My O Gauge Journal on Modelling

Projects for the year 2021

October 2021

With such an extensive amount of work to do on the new railway I have now created a new area for it. CLICK HERE to access it.

September 2021

Some kind of order is now occurring on the new layout. The following pictures show how it is growing. I prefer to work on each section of the railway independently. Treating each part as a railway in its own right. Occasional placement of objects are often temporary as it grows with progress during the model building process. Click here to look at what is occurring at the moment...

The four control units for points and signals have been updated with the new track LED diagrams completed. These units now rest on shelves hanging from the front end of the baseboards.

The wiring is somewhat complex but now ready to be connected to points and eventually signals.

The turntable is electrified and working

August 2021

Rebuilding the gasworks. Having rescued most of the buildings for the gasworks from storage I set about constructing a completely new layout. There is little to be gained by trying to re create what was in the previous layout when a clean slate is much more appealing. This time there is much less space so the tar works and gas production buildings are incorporated as one. Here is a mock-up of what grew as a result.

July 2021

All the back scenes are now in place. Each 3 piece image was pasted onto light board and attached to the wall and not the baseboard. Some gritting of trackwork has been started, (a long business!).

June 2021

Its back to basics now. The track has been laid out according to my master plan and the points have been tested and given two sets of connectors to activate the solenoid and frog from the signal box units I have remodelled. I am currently looking to use Gaugemasters back scene images and the first section has been pinned up as a trial.

May 2021

A couple of changes to the track design. Click on it for a larger image.

April 2021

The block signalling system is mostly completed now and awaiting installation. Attention is now on the backdrops to give depth and colour to the railway. Microsoft Publisher has a series of publications that can help here. One I use is banner, (shown below). Using a selection of freely copyable images from the internet and cut and paste methods I create long panoramic views of towns, industry, seascapes etc. I will intersperse these with wall sections around the outside of the railway.

March 2021

Attention to the block signalling system. The lighting panels have been wired ready to be connected to the micro switches on the point motors. As I use the PECO ones there are two micro switches. |One to control the polarity of the frog and the other to control the indicator LEDs in the control panel which is part of the block signalling system.

There are 4 boards like the one above to set up. I decided to use terminal connectors set on a plastic plate to incorporate the necessary resistors that LEDs require to operate.

February 2021

This is the current plan for the new railway. Click on it for a larger image. As it evolves buildings may be moved about.

I can see three stations developing on the railroad. I don't plan before hand as the site usually dictates what you can and cannot do. So here are the three.