Something completely different

This is rather off-topic, given the title of the blog, but this is another reason why not much has progressed on the layout recently. As my profile says, I'm involved in the PA (public address) or Sound system at my church. Actually I'm one of the deacons, who look after the practical issues of the church, and my role is the sound, video, and other technical systems. Now the sound system was a good 30 years old and had real problems, so last year it was decided a comprehensive upgrade was required. For many months we have been considering requirements and specifications, and discussing with potential suppliers, then at the begining of June the new system was installed by the selected company, DM Music.

The new sound system has a new "multicore" (mic cables), mixing desk, signal processor, 4 amplifiers, speakers, "foldback" speakers (for musicians), and a compressor to the recording systems. In addition to the sound system we had a "visual media" system installed, with two digital projectors and screens, and 4 LCD screens, which can be fed from one of two PC inputs (front and back of church) or a DVD player. Generally this is used for song-words using EasyWorship software, but other media can be presented. This also feeds into our video system (with 2 cameras and a vision mixer) which was upgraded a few years ago. Sound and the video is distributed throughout the church buildings so TV's can be used in other rooms.

The new system works really well and should meet the needs of the church for many years to come (not sure about another 30 years, but ...) the sound is clear and covers a great range, with no hums, echo or feedback. The visual system is really clear and easy to use. OK, I guess we should expect that but after suffering an inadequate sound system and acetate OHP's for so long it feels like another century! Anyway, I've been busy overseeing the technical side of the project, learning how it all works and showing the rest of the team of volunteer operators, and labelling and documenting so we can remember how it works in future! That should keep me busy a while yet too.

Layout Powerpack

There has been some discussion on the NGRM forum recently about controllers people use. Since I don't have a lot of time for modelling at the moment, I thought it would make an interesting post to describe the powerpack and controllers I use.



I claim no originality for this idea - I got it from a book by Cyril Freezer, and I'm sure it is widely done - but I liked the idea of the main components of the electrics being in a separate box. This keeps all mains wiring in a box on the floor, and also most attractively, allows the expensive bits to be used for many layouts! I made this one with my Dad years ago, when my trainsets evolved into model railways, so I reckon it has powered 8 layouts now ...




Anyway the basic principle is to provide the layout with all the power sources it needs, in this case a controlled 12V DC for the track, a pulsed 20V DC for points (i.e. a CDU), and a 16V AC supply for anything else - though so far I haven't found anything that needs it! My powerpack contains a transformer with 2 x 16 V AC outputs, both protected with thermal circuit breakers (this is very neccessary to avoid blowing the transformer in the event of a short-circuit), a Capacitor Discharge Unit for points (can't recall the make), and a high-frequency track cleaner (Gaugemaster). The latter can be switched out, in case of delicate motors! The schematic below should make all this clear.




All this is contained in a sturdy wooden box, the mains cable is clamped, fused at plug, with a neon to show the power is on, and of course the transformer is earthed. Some vent holes, a handle, and a couple of hooks to provide somewhere to wind up the cable complete it. There are two DIN sockets, a 5-way is the standard for hand-held controllers (16 V AC in, controlled 12 V DC out), and a 6-way for the lead to the layout. Each layout then just needs a socket for power in. See photo below.

In fact I have a second powerpack, an ultra-small one for very small layouts (one of my layouts is not much bigger than this powerpack!) containing just a transformer and track-cleaner. Points need to be manual, or as on Southon Yard, I built a simple CDU into the control panel for the single point with a rectifier and capacitor! If you wanted to avoid doing mains wiring, you could mount a cased transformer onto a board or in a box containing the low-voltage wiring.

The photo also shows the hand-held controller, in this case an AMR. They are long since out of business I believe, but I picked up a second one second-hand recently. I also have a Gaugemaster "HH" which is very similar, but I prefer the toggle direction switch of the AMR to the slide switch of the HH - it is kinder to the thumb! I also think the AMR gives better control, but I have no way of measuring it! Both are of the "feedback" type which I find gives good low-speed control. I don't run loco's far or for long on my layouts, so I have never seen any overheating issues that some find with feedback controllers and HF track cleaners.

Sompting Show

I managed to get out to another show this weekend, at Sompting Village Hall. This is a small show, but the small hall was well stocked with layouts. Some were a bit busy for me, of the rather over-stocked N-gauge type, but they do entertain the public and my 2-year-old! I don't remember the names of the layouts and no show-guide, but some pictures of those that caught my eye are below, and included a superb 7mm scale tram (I've seen this layout before but the detail is fascinating), a 7mm scale NG industrial (compact and nicely done), and a Swiss HOm and HO layout (a bit too much Bemo but superb scenery). As a bonus, I happened to notice some microtrains couplers on a trade stall, they must be second-hand or old stock judging by the packaging, but I needed some and they were cheap as well as saving postage!

As you may have guessed, I haven't managed much modelling recently and probably won't for a good few weeks (see post of the 19th April if you haven't), but there are some small jobs I can do here and there. Also I have some other thoughts for blog entries to fill in some of the gaps!

SWING-ing in Bognor

No, I've not been out on the town ... but I did get a last minute oppotunity to go to the St Wilfreds Industrial and Narrow Gauge (SWING according to the organisers!) show in Bognor today, albeit with 2-year-old in tow so I didn't get decent pictures of every layout, but I published the better ones here:

http://campbell-modelrailway.fotopic.net/c1687758.html

I think this is a new show, and it could be said that the hall was a little crowded, it was a bit tricky to move around the layouts, and there wasn't much trade support. However there was a great selection of layouts - 12 in total, focusing on narrow gauge and industrial railways in a good range of scales - not a dud one amongst them. Most are rarely seen locally too, though 2 were from my local 009 group and I had seen 3 or 4 elsewhere, 2 of then at EXPO-NG which I think is a testament to the general qality of layouts. Well worth the trip!

Another new arrival!

OK, so it isn't anywhere as significant as the last post, but a small parcel arrived in the post today (along with various parcels of little pink dresses etc.) containing the Paul Windle Hunslet loco I ordered at EXPONG back in October (actually it arrived earlier than expected, Paul had suggested May). And what a super little loco it is, with a rather elegant outline. Here's a photo of it pulling it's first passenger train out of Awngate. 

Paul suggests that some ballast would improve running, so I shall have to fit some lead, but it does seem to run smoothly. Also, like several of my loco's, a crew wouldn't go amis! However Paul has even fitted the microtrains couplers already, so it is literally "ready-to-run", just as well given my available modelling time at the moment!

A New Arrival!

Lucy Ann

19th April 2009

Weight 10lb and 15oz - that's almost 5kg!

Mother and Baby doing fine. Dad is well chuffed!

 

Increasing My Magnetism

At the Haywards Heath show I picked up some magnets sold for uncoupling Greenwich couplers. These are of the "rare-earth" (neodymium-iron-boron, I believe) super-strong magnets, similar to those I bought a few months ago but bigger, this time about 5mm diameter by 2.5mm. The idea was to improve the uncoupling magnets on Awngate. As the Microtrains couplings need a magnetic field accross the track it was clear that the magnets would need to be used in pairs, so I set up a piece of track on the workbench and armed with lots of blue-tack and a couple of wagons, started experimenting with them in different positions.

Now these are STRONG magnets, if placed just under the track the wagons shot toward the magnets and up-ended on to their couplers, which stuck to the magnets! Yet spaced apart and well under the track they didn't seem strong enough, what is probably needed is a block of steel between a pair of magnets. Then I thought, well rather that replace the magnets I had already placed under the tracks, why not just increase their magnetism? So I put a pair of the new magnets onto each pair of cupboard-catch magnets, as shown in the photo below. Well, actually I only had enough to do 5 of the 8 magnets, but some worked OK anyway.

The result is surprisingly effective, the magnets are certaily strong enough now - even through the ballast, but not so strong to up-end the wagons! (they can roll toward a magnet if left very close). I wouldn't say all uncoupling problems have been solved - I still need to check all couplings are mounted correctly and well lubricated with graphite - but if things don't uncouple, it's not the fault of the magnets.

(Note: the three magnets to the right have the additional Greenwich magnets added to them, seen as small silver discs)