Models progress and other things

This week I have been busy of an evening with either kid's soccer or sorting out my new PC. So not much time for modelling or mucking around with the Pi. I was able to spray DullCote onto my model S wagon over the weekend. So only thing left now is the display stand. Lachlan is progressing with his model.
Sunday I went over to Mr Mackie's place for a running session and gave his new Pi/JMRI system a workout. all went well with the Pi. Some issues with newer track sections, but all in all OK. A fellow modeller and blogger from Coffs Harbour dropped by for a visit and it was great to meet him. I have added Ian's blog to my list (Muswellbrook and Merriwa Railway). I will also add Shelton's, Darren's and Geoff's blogs, as I have been meaning to do this for ages. I will also remove some blogs that have been idle for ages.

Models progressing

Since the last posting Lachlan and I have been getting on with our respective entries for the Club modelling competition. Lachlan's Stephenson's rocket got about three coats of yellow via airbrushing and now he is onto the hand painting of the detailed bits. Coming along very well for someone who hasn't done much kit building. My model of the NSWGR S wagon is looking pretty good now. I'll post a photo once I have finalised the dullcoating of the model and have sorted out the display for it.

As for the voice chat software I am investigating for the Pi, I have sent an email to the developer re why my newer model Samsung isn't broadcasting but only receiving voice traffic over the private WLAN. Yet to get a reply. Other software like Asterix for Pi looks a possibility but is a full blown VOIP/Unified Comms program which might be too much for what I was looking at.

Last week I took leave from work to get out of Brisbane CBD for the G20 meeting. Last Sunday I took Lachlan down to have him focus on his model painting while I ran some locos that hadn't been run for awhile. Having the Pi now on the HO layout is a godsend.
I was also able to get to the Club a couple of times during the week between sorting through some home chores that needed to be done.

Wednesday at the club I invested time on the 73 class loco's decoder. I was able to solder the wires to the pads, glue in cabin crew, and install the cabin light. Only have to now sort out the wiring between the cabin lights, lightboards and the decoder itself now. Nearly there!
Friday was also at the club for a couple of hours. I took Matt my youngest down to run a couple of NSWGR DMUs (CPH/CTH and 620/720). I found that a 720 class trailer had a jammed up axle and flat spots had been 'filed' down on both wheel treads. I have subsequently sent an email off to Eureka to see if they have any spare wheel sets for this model, or advise an alternative.

Also during the week I received my MCP23017 boards from the UK in the post, so now I can potter around with how to integrate them with the Pi and JMRI (if it is possible). If it is possible to integrate with JMRI, my intention is to see how the operate as sensor &/or output/accessory control boards.

Man Cave signage

This week I was able to finalise the hand and foot hold-ons on the S wagon using some 0.2mm nickle silver wire. Following that the brake cylinder was glued on, as were the brake handles. I then masked it up ready for the undercoat.

Lachlan's Rocket was similarly masked up last weekend. I used liquid mask on this one due to the very fine areas that needed to be done.

Saturday arvo we sprayed both in a adhoc spray booth (old toaster box) to protect it from the breeze as we did this outside.

Late Sunday arvo, we sprayed the bits that didn't get done the first time.

I've also been investigating a voice chat program for the Pi that could be used for operational sessions, but still looking in to this.

Saturday also saw the family go for a drive up to Eumundi in the Sunshine Coast hinterland to look at the markets (the missus' idea!). I stumbled on the following tin signs and had to buy them. I think PK would approve of the Man Cave Rules, especially the bacon rule!



This week hopefully more on the voice chat software and start airbrushing the models.

My Raspberry Pi Access Point and JMRI article updated again and what's been happening

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, namely Appendix 5 - How to add a DecoderPro icon to the desktop, and Appendix 6 - Setting up Pi to Auto Login and Autostart an applicatio, e.g. DecoderPro.

The last one is specifically related to the situation whereby you have developed JMRI panels for a layout and wish to broadcast them via the WebServer. By default the Webserver cannot broadcast Panel files if JMRI is running in 'faceless' mode, only if the GUI is running. So basically you have to fire up JMRI as if there was a monitor attached, and autostart everything. My scenario is that the Pi will be connected to the layout without a monitor, keyboard and mouse unless I need to. I want it to start up, login automatically, start up the Desktop, then autostart JMRI. Within JMRI I have configured it to autostart WiThrottle at the moment. In the future once I have developed the panels, I want JMRI to also autostart the Webserver and load the panel file/s. This way I can have mimic panels broadcast to an Android tablet or similar, and do away with hard wiring them in.

The only other thing I have been doing is mentoring Lachlan with his club modelling competition entry (Dapol's Stephenson's Rocket - fingers crossed!) and starting on my entry (NSWGR S wagon). No further work on the layout.

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.