Can I firstly apologise for the lack of update on my project. SInce my last update in October 2011, I have completely revamped the track layout and ended a shed to the layout, to be honest wish I had added a shed first then the railway would have been much easier, as the shed was a freebie I still need to make it water tight and block up some holes.
The original plan was to have a straight end to end layout up my garden fence with a turntable at one end to turn locomotives around, however this idea has been scrapped and the railway now runs 30 feet up the garden with a couple of passing loops and sidings through a curve and into the shed where lines are currently terminated, plans are already a foot to add an extension out of the shed and down the otherside of the garden, currently trying to bribe the wife now that the new fence I promised her has been erected the conifers removed. The suspension bridge has gone, didn't survive the winter months and has been replaced with track. I have added 3 stations (not counting the terminus in the shed). The town area at the far end of the garden is complete before a re-added siding, a wooded area with camping coaches and an odd building. Up near the shed we're added the Bachmann Scenic OO Fire station, and I hope to add some more buildings in this area as a second town area before the trains disappear into the shed. Was quite lucky that I managed to get a model fire engine park in the appliance bay.. The branchline then disappears into the shed where lines split into two lines before terminating at the end of the shed. I have temporarily installed a station in the shed, but plan on addeding the Hornby station with canopy and a turntable at some point in the future.
I have numoerous issues with power. originally power was controlled through an external power supply from an outside socket with extensions run up the garden. This was then changed to the power going half up the main track, this worked really well. However when the shed was built I opted to run power from inside the shed, this worked fine for a while but then loco's started slowly down and not moving too well. I then opted to run of car batteries as I was sick of both the dog and wife tripped over my cables. Despite charging the batteries they never really served their purpose so I have gone back to operating power from a half way point outside which seems to be working well again. I used both Analogue and DC control, but as I am an IT Technician I am looking to control trains through my PC and IPAD which would make life a lot easier. Has anyone else had such power issues?
I have published some pictures of my layout to http://s.joomeo.com/503170dfef1a0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I also have a small youtube clip
">
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
13%