what are people doing on their layout right now

[Trainfish]

Will that help me to see a non-existent class 47?

[Newportnobby]

Have some non standard mushrooms for brekkies, John

[Trainfish]

I think someone else has already eaten those.

[KevTheBusDriver]

Must add the MAT livery was one of the best prior to Silcock Express.  Be honest Kev, I do like the improved 25 /3 with your piano wire handles . Yes I did spot the 47

If it works, this is the video put on YT this afternoon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUFa9ER4LQA

[crewearpley40]

here's to the video Kevin

Appreciate the vid itself and explanations as to your workings and those transfers look neat
Chris

[Greygreaser]

Procrastinating!
The layout is in 'storage' waiting a space so I've been reading numerous posts on the forum to glean the enthusiasm to get it into action! Fact is it got mothballed ready for the house move about August/September last year and there's a bit of track damage from it being moved into temporary storage, then out and into our place in Ash(nr Sandwich) this January!
Its ages since i ran anything on the rails but i do recall some faulty point switches and i was trying to add some train detection to hidden track for solo operation. I think there's a few circuits to add to the umbilical cable groups that will accommodate all the changes.
With time on hand I've pondered trying to link the switching of points with the track feeds so there's a sort of 'interlocking' which would prevent hazardous train movements and also show a 'routing' on the control panel.
So far I've been thinking in only 2 dimensions to show the route set by linking point settings and manual switching of track feeds to indicator LEDs. If i add another function to control/switch the track feeds it might mean a control box rebuild.
Given I'm loosely modelling the steam-to-diesel transition, signalling in Reedham would have been mostly semaphore so do I also link in the signal position to the 'interlocking'? Not easy as the model signals are mostly old pattern Dapol which alternate with each switch movement!
A thought is that the power feed to the signal only becomes 'available' when the route is 'live' - ie. The signal switch gets power from the route LED circuit?
Although i love finding solutions to enable the trains to be operated as near to prototype as possible it's a bit like building an ark now there's inflatables!
Sometimes i wish I'd started this 5 years later to garner the latest version of everything but funds are intermittent and you have to make do with what you can afford! It's going to be a DC masterpiece for sure if I ever get it finished!

[Bealman]

I love this, as I model the same era in DC.

However I would suggest that with an ambitious automatic signalling system, you forego the semaphores and go with coloured lights. Makes the wiring a lot simpler - even though mine is a mess (documented on the forum, but we'll leave it there). 

[Newportnobby]

I also model the transition era and will be using colour light signals.
After all, they were first used on the SR in 1923

[Bealman]

Actually, I remember reading in no less a mag than MRJ somewhere that moving semaphores are not really noticeable in N.

Don't know who said it, but I took it as gospel and went with coloured lights.

[Malc]

I did a simple automation of my coloured lights using an Arduino mini and an IR detector kit from the NGS. Lights are normally green, triggering the detector changes to red then yellow and back to green.

[Kris]

For the first time in several months, I managed to find a little time to spend on the test track today. I spent it sticking down and carving some foam for the landscape.

A test track does not only have to be for testing stock, I use mine for testing different layout building techniques before using them (or not) on other layouts.

[Firstone18]

I'm still attempting to add scenic details to my layout, but it is a slow process! I purchased a Bachfar railcar - W32W - from Checkrail at the Silver Fox show, and have converted it to DCC after giving a full strip down, clean, and lubrication. It runs very well on the club layout branch line, and on my own layout. I also have an old GF GWR rail car - No.19 - which I am in the process of converting. This runs well on DC so should run OK on DCC as it has a 5-pole motor and my wester with a 5-pole run well on DCC. These conversions have distracted me from the scenery as I find this task of much
greater interest than scenery!

[elmo]

I completed this layout in 2008. It is still going strong. It is 4' x 1' and been built into a box. Simply lift the lid connect controller and you are off. I had it out for a couple of days playing trains.

[Papyrus]

I don't often trouble this thread but this seems the best place to show off my unplanned LNER collection.

When I got back into the hobby 11 years ago I had no idea to do anything but transition era. Then a few years ago I found a UM B12 in apple green at a good price at a toy fair and on a whim I bought it. I then needed a few carriages to go with it, of course, so the idea of a multi-era layout was born so that I could run trains to represent LNER, blood 'n' custard or BR maroon as I wished. So this is where I am now with LNER:



From front to back - UM D16, Farish B1, Dapol Flying Scotsman, UM B12, Dapol B17 Doncaster Rovers.

Much of this beautiful stock is via the generosity of John @Train Waiting of this parish and is much cherished. I could do with a few more carriages but I have enough to make a couple of decent length trains. They are all far too clean of course - no teak carriage kept its cream roof more than 5 minutes out of the workshop, but the models are far too beautiful to tinker with. Next priority I think, is to build up my blood 'n' custard stock which is decidedly thin at present. Chrissy presents, I think.

Cheers,

Chris

[geofff]

Just tiny  improvements by adding loads to goods wagons. Using matchsticks in an open wagon , ballast to simulate coal and a biro outer (painted) as steel tubes. Very basic , but suits me.