and the answer is a definite NO....That may come as a hammer blow to some who are either toying with the idea or are deep in the planning stages of buying. If it were not for the fact that our laser units already have a very hectic "9 to 5" working life and are a registered business item that allows for them to be claimed as deductions under the local tax scheme, then I would be very hesitant to invest in one purely for hobby. Now, that direct answer certainly has wriggle room for someone who is contemplating a commercial venture or is a professional model maker...but the second hand market is littered with examples of someone's superannuation payout and the vision of a burgeoning empire forged on the back of a laser engraver purchase. Certainly industrial engraving is an integral part of our business and so our equipment earn their keep extremely well...but I see many examples where even a well thought out business plan comes a cropper when the unsuspecting purchaser is talked into the Rolls Royce of laser technology, takes out a lease that would make Clive Palmer blush and then witness them attempting to dream up any form of laser produced "trinkets" just to make the lease payments.<br />
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And with the above in mind ( and if you are still in the game)...I will attempt to give you some details, tips and running costs that the local laser salespeople will not tell you...<br />
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Firstly...consider matching a machine with your requirements v's your hip pocket. As I alluded to earlier in this essay, one of the best features of the laser world is that while the features and power output of the machines have certainly improved...the overall philosophy of the laser engraver's basic function has not changed much at all...so this means that what you buy today will certainly see you through for about 10 years (all things being equal).<br />
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Therefore the two combinations that are of importance to any prospective buyer is the bed size (workspace) and the power, expressed in Watts. As an example...and part of our arsenal... we have a 10+ year old machine that has a bed size of 610mm x 450mm and has an output of 35 Watts...and when purchased was probably the flagship of engraving technology. Move forward to today and 120 Watts with a table size of 1200mm x 600mm is fairly common. The irony is that our old unit still plugs away each day providing admirable service and does everything we throw at it....It certainly is not redundant in today's world and will possibly give another 10 years of service with careful maintenance and a possibly overdue rebuild. We are presently exploring the feasabilty of adding yet another unit to our "workforce" but the 35 Watt Epilog Helix will continue to be a handy utility machine and will most likely be our modelling unit for many years to come.<br />
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And so to the costs involved in the purchase and operation of a typical laser engraver.<br />
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Purchase Price: Anywhere between $45,000 - $150,000AUD ex GST<br />
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Service Costs: Somewhere around $500 to $700 ( Labour Only ) every 6 months for a preventative maintenance visit...Most manufacturers advise a 6 monthly inspection...but if housekeeping and user maintenance are kept up...annual service intervals should suffice. ( This is a personal observation...you must make your own decisions on frequency )<br />
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NB. The main "consumable" parts that will require replacement are: Mirrors and Lenses ( Say $400 per set complete), Belts ( if fitted) $100.00. The most expensive components that are a possibility are Main Control Board +/- $3000.00<br />
And almost certainly at some point ( anywhere between 2 years and 10+ years ) will be the laser tube and indicative (present) costs to replace the existing tube in our 35 Watt unit and carry out a service...Around $8000.00 total <br />
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Running Costs: Variable... but must factor in the extraction fan system as well as the host computer and software upgrades when applicable.<br />
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It must be taken into consideration that an extraction ( to atmosphere) will need to be installed and if in a built up area...the extracted fumes may also require filtration or water bath treatment prior to atmosphere...This is a major consideration...and on it's own could would require a separate post for discussion...<br />
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CONCLUSION<br />
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For anyone contemplating any purchase of this magnitude...research is gold. I hate to say it but most sales staff from any of the major suppliers will offer performance and profit figures well out of kilter with actual in service use. Of course this practice is not limited to any type of industry where sales are concerned. While most of these guys are well intentioned and mostly reading from a well practiced sales script...The truth is that very few in the industry have had to stand over a machine in a business environment and make it pay for itself.<br />
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The local market is best served with Trotec, Epilog and Gravograph brand units and each of these outfits offers service and backup on the products that they sell.<br />
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While there is now a plethora of machines emanating from Asia ( and in particular China ) at very attractive up front costs...my personal opinion is to steer well clear of these " bargains" as the honeymoon will truly end if a major component was to expire and the owner was to look for replacements and at the very least a reputable and experienced, local company who would even consider repairing or servicing an "orphan" brand of machine... Like everything...you get what you pay for!<br />
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I must state here that everything contained within this post is MY OWN OPINION...and every prospective buyer should conduct their own research. You may find that some businesses that utilise laser engravers will be reticent to openly chat about and offer advice regarding lasers...It is a fickle industry, with many a tad protective of their business. On the other side of the coin...I am quite comfortable chatting to people should they wish to get an owner/operators version of the business or any other facet of the laser engraving "trade"<br />
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I hope that what I have written here has been of some use to those with an interest...and to those who are possibly now asleep over their cup of tea...you have my apologies.<br />
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Oh and please leave a comment if I have overlooked any issues that require discussion...and I will either answer via return comment...or email, phone...or god forbid...another post!<br />
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Regards,<br />
Rod <br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-30044462395596042302014-08-29T22:37:00.001+10:002014-08-29T22:37:46.650+10:00Some Weeks Are Just Too Busy...All,<br />
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We have been absolutely smashed with work this week. Most weeks are busy, but sometimes the planets align or as may be closer to the truth, "misalign" and the business gets swamped. Mind you I love what I do and am fortunate that we have a steady flow of work.<br />
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With the above in mind, it has been a slow week on the modelling front with only an hour here or there to get some progress achieved on the "shed project". I took the opportunity to "multitask" the laser table and while carrying out some paid engraving the last of the main shed components have been roughed out.<br />
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Both side panel components and one end of the shed are almost ready for the paint shop...but a last minute lightbulb moment has me changing the plans yet again. To add some variety to an otherwise mundane shed, I have decided to incorporate a small office within the shed and to compliment this addition of the two internal walls, a couple of windows will be added to the external panels which will mean a quick return to the laser table before the paint treatment can begin. I will not machine up the last end wall until the other three sides are finally fitted and this panel can be cut to suit.<br />
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Tonight I have been busy making up the ridge cap and roof/wall barge capping pieces. I decided to utilise styrene angle with .5mm flat styrene to simulate the joints. I guess I could have used card and paper strips...but the styrene was handy and as much as I thought this would be a quicker way...this has certainly not been the case. Nevertheless I am happy with the results and cannot wait for these to be installed following painting and weathering.<br />
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Strangely enough for such a basic structure, this project has been very time consuming and I now find myself unsure of the sequence of construction going forward. There is much internal detail that I want to include and this will have to be done with the roof removed. I am also giving thought to internal lighting and a couple of external "old world" wall mounted shrouded lights adjacent to the truck loading dock and forklift ramp. Handrails and doors for the additional internal "office" as well as some rudimentary office furniture will also be included...so it may be a while until the roof is installed (either removable or fixed). One other task is to include internal corrugated asbestos profiles (to visible walls) as the Wills product I have utilised for the exterior cladding is only one sided. I knew this particular task would crop up...but as I am more than happy with the appearance of the chosen Wills product....this will mean only a slight imposition.<br />
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For those that are even remotely interested...All plastics behave differently when placed under the laser and as most modelling types of plastics and styrenes are not "optimised" for this type of machining...the results can often be exceedingly good or exceedingly bad. While I am unsure as to the make up of Wills extrusions...they cut (vector) very well...but attempting to etch or (raster) the material is of little use. I do get asked most weeks about the pros and cons of a laser for modelling purposes and I am in the process of writing a post for this blog that may be of interest to those who have a fetish towards "cremating" defenceless modelling materials.<br />
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Anyway, as per usual I have included some photos to illustrate progress and most will have to look closely for the subtle changes that have occurred over a non productive modelling week...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Af7SC28guU/VABy0dRiEzI/AAAAAAAABZw/41OVtm132pg/s1600/BARGE%2BCAPS%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Af7SC28guU/VABy0dRiEzI/AAAAAAAABZw/41OVtm132pg/s1600/BARGE%2BCAPS%2B1.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roof now in place and barge capping being trial fitted...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NaNta1mCRIE/VABynvZfNfI/AAAAAAAABZo/ccCZi7mLxsM/s1600/BARGE%2BCAPS%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NaNta1mCRIE/VABynvZfNfI/AAAAAAAABZo/ccCZi7mLxsM/s1600/BARGE%2BCAPS%2B2.JPG" height="236" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barge capping construction method</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tC-9Cx6pY9s/VABy2A-YCxI/AAAAAAAABZ4/7p9JqVM7Xz4/s1600/DOORS%2BAND%2BWINDOWS%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tC-9Cx6pY9s/VABy2A-YCxI/AAAAAAAABZ4/7p9JqVM7Xz4/s1600/DOORS%2BAND%2BWINDOWS%2B1.JPG" height="228" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I will be cheating on the doors and windows...These examples are from the Tichy range</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MyIl9-kreKk/VABzJMpDz_I/AAAAAAAABaA/jtswqV7FJmk/s1600/WALLS%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MyIl9-kreKk/VABzJMpDz_I/AAAAAAAABaA/jtswqV7FJmk/s1600/WALLS%2B1.JPG" height="255" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall panels lasered and ready for final prep and fitting</td></tr>
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-84393475197863586302014-08-21T21:55:00.001+10:002014-08-21T21:55:30.639+10:00Shed Progress...And General Banter...All,<br />
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There was a time when I found building structures extremely frustrating. I always enjoyed the process, but found it hard to be patient and take my time. Major steps like preparing and painting items before assembly was a major flaw in my approach and I tended to complete an item according to the immediate time I had available. Obviously the frustration would set in when the finished item displayed major flaws that could have been avoided if I had shown more patience.<br />
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I am unsure whether due to age, constant disappointment or maybe just a pure self determination to improve, I now approach my modelling in a very different way. Like most I have a very long way to go before I will feel competent as a modeller and happy with the end result...but I now thoroughly enjoy the JOURNEY rather than worry so much about completion of a project. Now, ironically, I do experience a certain sense of sadness when an item is complete and it is time to move on. A complete mindset reversal from my earlier years.<br />
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The shed I am presently building is in reality a mystery. What started out as a way to develop and prove some modelling methods, just seems to be evolving. I normally commence any project with a firm set of plans and a visualisation of the finished article. Not so in this case, and while this approach normally ( for me ) ends up in disaster, I am happy with progress and now with the skeleton taking shape...I can see the final outcome. It is certainly a hybrid with the material list now consisting of cast acrylic, basswood, Evergreen components, Wills products and DAS modelling clay.<br />
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The included photos show that the "steel" structure is now complete, besser block brick-up also totally finished and as of today the concreters have been and gone and the floor is now drying. From a roofing point of view, the trusses and all roof timbers are completed and the first completed samples of the asbestos roofing and cladding have been treated and the result can be seen in the photos as well. A final decision regarding access has also been arrived at and this now consists of a ramp for bagged or palletised product being transferred via forklift and on the opposite end of the shed an internal, truck loading dock has been installed with rail loading being available from a semi open side of the shed. The shed will lend itself to many industries from bagged cement to grain, flour or indeed as an adjunct to many other manufacturing type industries. <br />
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With this project now reaching the half way point...I have also been perusing the myriad of other structures that adorn my workshop and many other locations while looking for a slot to store the shed, and while regrettable...I have reached a decision to sell many of the items. This will be a difficult process but there is only so much that can be utilised on the layout and with the joy I get from building...I can always build another in some varied way...Any excuse to build!<br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-8707710497912519342014-08-16T17:46:00.002+10:002014-08-16T17:46:47.452+10:00Time To Build...All,<br />
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With the besser block trial now out of the way, it was time to begin incorporating the end product and commence construction of a structure. At this stage I really have no intended final position for this structure, but as the design and style lends itself to many differing types of uses...it should find a home as a complimentary structure to one of the industries planned for the layout.<br />
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The basic construction for this shed will be... besser block foundation to a suspended concrete dock level... with the skeleton being steel columns with timber truss roof frame and clad in corrugated asbestos and once I am happy with the overall material mix, the same methodology will be adapted to a few other planned industries. At this stage, the task at hand is to marry everything together and end up with a believable end product.<br />
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To aid in construction, an acrylic base was machined with the structure footprint and column locations laid out. This has taken a fair amount of "site survey" work out of the project and the pre-weathered columns were pretty much a press fit into the base. The besser panels were fitted as the columns went along...not unlike a panel fence construction. I had visions of constructing the roof trusses from a smaller size of RSJ or ( H section steel )...but in order to move construction along and because of the fact the roof trusses will be largely hidden...I reverted to laser cut basswood trusses. <br />
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I am now deciding whether to allow for internal rail access or just stick to external with one side of the structure being open for rail loading with an awning incorporated. Irrespective of the final choice there will be an internal concrete ramp to allow forklift access from ground level.<br />
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I have incorporated some photos of the progress to date and as can be seen the end besser panels are yet to be fitted and this will be finalised once the internal rail and forklift issues are decided upon. I have been able to use single sided besser panels in this structure, as the inside surfaces of these walls will not be visible once the deck slab is "poured"<br />
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As the structure is progressing I can see many variations upon the theme and these could be...A smaller incarnation that could be used as a package store in a petroleum depot, bagged wheat, flour or cement...while the overall methods could be adapted for many uses.<br />
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At the end of the day it is proving to be a very enjoyable project and I am looking forward to weathering and fitting the corrugated asbestos cladding...<br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-28805892075854089872014-08-10T21:05:00.001+10:002014-08-10T21:05:30.073+10:00All With A Grain Of Salt...All,<br />
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Funny how the most insignificant things can occupy, and to a degree, take over your mind. This was the case this week with the besser block project. I certainly took on board the comments of fellow modellers and reassessed the various components manufactured thus far and upon reflection decided to trash the whole DAS clay "besser block" experiment...but as it turns out...not completely!<br />
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The moulds and stamps that had been created certainly had some basic flaws and I had to either look outside the square...or track down some proprietary off the shelf offerings...certainly not my choice of options. I feel that the work to date had not been totally in vain, as there are definitely a few processes that could be utilised for the future...but just not this project.<br />
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While messing around with options, I decided turn out some walls using the same product as the earlier moulds had been manufactured from and this time carry out a "reverse" process...so the most recent incarnation of the besser block walls now is laser etched and cut cast acrylic sheet. The advantages with this material are manifold...it is rigid, accepts paint perfectly (if prepared correctly), can be easily machined on both sides for applications that require visibility of both sides and the material use minimises construction time. The mortar joints were cut a little deeper than would be normal and taking on board the methods of Iain Robinson...a DAS slurry was mixed and squeegeed into the lasered mortar joints to reduce the depth and add definition....kind of like grouting tiles.<br />
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I have included a couple of photos showing the phases of manufacture...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PgcyxbGEqvw/U-dJ-qKfTiI/AAAAAAAABXo/IERBXfBtxg8/s1600/besser+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PgcyxbGEqvw/U-dJ-qKfTiI/AAAAAAAABXo/IERBXfBtxg8/s1600/besser+2.JPG" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Top...Directly from the laser and after first paint coat.<br />
Middle: Following DAS slurry to the mortar courses<br />
Bottom: Mortar joints softened with paint/satin mixture.<br />
( Middle and Bottom example could be used according to required appearance)</td></tr>
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And so the weekend continued...<br />
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Apart from the above besser walls...my intended structure will also include a steel "H" frame sectional framework...or "RSJ" construction. While I had the air brush and other equipment running...I decided to also conduct some trials on the required steelwork and reincarnate a method I have not used in many years.<br />
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The base material is store bought Evergreen extruded styrene...Plastruct ABS will give similar results with the right prep. <br />
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Most of you guys would be aware of the "salt weathering" method and as much as I have used it on rollingstock and other flat surfaces over the years with a fair degree of success...I felt it would give me the effect I am after with the shed and I was keen to see if it was as achievable on smaller sections of material.<br />
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I have included some photos of the tests so far and I am fairly happy with the results...even on these smaller items. It is a very handy method with a host of "methods within a method" to achieve a great deal of variation... and if readers would like a detailed " How To" post to get you started...just let me know...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing the base colours (various rust browns) with the salt applied and the second coat being added...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another variation with lighter corrosion spots and an incomplete paint layer...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Severe pitting and corrosion...Residual salt not yet removed... can be seen </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rust and pitting showing through several layers...</td></tr>
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-48058294904914893602014-08-07T15:33:00.000+10:002014-08-07T15:33:46.788+10:00A Sad and Humbling Experience...With a Happy Ending!All,<br />
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During any given week I normally get at least a couple of visitors to my "trackside" workshop. While the primary focus of my week is to earn a living...the outside contact and interaction is in reality much appreciated and certainly takes the monotony away from my fairly solitary working environment. Of course having an absolute front row seat to the passing parade of trains traversing the main south on a day to day basis and being fortunate enough to get a "noisy" greeting from most crews that are either friends or aquaintances is a luxury never lost on me.<br />
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Amongst the regular visitors is a bloke by the name of Leon Oberg. Leon normally drops past while out on one of his almost daily photographic adventures to check on the latest position of a train that he is chasing. On other occasions it will be a combined visit that also includes "sorting out the problems of the world" as we see it. Now, as much as Leon has only a passing interest in the model side of the rail hobby...he does however have an appreciation of it and is always intrigued by my latest project that is taking up bench space somewhere in the workshop. It must be said that Leon is a bit of an enigma in this town mainly due to his almost lifelong career as a senior journalist with our regional newspaper and as much as he is an extremely accomplished photographer and prolific author of many rail related publications...it is his tenure as a journalist of long standing and his involvement in community organisations that he is normally recognised for locally.<br />
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With the above description in mind, Leon never lets an opportunity for a "story" to pass him by...and when he first laid eyes on the "G" gauge layout that once adorned the backyard here some 10 years ago, he leaned on me pretty hard to create a story for the local paper. I resisted many of his overtures, mainly due to the fact that I did not want to divulge the location and my details for many reasons... security probably being the most uppermost in my mind...and also because I saw my little empire as a not very newsworthy subject amongst the locals here. <br />
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Moving forward to earlier this year and during one of his visits , we were discussing his latest story in the Byways Of Steam series that covered the Captains Flat Line and I proceeded to show him the early version of the Captains Flat ore loading structure that I was working on. Almost immediately he suggested that a story covering the "hows, whys and wheres" of what I build should be turned into a story and this time I decided to submit to his wishes...after all what damage could it do and hey it might well be a bit of fun...He immediately produced his ever present camera gear and photos of some model items were taken and a field trip was organised for the following week so he could get a better feel for the research side of things.<br />
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The next week, we met up on a perfect Autumn morning somewhere along the (long closed) Crookwell Line and amongst the chit chat he took some more photos and the "story" was roughly cobbled together. During that chat we of course discussed our families and what they were up to and as lunchtime approached...we went our separate ways and made a "rough" timeframe to meet up finalise the story.<br />
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As fate would have it...only a couple of weeks later I had reason to ring Leon as I had promised earlier in the day to update him about a train that he was chasing. Immediately upon answering my call...I knew that something was extremely wrong...After what seemed like an eternity he had composed himself enough to describe that he had just had a call that all parents dread and the result was to ultimately change his family, relatives and friend's lives forever. It has now been widely reported that his son Peter, was lost at sea due to an incident during a fishing trip...<br />
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The only positive to come from these "life experiences" is that you tend to reassess what is important and re evaluate the real priorities in life. It was heartening to see the vast amount of locals who turned out for the memorial service for Peter... and the support for the family in the weeks that followed...it is a credit to the family's strength and that Leon now <em>outwardly</em> has returned to normal...but no doubt the empty feeling of the loss would still be close by. And so it was with a great deal of surprise when I became aware that the story that he had been quietly and silently working on had been resurrected, completed and now adorned the pages of the latest Track and Signal Magazine...very humbling to read his offering, knowing what had occurred in the previous weeks...<br />
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As for the "Happy Ending" to this story...well, that all comes from the fact that Leon has returned to some form of normality in his life and seems to be in a "good place" presently...He is now regularly track side and has returned to writing....certainly inspirational. For me I guess there is still a certain amount of bewilderment as to how things so prophetically changed in such a relatively short space of time from that initial decision to do this article through to now...I guess the silver lining to the whole experience has been the ability to do my little bit to promote such a great hobby....OUR HOBBY! <br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-41335368695229201082014-08-02T20:52:00.001+10:002014-08-02T20:52:48.474+10:00Are We Getting Any Besser???All,<br />
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Are we getting any closer, would be a more apt statement. More trials to replicate besser block walls have been conducted and while I will leave the verdict of success up to you guys...if nothing else it has been fun so far!<br />
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It was very heartening to get the feedback following the last post and a very sobering experience as well. It is always amazing how with hindsight and third party comments, the subtle flaws (or room for improvement and refinement) are pointed out and then re-examined. I have to admit that the original block facing did resemble "face bricks" and a way of softening the faces needed to be achieved before production could take place.<br />
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This time as planned, I ran up a set of moulds machined from cast acrylic and in this case I thought it wise to use clear material so I could keep an eye on things as they progressed. The moulds are basically a two piece affair so that when the DAS is almost dry the finished "block panels" can easily be released from the mating parts. When I am finally happy with the overall method, a larger set of moulds will be manufactured allowing for a few panels at a time to be completed.<br />
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Upon close examination of the latest trial there is still some minor lateral "ridging" of the blocks. Certainly this ridging is not as pronounced as the first trial and this improvement is a combination of laser settings and the choice of material for this trial. At the end of the day the laser process does have limitations and will never give the excavated surface finish of glass. My ever suffering wife entered the debate with a fresh set of eyes and suggested that the best idea may well be to finish sand the face of the completed components with a very fine grade of wet and dry before colouring the faces...I keep reminding myself that I married the right girl!!!<br />
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Also in this trial I have also eased up the depth of the mortar joints and will also take on board the sage advice from Iain Robinson (refer last post and comments) and look at a vey light slurry finish coat of the blocks during the construction phase.<br />
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In the end I would suggest that some of the factors I am labouring over will not even be easily visible on the completed structures and possibly what I am trying to replicate may well be readily available in plastic...but the main aim is to vary my buildings so that they don't all resemble Walthers Cornerstone kits and to also experience as many facets of the hobby as I can, while all the time challenging myself...<br />
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And so... I have included some shots of the latest attempt and in my haste to evaluate the sample I decided to dry brush the DAS clay with a base colour before it was completely dry hence the mottled appearance of one or two shots... I also note that the photos display the blocks as rather dark with the wash applied...they certainly are lighter in reality...<br />
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Enjoy your weekend!!! <br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-22793312907598792402014-07-28T23:08:00.000+10:002014-07-28T23:08:36.144+10:00Off On Another TangentAll,<br />
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Well, the 48 class is now completely stripped, the DCCSound decoder and speaker kit has arrived and I have purchased the required resistors to complete the lighting circuits when the rebuild begins. I have been keeping careful records and photos for the next instalment in this conversion...But the subject of this post is about as far removed from loco rebuilding as one can be.<br />
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I had better begin this post by describing a fellow blogger. Iain Robinson maintains a blog called (strangely enough) Iain Robinson Modelmaking and he may well be familiar to some of you. I happened across this site a couple of years ago and have been hooked ever since. While the subject matter of Iain's work is somewhat removed from the Australian scene...the research, methods, craftsmanship, attention to detail and his immersive writing style and photography of the projects are certainly awe inspiring to say the least. Iain is certainly a "master modeller" in the true sense of the word...I guess an artisan would aptly describe him. Now, while I would never in my wildest dreams ever attain the level of skill that he makes look all so easy...there is plenty of hints, tips and inspiration to be gained from a visit to his blog and because of this I have embarked on my latest project ( yep...one of many in the <em>process of completion</em> stakes).<br />
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As much as I have built a number of structures over the years for pleasure and for the layout and have utilised a number of mediums to do so...I guess I have settled into a routine and have unconsciously fallen into a pattern of staying well and truly within my comfort zone. To this end I have made a conscious decision to try a medium that has attracted my interest for some time...but for one reason or another has never made it to the top of the deck. <br />
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Iain utilises DAS modelling clay in some form or another in most of his structures and I decided to "start at the start" and see where this material would take my imagination and assess whether I could adapt it into my modelling "habits". I have for some time had a desire to explore and build a besser block and corrugated asbestos composite industrial type building...examples of which dotted the "pre enlightened" industrial landscape. In the Botany area of Sydney...where I grew up, there were a multitude of these buildings and the design seemed to be a standard. Concrete floor with besser block "brick up" to a level of say 8 to 10 courses and then corrugated asbestos sheet continuing on to the roof line....all of this cladding normally wrapping around a steel skeleton of RSJ / I beams. and the pitched or sawtooth roof followed the theme of corrugated asbestos as well.<br />
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Unfortunately I never pointed a camera at this type of building and as much as I recall the general appearance...I needed a reference photo(s) and certainly a building that was local to my childhood area and familiar would be a plus. I recalled a shot that I had seen many years ago and I was able to uncover it in the publication called Remember When II and I have included it here...( Photo Credit... to Ted Skiller and the ARHS )<br />
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The shot was taken inside what was once the ICI Botany site and as much as it shows only a glimpse of what I would like to recreate...the important elements are there and imagination will take over from here...<br />
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In the case of the corrugated asbestos...I ordered around 40 sheets of the OO scale plastic offering from Wills ( UK) a couple of years ago and as is normal with most model related purchases...I knew I would find a need for it...<em>someday</em>. While I am aware that it is slightly over scale it does possess the flavour I am looking for and it is convenient. On the down side it is way too thick and is only single sided so this will have to be taken into account as well. <br />
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And now we finally get to the trial and error part of this essay and that is the creation of the besser blocks I purchased four 1kg blocks of DAS modelling clay last Christmas and "donated" two of these blocks as stocking fillers for my daughter and kept the other two on hand awaiting an opportunity to "play" with the stuff and discover the uses for our hobby. With the dimensions of besser blocks now entered and scaled to HO, I attempted to laser etch a set of templates or probably better described as stamps from engraving plastic... to allow "panels" of besser blocks to be easily formed. The initial results are encouraging and I now need to tone down the mortar joints, as these were not normally raked as deeply as I have portrayed and I think I will use cast acrylic for the next set of stamps as this material has less flex and should produce a more consistent indentation. (On a positive note, I am happy with the surface texture I have been able to achieve). I will also attempt to create moulds as well so that uniform thickness of the panels can be maintained and double sided mortar joints are able to be introduced. My first impression of DAS modelling clay is that I can see a multitude of uses and the discovery phase will be a fun process.<br />
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I have included a shot of a trial panel of besser blocks... In hindsight I think purchasing four 1kg blocks of DAS modelling clay was very much a case of overkill...<br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-7796645788325987612014-07-16T22:45:00.002+10:002014-07-16T22:47:29.650+10:00Holes In Walls...and Powerline 48sAll,<br />
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Holes In Walls.</h3>
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Well the modelling room is now totally complete and ready to be "lived in". Maybe the term "totally complete" is a bit of a misnomer where anything model railways is concerned but I now have a well laid out room that is away from the layout room and away from the house. Over the next couple of weeks I will populate the room and sort out the storage issues and creature comforts in this man-cave within a man-cave.<br />
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I have however progressed the railway access to this room and have completed the "tunnel" which is essentially a hole in the wall. The initial trackwork in this room, will consist of a master siding with run around or loco escape and a dead end siding. I do have to admit that the bench height in the modelling room should have had a bit more thought put into it. I was governed by the window sill height in this room...but now with the rail extension entering this room at layout room level...I have only around 55mm+/- between rail level and the installed benchwork (refer photo) and this will require some thought if Cobalt point motors are to be utilised here. It may be that I will have to also cut clearance holes in the benchwork to allow clear fitment....ah well it will all become apparent in later posts I guess.<br />
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Powerline 48s</h3>
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While awaiting the Trainorama 48 class release...I have relented and purchased a Powerline 48 to add to the fleet and while I have read mixed reviews of this offering...I have decided to convert this example of the mighty 48 class to DCC and Sound and carry out a few more modifications along the way. As part of this process I thought it might be fun to record the conversion via the blog and of course it will be written in instalments as tasks are completed.</div>
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I guess a "mini review" of the out of the box model should precede the conversion...so here are my initial thoughts.</div>
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The model, on first inspection, certainly is impressive and appears to be a more than fair facsimile of these workhorses of the NSW fleet. I must point out that I was disappointed that there were no written instruction sheets that came with the model. In light of the fact that this is a dual mode model which allows DC operation as well as DCC operation, and the selector switch requires the removal of the body to activate...I find the absence of any written information beyond belief... What is also obvious is the removable hatch located between the fan and the exhaust stack on the roof of the long end hood... although I am yet to workout what this hatch allows access to???. Anyway the rest of my "review" will follow as part of the conversion process.</div>
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This afternoon I decided to undertake the task of removing the body from the chassis and while I had read the varying degrees of success that other modellers have had with what should be a rather easy exercise...I have to state that it was a very trying hour or so as I cajoled the body away from the chassis and as others have suggested...it is a pig of a job.</div>
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Firstly the two couplers were removed and the four body screws were removed. On other models this should now allow the body to simply come apart from the chassis...not so here!. Apart from the tight fit of the two mating parts...there is also the issue of the buffer locating pins that extend inboard thru the pilots, fouling the chassis removal. The options are either to remove these pins or to bend the pilots outwardly enough to allow the chassis to clear them.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The shot above shows the offending buffer guide pins with the chassis now removed</td></tr>
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With the body now removed and an ever growing pile of detail items that have been dislodged during the process...the first thing that becomes apparent is that the "crew" will need to be relieved. The installed offerings quaintly resemble the green "army men" that I played with as a child and are devoid of any painted features which is magnified by the fact that the loco is modelled with open cab side windows, making these little green blobs even more conspicuous. I am certain that I have a more suitable replacement crew from the "B" end of a Trainorama loco...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Army Men" crew...One appears to either be waving...or has just thrown a grenade...</td></tr>
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The next puzzling feature of this model is the placement of the DC/DCC selector slide switch...which requires the removal of the body to gain access...As stated earlier...I have no idea just what the removable roof hatch is for???. Someone more learned than me might reveal the true reasoning for it's placement and use and why the selector switch could not have been installed in a more easily accessible location... For me the issue will not prove to be a long term negative as most of the existing electrical internals will be discarded when the DCC / Sound conversion is completed </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main circuit board of the loco...in the background the access hatch on the roof of the long end hood has been removed...<br />
while the location of the DC/DCC selector switch can be discerned at lower left of the circuit board... </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dislodged parts scoreboard so far....of course impatience and aging fingers have played a part...!!!</td></tr>
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In the next instalment...the DCCSound conversion kit should have arrived and I will move on to stripping the loco for decoder and speaker fitment, wiring mods...In the meantime I will scour the web for info from the "trailblazers" of this particular conversion...</div>
Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-91153545002401197022014-07-01T20:56:00.003+10:002014-07-01T20:56:50.604+10:00Almost Ready To Load...All,<br />
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Well another project is nearing completion. The Captains Flat ore loader has now been given a home and the mini diorama is all but finished. I say "almost complete" but of course as we all know, there are always details to be added and to magnify that point, the issues are certainly highlighted when you point a camera at the subject and have photos that clearly show the known deficiencies, but... they also tend to show up the unknown as well. <em><strong>The camera never lies</strong>.... </em>is certainly an apt saying in our hobby.<br />
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While I am happy with the overall "feel" of the diorama there are some things that I am finding hard to reconcile in my mind. The most obvious is just how barren the surrounding landscape is. This certainly mirrors the actual prototype location in latter years...but it seems even more stark when modelling such a small portion of the area. The ore and the mining operation has rendered the soil almost sterile and as I think I have stated in an earlier post, the lack of any real vegetation is still evident today some 50 odd years since mining activity ceased. I guess that is why the actual structure and the rail infrastructure needs to be as accurately reproduced (as my skills will allow) as there is not much else to share centre stage in this project.<br />
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To recap...the actual loader is manufactured from laser etched and cut basswood. The cladding is proprietary corrugated card. The rails are code 75 nickel silver ( ex flex track ) with copper clad sleepers placed at regular intervals to maintain correct gauge. The rails are pre weathered before laying. To "hand lay" track I follow the above method and then run a bead of contact adhesive along the bottom of each rail and leave it to go tacky. I then position the track over pre-laid, ballasted and weathered basswood sleepers and then run along each rail head with a hot soldering iron which tends to remelt the glue and allow adhesion to the sleepers. I am not sure where or when I came across this method and I am not even sure whether it is a popular method to hand lay track...but I find that it gives a brilliant bond. The other item that needed to be custom manufactured was the wagon weighbridge platform and I was able to portray these items utilising laser cut styrene with an etched pattern to simulate the cast deck and details. <br />
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The scenery is the foam underlay covered in plaster bandage method with an earth coloured plaster slurry over the substrate. I have then added sieved earth dust collected from adjacent to the "real" Captains Flat loader. To tie it all together I utilise a neutral set of colours and with the aid of an airbrush, set about highlighting the various shades and shadows that are apparent in the prototype scenery....(well I try anyway). The grass is just common or garden static grass with added "tufts" in various shapes and lengths.<br />
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So...what next?....The road to the loader ramp needs to be completed. A couple of modified dump trucks will be added as well as a number of minor detail items such as a 44 gallon drum next to the weighbridge deck and a few pieces of scrap timber and the like. I have yet to add the communication tube and chimney to the weighbridge office. The one detail item I still need to research is the actual ore. While my research material shows many black and white photographs of the loader in use...they do not adequately spell out the appearance and more importantly the colour of the ore/slurry mix. I have a few photos of the mined ore and have added one of these photos to illustrate this post but I am not sure whether this is an adequate sample to prompt a decision. I have made some calls to locals from the area and hopefully something will turn up. I feel that is important to get this aspect right as the ore would have littered the area around the loader and would form the basis for any S truck loads to be completed...<br />
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And so with this project approaching completion...my mind is wondering what to attack next???<br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-31282520894166666192014-06-27T20:05:00.000+10:002014-06-27T20:05:10.168+10:00Nearly Time To Move In!!!All,<br />
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Well this weekend should see the completion of the long awaited modelling room. Windows to be cleaned, 4 gang power point to be fitted and if I am lucky the girls might organise a cake or some other fat inducing treats to mark the occasion. I can't see a full blown house warming party anytime soon...so a piece of cake and a cuppa will suffice. I should also add that the wood rack will also be relocated to the main shed and my trusty old roll-top, station masters desk will come out of storage and sit in it's place.<br />
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There has been a bit of rethinking, with the original room plan incorporating the airbrush cabinet and extraction system. This will now be sited ( along with a paint cabinet ) in a yet to be completed setup out in the main part of the shed. It will be great to finally be able to setup the solder stations, another computer for decoder programming, TV, radio and other tools and machinery in a permanent location that can be left at the end of a modelling session without the need to completely reconfigure the room which is what I have to do now when modelling inside the house. I also have a fair quantity of railway plates, lamps, castings and memorabilia that will now find a home and who knows...in the next few weeks I may just install the upper quadrant signal and lamps outside the shed to finally establish that the shed is indeed a fully fledged rail nut paradise!<br />
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The attached shots show the shed almost inhabitable with the benches and all lining complete, floating floor installed and surface mounted power now available on both sides of the shed. I decided to run the 240V power in conduit well away from the bench tops as I did not want any issues when the layout power bus is brought into the room with the arrival of the repair road branch. It may interest some that the cabling that can be seen coming through the wall in at least one of the shots was once the power supply for the outdoor "Gauge 1" empire that once circumnavigated the backyard...I have left all power in situ for the possibility that one day it may be resurrected...cannot see this happening anytime soon, but as all cabling was laid in a tidy grid pattern housed in buried conduit...it seemed silly to pull it all up. I will just fit a junction box in the modelling room and terminate the cables neatly.<br />
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I have also included a shot that shows just where the "repair branch" will enter the room and once the timber rack is removed...I will have better access to this location and will soon reroute the layout main lines ( as discussed in the last post ) and prepare for the excavation and tunnelling of the wall that divides the layout room with the modelling room.<br />
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And so another project is coming to fruition...slowly but surely the shed is becoming the area that I had envisaged it to be all those years ago. Oh and before someone poses the question regarding colour scheme for the modelling room...don't ask...as I hate painting ( models excepted ). In the interim the room will remain "a la naturale".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k8drkwfRDnQ/U60_Flkxq-I/AAAAAAAABTQ/KmMPAu4hAJw/s1600/modelling+room+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k8drkwfRDnQ/U60_Flkxq-I/AAAAAAAABTQ/KmMPAu4hAJw/s1600/modelling+room+1.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Timber rack to be replaced with the desk and all is in readiness...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YCbsaeQ2O8w/U60_UScNCdI/AAAAAAAABTY/D7UBm4SZqLI/s1600/modelling+room+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YCbsaeQ2O8w/U60_UScNCdI/AAAAAAAABTY/D7UBm4SZqLI/s1600/modelling+room+2.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Location of the entrance of the "repair branch"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FHou4rfUQuE/U60_XyhGyYI/AAAAAAAABTg/9Xf-kNiD9W0/s1600/modelling+room+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FHou4rfUQuE/U60_XyhGyYI/AAAAAAAABTg/9Xf-kNiD9W0/s1600/modelling+room+3.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of wall space for all things "trains"</td></tr>
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837541323153612616.post-12828119050416920082014-06-16T21:41:00.001+10:002014-06-16T21:41:59.127+10:00The Modelling Room BranchAll,<br />
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With the modelling room finally coming to fruition, the time has arrived when a final path for a branchline to this room has to be decided and implemented. The reasoning for the provision of this line was originally borne out of the simple fact that the new room adjoined the layout room and would give the opportunity to transfer locos and rollingstock to a dedicated servicing, repair and maintenance area away from the layout without having to handle them unnecessarily. <br />
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Over time is was realised that this room and associated terminus, would also facilitate a need for an "as required" transfer movement where during normal running sessions...any piece of faulty rollingstock could be placed on a chosen "repair" road at Fish River yard and then when decided a special train would transfer this stock to the modelling room. Indeed it may well end up that a mainstream terminus with station and yard may morph into being and in time this transfer branch may end up being a revenue style destination requiring a variety of passenger, freight and mixed style trains. In the meantime I have been examining the best way of branching off already laid track to give access to the modelling room.<br />
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To understand the issue at hand, I guess that a little history is warranted so that the casual reader can follow my logic a little better. Fish River was always planned to be the centrepiece of the layout and was to be a medium size station and yard, situated between two major centres and serviced by a double track mainline. Over time I made the decision to trim back my planned "empire" and reduce the layout to a single mainline. With this decision made, I decided to leave the already laid "up main" in place and utilise it as a passing loop with the up extension between the branchline junction, across the Fish River bridge and as far as the double track tunnel portal, as a shunting neck. I guess the prototype equivalent for this main line rationalisation would be sections of the Main Western line in NSW. In the down direction from Fish River the main and loop revert into a single line as they leave town.<br />
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My idea was for the previously described shunting neck to be extended...but because it needs to cross the main line to get to the modelling room... grade separation was a possibility to cross the main and then enter the modelling room. The problem with this plan was that the bench height in the modelling room is governed by the window sill height in that room and if the line entered this room under this plan, it would be around 180mm higher than the bench height and would also severely impede one window...not really workable. So the most recent plan is for a diamond crossing to be installed just beyond the tunnel mouth ( in the hidden siding room) and for the two tracks to now be transposed in orientation and entry to the modelling room should now only be around 50mm above bench height...certainly not the most conventional method of overcoming the problem...but it certainly avoids track sharing via points etc and does not require any grade separation. It must also be stated that all of these modifications are unseen and occur in an "off layout" area.<br />
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The chosen method will also have an added bonus of exposing me to a diamond crossing as I have never utilised this type of unit...and I have also chosen a Tam Valley, Frog Juicer to look after the frog polarity issues...so this will be an opportunity to learn some new aspects of the hobby.<br />
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I have included some diagrams of the layout so as to aid the reader... <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sJ1SlxMpYc4/U57UhoPjPxI/AAAAAAAABSo/tD2DiVzRLDc/s1600/JAN+15TH+2014+1000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sJ1SlxMpYc4/U57UhoPjPxI/AAAAAAAABSo/tD2DiVzRLDc/s1600/JAN+15TH+2014+1000.jpg" height="400" width="103" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overall diagram of the layout with the required branch to the modelling room between "X" , "X"<br />
The other track between points "I" and "G" is an existing branchline that will be visible but separated from the main line <br />
and modelling room branch via a scenery divider...the main line will re-enter view at point "F" through a tunnel portal and cutting before crossing the doorway on a removeable section. <br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BST67suVeIo/U57Uhqfk9nI/AAAAAAAABSs/hBbV6XODgIM/s1600/JUNE+2014+PRE+MOD+100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BST67suVeIo/U57Uhqfk9nI/AAAAAAAABSs/hBbV6XODgIM/s1600/JUNE+2014+PRE+MOD+100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3JbgLKDJxXc/U57UhiVZQZI/AAAAAAAABSw/qK8TwNnOyCw/s1600/JUNE+2014+AFTER+MOD+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3JbgLKDJxXc/U57UhiVZQZI/AAAAAAAABSw/qK8TwNnOyCw/s1600/JUNE+2014+AFTER+MOD+1.jpg" height="145" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chosen method of trackwork modification...The diamond crossing at point "A" and the mods required to reorient the tracks at point "B"<br />
As can be seen this will relocate the modelling room branch to the outside of the main line and facilitate it for entry to the modelling room which is located through a wall to the right of the layout room.</td></tr>
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06908324700708569903noreply@blogger.com0