While on holidays in Queensland the 3 fold layout did come with me. While up for three weeks, I did get some modelling done.
First project was building a road bridge. the bridge was to hide the hinges which make the layout portable. The towers are to be hidden in an embankment. already there is foam cut to make the slopes. Brick cardboard has been glued to the insides.
The bridge itself is made of styrene, many shapes and flat sheet. The bridge is made inone peice that is glued to plastic half boxes that cover the hinges. Brick cardboard again glued ot the plastic. This bridge has been built freestanding, the vertical supports hiding the module join. The bridge has a walkway on one side.
A rudimentry start has been made ot the platforms, with a layer of balsa on them. Still to do is gluing the platform edges to the platform, then gljuing on various sandpaper to form the surface.
Ther was many other possoble projects to do, making a platofrm for a goods shed, building a goods shed from a kit, A station kit as wekk, modifing a snmall stockrace, building a tank stand for a water tank.
The other major advancement was the wiring is done for the track. Each module has a terminal strip with a auto tail globe for short protection. then eavery track feeder heads to this temrinal strip. Where the frogs are, a loose wire hangs down for future wiring to a micro switch. Then I have two wires from each module joined together and thus I can connect either DCC or a normal power pack to test.
An despite no points working, I demonstrated the "mainline" to a few family and neighbours. Had two younger neighbours working two throttles while I used Decoder Pro to operate a third, all back and forth !
Still experimenting with point motors. The "central locking motors" - I stll haveot come up with my ideal mech. I have a small 3V motor/gearbox that works manually,glued the fishing wire to the shaft, then the other end to the spring mech I fabricated. Works but needs limit switches to be effecive. Strong enough. But still back to the drawing board.
I had a lot of stuff that could have been done, but I'm on a relaxing holidays. But the progress is enough. I'll work on it on and off during the year and bring it again at the end of the year with me.
Here are a few photos of the layout.
you take the bridge off....
