layout

A Few of my Favourite Books

FavBooks
There's an active thread on Eurobricks discussing the possibility of relaunching a Lego train magazine publication following the demise of the excellent Railbricks.

I posted my opinions on this topic to essentially say that whilst I'd love a Railbricks replacement, there probably isn't a commercially viable way to make it happen.

It also got me thinking about what I loved about Railbricks and other great model train publications for that matter. The common factor was aspiration. By seeing a showcase of the very best models and layouts, inspired me to push my limits and to have the confidence to do so.

Shown above are three publications which inspire me in pursuit of this hobby in very different ways.

1) British Rail Design by James Cousins
Ironically published by the Danish Design Council, this book satisfies both my love of British trains and graphic design. It chronicles the radical impact of British Rail's rebranding strategy of the 1960s and how many elements of it survive to this day. This was an extremely difficult publication to find since it was long out of print. I heard of one copy being available in a Tokyo bookshop and one torn copy available from a Danish museum. (Obviously I got the torn copy from Denmark!)

2) Layout Design by Iain Rice
Iain Rice is no stranger to the UK model train community; having published many books and magazine articles on fine scale modelling. His approachable and witty writing style combined with uncompromising practical advice offered no end of inspiration to my scale modelling efforts. This book focuses on the topic of layout design. Everything from research, planning, operation, visual design, and much more are covered. What really strikes me about this book is how relevant it's content is to any model train scale and standard (including Lego!) Iain Rice has also published articles on layout design in the US Model Railroader magazine, so his name might be familiar to some US based modellers too.

3) 2016 Kato Model Railroad Catalog
Its not because I have a soft spot for Japanese N-gauge modelling, but I simply love this book! Or should I say catalog? At 258 pages it qualifies as a book! Even though I can't read most of it; I derive no end of inspiration. It shows how mind-bogglingly comprehensive a product line can be made and organized. Kato offers its lucky customers a complete "candy store" of products all designed to work together. Everything from baseboards, track systems, scenery, buildings, infrastructure, control, and yes the trains themselves! They offer a complete range of spares and conversion parts as well as practical how-to guides. It is expertly photographed with superb visual design. It is a fantasy version of what we would all love to have available in our niche Lego train hobby. It evokes the nostalgia of the relatively rich product range of the 12V Train era. And, it inspires me to offer a similar "product" range at L-Gauge.org. A range which is systematic, organized, and accessible to everyone.

Happy reading!

Updated Layout Control Panel Using JMRI

JMRIPanel

Here is an updated version of my layout's control panel implemented using JMRI, an open source model train software tool.

I have evolved this control system to include the full layout (including the yard switches) and more importantly to include "Train on Track" sensors. With these sensors, the signal system is now fully automated and interlocked. As a train passes a signal, it trips a sensor and the signal immediately changes to "Danger". The signal will progressively clear through "Caution" and "Proceed" aspects depending on the state of the signal blocks ahead.

Initially I was going to implement the train detection using a current feedback sensor on the power feeds to the track (similar to the prototype's track circuit). However, I wanted this system to operate with non metal/9V/DCC powered trains, i.e. battery/Power Functions trains. Therefore, I elected to use optical sensors embedded discretely in the track. The sensor consists of a 3mm phototransistor which is buried in a hole drilled within the ties. The sensor detects light being blocked by the presence of a train passing overhead. Each sensor is tunable to account for varying ambient light conditions depending on where the layout is setup.

The sensors as well as the actuators for the signals and turnouts are all connected using MERG's C-bus network. There are at least 16 different micro controllers lurking under the layout tables all communicating via C-bus to a central controller connected to my laptop PC via USB. The same central controller has an integrated DCC command station which drives the track power. Therefore, even the control of trains is achieved with the computer via virtual "throttles". It isn't too difficult to imagine the next step: complete automation of train operation! Well, not so fast, I still like to drive my trains too!

JMRI is a very powerful software suite of tools; however, it has a steep learning curve. For those of you with a technical interest, it is worth checking out.

The Building of Fareham Part 1 - Planning

Starting in 2003, I started a project to build a model railway based on Fareham station in Hampshire in the UK. I originally intended to build this layout as a OO gauge model railway which would be modular and incorporate many sophisticated design features such as layout automation, curved baseboards and photo-real texture scenery. I chose Fareham because I have a nostalgic connection to the British Rail Southern Region and because the station at Fareham incorporates several unique features which would make an interesting model. Looking back, I could have never predicted that this layout would eventually get built in LEGO® bricks! Although not as detailed and extensive as the OO gauge layout would have been, the LEGO® version still incorporates the essential design elements and the same sensibility towards prototype model railway fidelity.

This series of blog articles will document this layout’s design and construction. The process starts with research and information gathering, and then followed by planning. The planning process not only involves the essential track plan, but also key factors like the electrical design and supporting framework. Time taken at this crucial stage pays off dramatically during construction. At some point shortly after designing the OO gauge layout and starting construction, I became very involved in the LEGO® hobby. After building several LEGO® model trains and a few diorama set pieces for public display, I came to the crucial realization that I could in fact make a suitable representation of Fareham station in LEGO® brick instead. At this point, I effectively had to redesign the layout. However, I discovered that much of the design work performed for the OO gauge layout could in fact be adapted to the LEGO® version.

Research


I started to compile background research photos and maps to start the planning process. Below are some of the materials I had acquired from various sources to aid with the plan:

Maps


Screen Shot 2014-10-07 at 9.53.07 PM

Screen Shot 2014-10-07 at 9.53.59 PM

Track Diagram


Screen Shot 2014-10-07 at 9.56.05 PM

Reference Photos


Screen Shot 2014-10-07 at 9.57.20 PM
Screen Shot 2014-10-07 at 9.57.55 PMScreen Shot 2014-10-07 at 9.58.26 PM

Site Survey


During the summer of 2003 I had the opportunity to visit the UK and I made a point to visit and extensively photograph Fareham station. I took dozens of photos of not just the station but also of the surrounding area. I wanted to capture distinguishing land features, buildings, bridges, etc. which I could incorporate into the layout. These photos would then serve as a useful guide to details when it came time to building the layout. Below is a sampling of some of my photographs:

DSC00006DSC00010
DSC00024DSC00025
DSC00026DSC00028
DSC00029DSC00034
DSC00038DSC00044
DSC00046DSC00055
DSC00057DSC00065
DSC00074DSC00081

Layout Design


Before engaging in a detailed track plan to scale, I designed a layout schematic. This schematic shows the track arrangement geometrically from the point of view of operation. It documents routes, signal blocks, storage sidings, and track circuits. Also it breaks the layout down into modules labelled alphabetically (A, B, C, ...). These modules would represent the physical partition of layout baseboards as well as a prefix for electrical subassemblies contained with the module. Below is the layout schematic I had designed:

Screen Shot 2014-10-07 at 10.36.01 PM
Based on this schematic representation, I then proceeded to design the layout using CAD tools. Specifically, XTrkCAD for the track diagram (using the Peco Code 75 Finescale track library) and OmniGraffle for the multi-layer composite drawing. The composite drawing was used to compile the entire layout design using different layers to represent key elements such the track, baseboard framework, scenery, electrical modules, etc. Below is the CAD design that I eventually converged to after many iterations:

Screen Shot 2014-10-07 at 10.41.28 PM
Here is the same drawing revealing the detailed design of the supporting L-girder timber framework baseboard design:

Screen Shot 2014-10-07 at 10.43.00 PM
For each layout module, a detailed construction drawing was made such as the example shown below for module G representing the southern end of the station where the dual road bridges are located:

Screen Shot 2014-10-07 at 10.45.26 PM

In the next instalment of this article series on Fareham station, I will discuss the electrical design of the layout control system. In particular, the use of NMRA DCC for train control and MERG C-Bus for layout control and automation.