Hello chaps, new bod here

Jillingsbri · July 30, 2016, 09:59:57 AM

Name's Brian, 74 in October, but still a big kid lol. Just getting back into model railways after deciding to finally knock my other life time hobby of amateur radio on the head. Basically got the tea shirt re the digital scene, but fed up with expensive equipment failures and increasing electrical interference from all the cheapo oriental gadgets that are flooding the surrounding real estate.

Anyway, my last foray into model railways was around fifty years ago when I live very near the Graham Farish factory Nr Poole, Dorset. Oh dear! were they finger poking days or what. 3 pole motors and no reduction gearing *sigh*. Needless to say I became dissolusioned and gave up. Mind you I had a very nice Minitrix class 33 that ran a treat. 8 pound 10 it cost. Lot of bread in those days though!

Ok, so I figure I've got about 18 years before turning my toes up. Therefore I'm gong to boldly go where Brian's been before while my lift still goes to the top floor lol, realising that the running/build quallity has been improved immensely since Bachman took over Graham Farish.

I'm about to build a baseboard of 4x2 feet, basically because that size will fit in my car in case of probability of house move. Also it allows storage up on/against a wall when I am out of the house and the Kray twins (my two cats) can't wreck it. Shunting is the main name of the game, so here's the first question before I pursuade my wallet to accompany me to the local model shop. What do you guys recommend for it's slow running quallities. I would imagine diesel has the edge over steam, but I'm easy. Being an old fa*t I like nostalgic sixties period so not into blue diesels. I also plan on using Peco electro frogs and probably seep motors for ease of frog switching.

Being into electronics since buildig my first crystal set in 1957, I wont be able to resist adding any gadgetry that I can fit on the layout. This will be dcc and in all probability computer controlled ie Hornby Rail Master..I know dc control would probably be adequate for a small layout such as this, but being an electronics nerd. Well you know I can't resist, right!..

Also, I'm toying with the Farish dcc set idea. looks a good deal, and although the contoller is basic is would be an ideal back-up.

Anyway, nice to meet you guys. I have read absolute loads of posts since joining and find lots of usefull info you have all imputted. Thanks for listening..Bri

Bealman · July 30, 2016, 10:08:46 AM

What a great intro!

Welcome to the NGF!

Newportnobby · July 30, 2016, 10:25:24 AM

Hi Brian, and welcome to the forum

(from a 62 year old whippersnapper)
Thanks for the intro albeit a little worrying your 18 years before shuffling off this mortal coil seems very calculated

I would ask firstly if you can push the size of baseboard to 4ft x 2ft 6in so that, if you want a double oval your inner track would not be so sharp curves wise. Do you have any favourite era/location in mind? I know you mentioned 60s steam and if you are using electrofrog points with Seeps/frog switching I would recommend the latest Farish Jinty and Fairburn tanks with some smaller tender locos such as the J39 and 4F. All of these are great lookers and runners.
I'm an old DC dinosaur so won't be able to help on matters digital.

Bob Tidbury · July 30, 2016, 10:30:20 AM

Great intro Brian and it will be good to see your progress back into N gauge . I'm not DCC it's far too expensive for me but we do have a lot of members that can help you if you have a problem..
We are a very nosey lot on here and love to see other peoples layouts so keep us posted as you go .
As to Locos Union Mills Models are very solid models with no fancy details but can be hard wired for DCC although they are all tender Locos one or two might be OK for you.
Bob

port perran · July 30, 2016, 10:32:28 AM

Welcome aboard from a 61 year old. By your calculations, I have 31 years left which sounds good to me!
Enjoy your time on here. As Mick says, if you can increase that width by another foot you may find it helpful or a detachable fiddle yard which runs around the back is another good option and one I favour.

Caz · July 30, 2016, 11:23:33 AM

Welcome to the forum Brian, another DCC'er here (Digitrax), mainly computer controlled using Railroad & Co's Train Controller software, expensive but the bees knee's. Hornby's Railmaster is gimmicky and not easily expandable etc I would seriously look at other methods of control, Digitrax and NCE seem to be the most popular although there are many others.

Jillingsbri · July 30, 2016, 01:03:52 PM

Thanks for the nice welcome chaps, and all advice noted.

Monday I will point the Wagon R at B&Q and get some 2x1 and a couple of bits of ply. One for the base and the other (thinner) to cut in half for foot high back and sides. Noted about the extra six inch depth. Makes sense for two track running, but means another sheet of base ply at £21 extra. I'm not exactly down to flogging the Big Issue outside Boots yet, but neither am I rolling in it at present (Spare a copper guv!) lol. So much to get when first or re-starting. Stone me!, haven't the points gone up. Those alone are going to cost around 80 quid. I just hope my Strawberry can handle the stress of it all. Still, like I said I have it on good authority my return ticket is dated at 92 (ergo 18 years). And I tell you what, when I get back upstairs I'm demanding a refund. This place aint finnished lol....

Actually I'm quite happy with single (2nd radius) running on this layout as I have exumed my old points and bits of track from my seventies boxes and loosely arranged them into an acceptable loop and sidings. If I had two track running the inner would be have unavoidable look of unrealistic tail chasing anyway, despite the intended tunnel at one end so happy to concentrate on goods shed/engine shed/factory siding shunting. Preferably steam if I can get good runners. The green Farish 64XX 0-6-0PT reviewed in 'Model Rail' mag looks jolly nice, as does the Farish 4MT.

The lack of overall size will be compensated with lots of electronic tarting up, such as street/yard/building lights, signals and whatever other stuff I can find ie road works lamps/welding sparks in the shed etc etc..

I had intended to start this month, but Murphies law I took a 200 quid MOT hit. Bugger!...Never mind, August is a new month so it's eyes down look in!...'Next year Rodney we'll be millionaires'

Cheers all!. Bri

Zogbert Splod · July 30, 2016, 02:10:25 PM

Quote from: Jillingsbri on July 30, 2016, 09:59:57 AM... Being into electronics since buildig my first crystal set in 1957, I wont be able to resist adding any gadgetry that I can fit on the layout. This will be dcc and in all probability computer controlled ie Hornby Rail Master..I know dc control would probably be adequate for a small layout such as this, but being an electronics nerd. Well you know I can't resist, right!.....

I had to laugh when I read your 'hello' post. I too am an electronics junkie. The difference is that I took essentially the same facts and figures as you used and let them convince me that I DON'T want to go DCC.
I hope to see a planning thread from you soon.

Welcome to a great forum, regards, Allan.....

Jillingsbri · July 30, 2016, 02:31:52 PM

Hi Alan, What exactly dissaded you from dcc?. I am not committed either way as have not started building yet. The main reasons for my entetaining dcc are One, like you I am an electronics nut. And two, I figured it would give more controllable slow speed running for shunting. However, if you dc bods can convince me there is no benefit other than running more than one loco on the same track and having the whole layout live of course (which I have to admit is not really necessary on my wee envisaged shunting layout, I could well be swayed into your direction. Try swaying me baby!.....The starter kit (Digi V Analogue) is in the balance here.

Zogbert Splod · July 30, 2016, 03:11:02 PM

I am more interested in the electrics/electronics of the layout than the rest of the game. So, I looked into the options and realised that I wanted to design/build as much of the kit as I could. More thought brought me to the conclusion that my layout wasn't going to be big enough to need to or be able to run more than one train on a single part of the layout at the same time. So, I worked out a plan using four blocks and built a dual cab control to work with that. There is some more by way of detail regarding my (deranged) thought processes in the thread linked below and on my website (also linked below). I don't have anything more for now as the layout is just about to be restarted following some extensive work being done on my home.
The first part of the 'new' layout will likely be a short shuttle section featuring a couple of DMU's arriving at and leaving a station under control of an Arduino. This means that I can have up to three trains moving at one time, two under cab control and one automated. I am also working on a servo system for points (et al) control with a PC interface and on screen indication of status.
Besides, (he added, with a wink) someone told me that DCC was for girlies!

Jillingsbri · July 30, 2016, 04:26:51 PM

Thanks for that Allan, and apologies for dropping an L from your name earlier. I'll probably find it when I hoover up later. love your site and humour, having just returned from visiting. Guess like me your outlook on life is heavily influenced by the likes of The Goons, Hancock, Sellars, Spike Milligan and Monty Python. Or is it as 'Bones' once said ' He's not firing on all thrusters Jim'...

Just downloaded SCARM, so off to have a squint. Thanks for the link.
Regards, Brian

Zogbert Splod · July 30, 2016, 04:59:13 PM

I'm up to my bits in L's dropped from my name over the years. No worries, I can hardly contain my indifference!
I'll let you be the judge regarding the influences but I think most people plump for the final option. (you left ITMA off yer list by the way)
I'm sure you realised that there is a lot glossed over on my site. I'm not keen to start chucking details of things with high zap potential into the unmonitored ether. Big volts and small kids, nah. I am, however, willing to answer questions if anyone asks. (as well as I can anyhow!)

Scot me up beamie.

steve836 · August 04, 2016, 02:56:32 PM

As an analogue dinosaur who is in the middle of converting my school model railway ( that other size which cannot be mentioned here as it's a family forum) for DCC at the request of the owner. I have spent the last couple of weeks crawling about under the baseboard soldering about two hundred dropper wires to bus bars to make the layout support DCC when it ran perfectly well with about a dozen feeds as an analogue layout. Apart from the ability to have sound, which doesn't apply in N, I really can't see the advantage of DCC
By the way : welcome to the forum.

Ditape · August 04, 2016, 08:19:06 PM

I am just a baby at 63 but I am firmly in the DCC camp as to saying no sound in n that is balderdash look at Caz nearly all her locos are sound and her layout vertually runs it self.

Jillingsbri · August 04, 2016, 09:34:50 PM

I did intially decide to go dcc and wired the layout accordingly. However. after testing all the track with my old DC GP40 and finding everything a ok, and taking into consideration the size of the layout being only 4 by 2 feet with single track running to boot dcc was looking decidedly overkill..

Today I visited my local (Shirley, Southampton) predominently second hand shop, run by an ace guy called Ron and after test running some American loco's, I made my mind up. I was now committed to American outline.

Running the three loco's when returning home was perfection. Not a hint of stalling on points at creep speed, and all dc. Of course the 6 sidings involved are fed anyway, but I now have to insert isolating switches to them so as not to to run the wrong loco's inadvertantly..Leaving these feeds as per dcc means I'm not depending on power provided by the point blade only, so just means remembering to enable the right siding to coincide with the point direction. This could be done with switches attached to point motors of course, but due to the layout size, or lack of it, I'm not going down the point motor route either.

Main reasons for size are one, I just want something I can tuck away when not in use ie cat proof, and two, be transportable in my car when I move. After doing so, hopefully to my final resting place I'll either expand the present layout or start again with something room sized. Totally impractical at my present location..

I also bought a Guagemaster back scene today which I subsequently made a complete hash of when sticking it on the ply back wall..After brushing on an even, so I thought, layer of pva glue, I introduced the back scene. This then decided to ridge all over for some reason, and trying to smooth with a rag only made it worse. Anyway, I had no choice in the end but to spend half an hour scraping it all off again

Back to the drawing board. All good fun, can't win 'em all eh!..

Cheers!, Brian..