What happened at your workbench today?

[Flying15]

On the workbench (kitchen table) today is an LGB Mikado which was bought with a damaged cab roof and no tender.
A new cab roof has been made from
Aluminium sheet (gas fire backing plate) , and s tender is in hand. The later is being built on an LGB flat car that has been cut and shut; a Bachmann Annie tender body (stretched and sides smoothed out) and much plasticard/ styrene, along with bits from the spares box.

 

[dunnyrail]

On the workbench (kitchen table) today is an LGB Mikado which was bought with a damaged cab roof and no tender.
A new cab roof has been made from
Aluminium sheet (gas fire backing plate) , and s tender is in hand. The later is being built on an LGB flat car that has been cut and View attachment 322531View attachment 322532shut; a Bachmann Annie tender body (stretched and sides smoothed out) and much plasticard/ styrene, along with bits from the spares box.

Surprising how a different tender can make a loco look, well different. Lovely job.

 

[ColinK]

I've been repainting a goods shed on the conservatory table when the wife was out. Fitted interior lighting to it too.

 

[viaEstrecha]

I've been repainting a goods shed on the conservatory table when the wife was out. Fitted interior lighting to it too.

Well done. I sympathise, having to save up any rattle can jobs until I know a certain person is out long enough for the fumes to clear

 

[ColinK]

And here it is. Originally the walls were weathered blue with brown corner posts, but it looked to bright for East Germany, hence the repaint. I’ll have to redo the weathering next.

 

[The Shed]

Pal called around earlier today, got himself into a bit of a pickle with his PIKO CS and his latest acquisition, a Massoth EVO-S, resolved, and he has gone away a happy Bunny.

His is the latest with version 2.1 Firmware from September 2023, a little different from mine, which are the earlier versions from April 2023, have re written new decoder template(s) for the Massoth Service Tool program, and probably early next week, will email Massoth with a Service Update Request for both the EVO-S and the EVO-X with the updated details, to be included in the next scheduled update.

 

[Paul M]

and he has gone away a happy Bunny.

Blimey, is there now end to your sorcery?

 

[Chris Vernell]

Blimey, is there now end to your sorcery?

 

[The Shed]

The Massoth EVO-S and EVO-X pose some interesting challenges when either using the Massoth DCC Track Detection Modules*, or for operating under Analogue** (refer to the notes in the accompanying manual), when using Automatic Control, designed and tested several working solutions, one such as below.

Original designed for the DCC Massoth Track Detection Module, a few minor modifications and is useable with Reed Switches for Analogue DC control.

Next stages will be to put together a working readable working schematic, a comprehensive list of parts, and assembly instructions, for the various options for DCC and Analogue DC.

*To avoid any confusion, the Massoth Track Detection Modules can be used as per the Massoth's instructions, or and whether this is by accident or design can be used outside the Massoth environment.

**To avoid any confusion, they work as per the Massoth instructions with the various types of LGB, PIKO switch boxes.
Also include in this, is the various homebrew switch systems that have been designed to operate a switch drive.

 

[The Shed]

Continuing with the EVO-S and notes from the EVO-X...............





Switch method as per standard EPL operation, can be used with the EVO-S & EVO-X.

To enable the use of the LGB 17100 Track contacts, requires some modification and ingenuity.​

The EVO-X has several additions over the EVO-S, again with some ingenuity the EVO-S, using external devices, both the LED and Frog Polarity functions could be created.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Continuing with the EVO-S and notes from the EVO-X...............

View attachment 322776

View attachment 322777

Switch method as per standard EPL operation, can be used with the EVO-S & EVO-X.
View attachment 322778

To enable the use of the LGB 17100 Track contacts, requires some modification and ingenuity.View attachment 322779​

The EVO-X has several additions over the EVO-S, again with some ingenuity the EVO-S, using external devices, both the LED and Frog Polarity functions could be created.
View attachment 322780

OK, but what about

 

[dunnyrail]

Bit late this was last Fridays work. I have a lot of Bachmann Telephone Poles around the layout, they are heavily modified to just have 1 cross pole with the just 2 isolating pot, these are, drilled and a pin inserted to mount the other way up. A dab of white paint completes the job. Over time the odd pot comes off so the pot seen has a few replacement ones to fit when the weather improves.
Also seen is a replacement actuator fitting for one tgat is not working reliably, it has been bodged onto a lump of wood added to the side of the baseboard. This will allow the actuator to be fitted parallel to the track. It is a piece of brass, drilled for the 8ba screws tgat hokd the bellcrank in place. This has 2 nuts to be lock nutted o keep in place. 2 further 8ba nuts n bolts hold the U in place that holds the actuator. The 2 further hokes are fir securing to the baseboard with No6 brass roundheaded screws. I have done another of these for a similarly recalcitrant point.

 

[The Shed]

Continuation of control of the EVO-S.

To recap for normal DCC use, simple and straightforward to setup and operate.

Manual control with LGB technology with anyone of the following, 5075N, 5175, 51750, 51755, PIKO 35260, or a homebrew switch setup that follows the original LGB design, for activation of the EVO-S, requires holding the switch in the correct operating position for at least three seconds for the EVO-S to complete the operation of moving the point blades.

This of course is not going to be accomplished with Automation equipment, which by its nature is either a momentary contact via a mechanical or electronic activation, or some form of Detection, as there is no delay normally built in, the EVO-S will be unable to operate correctly.

Depending on which form of Activation or Detection is in use, normally usually as only in two formats, active High or active Low, this governs the design of the first module as described as Input/Output, all this does is register an Input and pass it through as the correct Output.

In this demo, active Low to Trigger the start of the sequence, includes the circuitry to convert to active High to Trigger the Timer Delay Board.




From the Input/Output board to the Timer Delay Board as in active High, which in turn activates the Timer, which is adjustable in Time.
Again depending on the Input to the Relay Module, the output of the Timer Delay Board will be either active High or active Low.
The output in this demo is active Low to Trigger the Relay Module.



2 Channel Relay Module, configured as a DPDT Reverse, to switch POS or NEG to power the EVO-S, to move forwards or backwards.
The Timer as set in Time, to hold either Relay ON, for sufficiently long enough for the EVO-S to complete its normal sequence of operation.



There will be short video in due course, to show the EVO-S in operation.

 

[dunnyrail]

Being much milder today as hinted this morning possibility of outside work was done. But first some inside stuff, the telephone poles had their insulators glued in place and a dab if matt white paint. Left for a couple of hours they were planted back into their respective holes and bases. On the workbench after that dab of paint, with copious other junk and projects lying about.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Being much milder today as hinted this morning possibility of outside work was done. But first some inside stuff, the telephone poles had their insulators glued in place and a dab if matt white paint. Left for a couple of hours they were planted back into their respective holes and bases. On the workbench after that dab of paint, with copious other junk and projects lying about.View attachment 322977

Nice 5-BEL sitting on the shelf there Jon

 

[dunnyrail]

Nice 5-BEL sitting on the shelf there Jon

Nice pullmans but they are TT120 ones from the Flying Scotsman set, bought off ebay to add to my other ones so that I have now got all of them. Sadly they are mostly SR Pullman cars that will be used in my ER Wakefield Westgate line.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Nice pullmans but they are TT120 ones from the Flying Scotsman set, bought off ebay to add to my other ones so that I have now got all of them. Sadly they are mostly SR Pullman cars that will be used in my ER Wakefield Westgate line.

I remember travelling on the VSOE Pullman around the Garden of England for my 40th birthday (that would have been 1991) The Pullman carriages were something else, and even the marquetry in the bog was superb

 

[Paul M]

I remember travelling on the VSOE Pullman around the Garden of England for my 40th birthday (that would have been 1991) The Pullman carriages were something else, and even the marquetry in the bog was superb

And the cream tea......SWMBO still raves about it after all but 30 years!

 

[dunnyrail]

I remember travelling on the VSOE Pullman around the Garden of England for my 40th birthday (that would have been 1991) The Pullman carriages were something else, and even the marquetry in the bog was superb

And the cream tea......SWMBO still raves about it after all but 30 years!

I guess that I should give that trip a bash, trouble is that you can spend a lot of money and end up no steam. To me the trip would be a massive loss without a puffer at the front end, the main reason why I do not bother with main line steam tours any more..

 

[Rhinochugger]

I guess that I should give that trip a bash, trouble is that you can spend a lot of money and end up no steam. To me the trip would be a massive loss without a puffer at the front end, the main reason why I do not bother with main line steam tours any more..

The trip that I went on was not billed for steam haulage - we traveled sedately behind a class 73