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Camdale layout


aussietmrail
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I got the control panel out and plugged it into the module with the the five wires I had made up and was a lot easier than bending down doing it,, will have to ask my wife to help pick the module up and put into position with the control panel on it, wires are long enough.

Also redid the connectors and will notice some of them have two of those wire clips which was modified to  fit the connectors, was no need to file them after a couple of pushing in and out made them easier.

Thinking this week if I get time to set the car port corner module so I work on the curve sections to the car port wall, can then paint, nail the track down which be double track, Block 19, the extra length for the Indian Pacific.

Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead.

 

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Have finely finished screwed in place the last of the bus wire plugs on the second station module, I still have to wire in 5 more sets of station track, wont do that till after I have finished nailing down all the main line track,will make a start on the spiral  next week, need to climb 14 inches to the bridge .  Spiral is long enough to do it , on to of finishing the wiring on the station modules.

 

Tony from down under on holidays Caloundra north coast QLD , keeping on moving a head.

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Apologies in advance for the quality of my diagram Tony but hopefully this will show you how I wire the Peco electrofrog turnout with switched frog feed.

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The soldered connections to the point directly from my bus wires link the two adjacent rails together indicated by the blue and red dots.

The built in wire links marked by the two red 'X' need to be cut/removed to completely isolate the frog section.

Power to the frog is then taken from the integral switch on your point motor (SEEP as in the diagram above). The same connection could be made to a 'frog juicer' or 'auto frog' module as I have occasionally used.

The blue 'X's to the left show where I insert insulated rail joiners - only on the frog 'V' section. All other rail joiners can be standard metal ones.

If you should decide to use something along these lines I would advise first soldering short lengths of wire to the motor (6 inches or so) and then add a terminal connector strip. It makes any subsequent changes much easier and depending on your setup you may need to reverse the red and blue wires providing power to the switch connections on the point motor to obtain correct frog polarity.

I might also point out (sorry) that some people (and I believe IanR on this forum does) add an additional fine wire link between the point blades and the outer rail in the area between the tiebar and the 9th sleeper to the left of it as seen in the diagram above. See attached photo below.

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Edited by mick
Image edited to show insulated rail joiners
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Power to the frog is then taken from the integral switch on your point motor (SEEP as in the diagram above). The same connection could be made to a 'frog juicer' or 'auto frog' module as I have occasionally used.

The blue 'X's to the left show where I insert insulated rail joiners - only on the frog 'V' section. All other rail joiners can be standard metal ones.

Afternoon Mick, many thanks I wish I should of asked for your advice before going the way on a video clip which was the long way around , pure magic much easier, I will have to run two more wires as I cut the rails on the V section before the frog, be a while off, have to recover from our weeks holiday ends on Sunday. I need more wire before buying the slim peco motor and a label machine to print out tags for the main bus wires on the modules and control panel.

My bus wire colour code is the same as yours but I don't have a frog juicer will  have a separate transformer to power the point motor by a SPST switch., the bus bue and red bus wire go through a CDU unit.

The weather hasn't being kind, worsted day is Saturday where we are staying going to cop 50mm's of rain, still can sit out on the balcony, got one more chance to get a pic of a cruise ship passing us on Saturday, hope a break in the rain to get down on the broad walk close o the beach for  a better shot.

Be raining as well tomorrow, I am planning the layout railway station building, cross between Sydney Central and New Orleans Union station building.

Tony from wet Sunshine coast down under QLD

 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Being a while since the last post 11th of October, the latest up date, I have finished hooking up the wires on the middle station module and drilled the holes for the round 12mm dowel that will line up the track and made up labels for the plugs , gee they look good sure stand  out glad I went out and bought a label machine well worth the effort.

Those orange clamps are doing the job well, I plan to make up a small trolley so I can kneel down on to move between modules hooking them up , summer is here won't be able to work outside for the next four days till Thursday when a cool change is coming in, guessed it rain, just hope showers. Want to set up the car port end corner module so I can start on the smaller decking in the car port, the curve section will have double track, to give extra length for the Indian Pacific.

Tony from hot down under keeping on moving ahead.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Saturday I got out the last station module and leveled it up to the second station module ready to drill the bigger holes for the 12mm dowel an  drilled the holes and the holes for the bus wires , I ran out of paper for printing the labels.

Sunday afternoon I got the control panel out and the transformers and remote receivers to sit them on the first level of the two level step ladder,  there it is now I have worked out the measurements for the transformer cradle, 22 inches by 13 inches, all up 4 transformers,  the two transformers are   both 6amp for main line , the front gray one be the power for the LED's and the white one for the local throttle, whit is sitting on the aluminium transformer , will be screwed to the cradle.

Going to a friends hose tomorrow as he has a better crimper  to what I have, what to make sure the spade connectors are crimped on well  that connects to the module.

Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead

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It feels like where getting close to seeing some action on Camdale now that the transformers have made an appearance.

I'm looking forward to seeing a view of the entire layout. Have you had any thoughts regarding scenery or is that looking a bit too far ahead? 

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Hi Mick, yeah the transformer cradle going to look good when built , did you note in front of the transformers the two receivers for the the remotes, I will have  a choice of two radios or one radio control of two slide control throttles, screwed to the the cradle, I have finely finished wiring the control panel and ready to connect to the transformers.

The mass of wires blow you away, I have them all coded , go back to post 616 Feb.28 of the control panel half connected to the module , I will replace all those white wire ties with U nails, going to Bunning  today to buy them.

Yes I will be having scenery, pic one with the ship in it is where I got the idea to model that ship  passing in under the bridge which will be a lot wader channel more like a river ,be the main focal point of the layout, bridge main span is 14 feet. I have come up with an top stile arch like the Sydney Harbor bridge but more model stile, has to be in two half's, 27 full length.

Out in the garden be a tunnel on the corner section after the bridge and other in the car port  where there be a small railway town with branch line and of course the station complex,I plan to have a road lower than the the station level will have a tram spot and bus stop, tram will be a separate circuit.

I plan to have the layout up and running on a new date, May 2019 to celebrate 5 years being in the forum to when the first train will run on the Whole layout, giving me more time to complete the layout,one more module to finish the wiring on , full steam ahead on the last stage of the layout.

Also be the last station module to get the holes drilled out bigger to replace the bolts with 12 mm dowel, this afternoons job so I can put the two modules a part, be able to run a loco the full length of the station complex and three other modules, powered by the control panel.

The days aren't too bad, will make the most of the nice days before it starts to heat up where I can't work under the pergola, more work on the ship, have finished yet another mile stone on the ship project finishing the side of the hull of the first section of the ship. Got the other side  to do and finish the superstructure and cut the upper deck, can't glue in place till the main deck is finished, keep an eye out on the ship post

Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead

 

 

 

 

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Yesterday I set up the last station module to the second station and cut the feeder wires and connected the bus wires to the second station module that has the bus wire plugs, blocks 3,4,5,6 and 9, blocks 10, 11, 12,13 and 14 wont be wired up to after the layout is up and running. Hopping to have enough track to complete the remaining 5 terminus track, enough for two modules needed and three points.

Friday I will finish soldering the feeder wires in place and take down the second station module swap the first module over to the adjustable stands ans the module in its side is the spiral corner module it will go up on the saw horses . there is a 20inch gap between those modules. To fill the gap is a rail bridge and road under neath, I don't like too much module top, the road will also have a bus and tram terminus, want to check the double track bridge if I need to swap over the bus wires, in theory should all work. The next step is build the transformer cradle then I can plug up the control panel to those modules, fingers crossed it will work the first time be on a high.

Next step the spiral to the bridge, have to keep an eye on the weather and the temp not getting too high .

 

Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead.

 

 

 

 

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I have being busy re a lining the track and swapping points around on both corner modules improving them for better running .

The first pic is what the points were before changing pics 2 and 3 the changed points and track, now the next job is re solder the feeder wires the feeder wire some I will have re strip the bus wire s and  solder new feeder feeder, can't wait  to drive  the Indian Pacific into where the first loco gets uncoulped  .

I have made the block long enough to fit 28 passenger cars, pic 2 where the diamond cross is I have added two points so other trains can pass the Indian Pacific till it has being shunted into the terminus platforms, lucky last the first loco running on modules one and two of the station complex. I have being checking each block on the module when they  are connected up, this module will be  a  headache to check each block but be worth  it.

No more work on the layout for the next few days going to be stinking hot outside, up over high 30's

Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead

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Afternoon Griff, many thanks, no the big job sorting out the bus and feeder wires , will have to shift the bus wires now I moved the main line, can do that with the module on its side with ease up high on the saw horses.

How far are t=you from the Denver Union Station, I believe that the station as has being redeveloped to a new station leaving the old station as is, I like  the old Denver union station.

Not much on the layout for next couple of days, Friday is a  cooler day , all I can do is remeasure the full length of the layout  and mark at 44 feet then at 53 feet , I might  hit in an Angeline  to mark the 53 feet as the black mark fades very quickly with the hot sun.

Tony from down under. keeping on moving ahead.

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Have being busy testing the track on each module and working my way down and straightening up track and points, the first pic is what the track was and last two after straightening them up much better,. I bit the dust and took out past he diamond cross over onto the second module and swapped points, the point  to the left in pic 2291 is a powered Roco point, I have a flat Atlas point motor I will put on the point on the second track and join them both up to switch together.

The idea of those two points like that is when the Indian Pacific train is coming in on the outer track, other trains can get past, like the real thing at Sydney Central station .

Got some real hot days coming up, will ask my wife if I can being the module into the Barth room and res-older the feeders wires  and check each block .

Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Have being busy checking all the bus wire blocks to see if all re working fine before connecting the main panel , two blocks were working, found an issue with the single slip cross over was  causing the two blocks to power up together, took a while to find the issue, the insulated  track joiners were the wrong way around . 

I checked the double slip same problem sadly the cross overs are still powered to two tracks so I will have to wire in a toggle switch to cut off the second block affected, I don't think DCC will cause the issue that DC is causing, some good news I may be switching to DCC next year . I have worked out a way where I can  disconnect the connectors back to DC, a friend is buying a new DCC and said he will sell me his Lenzs DCC hope at a good price.

First pic  and second pic block 18 working where the Indian Pacific passenger train will arrive on, third pic the by-pass track to keep the other trains running. third , forth  and fifth pics the bus wire plugs connecting each module. Lucky last pic the approach module with the connector panel where I will make up a harness wires with connectors to join up all the block connectors from DC to DCC,  a bit of work but pretty easy.

Next module to check is the approach module connecting up to the last station module in pic 6  and one more the spiral module.I swapped a couple of points around , re solder the feeder wires and link the module by a over head rail bridge  to the first station model, be done by Christmas so I can start work on the final stage of the layout construction, will start on the spiral first , coming together , fingers crossed first train run in May next year.

Tony from nice cloudy down under,keeping on moving ahead.

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Hi Griff, many thanks, yes the layout sure is and is my dream layout, Saturday I will finish checking the last station module that has the connector panel on it and the spiral module bus wires be free to start on the last construction stage of the layout, all that decking has being cut out all ready, can't wait.

I might even be able to make a start on the bridge needing the arch to span 14 feet, the ship will sit in the  middle or just off to one side . 

With the ship progress I am now working on the main deck sides cutting out to smoke vents , pics to follow, once that is done will start on the section section of the ship will  have the access ramp from the top deck .

Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead.

 

 

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The module wiring checking is coming to an end , pic 008 I finished soldering the last feeder wires, the unfinished track to the left is for the suburban and one main line, stage two after the layout is up and running, the last point to the right of the pic I may change it to fix that curve on the temporary main line and terminus  station platform track, That point will have access to auto train carrier wagons unloading and loading dock to come later.

Pic 009 the over head rail bridge when the second station be in use, pic 010 the empty space will be fulled up with 5 platform track for the terminus station, I have finely decided on my station , be modeled on the Denver Union station , Griff's state.

Second last pic the other modules , don't worry the trains won't end up on the floor, I plan to put in a siding that will have the first auto carrier siding on the approach module the one sitting flat on two other modules, the module closest to the house is the last module and will have a platform .

Not going to get much work don on the spiral tomorrow be raining on and off, Monday is a fine day , hope not a hot one, once the spiral decking is in place, the track laying and wiring all over again .

Lucky last pic after the new year when the sales are back on I be buying that stool , I tried it out , be able to slide around form module to module hooking the wires up, right height and adjustable too at the moment is $89, on sale $49 big saving.

Tomorrow all I have to is re staple block 3 , block 4 to the right of the bridge will leave to when I build the other siding bridge and label 3,4,5 and 6 blocks, be a change to start work on the other decking.

Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead 

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Christmas not far away, the last construction state is well under away at very long last, I started on the spiral leveling with the special jig ,, every 3 feet goes up 3/4 of an inch,I replaced the wider curved for 3 inch wide curved decking till I have to use the wider decking, play to cut 3 inch wide 4mm ply for the sides on all the curved decking.

The first pic is the finished spiral corner module and second module looking down to the start of the spiral , third and fourth the spiral is the end of the layout at 54 feet , the metal shelf bracket I will also be using on the car port side wall .

Pics five and 6 the finished Large S bend from the bridge to the car port , in pic 006 at the corner steel car port port the short gray piece bridging the gap between the two 6 foot radius curved decks I will be cutting it to 3 inches for a single track rail bridge and  4 lane HWY under neath coming off the double deck bridge.

I have some great ideas , in pic 5 the lighter curve I plan to run off that onto my vertical staging yard using a slide draw set up to set on points , to get the vertical yard I be using an ironing board  perfect for what I want to achieve, will start off with  a couple of tracks , depend on how long the ironing board is how long the stating yard be.

Today I will screw on the extended length to the first gray large curve deck and cut the brackets for the other curve sections, might get a chance to set up the car port corner module depends on the weather pretty muggy out side so might get an early morning storm.

Can't do much, Monday and Tuesday, be Wednesday , start heating up again, 39 degrees on Friday and be humid, will have to wait till a cool day but can working on the curved sections, painting and laying track , I am using Andrew's idea in using the rails as bus wires and joining each rail on the joins, save on wire.

All goes well trains running May next year , can't wait , the stool on wheels the pic in the last post I be buying on Monday, perfect for sitting at the control panel controlling trains.

Tony from hot down under keeping on moving ahead 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just that one step closer to running the first train and escaped the dead lock, working on those modules for the last four years , with the help of my new Ryobi 18volt brushless   screwdriver drill skin.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-one-18v-brushless-drill-driver-skin-only_p6210649

Has an automatic clutch in it, no more burring the screws ends and also no more screwing in too far and a lot quit  to the compact driver I use , will have three drills speed up construction.

Thursday I start work on leveling  the double track curve decking to the car port side wall,  will then use the shelf brackets and hinge them so I can fold the out the way.

Sadly in pics 002 to 005 I couldn't extend the straight sections out to 12 feet , had to cut back 3 feet, would of being too much work, is 20 ft from the golden cane palm garden to the curve decking, works out to be 25 feet wide give and take with the bridge.

One that is done can then stat painting, nailing track down soldering in bus wires, the only other obstacle is the spiral, hopefully my brother has offered to me finish the last stage of the construction speeding up in getting the first train running earlier.

ON a high.

Tony from down under, keeping on moving ahead

 

Edited by aussietmrail
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