Newbie, to forum and modelling

[Injury20]

Hey all,

I have just started out in the world of modelling, trains that is my belly wouldnt allow any other type of modelling...

After watching the model railway competition it re-ignited my love of 00 guage from when i was kid.

I'd like to share my garage project with you all adding pictures and progress as i go,  Whilst  getting as many hints and tips along the way from you experienced guys n gals.  Where is the best place to start a new thread to catalogue my project where i can upload pictures??

My set up is DCC, i bought the Western Master digital with Elink and Rail master controlled by my laptop, which i have managed to get up and running.

I plan to add steam trains and that era to my layout, hopefully with steam and sound decoders.

After reading lots of tips on here, I have already built my base board, I have my track down temporarily pinned and ready to start planning the wiring, points, lighting and scenery.   It's a 3 level layout and at a point on decided on underlay or not before pinning my track permantly.  I will be using ballast when the time comes.

I have based my design on the hornby track plan from edition 14, 9/14 which is 11' x 4'4" found on page 56.

Looking forward to sharing with you all

Ian

 

[JJ73]

Hello & Welcome to the Forum Injury20!!!

Where is the best place to start a new thread to catalogue my project where i can upload pictures??

You can either carry on in this thread or start a new tread also in General Disussion!!!

WOW your jumping in right in the  deep end I see - That's quite a lay out your planning there (I've got the same book!!!) By the looks of things your going to need at least a minimum of 4 Controllers - May be more with all this siding??? (15 if I've counted right!!!)

Propably best start from the Lower Level & work your way up!!! Remember about Access too all of the track area - doesn't look like there is a 'hole in the middle' where you can craw underneith & come up in the middle - unless you can have a hole in the small area - where it says 'High Level Area' in the middle with that funny shaped area!!!

[RB51]

Hi Injury 20, welcome to the forum.

 

As JJ has suggested the thread you have posted in now is probably best for general updates and images of your layout. It is only when you need to ask questions that other threads are needed.

 

Please be aware that you will be restricted to 2 posts for your first 24 hours on here - this is an anti-spam measure.

 

Images are held for approval by the Administrator and at the moment can take several days to be approved.

 

If you can avoid using the blue quote button it would be appreciated. It will replicate an entire post which, if it contains an image, will again be held for moderation.

 

You can disregard JJ's comment about needing 4 controllers - he has missed the fact that you are running a DCC layout and need only one.

 

R-

[96RAF]

As the title of your initial post will not help you or other folk find it later I suggest starting another one in this section with a more appropriate title say using the name of your layout, such as I have done here...

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/the-russet-lines-a-model-railway-project/?p=1

 

There is another topic in General Discussion called ‘Lets see your layouts’ here...

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/lets-see-your-layouts/

...where you can see snapshots of many other peoples layouts.

[Chrissaf]

I suggest you post your layout updates in the existing "Lets see your layouts" post as suggested by RAF96 above. That will keep all the layout related posts together in one place and be easier to find later.

 

TIP: As a newbie poster on the forum, just be aware that the 'Blue Button with the White Arrow' is not a 'Reply to this post' button. If you want to reply to any of the posts, scroll down and write your reply in the reply text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

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See also – further TIPs on how to get the best user experience from this forum.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/tips-on-using-the-forum/

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[Injury20]

I'm in, I have been accepted and my 24 hours is up so i can reply to your post.  Apologises to the admins who may have received a picture I tried to upload of my layout so far.  I realise now I sent an image of my thumb after slipping with my impact driver whilst building the baseboard (you will now get my user name)

 

Jimmyjames - WOW your jumping in right in the  deep end I see - That's quite a lay out your planning there (I've got the same book!!!) 

GO BIG OR GO HOME I say haha

 

RAF96 - I havent decided on a name for the layout yet but soon as I have I will create a new thread with my progress to share my trials and tribulations which I will do this evening...

 

For now a couple of hopefully simple and quick questions as im at this stage now, i will try and upload a pic too.

 

As I will be balasting my track should i skip putting cork or underlay beneath the track?

 

Point motors - what are easier and will work best with the Elink & railmaster control i'm using, I read i may need some sort of decoder and additional power source for this? I would like to add signals also one day

 

Finally (for now) would i need a bus wire for the size of layout - i have had a train running on all parts of the track with the use point clips for sending power round the whole track?

[Injury20]

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[Chrissaf]

Point motors - what are easier and will work best with the eLink & RailMaster control I'm using, ........... I would like to add signals also one day.

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All the major brands of Accessory Decoders and Point motors work with eLink / RailMaster. As such there are none that work any better (best) than others. Make your choice on the basis of which products best meet the criteria of your layout control. For example do you want to be able to switch points manually by pressing physical buttons as well as via DCC in an overlay control system. You say that you would like to add signals later, many non Hornby decoders include changeover relay contacts that can interlock signal states to point positions. Do you want prototypical slow action point movement or snapping solenoid action. And finally price. Make your purchase decision based upon these criteria and which ever one you choose will work with eLink / RailMaster.

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.....would I need a bus wire for the size of layout

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It's not essential, but will provide future proofed longer term reliability. Over time, the DCC point clips can become a fault liability. A DCC Bus power distribution system is in my view highly desirable compared to R8232 DCC point clips. It also eliminates the need for another fault liability .... the Hornby push in track power clips.

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As I will be ballasting my track should I skip putting cork or underlay beneath the track?

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I would avoid underlay, if of the foam variety. Cork is your optional choice. There is no 'hard and fast' rule when intending to ballast as well.

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[Jimbo1707820979]

Hello Ian.  Interesting layout you've got there.  Have you had your loco(s) hauling coaches or wagons up the various inclines yet ?  It might be a good idea to do that before making things more permanent to see how they handle the gradients.

Also, I am a bit concerned about trains falling off the top incline (middle of picture) as the drop is quite large and potentially damaging. But maybe you plan to place some vegetation etc on the lower level ?

Hopefully you will send us more photos as the layout progresses ?  Rgards, Jimbo.

[Injury20]

Question, how long before I can post more than once every 24hrs on this forum??? I want to share more pics of my plans, with this in mind, this is a long post in case I cannot post again for another 24 hours…

 

Bit more info on my plans so far, firstly my layout is actually on wheels so the whole thing moves really easy for getting to hard reach parts of the layout and will make it easier to work on all around, it moves very smoothly.  My original plan was to have it suspended on a pulley system from the ceiling so as I still had garage space. After pricing up various solutions, I decided to buy a small shed and empty the garage instead  which also meant bigger layout  😛

 

As you can see on the picture above I have insulated the main up and over garage door with insulation blocks, I got lucky here two 8x4 50mm sheetsfitted perfect together without having to do any cutting so I simply pressed them into place and sealed them together insulation tape.  I will paint these at a later date and a back scene round the layout.

 

The bottom of the pic is going to be a mountain range area with more than likely a coal mine/quarry and yard of some description to right of the sidings on the upper 3rd level.  As my locos will be of the steam era I will probably go with the coal mine idea, unless I get vetoed by my daughters and forced to put Hogwarts castle there…we will see.

 

The larger outer curve of the 3 at the bottom of the pic will be running on a steady incline on the outside of the mountain area, until it reaches the 2nd level before going into a short tunnel and out the other side towards the centre of the layout.  I was planning on using polystyrene to build the incline and sidewall of the mountain.  (Any thoughts on this...?) 

The incline does look steep on the pic as it is just a handful of wooden blocks placed under the track for testing.  I will work on the gradient starting further around the front of the layout.

 

The 2 inner curves will be going through a tunnel under the mountain on each side of the layout.  Quite looking forward to learning how to weather the tunnel entrances with smoke effects from the trains.  The height of the 2nd level from the baseboard is 10cm with 9mm plywood on top, I made it a touch higher than the recommended clearance so I can get my hands and huge biceps underneath should I need to a later date.  😆

 

The middle section which jimbo mentioned will be surrounded by scenery, so answer to your question won’t have far to fall.  I am planning on a small girder bridge of some description to link the two 2nd levels together.  The 2nd level at the top of the pic is going to be engine sheds and workshops of some sort.  The plywood supporting the sidings at the top of the pic will be cut down to make more room for the stations on the base level at the top of track where they will be sited on the left of the pic (front of layout).  With an incline of fields, hills, farmland and buildings around the middle and possibly some sort of lake/river going under the bridge.  Oh and apparently I have to have fairground somewhere according to my daughters..

This is certainly going to keep me busy during isolation.  I’d love any body’s ideas and opinions along with constructive criticism to help me along the way.

 

So where next,

 

I’m ready to secure the track down and make the gradients with polystyrene, I’m leaning towards NO underlay or cork and just ballast once ready, as I read using cork will lose any sound deadening characteristics once you balance anyway plus it will save me a bit of money… Is this true or will I regret not using cork.

Which leads me back to point motors, my track is all Hornby, and I will need 9 point motors, 2 of which will probably have to be surface mount due to being above the tunnels on the lower level of track, so ideally I’d like the two types to work well together.  So before I secure the track I need to decide on what to go for.  Chrissaf you mentioned about wanting to control with buttons also, I’m not to bothered about that as long as they work via railmaster on my laptop, but would like the option to add signals should I want them at a later date.  I’m also not concerned about the speed the points moves, more the ease of wiring and connecting to railmaster, and how to power them if you can point (no pun intended) in my best options that would be great.??

 

I’m going to go with a bus wire around the layout, I have already created wire slots around the base board during construction, and how often should I connect it around the track to ensure good even power???

 

One final question if you have managed to get this far.  Simple one, best product for sticking/securing polystyrene to my base board??

 

Hopefully if admin permits I will post some more pics of the construction so far.

 

Thanks for listening

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[Injury20]

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[RB51]

The 24-hour block is an anti-spam measure and has nothing to do with image approval. You are over the 48 hour mark now so should not have any issues with placing text.

 

As far as images are concerned Admin. who, like all Hornby staff is working from home, is taking a little longer to approve images than would normally be the case. The reasons are unknown but given the circumstances we are in I'm sure you can understand. We have noticed that of late image approval is happening in the small hours, so let's see. I'm afraid approval is out of the hands of Moderators.

 

R-

[Nick73]

Hi Ian just reading ur post about using polystyrene I've just scrapped polystyrene baseboard after i ballast part of the track it was really noisy see my post noisy ballest couple weeks ago maybe ok just on small sections tho could of just been the size of the board i was using 

Nick

[Injury20]

Thanks Rogerb, an you're right it looks like i can post normally now and thanks for the info on the picture uploading, appreciated

[Injury20]

Thanks Nick73, I will take a read.  The polystyrene will only be used for incline and scenery

[JJ73]

Hiya

 

GO BIG OR GO HOME I say haha

Ok I'll go home then - wait I'm already @ home & have been for the last 2 weeks - better Go Big then!!!  😆 😉

 

Well looking at your Photo & comparing it with the drawing from the book looks really dfferant - you can now actually see what it looks like - the drawing is not to scale!!! I really like your idea about putting it on wheels so that you can just pull it out so that you can get to the 'hard to reach areas!!!

 

I will probably go with the coal mine idea, unless I get vetoed by my daughters and forced to put Hogwarts castle there

I would go with your daughters idea b/c it would help them to get encourage /  excited to the "World of Model Railways!!!" 😀

 

 I was planning on using polystyrene to build the incline and sidewall of the mountain.  (Any thoughts on this...?) 

Sound like a good idea - cheap material & easy to cut & paint - be a bit messy if you do cut it into shape though!!! The weathering of the Tunnels entrance - just throwing some ideas about - had a friend once who used a soldering Iron to give a 'smoke effect' to a Engine shed - then he gave the Engine shed to me - see Photo :- 

 

/media/tinymce_upload/509de79122bfb498c7a3d7593f7735a8.JPG

 

Or may be use smoke from a Candle perhaps - but don't burn any thing!!!

I'm not sure if this helps with your Tunnels but from work the Chefs used to use the metal shinny containers to make Pate in - but they no longer needed them - so I required them - cut a hole in the ends & turn them up side down to make tunnels!!! - See photos :- 

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I don't always use them though - just a thought!!!

& lastly for the time being :-

Oh and apparently I have to have fairground somewhere according to my daughters..

If you live any where near Buxton Derbyshire, there is a Shop called AppleYards which is a Traditional Toy shop & sells other quirky things - not sure if they still do but they used to sell miniture Fair ground rides!!!   

[jane1707819582]

Thanks Nick73, I will take a read.  The polystyrene will only be used for incline and scenery

Standard PVA glue will stick polystyrene , both to itself and wood .

[Injury20]

Thanks folks, im guessing i will get through plenty of pva building scenery so I'll get myself a nice big tub. 

 

JimyJmaes, I like the idea of the candle or soldering iron for smoke effect, I will give that whirl and see how i get on.  On the track layout, I have not bothered with the turnatable and reduced the number sidings.  I can always add these at a later date.

[96RAF]

Tin tunnels on live track JJ. Hope your short circuit protection is working or your fire insurance is up to date.

[JJ73]

As I said Raf - I don't always use them - I just put them there just for example for the photo!!! They have been put away now - Fire Insurance - what's that??? Just joking  😉 😆

 

@I20 - Your very welcome  😀

[JJ73]

Good so far...

[Injury20]

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A bit of an update, Im about to start creaiting the polystyrene shaping for my mountain area, and have completed the incline.  I loaded the train with nuts and bolts to make it heavy and it pulled up to the 2nd and 3rd level comfortably.  I've had a hotwire delivered today so will be putting that to test tomorrow.

 

I'm after a couple of ideas, the picture here shows the gap where I want to build a small valley with a bridge.  I'm building a steam era layout so what would work best do you think, Girder bridge, scratch built wooden trellis or maybe a stone viaduct type??  any ideas folks/media/tinymce_upload/f24959b0844c75784605e5f1b3eb7673.jpg

[Jimbo1707820979]

A trestle might look very nice and would be fun to build.   I have made several using the stays from old garden umbrellas. The wood was a mature brown so dispensed with any painting.  Trestles seem to add an old-time flavour.

[JJ73]

the picture here shows the gap where I want to build a small valley with a bridge.  I'm building a steam era layout so what would work best do you think, Girder bridge, scratch built wooden trellis or maybe a stone viaduct type??

 

This are photos (Which I took) of the Monsal Viaduct which used to run the M. R. (Midland Railway) b4 it closed in 1968. This is now part of the M. T. (Monsal Trail) - This is the 1 I think you ought to go for (stone viaduct type)...

 

/media/tinymce_upload/49291a8197dab4c38a1a90d71238aef6.JPG

 

/media/tinymce_upload/15de154a0ebaef74e79db8724db5f440.JPG

 

Hope this helps  😀

 

[Injury20]

I like the stone viaduct jimyjames, im leaning towards that idea at the moment.