September Update

A few things have happened this month some for the layout other to support family and I spend a week or so off colour but overall a better month than earlier in the year.  My wife bought me a SP Poster which is proudly hanging in out home theatre room and I finally got around to putting up the railway crossing sign, that my wife bought for me about two decades ago, over the entrance to the train room.  I have started another Launchpad project, this time for a grade crossing. I have done some more on the U50 decoder and lighting install and I fitted some acrylic sheet to protect the passenger station at Hornertown.

SP Poster

Sign over Train Room Entrance

My wife bought this for me about two decades ago and it was supposed to be installed over the entrance to my shed containing layout number 3 at our previous residence.  We the comments from family members about "when is is going to happen can stop now!

My duck under sized so I will fit "underneath when I am in a wheel chair"......

Railway Crossing

For some time now I have been thinking about a road crossing and having operating crossing lights and a sound module.  Well using a Launchpad seemed to be the answer to tie all the components together into a working system.

The Givens:

• Crossing Globes operate on 5-10V
• Relays Operate on 12V
• Block Watchers used for signal logic operate on 12V but not on a common ground with rest.
• Double track crossing
• IR detector at crossing to detect train without resistor axles (covers situation when locos of train have exited the power block leaving nothing to be detected by the Block Watcher)
• Grade crossing should continue to operate for a minimum of 3 seconds after road crossing is cleared
• Signal system power to be isolated from crossing system

The grade crossing to operate when:

• A train enters either end of either double track section that the crossing is in
• A non resistor axle piece of rolling stock which is either stationary or moving over the road crossing

Planning where the major components might go

Designing the power supplies

then building it

 relay configuration

sound module

 Wiring scheme

Major components mounted ready for testing.

Hornertown Passenger Station

I fitted some 6 mm acrylic sheet to protect the passenger station at Hornertown it is sandwiched between the fascia and some 9 mm MDF to provide strength (for when the grand kids try and climb up by hanging onto the acrylic sheet!  This method has worked well at Huntington.

U50 Modifications

Last month I started the biggest install challenge I have ever attempted.  I removed the factory boards and did a total rewire and fitted a Tsumami sound decoder and have been replacing the bulbs with LEDs - it has been my first go at 0602/0603 smt LEDs.  I learnt that 0.25 mm wire is too strong and when bending inside the loco the tension can destroy the smt LED.  I should have used the 0.010 wire from the outset.  Do NOT fix the smt's with ACC - use Krystal Klear so when it all goes wrong it can be undone easily...  I found some figures for crew.

Below are a few pics

That's it for this month.


Thanks to those that continue to help me achieve my ambitions and hello again to all my followers!


Till the end of October.

-ooOOOoo-