Breitefurt (my first layout)

[Chris]

(Was 'Completed Z-Scale Track Plan'.)
Hi everyone.

As it is 120 days since I posted the last message to my earlier thread, I thought I would bring you all up to date under a new subject heading.

Since last posting, there has been a fair amount of work put into the layout between fallow periods when I turn my mind to other things. Back in December I had most of the above board trackwork and signals in place but none of it worked. Progress was spasmodic but was spurred on by the prospect of another exhibition in Elgin by the Moray MRG. I got some of the signal/train control wiring in place but didn't actually use it all that much at the exhibition
(see http://trains.manvell.org.uk/exhibitions/20090411-MorayMRG/index.htm).

Since then (after another fallow period during which I practised for and performed at two concerts) I have worked on the down end exit routing and, fingers crossed, it appears to be working OK. Forward motion (including route setting) is controlled by the signals and reverse running partially manually and partially by reverse direction diodes (see http://trains.manvell.org.uk/z-scale/layout/index.htm where the wiring diagram can be seen). The reverse running still needs a little more attention.

If anyone wants/needs further information, click on 'Contact Webmaster' at the top of most of my pages or send a private message through this forum.

With my best wishes,
Chris.

[David]

Hi Chris,

Sorry, sort of missed this post.
Nice photos, and some beautiful rolling stock you have!

So if I understand you correctly, you have to keep track of the trains manually. Is that still doable with a layout of this size? Personally, after a lot of struggling, I finally decided to go DCC all the way, with a PC to control it. I should say it opened all sorts of new possibilities. It's H0 scale in my case, and I'm not sure how the Z scale decoders are doing these days

Do you have any plans to further develop the scenery?

Anyway, impressed with what you achieved so far. Especially as it's obviously exhibition proof!

David.

[Chris]

Good morning David.

You wrote:
> Sorry, sort of missed this post.

No problem - I'd forgotten I'd written it!

> Nice photos, and some beautiful rolling stock you have!

I have been very lucky in tracking down some intereting items. I decided to ditch all the modern stuff - the coaches especially look so silly going round the 195mm curves - and concentrate mainly on Epochs 1 and two. I have kept a few later wagons are still kicking around and I hope no-one notices. I prefer teh earlier stock anyway; I feel that it has more personality than later designs.

> So if I understand you correctly, you have to keep track of
> the trains manually. Is that still doable with a layout of this
> size?

Physically it is not a problem;; the jayout is only 610mm deep and nearly all the points are accessible from the back. Those that aren't are not used for exhibitions. The main problem is remembering to set them for the right route. I have lost track (no pun intended) of teh number of times that I have had to back up a train that has read-ended another in the fiddle yard or crossed from Gleis 4 to the reief road. So, setting the starting signals on Gleis 3/4 will set the double slip to route teh train onto the up main. Then I only have to worry about the doubel slip in the hidden sidings. The area round the loco shed is rarely used at exhibitions; usually only when requested by small sprogs!

> Personally, after a lot of struggling, I finally decided to
> go DCC all the way, with a PC to control it. I should say it
> opened all sorts of new possibilities. It's H0 scale in my case,
> and I'm not sure how the Z scale decoders are doing these
> days Wink

No good for the trains as they are too small (though diesels can sometimes be fitted with decoders). The rest could be done that way but I already have the components for building the multiplexers. I've never been attracted to computer control - not my scene - and I think the struggle to run a railway manually is much more challensing..

> Do you have any plans to further develop the scenery?

Definitey but they are on teh back burner at present. Problem is that I have never done scenery before (other than grey and green blotting paper some 50 years ago).

> Anyway, impressed with what you achieved so far. Especially
> as it's obviously exhibition proof!

Thank you David. So far very little damage so far, even after a helper dropped one end in Elgin.

All the best,
Chris.

[Chris]

Hello again everyone.

I have just finished the process of semi-automating the train routing into and out of the station area which shoud make the operator's task much simpler. It's been an interesting exercise and maybe, with hindsight, I would have used a different system. However, so far it seems to be working though extensive testing with three trains running may throw up a few problems. Anyway, you can see the designs, and how they evolved, on my website at
http://trains.manvell.org.uk/z-scale/layout/ if you are interested.

Best wishes to all,
Chris.

[Chris]

Hi folks.

Just a short note to say that my pages have been updated after reworking my station entry strategy. Also to advise that the webpage has been moved to http://trains.manvell.org.uk/layouts/z-scale/Breitefurt/ though the old address will redirect you anyway.

All the best,
Chris.

[Chris]

Hi Guys.
Just another short note to say that I have completed and installed two diode matrix boards to control the routing into and out of the hidden sidings. Interesting exercise and much simpler that I had imagined. I should have done this with the station as well, though where I would have put the boards, I have no idea.
        So, I am about ready to start getting ready for the Inverness exhibition early next month though there is still a lot to do.
        Details, as usual on my website (see previous message).
        All the best, everyone,
                Chris.

[David]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the update. And good luck in Inverness (don't hit any deer on your way back...)

David.

[Chris]

Thanks David.

Got a weird electrical fault at the moment where the ancillary output is being added to the controller output (very dangerous). Only happens when the automatic routing and signalling is enabled. As far as I can see, the only solution is an additional power supply.

Yeah, I will try to avoid the dear this time. Troube is that since deer stalking went out of fashion the blighters are everywhere.

Best wishes,
Chris.

[Chris]

Hi All;.

For those, if any, who look at mt Z scale pages, I am delighted to be able to announce that they all now include a Google translation facility to allow readers to view then in up to fifty different languages from Africaans to Yiddish. The translations are not perfect but they are readable. The N Scale etc. pages will be updated in due course.

With best wishes,
Chris.

[Chris]

Hello everyone.

I am ashamed at how long I have been away from the forum but two exhibitions involving additions to the layout plus a lot of other non-rail problems (e.g. practicing for a concert) have occupied my time.

Breitefurt was exhibited in Elgin at the beginning of November and again in Falkirk at the end of November. I have written up a webpage ( http://trains.manvell.org.uk/exhibitions/20091128-Falkirk/index.htm ) for the latter but the former has yet to be done.

A few modifications are to be made to the layout, principally as I have decided not to go for a second board. This makes it unnecessary to have tracks going off the right hand side and some of these are being removed/altered. You can see the changes on my website.

It has become very obvious that this is not an exhibition layout; it is far too complicated. Having looked at a lot of one-man layouts, I note that they are very simple; Breitefurt is complicated. I have to work alone; Breitefurt needs two operators (basically up and down).

Other lessons learned are that the sidings at the up end (right on the trackplan) are pretty useless; it would have been better to have the loco shed there and the sidings at the down end. Why? As they are the loco tends to be at the buffer end of the siding.

No more exhibitions booked up yet so I am giving teh layout a rest once I have made the mods.

My best wishes to all,
Chris.

NOTE: After some trouble uploading the file correctly, it should be fine now.
Note 2. Thank you David.

[kimbo]

If it's any comfort, I've been even worse! 

[Chris]

Dear Friends,

Once again it has been a long time since I have posted here though I have had the occasional visit to the forum. So, just to bring you up to date...

First, the name of my layout has changed. A German friend of mine pointed out that, although technically correct, because I was using Breitefurt as the name of a place there should be an 'n' between Breie (broad) and Furt (ford). So the name has changed to Breitenfurt - Ost. I added the "- Ost" a) to make the change very obvious even though it means that my compass will have to rotated through 180 degrees and b) to distinguish it from several Breitenfurts in Germany.

The track layout has now been fixed so I really have no further use for AnyRail until I start of my N scale layout later this year - hence my absence from the forum.

Breitenfurt - Ost, under its old name, was exhibited again this Easter weekend and you can see photos on my website both at my layout diary and under Exhibitions. There have been some significant changes but there is still a lot of work to do. This has been hampered by hospital visits, family visits, rehearsals & concerts and a lack of courage over starting to detail the landscape. There are no model shops within a hundred miles of here (on winding Highland roads) where one can get advice so I will have to buy on the web and hope I get the right materials.

Also, I am moving more and more towards Epochs 1 and 2 so gradually all later outline items will have to be removed. Not as daunting as one would think as there isn't really that much. I will keep my 'later' locomotives (I like them) and some modern freight and Ep 3 freight, again becausue I like them. You can see my growing collection of Epoch 1 items again on my website.

I will continue to visit the forum on occasions and may contribute a bit, but once I start on the N scale (several fundamental decisions to be made first) I will be back again.

With thanks to David and others for all your help. And see you again soon, I hope.

With best wishes,
Chris.

[David]

Thank you Chris for your contribution.

By the way, shouldn't you move to T gauge instead of N It's easier for transportation around Scotland and abroad!

I like your layout and followed the progress you made with great interest.

One grammar detail:
I think it's more natural to put Bahnhof in front of the name:
Bahnhof Breitenfurt-Ost

Hope to see you back here soon!

David.

[Chris]

Hi David.

Thank you; and thank you for following the layout.

I do have some N scale and was, AFAIK, the first to exhibit it. I introduced it to a friend of mine and he has really taken it to heart and has built a beautiful little layout.called Pagoda Bay. You can see it on my site by going the exhibitions index and looking at either the last Inverness and/or Elgin MRC exhibitions. In fact I looked after it a lot of the time at Elgin. The glass enclosure makes it virtually trouble free.

I will change my title on teh layout to Bahnhof etc. Thanks. I have no German, hence these small errors.

Next exhibition will be in September in Inverness.

With best wishes,
Chris.

PS. If you ever decide to brave coming to Scotland, do let me know. You're welcome to stay here or we could meet up somewhere.

[Andrew]

Hi Chris,
Great to see your layout. The other option could be "Breitfurt" which in the Saarland. Breitenfurt is in Bavaria as you know, which was not far from where we lived in Schwaebisch-Gmuend.
Yours,
Andrew