donderdag 8 januari 2026

Southern Pacific signaling

In my research to the prototype I need offcourse signals. The US style is another thing than the European style. Southern Pacific used a special style of signal rules:



In DCC there are not many ways to control these US signals this way. Also most DCC decoders are high priced. So on our Dutch forum Beneluxspoor.net I asked for a solution for the signaling and the cost of it. Soon they told me to use a Arduino based solution called Arcorama signal decoder: https://www.arcomora.com/arsigdec/  Its based on Arduino and you can buy one complete assembled so no hassling with prints,parts, soldering etc:




I ordered one and I orered a 3 light signal on Ebay. Will make a testfit so I can play with this to see if this will be the solution to my problem. And will sho it here!

So more to come!

Grtz, Ronald.






zondag 4 januari 2026

Still in the planning mode!

 Hi all,


Well, 2025 has ended! And I'm still in the planning modus. But;  2026will be the year I WILL START a home layout! That for sure will be true. 

For that I'm now reorganizing my trainstuff and pack it in labeled boxes. That is needed before I can remove a drywall wall we made in the attic in 2008. We then made 1 extra bedroom there for our son and the other part of the attic was storage. That part was also never painted so I will have a little extra work ahead.

Meanwhile I try to draw a plan the old fashioned way; on paper:

And work out how many trains are going to ride the layout with the ammount of cars I have in my posession:

It will be a multideck layout. My trainroom will be not that big, 17 x 12 ft, but it will get a helix. That helix is already in my posession and will fit the room perfectly. Both radius will be 25 and 23 inch.

Some inspiration from my books!:

Stay tuned! 

Grtz, Ronald