An overall view of the rear showing the cross members - the join at the near end shows where I cut the right hand piece too short (OOps!!) - This end really was a pain.

[attachment=7917]

Removable hinges at the point where the two pieces are joined and a couple of extremely boring close up shots to follow.

[attachment=7916]

[attachment=7915]

[attachment=7914]

The channel between the rear of the backscene and pelmet supports (looking from the what will be the sector plate end) in which a single track will return a train to the traverser for replacing the engine at the front before it returns once again to the traverser via the scenic part of the layout - sounds like some sort of magic trick!

That's all for now folks, you'll be pleased to know!!

Will post some more when it's (eventually) finished.

Best wishes,

Jonte

[attachment=7913]

[/quote]

I used to have a similar controller, I build 'back in the day' from a schematic published in a dutch model railway magazine 'Railhobby'. I think it was a 1986 issue (yep, that long ago). It also uses the pulse principle, but unlike other controllers in it's day, the pulse strength (amplitude) did not vary, it was the pulse density, going from narrow pulses, to wider (and more frequent) until ultimately joining to getter as a DC signal.
I also managed to get some ridiculous low speeds with some Roco engines at the time.( after they were run in and warmed up :-) ) We used to place a ruler along the track, and then started to move a loco, as soon as we saw the wheels were turning, we'd taken note of the time, and then sat back and see how long it would take to move 1 meter.
In the end we went for a cup of tea and came back to the train room, finding the loco had only progressed about two thirds of that distance in 15 minutes or so. I remember calculating it back to a silly slow speed. 0.2KM per hour or so, which is approx 0.13mph If my calculations/conversions are correct.
Not bad for a home bake controller. I still have it somewhere in an obscure shoe box :-)

Koos[/quote]

An electronic wizard, hey Koos? Wish I'd known sooner

Must be very satisfying to have built your own controller; and in 1986 too. This must make you a pioneer in the field!!!

Best wishes,

Jonte

PS......did my description of the backscene match the photos? Jonte

shortliner Wrote:Jonte - I don't think you will be disappointed with that purchase

I'm quite sure I won't, Jack, and thanks again.

Jonte

Well, the description wasn't too bad Jonte, there where a few occasions where I didn't quite get 'it', but the photo's clarified 'it'. :-)

As for me and my wizardry: I am educated in electrical and electronic engineering, and can handle to occasional circuitboard with a soldering iron, but my job and other interests mean that I don't get to do that too often, and it's not a hobby, so I'm certainly not that experienced. Besides, developments in electronics go so fast, that if you don't keep on top of it, you'll 'miss out' very soon.
As said, at the time (I was 16 or 17 or so), I used a design that came with a materials list, and a print of the circuit board layout. So all I did was to copy this onto transparent paper and developed and etched the pcb myself, using the etching facilities at school etc. Then I soldered the thing together with the instructions in the magazine, and calibrated it etc. I've run several N and HO scale trains with that controller.
This reminds me, as soon as I have a chance, I will see if I can dig it out , I've got a few loco's remaining that I have not yet converted to DCC, so I can have a look if it all still works :-)

Koos

PS: I've just found the diagram , parts list etc on this site , but here it's shown using 'experimentation board', or 'VERO board'.
It was older than I thought, first published in October 1984.... and it is a pulse width modulation controller.
You'll have to translate the page (there's not that much written) using google translate or something :-)

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://people.zeelandnet.nl/zondervan/regelaar.html">http://people.zeelandnet.nl/zondervan/regelaar.html</a><!-- m -->

Excellent start to this layout. The carpentry is spot on.

torikoos Wrote:Well, the description wasn't too bad Jonte, there where a few occasions where I didn't quite get 'it', but the photo's clarified 'it'. :-)

As for me and my wizardry: I am educated in electrical and electronic engineering, and can handle to occasional circuitboard with a soldering iron, but my job and other interests mean that I don't get to do that too often, and it's not a hobby, so I'm certainly not that experienced. Besides, developments in electronics go so fast, that if you don't keep on top of it, you'll 'miss out' very soon.
As said, at the time (I was 16 or 17 or so), I used a design that came with a materials list, and a print of the circuit board layout. So all I did was to copy this onto transparent paper and developed and etched the pcb myself, using the etching facilities at school etc. Then I soldered the thing together with the instructions in the magazine, and calibrated it etc. I've run several N and HO scale trains with that controller.
This reminds me, as soon as I have a chance, I will see if I can dig it out , I've got a few loco's remaining that I have not yet converted to DCC, so I can have a look if it all still works :-)

Koos

PS: I've just found the diagram , parts list etc on this site , but here it's shown using 'experimentation board', or 'VERO board'.
It was older than I thought, first published in October 1984.... and it is a pulse width modulation controller.
You'll have to translate the page (there's not that much written) using google translate or something :-)

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://people.zeelandnet.nl/zondervan/regelaar.html">http://people.zeelandnet.nl/zondervan/regelaar.html</a><!-- m -->

Thanks, Koos; I'll take a look.

Jonte.

tetters Wrote:Excellent start to this layout. The carpentry is spot on.

Thanks, Tetters, for your kind words; just don't look too closely

Jonte

jonte Wrote:...An overall view ...

Jonte, that is a very impressive woodwork Did you have exhibitions in your mind when you designed it?

faraway Wrote:

jonte Wrote:...An overall view ...

Jonte, that is a very impressive woodwork Did you have exhibitions in your mind when you designed it?

Hi, Reinhard, and thanks for the compliment

Frankly, I didn't design it - I'm really just making this up as I go along, so it's more sort of 'happening' !!

However, my influence has come from two stalwarts of British railway modelling, Barry Norman and of course Iain Rice, who design their layouts primarily for exhibiting, hence the portability of the design. Also, I want it to be temporary so that when it's finished - if I ever do - I can take it apart quite easily and dispose of it. Also, I have a long term plan in mind: as I age, my arthritis gets worse and my eye sight with it, which leads me in the direction of 7mm modelling ('O' gauge) and an LMS branch line, in particular, that closed in the mid 60s. Already, I've been stock piling 'O' gauge points and some track, and have also acquired an LMS (steam loco) in B.R. livery and a maroon coach of the north west region, in readiness. So as you see, there's no long term future for this diorama/layout; I'm just cutting my teeth on it and having fun at the same time, in the hope that skills and lessons learned will be transferred to my proposed, and probably more permanent layout when I eventually get round to building it - and, boy, have I learned some lessons already !

Finally, I don't think my 'two points plan' would keep an audience entertained for long - Dave Long, has recently succeeded with his '2 point layout' (Northwest 22nd Street), but he's a proper modeller and even when there's not much happening, the quality of his work has to be seen to be believed - plus, I've kit bashed in the past and scratchbuilt one or two structures just for fun, but frankly, they're not of exhibition quality so I don't hold out much hope for exhibiting.

Plus, I'm far too shy :oops:

Best wishes, Reinhard, and thank you once again.

Jonte

I have to admit that over the last couple of weeks or so, I've started to feel a little homesick and begun to pine for the green fields of home, thus I find myself in a dilemma. Do I persevere with my railroad theme and carry on to the bitter end or do I cut and run before the first tracks are laid? Well, over the last 24 hours or so I've been weighing up the odds, and rather than bore you with the what ifs, whys and wherefores, I'll just cut to the chase and tell you that I've decided to call it a day. The layout has become a bit of a Leviathan and is just too big in its current form for what I had in mind. Plus, every time I look at it, I can't help seeing M7s, Class 4MTs, T9s, N and U Class locos pulling the shortest of malachite green trains through a quiet country station with passing loop, situated in deepest Meon or Corkscrew or Dorset or........I think you get my drift. The woodwork will stay (spent too much time and effort on it to get rid just yet) but will house a layout of British origin instead.
I haven't totally gone off the railroad idea, in fact I've still to find a use for that 2' x 1' foamboard baseboard I built last year, so will carry on at some stage with what I'd intended, it'll just be a darned sight smaller and capable of sitting atop my workbench with a simple desk light for illumination, so watch this space.

Meanwhile, thanks to all of you who offered your invaluable help and support to get me this far; I'm sincerely grateful. I'll keep a regular look in to check on how things are developing and all being well, it won't be too long before I've got something to show you........just a little smaller!!

Bye for now.

Jonte

Jonte,

After following your "Downtown LA" layout string for several months I am disappointed that your are changing directions, but at the same time I commend you for realizing that this is not the path you wish to follow. Some people would perceiver and finish, but their heart would not truly be in the build. A layout must have relevance. I would be hard for me to attempt to construct a layout with a UK theme or for that matter, a layout with steam locomotives since I never been to the UK and didn't grow up with steam locomotives. I look forward to photos of your next project.

Best of luck in your new endeavor.

Larry

Jonte, I am sorry that I will never see pics of your version of The Patch, but I am looking forward to seeing your short green trains. We don’t see a lot of British layouts here, so this will be interesting. Good luck with your new layout .

Not to worry Jonte, do what YOU like best, the layout is for your entertainment in the first place, not that of others. Do keep us posted on what you build and how you're doing it. Looking forward what you're going to come up with :-)

Koos

fast car Wrote:Jonte,

After following your "Downtown LA" layout string for several months I am disappointed that your are changing directions, but at the same time I commend you for realizing that this is not the path you wish to follow. Some people would perceiver and finish, but their heart would not truly be in the build. A layout must have relevance. I would be hard for me to attempt to construct a layout with a UK theme or for that matter, a layout with steam locomotives since I never been to the UK and didn't grow up with steam locomotives. I look forward to photos of your next project.

Best of luck in your new endeavor.

Larry

Thanks, Larry. Your support is reassuring and sincerely appreciated.

Being a member of Big Blue has enabled me to gain tips and skills that shall be most beneficial to ensuring my next venture is a success.

Best wishes,

Jonte

cnw1961 Wrote:Jonte, I am sorry that I will never see pics of your version of The Patch, but I am looking forward to seeing your short green trains. We don’t see a lot of British layouts here, so this will be interesting. Good luck with your new layout .

Thanks, Kurt, but don't be too disappointed. I'm already coming up with an alternative to this Leviathan I've created, only this time it'll be simpler in its design, more manageable and sit astride my desk top. I'll keep you posted.

Best wishes,

Jonte