cwn3 wrote: The photos do look really good though. You did a really nice job!Yes I see, the BlockMaster or SignalMaster will set up a prototypical system. I bad, you used the Signal Animators, thought you used the Block Animators. I was just wondering what the limitations are on those. (With the 4 photocells.)So do you think you'll stay in N when you get out, and incorporate this layout into a larger one?BTW, You know you do have room for the 2nd staging yard- when you're at the shows!Good lookin family there, what are they like 6 & 3? I too, got one of each and stopped after that. No more surprises. I bet your son loves the layout. Cherish these times, they're grown before you know it! (And it won't be the loco they broke that you'll be missing...)
The photos do look really good though. You did a really nice job!
Yes I see, the BlockMaster or SignalMaster will set up a prototypical system. I bad, you used the Signal Animators, thought you used the Block Animators. I was just wondering what the limitations are on those. (With the 4 photocells.)
So do you think you'll stay in N when you get out, and incorporate this layout into a larger one?
BTW, You know you do have room for the 2nd staging yard- when you're at the shows!
Good lookin family there, what are they like 6 & 3? I too, got one of each and stopped after that. No more surprises. I bet your son loves the layout. Cherish these times, they're grown before you know it! (And it won't be the loco they broke that you'll be missing...)
Part of me wants to go HO later simply because there's more Pennsy stuff available in HO. But the rest of me wants to stay in N for the long haul. Even a modest basement could handle a 4-track main with fairly realistic curves and scenery in N scale. I'm evolving more into an operations fan, and I think the long distances one can achieve in N are more to my liking than the detail one can achieve in HO.
Ask me again after my eyes go bad!
My boys are 4 and 2.
As for Logic Rail Tech, they're really nice people. If you have any questions at all, e-mail them or call them up; they'll answer quickly. I'm thinking about maybe, some futire day, trying out their crossing gate system.
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
cwn3 wrote: CL BEANS Dave!Nice layout, those are some great photos on your site. I'm always amazed at how good a scene looks when photographed outdoors, nothing like it.There's a lot to digest on the Logicrailtech site. These signals seem that they will stay at a red indication indefinitely, as long as the far end photocell isn't triggered, like when you're in a station, or switching industries. What happens on runaround moves? The system will release the block back to green, when you trigger the approach photocell, yes? What happens if you leave cars blocking that first photocell in the block? As far as the staging yard goes my only question is what took you so long? (Just kidding.) It does look like this option was planned from the beginning, and it seems like you've have enough equipment to justify it for some time. BTW, are you planning another for the opposite direction?
CL BEANS Dave!
Nice layout, those are some great photos on your site. I'm always amazed at how good a scene looks when photographed outdoors, nothing like it.
There's a lot to digest on the Logicrailtech site. These signals seem that they will stay at a red indication indefinitely, as long as the far end photocell isn't triggered, like when you're in a station, or switching industries. What happens on runaround moves? The system will release the block back to green, when you trigger the approach photocell, yes? What happens if you leave cars blocking that first photocell in the block?
As far as the staging yard goes my only question is what took you so long? (Just kidding.) It does look like this option was planned from the beginning, and it seems like you've have enough equipment to justify it for some time. BTW, are you planning another for the opposite direction?
Oh, where to start...
Actually, every photo of the layout was taken indoors. The ones with the sky are actually digitally enhanced; the background scene is actually Horseshoe Curve. I just try to use good lighting when taking photos. Thanks for pretending to be fooled!
The signal animators do have limitations. They're meant to mimick, but not actually replicate, block signalling. I like them because I run my layout at shows, and it adds to the feeling of the Pennsy without complicated logic. During an ops session, I run by sequence and not by signal indications. But there is only one photocell with the system I use. Its default indication is clear. It stays red when covered, but once you uncover it, it starts a timer. 10 seconds later it goes yellow, and then 10 seconds after that, green.
I don't have room for a staging yard in the opposite direction, unfortunately. It ain't perfect, but it's meant to last just 9 more years until I retire from the USAF and then build a basement with a house on top.
Thanks for stopping by! Logic Rail Tech also offers full signal logic systems, not just the simple one I used.
The N Scale Middle Division has seen a few changes... I've gotten around to updating my web page with two recent projects.
The first is the "how-to" I promised showing how I animate my position-light signals. You've seen one video; there's another on the page showing the other signals. Plus, a step-by-step (sort of) installation...
http://kc.pennsyrr.com/layouts/dvollmer/Projects/signals.html
Also, this weekend I added a removable 3-track staging yard in anticipation of expanded operations. Here's how I did it (took just a few hours):
http://kc.pennsyrr.com/layouts/dvollmer/Projects/staging.html
I also tweaked some of the description of the layout at my main page.
http://kc.pennsyrr.com/layouts/dvollmer/
Enjoy!!!