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Interim "Party" Layout Completed


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May 2015 Update:

DCC has arrived and the "interim Party layout" can now be used by locomotives individually controlled. Here is a link to two videos to show operating progress

Operating Session 1 is at:

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Operating Session 2 is at:

 

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With regard to construction, there is still a long way to go with only essential repairs carried out over the winter months. The use of LDPE (plastic) board has created thermal movement problems. The remedy has been to shorten the rails. Now gaps are appearing. A work colleague who is a profession Permanent Way engineer has suggested a set of long rails at selected locations for winter and a similar set of shorter rails for summer operations.

Unfortunately, there has been no new work undertaken since August 2014. I am hoping Summer 2015 will allow further work to be completed.

I am pleased to announce that I have completed an Interim "Party" layout. This provides a continuous loop on the south side of the garden. It is intended for use when there are parties in the garden when part of the main layout is removed to allow guests to circulate.

The remainder of the layout on the north side of the garden is still in construction but I anticipate final completion in August 2014. This has taken nearly two years from first cutting of the boards.

Control is DC at the moment but the layout has been wired up for DCC. All the main points are hand operated - motorisation will follow in the Autumn. Essentially it is a single line loop with double tracks at each end. This mean[album][/album]s that trains are controlled from a single controller so it is all go or all stop!!

I have just recorded a short video featuring a single Class 411 CEP Nr 7141 and a Class 85 Nr E3056 with 5 assorted carriages - follow link :

 

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I have installed an 18 core ring main comprising industrial 6A control cable. This provides 4 cores for the main track power supply; 2 cores for point motor operation; 2 cores for ancillaries (such as lighting); 4 cores to connect stereo system to temporary speakers placed in garden. The remaining core are spare but I had considered using 3 cores for 240V AC at strategic locations in garden (in a similar manner to an extension lead).

Finally, my initial post about a "New Garden Railway" provides the background to this project. Follow the link:- http://www.oogardenrailway.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=179'>http://www.oogardenrailway.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=179. I hope you like this brief update.

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Very nice. Has a look of permanence about it, considering your view that it is interim.

Others will know better than me, but I'm not sure that mixing mains and low voltages in the same ring main is a good idea for safety reasons.

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Thanks for your comments. We had a party last weekend. After the rain cleared and track dried out and was polished the guests were suitably impressed.

Regarding mains voltage (MV) and low voltage (LV). I would never mix LV and MV connections in the same junction box. There is too much of a risk of cross connection if where was dampness present electrocution and getting "live" rails. The MV cores would pass through fully sheathed and intact. There would be earth leakage circuit breakers installed in any case.

The next stage is to complete the rest of the tracklaying and get trains running round garden soon. cheers Nick

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