So close yet so far away!

Everytime I go to the kitchen sink I cast my eyes towards The Shed. Yesterday was spent looking after crook kids and a crook missus, along with getting the weeds mown (the frost has burnt the grass off but got to keep the weeds at bay before they take over the place!). This morning was looking particular promising. The kids and missus were looking and feeling better, so I mentioned over breakfast to the missus I might be able to get some time in the shed today. She said maybe but as the weather was great and she wanted to get out of the house we were going walking down at Sandgate. OK that won't take long, or so I thought. By the time we got home it was lunch time. My youngest hadn't slept particular well last night and as he was in our bed most of the night, he provided me with a disturbed night as well. That and the eldest son having nightmares. Brilliant! So by the time it was nap time for my youngest I said to the missus I'll try putting him down. So I started reading to him and I was able to send both of us off to sleep. An hour and a half later we woke up. Well that buggered up the arvo didn't it. After finishing off a couple of chores I did get to The Shed but it was just to position Lachlan's church onto his layout.

The Shed - so close yet so far away!

I have been thinking about the issue of upgrading to a SB3a to provide greater power to the layout. It is quite an expensive exercise and I was wondering last night whether I should just split the accessories off onto a separate power bus / circuit. The Digitrax DS64 needs a 12-14VDC supply but the MRC 4-output decoders need 12VAC supply if powered separately to the track input. I could look at providing two transformers at the different supply voltages but is that the way to go? DCC Concepts provide a dual supply type 5A transformer (http://www.dccconcepts.com.au/index_files/DCCpowersupply.htm) for $129 ex P&P which would power both types. Another thought could be using DCC Concepts 2.5A 12VDC transformer ($29.95) to supply power to the DS64s and have the NCE Powercab supply the power to the MRCs?

I am just in a quandary at the moment. I can't justify a Powerpro 5 or 10A system as I can't see myself modelling a sizeable layout for a long time (unless I move home and build a shed specifically for modelling. The current Shed is multi-purpose). As for the SB3a sure the 5A would be good but powering locos and accessories from the same supply would limit the locos to 1-3 at the most depending on the current draw of the loco decoders. It also probably helps with all the additional features but would I use all these if I am only modelling small layout/s ? At $230 it seems not to be the best use of a limited budget at the moment.

Hopefully some of my more knowledgeable modelling friends can provide some guidance on the best options to do with respect to accessories power supplies (maybe something from Jaycar?) versus DCC system power supplies.

One thing I forgot to mention in last week's blog was that Continental Modeller has published an article of mine in their August edition so look out for that if you feel like a read.

Little Chuffers and "Onya Cadel"

The only modelling this week was that I was able to finish off Lachlan's church so that is behind me.

Sunday we went across to the Bracken Ridge Lions Club (http://brackenridge.qld.lions.org.au/news) which sponsors a monthly 5" gauge minature train day across an outside track at McPherson Park. I haven't been since Lachlan was about two so it was Matthew's turn to be introduced to them. It is always popular. Price is very reasonable $2 a ride or 10 for $10. The latter can be used within twelve months so very good value. You might be lucky to get two laps of the circuit but if the queue is 50 or so people only one lap is the go. Yesterday was such a day with the brilliant weather we had. However there are a lot of trains so the queue gets through very quickly.

Here are some videos that I took from my spycam. Very good resolution I reckon!

Here are some close ups of one of the "iron horses" that pulled us around.

Apart from that no modelling as the weekend was devoted to other things like gardening and cleaning out the garage. Now that the Tour de France is over for another year my evenings might get back to some modelling opportunities.

BTW "You little beauty Cadel. You finally got there!"

New Link of Interest - My Web Page

I have just set up a web page courtesy of Google Sites to store my articles from a previous site as well as provide additional content that Blogger cannot do. Go and have a look.

AMRA Brisbane visit on Saturday

Bugger all happened this week on the modelling front. However looking for something to take my boys to late Saturday morning I was contemplating visiting my younger brother and maybe head past Hobbyrama when the missus said "Isn't there an open day at the Zillmere mob?" I'll check I said, and sure enough there was an Open Day / Buy and Sell at AMRA Brisbane located at Zillmere. I've never been to AMRA so thought why not. I can phone my brother instead!

On the way over I stopped off at my club, RMCQ, to see if anyone was interested in coming over. The members there said a group had already gone over. So off we went. As we entered the club grounds of AMRA, eagle eyed Lachlan pointed out PK, Bruce, Peter and Rob discussing their purchases. We went and said hello just before they headed off back to RMCQ. I took the boys first to the garden railway as the weather was looking suss. Very interesting with the live steam happening in the bigger scales. Matthew freaked out for some reason at a railmotor and didn't want to be anywhere near it. Lord knows why. Maybe because it looked out of place to him. But it was funny!

I then cruised through the Buy and Sell stalls, picking up a BR OO gauge brake van for $5 and a private oil merchant's tank wagon for $10. I couldn't see anything of value for HO NSWGR.

We then paid the 'gold coin donation' entry fee to have a gander in the club room and at the layout. It was okay but nothing that I would say as being flash. Hopefully RMCQ's will be better.

Nothing else happened over the weekend. Unsure what this week will bring. Let's hope some modelling!

Decoder Ready Reckoners made up

This week illness swept through the family (ain't kids wonderful!) so no modelling through the week. I had planned to finish Lachlan's church by doing the second coat of gray paint and then gluing down the roof parts once the paint had dried. That didn't happen so maybe something for this week. Saturday was Club day so I took Lachlan down with me for a couple of hours in the arvo. I presented the proposed roles and responsibilities of the HO Layout Coordinators to the membership and now I will just wait for the replies to come flooding in! ;-) PK also had my recent MB Klein purchase of another Digitrax DS64 accessory decoder and a MRC 4-output accessory decoder (for signals or lighting control).

One thing I have been meaning to do when the opportunity arose was to make up my decoder ready reckoners. As I have a number of sound and non sound decoders from different manufacturers I can never remember the function outputs as they tend to be different especially on the sound decoders. So awhile back I made up some simple ready reckoners for each decoder and its function outputs in Word. Then this afternoon I had to do some laminating for some other things so I printed the reckoners out, cut them to size and placed the lot into one laminating pouch as they are only small. In to the laminator, once done cut out leaving sufficient space around them of the lamination, and finally I have my handful of ready reckoners to use each time I am running them on the layout. As my layout is small I don't envisage anymore than three or four at the most at any one time.

The birthday came and went through the week with some cash coming into the hobby coffers. So still a bit of saving to do before the SB3a and possibly a USB interface for laptop/JMRI connection is purchased (eventually going to tinker with layout automation, etc). My mate PK has offered his older SB3 power booster but has yet to put a price on it for my consideration. The older one is only 3 Amps whereas the newer SB3a is 5 Amps. Have to think about this further.

Photos and videos from Steam Train Sunday 3rd July 2011



974 - our engine

Across Merivale St bridge

Looking down river at William Jolly bridge

Looking upriver to Go Between bridge

Through Normanby yard heading towards Exhibition

Through Park Road

Through Moolabin Goods Yard

Across Indooroopilly bridge

Through Normanby

Now the Spycam videos

Chuffer day

Today was the annual steam train trip. An early start to get to Roma Street Station by 10:10am started the day. I was really hoping that we wouldn't be heading to Pinkenba again as the two previous years that has been the destination. We arrived at the Tilt Train platform (#9 ?) but where was the train? I asked the lass in the ticket window and she directed us to Platform 3 (the plot thinkens!). We trudged down the stairs and proceeded to the platform. Up the escalator and there was the train. Oooh it was pointing westward. Me thinks we might not be going to Pinkenba. After checking in with the Railway Workshops staff to see where we were seated (the tickets hadn't arrived in the Friday mail but I got confirmation that we were on the passnger manifest) I asked the destination. Sherwood loop. Hooray!!! We were going south and inner west. I haven't actually been any further south than South Brisbane, being a northern suburbanite. River bridges, tunnels, and plenty of track made for a great hour out in the 'burbs. Lachlan had a great time. Matthew was somewhat subdued but he had a rough night previously so was probably tired. But he was excited about the trip. I was able to take some good still and video pictures. I will upload these (probably to Youtube) once I have sorted them out off the camera. I also took my spycam just to see how it would perform. Looking at the footage tonight I was amazed at the clarity and resolution of the pictures. Amazing little thing. I might have to take some footage from my daily commute!

From a modelling point of view,  not much this week. The plan to finish off Lachlan's church didn't eventuate. I did however clean his track yesterday so that we could put a train on. Thomas did a few laps and then I dug out the Alaska RR diesel. One of its kadee couplers started dragging. It looks like it has been bent downwards. Looks like something else on the fixit bench! Speaking of fixing things I also discovered an electrical fault with Lachlan's layout. When the new point is positioned for the siding the power is cut off to the mainline loop. What the! I have either accidentally installed an electrofrog instead of an insulfrog and need to wire the rails, or there is a problem with the point. Bugger! As for my layout, nothing. I did however pickup some tagstrips from Jaycar yesterday to preparation for wiring in the signals and lighting. On the subject of signals, the two feathered 2 aspect signal kits arrived from the UK for my birthday presents this week. Phew! As for other things for my birthday, I have asked for dosh to put towards the NCE SB3a power booster that I have decided to save for so that I can increase the power capacity of my layout.

As I am wiriting this I am watching the Tour de France. With this being on for the next three weeks, my modelling might take a back seat. I do enjoy watching the Tour as it is a great travelogue of France (scenery, chateux, mountains, villages, etc very nice). The bike race is an optional extra! ;-)

Club this Saturday so I have to finalise the roles and responsibilities of the layout coordinators for presentation to the members at the meeting.