Start the test!

 Build myself a testboard with the signal and the Arcomora DCC Next unit:

Today I made the configuration of the unit, tommorow I start connecting the leds to the correct outputs of the DCC next.

preparing for setting up the DCC Next

 Today I figured out which signalheads need what colour under the different SP rules:

And made a Excel sheet which makes the whole setup easier:

More later when the signal has arrived!

Grtz, Ronald.

SP rules and Arcomara

 Hi all,

My DCC Next from Arcomora arrived! Software is installed, now I wait for my signal ordered from Ebay. Little patience...

The DCC Next unpacked:

USB loader for the desired software:

Webadress Arcoroma: www.arcoroma.com 

And printed me out some SP signaling rules to figure out how to setup the DCC next module:

Grtz, Ronald.

A good book

 As addition to the previous post; this book is the best for knowledge about signal systems:

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

I'm alive!

 Hi all,

Still here! 4 years... what a time to pass. Sorry for the delay 😏

After a visit from a also US friend I realized that I still don't have room to let my big collection of H0 US trains running in our home. So he urged me to get started! But for that I have to rebuild my attic what is the most suitable space in our house in the Netherlands. It now is divided in 2 rooms and that "wall" (sheetrock) has to go if I want to accomodate that big home layout. But it houses also my hobbyroom so for that it demands a big (temporary) relocation of the stuff in there..... what have I got myself into?

I started collecting possible plans on the internet and my interest is a multideck layout. I have a complete suitable helix given by a friend, 7-turn, approx. 59" radius. That gives me the opportnity to have a basic level, staging level and second level layout. At least a double decker, good!!

So I started drawing today! I do that oldfashioned with ruler and pen. Scale of the drawing is 1:20: 

The collected and printed plans:

And some inspiring books

My idea is or Cascade mountains or Siskiyou Lines. Still working on that.

Progress will be slow, before tearing down the wall it will be at least 2 or 3 months further in time. So; stay tuned!😉

Grtz, Ronald

This!

This is what I am seeking in this layout, the typical SP operations in the mountains:

 

Photos are from: http://spcascades.railfan.net/

Drawings

Bought some stuff and made the first 2 drawings. The first one is the pure plan with the rail geometrie:

The second one is with the only visible rail. In the bottom the showpiece of the layout, above the staging:

The plan is still named project unnamed.

Later!

Grtz, Ronald.

Still running!

Did some testing today on this lazy afternoon (have my free days between shifts). Downloaded some track templates from Fast Tracks (http://www.handlaidtrack.com) to experiment with. Took the #10 and #8, printed them and cut them out (above two #10, below the #8):

And found that the #10's would fit:

Above is the #10 28/24 (28 inch outer radius, 24 inner radius), below the #10 24/20. Together they would fit nicely.

Problem; nobody makes them commercially. I could take the #8 from Walthers/Shinohara but a other option is that I build them myself. I already handlaid track on my 0N30 exhibition layout and on my 1:55n3 exhibition layout. So I do have practice enough to handle this task I hope.,

Soon more to come!

Grtz, Ronald.

On the planning highway!

To get myself going I started the Walthers watertower. The kit is well done and pretty easy to build. Fit is good.

Kit:

Tank:

Ready:

Parts:

First coat of paint:

Till so far:

I already try to plan a new layout and going a whole other way. Instead of going lenghtwise I try to do it circular. The idea came from two layouts, one is Beautiful British Columbia from the builders Evan Daes and Erik Block:

 The second one came from the internet:

 This is what I think I will build. In doing so I made a sketch with simple pen and paper:

The layout will be 160 or 170 centimeters in diameter. That is based on the lenght that will fit in my Mazda 5 van. 

As seen it contains two halves which will be build as one. The staging part will be folded under the scenicked part. Then the layout can be transported on the side, resting on the middle of the layout parts.

To visualize it I use some wood pieces which I had and are suitable for building. The parts are 4 inch high (10 centimeters). The standing part(s) are 60cm high, about 24 inches. That will be for the light valance that has to build over the layout:

It's a quarter circle:

Trying with some equipment:

I like the shorter cars better, even if the outer radius will be 70cm or 28 inches:

 Well, first plans are born. Stay with me!

Grtz, Ronald.

Progress?

Well, still little progress. Yes, this blog is still active!

I'm considering to take the theme to a home layout instead of a exhibition one. That way it can stay permantly in place so that I always have the opportunity to ride my trains.

Also bought some stuff to ride trains off-the-wire. A new Lenz USB interface and a Asus router. Also workig on a train-related pc that will run JMRI (http://jmri.sourceforge.net/) needed for running wireless throttles, They will be provided in the form of Android phones running special apps as throttle.

I keep you posted!

Ronald.