My Raspberry Pi Access Point and JMRI article updated

Go on over to 'Articles that I have written' and click on the Raspberry Pi and JMRI document. I have recently updated it to reflect some recent changes. However Raspbian OS recently updated in September 2014, but this isn't reflected in the documentation. Just be aware of the updated Raspberry Pi OS.

Tunnel update and other things this week

As mentioned last post here are some photos showing the progress of the tunnel on the Bray MPD side of the layout.

The 'story' of the 'truncated' tunnel is that originally the right side of the tunnel actually went right across the scene to the backboard. A railway from another company went across the top of the tunnel, while one went underneath. The former company went bust and the railway went into disrepair following abandonment. The latter company then decided to develop the area as a motive power depot (MPD) and subsequently excavated the right hand side of the tunnel to make way for the MPD yard and to service the new industries that started to make use of the facilities. Hence the siding running along side of the rock wall.



Here you can see the 'black rock walls' of the tunnel with various colours of paint to hopefully give the impression of a mossy rock face. On top of the tunnel is the abandoned railway with static grass and puff ball bushes in place. I will probably add a tree or two as well. The fence is there for planning purposes. I will probably paint it brown to give the impression of an unmaintained fence.












I also experimented through the week with the idea of a 'climber' going up the rock face. The outcome can be seen to the left of the masking tape in the photo. Basically a pipe cleaner with a small piece wired up at another angle, then spray painted black and left to dry. Then once dry, sprayed with hair spray and flock sprinkled/pressed on and let to set. Yet to install to see how it looks.

The only other thing during the week was I started on the NSWGR 'S' wagon kit and potted around with the Pi.

Too many things happening!

Mr Mackie keeps asking about a blog update so here it is!
Since the last posting my weekends have been crazy. However I have been able to sort out some things of late, usually during the weeknights once the kids have gone to bed.
So here goes:

• BR Class 108 decoders installed and tested. Yet to have a really good run on a layout. I intend to also put some seated figures in the carriages to populate them. These I obtained at a reasonable price from a guy in Oz
• NSWGR 73 Class - I spent a good week redoing my installation instructions that I intend to make available on the Web. The Zimo decoder is a bit of a masterpiece of electronic engineering but I want to make sure that I have the right wires in the right places beforehand, and know how to program it correctly before I actually raise a soldering iron to it. Hopefully in the next month it may be finished if I get the time
• I have been spending quite a bit of time redoing my Raspberry Pi and JMRI instructions since upgrading the Pi to the latest version and JMRI to 3.8. With 3.8 quite a bit of changes have occurred which forced me into amending the Howtos I had previously written and published. I am also taking the opportunity to do various 'images' versions to allow for future options. I will then look at how to integrate data coming in from the Pi and connected devices such as other microcontrollers or GPIO expansion boards to JMRI
• Mentoring Lachlan for his entry to the Club Xmas competition
• Working on my own layout around the new tunnel (photos below)

Through the week I decided what I was going to enter into the club Xmas competition. I have never put together a model railway kit, but in my youth plenty of military models like ships, planes, tanks, etc. So to start the plunge, I will put together a Silvermaz S wagon I purchased from Horizon Hobbies a number of years go. Mr Mackie generously donated some decals for the white lettering. It looks simple enough as a kit, but it will be the small details and painting that will be the key. I think some slight weathering will be on the cards for the model as well.

It was the club AGM on the weekend and congratulations to the new committee. However three cheers to my mate PK who was nominated and voted in as a life member of the club for his services to the club over the many years he has been a member. Well done me old china!

So here are some photos of the tunnel in development. I am quite happy with the clay however the painting needing improvement. 

DAS clay PVAed glued to the side of the polystyrene tunnel former

Close up of the 'drill' marks. My intention here was to replicate stone drill marks on the exposed rock to give the impression of stone that has been used to form the rock

Side view near the factory siding

The 'rock' surface looks shiny. Needed to tone it down.

Black and gray paints used for the stone

So in an upcoming blog post I will have some photos of the tunnel scenery, including old derelict tracks, the use of 'puff' balls for shrubbery, and static grass.

Until the next post, happy modelling.