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Have a look at plan 6, it seems to be the one I prefer. I have gone down to the room and checked the heights, and came back up pleased. Now this update hasn't alot of information, just musing and thinkng. You know the situation. You are building your railway and you do get other friends excited. Their help may mean the difference from completion to still thinknig about it. Yet you do not want them to dominate you as to how you want something done, and the speed. Telling them to slow down and wait for me can be frustrating. But they are alway reminded it is my layout. One friend is all for self building - almost everything. In his case he loves electronics and cannot wait to build the layout. But I will have to put the brakes on him. He wants to build an automated railway, with a computer control system worthy of any robotic factory. He wants to build a self built DCC system as well. He want to help build alot and wants me to help design the plan digitally. But I am happy with my paper plan. As many know the plan is a guide, not a iron clad rule. I will build the railway as I see - now I have a guide to do it. The track may not go exactly where I showed it. The station will differ. Even the baseboard may differ. So I'll take him aside and point out a few things, the railway will be built at my pace ( and as my budget allows) which may not relate to his pace. And I pointed out the control system will not be one huge computer system Another friend is also ready to help. But he has already realised I'm not rushing to build. Without them , being alone would be quieter and not as much fun sharing the hobby. But they do have skills I can share, and do encourage me. Talking of control systems, "All your eygs in one basket" is not the way I wish to go. The Computer control system will grow and evolve, but not planned as one big project in one fell swoop. In fact I do not want it to be one system as such. I do still wish to use a commercial DCC system. The system as a whole may be comlex, but it will be just a collection of simpler systems controlling one part. As I built the railway, the control system will grow. Even with the planning, I still have no ideas how I will control this railway. I do not want to be locked into only one way. SOmetime you go down there and just want to switch or run on the mainline. Other times you may wish a uncontrolled train to circulate whle you shunt or dodge that train on the mainline. Then there are the times other people come. Finally, the formal operating session. That is where the computer is best, in the background. All I need to do is load the layout with the style of running I wish. No keyboards or terminal at each station. In most operation no one will need to see the computer. All the computyer will be needed to be seen for is to change modes, and maintence/upgrades. The only physical reminder of a computer may be some monitors in one part of the room for staging yard monitoring. Yet, at a basic level I still want to be able to run the layout without the computer (but still with DCC plugged in) - so I have to make the layout suit all these ideas. I think it will make sence to put in the basic control, which is physical. The logic diagram above each deck is the basis for this manual system with the mimic display of signals, points, track occupation. And also a point switch that overrides any "computer". The signal display is just a repeat of the real signal on the layout - and is not really needed for running, comming from the computer. The track occupancy lights On the mimic display there will be just a repeat of the signal that also goes to the computer. So the Mimic display is physical wiring. And that leaves a form of control in the layout not reliant of technology. I have started to sort a few things down in the room, but haven't moved much. which is the next plan, to clear the room to allow taping the floor etc. |
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