#ooscale — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #ooscale, aggregated by home.social.
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Boards back in, and a test fit of the platform and semaphores. Looking good.
I’ve actually bought some point rodding kits for this part of the layout. Not all of it, just the six points outside the small shunting yard. But that’s enough!!!
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Boards back in, and a test fit of the platform and semaphores. Looking good.
I’ve actually bought some point rodding kits for this part of the layout. Not all of it, just the six points outside the small shunting yard. But that’s enough!!!
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Completed signal box with signalman, lever frame, furniture, and overhead light. Most of what’s in there is barely visible, but a lit empty room with big windows like these stands out a mile.
The full complement of ten buildings are now ready for the branch line boards. Next up, semaphore signal electronics and 3D printed mounts, and then to build the station platform up from the 3D prints I’ve got ready.
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Completed signal box with signalman, lever frame, furniture, and overhead light. Most of what’s in there is barely visible, but a lit empty room with big windows like these stands out a mile.
The full complement of ten buildings are now ready for the branch line boards. Next up, semaphore signal electronics and 3D printed mounts, and then to build the station platform up from the 3D prints I’ve got ready.
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The last week’s evenings have been busy. All these buildings are for the branch line station and goods yard.
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The last week’s evenings have been busy. All these buildings are for the branch line station and goods yard.
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Model railway update:
About half of the aspect signals I plan to use are now installed, wired up and partially programmed (it’s an iterative process as I learn how the signal control boards work).
Two of the three platform structures in the main station are all but finished. I have some pavement strips to apply to platform 1 and I need to paint and install the tops of the chimneys on the two buildings. Then I can start work on the structures for platform 4.
The buildings aren’t perfect but the things I’m not happy with are pretty small and probably not noticeable by most people 😬
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Model railway update:
About half of the aspect signals I plan to use are now installed, wired up and partially programmed (it’s an iterative process as I learn how the signal control boards work).
Two of the three platform structures in the main station are all but finished. I have some pavement strips to apply to platform 1 and I need to paint and install the tops of the chimneys on the two buildings. Then I can start work on the structures for platform 4.
The buildings aren’t perfect but the things I’m not happy with are pretty small and probably not noticeable by most people 😬
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Island platform waiting room and canopies are under construction…
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Island platform waiting room and canopies are under construction…
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Time to get the fiddly canopies into the station buildings. And they are fiddly. Lot of measuring.
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Time to get the fiddly canopies into the station buildings. And they are fiddly. Lot of measuring.
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This lunchtime I’ve spent some time working on incorporating hanging lights into the Metcalfe platform canopies. It’s going quite well so far. Taken my time to work out exactly how to get the lamps where I want.
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This lunchtime I’ve spent some time working on incorporating hanging lights into the Metcalfe platform canopies. It’s going quite well so far. Taken my time to work out exactly how to get the lamps where I want.
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Platform 1 and the associated buildings contribute to make slow but steady progress…
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Platform 1 and the associated buildings contribute to make slow but steady progress…
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Been installing ground signals on the layout this lunchtime. 8mm hole in the baseboard, ground signal from DCC Concepts in a 3D printed mount drops in (snug fit), all I have to do is run a cable to the signalling control board and do a spot of simple (for now) programming.
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Been installing ground signals on the layout this lunchtime. 8mm hole in the baseboard, ground signal from DCC Concepts in a 3D printed mount drops in (snug fit), all I have to do is run a cable to the signalling control board and do a spot of simple (for now) programming.
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Just a quick Model Railway related post. I’ve started a new GitHub repository https://github.com/surfsoft/oo-scale-railway-prints which contains all the FDM 3D printing designs I’ve created to help with my model railway. The designs are created with OpenSCAD, STL files that are checked in are for OO scale but most could be re-sized fairly easily.
More documentation to follow.
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Just a quick Model Railway related post. I’ve started a new GitHub repository https://github.com/surfsoft/oo-scale-railway-prints which contains all the FDM 3D printing designs I’ve created to help with my model railway. The designs are created with OpenSCAD, STL files that are checked in are for OO scale but most could be re-sized fairly easily.
More documentation to follow.
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YesterdayI did a lot of work in the office/railway room ready to return to work today, and found time to lay out an initial design for the last area of track to be laid on the main baseboards - carriage sidings and some engine storage lanes.
The “crossover to nowhere” will eventually lead to a motorised Peco turntable and steam depot, but I don’t expect to get to that until the back end of this year at the earliest.
These photos also give a closer look at the backscenes. When they get replaced I’ll cut the bottom pieces all to the same height, just higher than the tallest board, so that it looks neater and the eye is less drawn to them at all.
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YesterdayI did a lot of work in the office/railway room ready to return to work today, and found time to lay out an initial design for the last area of track to be laid on the main baseboards - carriage sidings and some engine storage lanes.
The “crossover to nowhere” will eventually lead to a motorised Peco turntable and steam depot, but I don’t expect to get to that until the back end of this year at the earliest.
These photos also give a closer look at the backscenes. When they get replaced I’ll cut the bottom pieces all to the same height, just higher than the tallest board, so that it looks neater and the eye is less drawn to them at all.
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Backscene installation across the back is… complete. I hate wallpapering and this is exactly that in miniature. There are a few wrinkles here and there but at a distance they are not too easy to see. Once the scenery is in they’ll be more difficult to spot.
The first pieces used glue, then I switched to strong, thin, double sided tape. It may not last but I’m happy to have a second go in a few years time.
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Backscene installation across the back is… complete. I hate wallpapering and this is exactly that in miniature. There are a few wrinkles here and there but at a distance they are not too easy to see. Once the scenery is in they’ll be more difficult to spot.
The first pieces used glue, then I switched to strong, thin, double sided tape. It may not last but I’m happy to have a second go in a few years time.
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I’ve re-fit all the baseboards across the back here because I’ve decided to 3D print mounting brackets for the backscene boards. There will be a bracket at the bottom that the board clips in to, magnets in the back of the boards at the top that will line up with ones in the brackets on the sloped ceiling. This will make it hugely easier to install the baseboards, and easy to get behind the backscenes should the need arise.
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I’ve re-fit all the baseboards across the back here because I’ve decided to 3D print mounting brackets for the backscene boards. There will be a bracket at the bottom that the board clips in to, magnets in the back of the boards at the top that will line up with ones in the brackets on the sloped ceiling. This will make it hugely easier to install the baseboards, and easy to get behind the backscenes should the need arise.
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This weekend I have been busy. In addition to using the router to cut the gradient into the branch line baseboards I’ve extended them by 50mm as needed and have added almost all the track bed.
The main lines are 5mm foam. The goods yard is 2.5mm cork on top of a sheet of 2.5mm cork, so that the ballast is visibly not as deep - the depth wasn’t needed in a yard. Hopefully I’ll get the last pieces of the goods yard track bed down later on and then during the week I can move on to laying the track.
All the wiring for the track, points, and decoupling magnets is already run so track should be relatively quick to do.
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This weekend I have been busy. In addition to using the router to cut the gradient into the branch line baseboards I’ve extended them by 50mm as needed and have added almost all the track bed.
The main lines are 5mm foam. The goods yard is 2.5mm cork on top of a sheet of 2.5mm cork, so that the ballast is visibly not as deep - the depth wasn’t needed in a yard. Hopefully I’ll get the last pieces of the goods yard track bed down later on and then during the week I can move on to laying the track.
All the wiring for the track, points, and decoupling magnets is already run so track should be relatively quick to do.
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Time to post some model railway progress.
Two of the storage lanes have been lifted and re-laid at the right hand end. The upper level supports were in the way and have been moved to allow the track spacing to be fixed. This ensures that trains can run without risk of collision.
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Time to post some model railway progress.
Two of the storage lanes have been lifted and re-laid at the right hand end. The upper level supports were in the way and have been moved to allow the track spacing to be fixed. This ensures that trains can run without risk of collision.
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Lightning quick update, I now have JMRI set up enough that it is useful. I can even change points using the touchscreen (keyboard and mouse are out of sight).
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Lightning quick update, I now have JMRI set up enough that it is useful. I can even change points using the touchscreen (keyboard and mouse are out of sight).
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The #Rapido GWR 44XX 2-6-2 is currently running in. This rake of Bachmann wagons will just run and run now the back to backs are set, so if there are any issues I know it’s the engine, not the track or wagons.
Lanterns added to the brake van by me.
The engine is pretty nice, on a par with #Accurascale - weighty, detailed, and a #LokSound DCC sound decoder. Only minus point so far is there appears to be no stay-alive.
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The #Rapido GWR 44XX 2-6-2 is currently running in. This rake of Bachmann wagons will just run and run now the back to backs are set, so if there are any issues I know it’s the engine, not the track or wagons.
Lanterns added to the brake van by me.
The engine is pretty nice, on a par with #Accurascale - weighty, detailed, and a #LokSound DCC sound decoder. Only minus point so far is there appears to be no stay-alive.
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Building a two arm semaphore signal today with illuminated lanterns. The signal arms will be servo driven by these little beauties, once the circuit is perfected I’ll be getting some boards made together with 3D printed mounts so that they just slot into the baseboards. The circuits will be 12v powered and take a single input for each arm 0v or 12v for the two arm positions. #ModelRailway #OOScale
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Building a two arm semaphore signal today with illuminated lanterns. The signal arms will be servo driven by these little beauties, once the circuit is perfected I’ll be getting some boards made together with 3D printed mounts so that they just slot into the baseboards. The circuits will be 12v powered and take a single input for each arm 0v or 12v for the two arm positions. #ModelRailway #OOScale
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Finally sorted out the last area of the layout design, an engine depot with turntable, and carriage sidings - the blue tracks on the image below. Requires the construction of one more reasonably large baseboard almost a meter square in the left side - but obviously not particularly square.
The original steam depot is on the left, the later addition of the diesel depot is split with some storage on the left and then maintenance pits on the right.
Everything in the middle will be filled in with a town around a small castle as previously mentioned, built in several removable sections. See the image alt text for further details.
Edit: updated the screenshot as I’d forgotten to put the purple blocks back in!
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Finally sorted out the last area of the layout design, an engine depot with turntable, and carriage sidings - the blue tracks on the image below. Requires the construction of one more reasonably large baseboard almost a meter square in the left side - but obviously not particularly square.
The original steam depot is on the left, the later addition of the diesel depot is split with some storage on the left and then maintenance pits on the right.
Everything in the middle will be filled in with a town around a small castle as previously mentioned, built in several removable sections. See the image alt text for further details.
Edit: updated the screenshot as I’d forgotten to put the purple blocks back in!
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Finally perfected the design for my branch line station area that sits over the helix and the second return loop. Caters for where the baseboard joins are, ensures that trains on the helix won’t be snagged by point motors or uncouplers (purple dots).
Next steps are to install all the backscene boards, and backscenes, on all the remaining baseboards, then construct this station - most likely NOT while the baseboards are installed in place. This will include much of the basic scenery as well, while everything is easy to get to. I don’t really want to take these boards out, once they are in place.
Oh, and design and print a 3D mount for semaphore signals that will hold a small servo to operate the signal.
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Finally perfected the design for my branch line station area that sits over the helix and the second return loop. Caters for where the baseboard joins are, ensures that trains on the helix won’t be snagged by point motors or uncouplers (purple dots).
Next steps are to install all the backscene boards, and backscenes, on all the remaining baseboards, then construct this station - most likely NOT while the baseboards are installed in place. This will include much of the basic scenery as well, while everything is easy to get to. I don’t really want to take these boards out, once they are in place.
Oh, and design and print a 3D mount for semaphore signals that will hold a small servo to operate the signal.
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I may, or may not, have just ordered some Train Tech three aspect signal kits for my layout. I like their accuracy BUT you can’t buy them pre-assembled, and they are fiddly, even if you manage to get the parts off the sprue without breaking them.
The GOAT in this area of the hobby is Absolute Aspects, but I’m not that rich. #ModelRailway #OOScale #Signalling
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I may, or may not, have just ordered some Train Tech three aspect signal kits for my layout. I like their accuracy BUT you can’t buy them pre-assembled, and they are fiddly, even if you manage to get the parts off the sprue without breaking them.
The GOAT in this area of the hobby is Absolute Aspects, but I’m not that rich. #ModelRailway #OOScale #Signalling
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It’s not all finished, but it is finished enough that I can run trains! Here’s a short clip of two trains going through the station area from opposite directions. There’s a Class 37 and a Class 411 EMU. Enjoy.
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It’s not all finished, but it is finished enough that I can run trains! Here’s a short clip of two trains going through the station area from opposite directions. There’s a Class 37 and a Class 411 EMU. Enjoy.
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It’s getting there. Most of the track on the left is just test fitted at the moment. By the end of Monday I hope to have all the track installed, decouplers temporarily wired up and working, and maybe enough wiring to run a train. At the moment if you stick your head under the baseboards there are a LOT of unconnected cables just hanging there…
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It’s getting there. Most of the track on the left is just test fitted at the moment. By the end of Monday I hope to have all the track installed, decouplers temporarily wired up and working, and maybe enough wiring to run a train. At the moment if you stick your head under the baseboards there are a LOT of unconnected cables just hanging there…
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A couple of photos of the chaos that is the model railway right now. All the pointwork on the left is permanently installed, two of the longer curves are not yet glued down, and I’ve started advancing across the centre of the baseboards which is where the station will be.
Tomorrow I’ll be installing three electromagnetic uncouplers, then more track bed, and then track.
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A couple of photos of the chaos that is the model railway right now. All the pointwork on the left is permanently installed, two of the longer curves are not yet glued down, and I’ve started advancing across the centre of the baseboards which is where the station will be.
Tomorrow I’ll be installing three electromagnetic uncouplers, then more track bed, and then track.
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Another model railway update - this afternoon I constructed the final baseboard for what I’m calling “Phase 1” of the layout.
It’s an awkward shape and I took my time to get all the angles just right. Everything was dry fitted and adjusted until the fit was good enough. Then screwed and glued.
My woodwork teacher, Mr Ward, would have been very impressed. That is to say he would have given me 7/10 and said something like “Haigh, you’d be a threat to carpenters everywhere if you took more time. And I don’t like all these butt joints”.
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Another model railway update - this afternoon I constructed the final baseboard for what I’m calling “Phase 1” of the layout.
It’s an awkward shape and I took my time to get all the angles just right. Everything was dry fitted and adjusted until the fit was good enough. Then screwed and glued.
My woodwork teacher, Mr Ward, would have been very impressed. That is to say he would have given me 7/10 and said something like “Haigh, you’d be a threat to carpenters everywhere if you took more time. And I don’t like all these butt joints”.
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Ordered two more Accurascale Mk1 brake 3rd coaches so that my four carriage rakes will become five carriage rakes with one at each end…
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Ordered two more Accurascale Mk1 brake 3rd coaches so that my four carriage rakes will become five carriage rakes with one at each end…
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Another round of trial fitting of all the rear baseboards now that the left rear corner board is permanently installed. You can get an idea of the absolute chaos in the room with this wide-ish angle photo.
The board that isn’t in place on the left needs some small adjustments now that the corner board next to it is 2cm further forward than the others. There will also be a step in the backscene boards where these two boards meet that I will do my best to disguise with scenery.
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Another round of trial fitting of all the rear baseboards now that the left rear corner board is permanently installed. You can get an idea of the absolute chaos in the room with this wide-ish angle photo.
The board that isn’t in place on the left needs some small adjustments now that the corner board next to it is 2cm further forward than the others. There will also be a step in the backscene boards where these two boards meet that I will do my best to disguise with scenery.
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I’ve today off so naturally I’m trial firing the remaining track on the second reverse loop before I take out the corner board for one last time to fit the backscenes to the back and side of that board.
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I’ve today off so naturally I’m trial firing the remaining track on the second reverse loop before I take out the corner board for one last time to fit the backscenes to the back and side of that board.
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Today I learnt that Kadee #19 couplings are not long enough at 10.7mm for Accurascale Mk1 coaches where the NEM pockets are recessed quite a long way back compared to most other rolling stock I own. They couple up - just - but the buffers are almost touching and a rake of them won’t go around a 500mm radius curve (the tightest on my layout).
So I’ve ordered some #20 couplings (11.7mm) which I’m hoping will add enough length to give enough clearance. If not they’ll get used elsewhere and I’ll use magnetic couplings between the coaches instead, with a Kadee on each end of the rake.
All the other rolling stock I’ve added Kadees to have been fine. Most locos need #19 while everything else is fine with #18 (8.6mm), even the Syphon Gs which I thought would need #19.
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A quick #ModelRailway update. Today I mastered the Digitrax hardware - got the LocoNet cables completed and tested, and the device ids all sorted out so now all the track blocks are predictably numbered. Also got everything hooked up and working on the second reverse loop.
Finally I broke out the windows laptop to program the newly installed points controller, and fixed some small issues with the configuration of one of the others.
Also worked out how to use JMRI’s LocoNet monitoring window to help verify that configuration changes were sticking.
Nothing really to see, hence no pictures today, but a good step forward.