Coal Mine Railway - Imaginary B&O spur.

[TCWORLD]

Piccy Time:

here is This Months Gallery Link, and also the Mine Layout home page.

And a quick taster:

(The backscene has clingfilm on to protect it)

[LynnB]

Tom I just spent some time looking through your progress and really like the the route your following, keep the pics a coming.

[TCWORLD]

Thankyou Lynn. (I know, a bit late in replying lol)

Just thought I'd mention where the layout stands. I am still working on it, but there hasnt been much of a noteable change on the scenic side since my last post. I have however decided to switch to using Tortoise motors for the points. This is due to the cost of (a)DPDT Microswitches for the Peco motors, (b)The cost of Solenoid DCC decoders compared to those for Stall Types. Also, they look better which moving the switchblades, and wont make the whole layout vibrate.
As such, I have carved out much much large holes in the foam to accomadate the motors. I will need to find a way to cover the original holes cut right through the foam for the peco motors, so that I can balast the point work.
I have also been working on my JMRI Control Panel. I decided that I will add a loconet connection to my layout to go with my NCE PH-Pro, using the computer as a link between the two, and by using a Digitrax BDL-168 as a loconet master. The loconet will recieve power by connecting my NCE controller track output to the Railsync pins on the loconet. I plan to use a LocoBuffer USB to Connect the loconet to the computer.

This will allow me to Use a BDL-168 for block detection, and SE8c for Signal controll (and the other 8 blocks using a pair of BD-4's), and then 2 DAC10's to control the tortoises and provide point feedback. Of course I havent bought any of these yet, as I am saving up after buying a laptop. I did get 8 tortoises (motorised one - not living one lol)off of ebay for 2/3 the price of new .

Finally, I did paint all the track on the left side of the layout, have wired it up and started ballasting. Havent taken any pictures though.

[LiveSteamer]

Looking Good Tom.

[TCWORLD]

Here is the January album: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.railways-in-miniature.co.uk/gallery/albums.php?album=60">http://www.railways-in-miniature.co.uk/ ... p?album=60</a><!-- m -->

The track on the control panel section has been layed and wired up, and the traverser motor has been connected up to a DCC decoder - the control panel is now completed.

I have also fitted 5 tortoises, the 4 on the lower right hand side of the layout, and 1 on the left side. The gaps made originally for PECO motors have been filled using card and chunks of blue foam. The scenery above these holes has been repaired, and the points ballasted.

I have poured both rivers using PVA glue - this has dried slightly cloudy, but when i varnish it, It should look quite realistic.

I have also finished scenicing between the lower river and the track work. Along with most of the lower right hand side. All that is left in this section is a wooden retaining wall, and the miners camp. Oh and signals and lights.

Finally, I have ballasted the left hand side, and layed some of the scattes on that side. There are still 3 large holes where tortoises will go. Two of these holes are either side of the bottom of the waterfall - It will be a nightmare to fill these holes in, as i have to work out how to hide the big Green walls at the edge of the river. I think I should be able to hide them behind retaining walls that I will top with an RSLaser 55' Truss bridge (when I get round to buying one )

Thought I'd post some of the pics here:

[TCWORLD]

Just thought I'd drop back in here. I haven't been around big blue mcuh recently, but hopefully I should get a chance to drop in more frequently.

I have been continuing with the layout over the last couple of months and got quite a bit done. Most if not all of the blue and yellow foam is now covered, either with blackened plaster, or scenery. I have been glueing ground up sandstone from the garden to the cliff faces, and working on making retaining walls which are mostly done, though one is yet to be completed.

I am planning to build some form of wooden building above the entrance to the top mine between the mountain and the tipple (hence the top tunnel portals has a roof).

I have also been messing around with colour depth, making the colours lighter and slightly bluer as it gets further away. The photos don't really pick up on this, but I can tell you that from viewing it in person it appears far deeper now.

Pics in the my photo gallery here: August Gallery. There is also a July gallery there aswell.

A summary below:

The Wier

A large hole filled:

Along the layout

Landslide over the retaining wall

Lower Tunnel Portal

[Drew]

Wow!

Great looking layout Tom!

[TCWORLD]

Thanks. Your Dioramas are very good aswell.

[TCWORLD]

If you have visited my gallery recently, you may have noticed problems trying to view images and all sorts of wierd text boxes everywhere. I have finally managed to cure the problem, and the gallery is working again - I had updated it to the latest release and have been having all sorts of issues with the theme.

[tv_man]

Great to see an update on your layout! Nice terraining.