PlaymoFriends

General => Trains! => Topic started by: schluss on June 21, 2011, 11:42:44

Title: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on June 21, 2011, 11:42:44
Hi ,

after a long and hard winter I started this spring my new gardenrailway layout.
The first steps can be seen in the youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2Jao39tVrg
(This video is a few weeks old, the work has made slight progress since then.)

The first loco (an RC one) made the initial rounds last weekend, unfortunately I made no pics and no video.....

Regards
schluss
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Wolf Knight on June 21, 2011, 11:46:28
A most inspiring layout!!!  :clap: I am looking forward o the completion of your project!! And I am sure others as well!!
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Rasputin on June 21, 2011, 15:08:58
looking forward to seeing it progress
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: playmofire on June 21, 2011, 20:15:13
Very impressive; I look forward to seeing more.
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Giorginetto on June 22, 2011, 13:24:49
excellent , excellent, excellent !!!! No doubt i have the playmo train bug now, reckon so will be a playmobil trainspotter this summer !!!!!
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on June 29, 2011, 09:38:24
Hi,

here a few pictures from the construction of the new layout.

On the pictures you can see the chippings under the sidewalk flagstones , also the wires can be seen which are used to power the railway every 6-7 meters.
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on June 29, 2011, 09:39:36
more pictures:
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Giorginetto on June 29, 2011, 09:45:00
Excellent stuff and very inspiring to set up my railway also in the garden !!!! Schluss btw the 4052 is simply awesome , i run it yesterday and its simply amazing in daylight and in dark with its 6 lights , very nice and thanks yuo so much !!!

I wiull most certainly pick a  few ideas from you raiways for mine . i am waiting for delivery of about another 40 tracks so with over 100 now i should be able to make somethign nice in the garden . thanks for posting these pictures , very educational and insiparational for a rookie in playo trains like me  :wave: :wave: :wave: :wave: :wave:
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on June 29, 2011, 10:35:32

I wiull most certainly pick a  few ideas from you raiways for mine . i am waiting for delivery of about another 40 tracks so with over 100 now i should be able to make somethign nice in the garden . thanks for posting these pictures , very educational and insiparational for a rookie in playo trains like me  :wave: :wave: :wave: :wave: :wave:

Hi,

wherever possible I prefer to use long straight tracks, they are also available in 60cm and 120cm lenght.
The benefit is a more reliable current transmission and therefore less bucking from the locos.

Regards
schluss
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Giorginetto on June 29, 2011, 10:50:15
120CM ??? wow !!!! I have a few 60cm didnt know there are 120cm ones also !!!!  :wave: :wave:
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Rasputin on June 29, 2011, 15:30:44
Hi,

here a few pictures from the construction of the new layout.

On the pictures you can see the chippings under the sidewalk flagstones , also the wires can be seen which are used to power the railway every 6-7 meters.

Why do you do this ?
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on June 29, 2011, 15:42:51
Why do you do this ?

Hi,

as I wrote above:
The benefit is a more reliable current (power) transmission and therefore less bucking from the locos.


I do not only uses Playmo locos, I also have locos from LGB and Piko, these are all fully digitized.

And when you are using a digitally system every interruption of power leads to problems with light and sound, even if you have several capacitors inside the loco.

hope that clarifies it.


Regards
schluss
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Rasputin on June 29, 2011, 15:59:02
Hi,

as I wrote above:
The benefit is a more reliable current (power) transmission and therefore less bucking from the locos.


I do not only uses Playmo locos, I also have locos from LGB and Piko, these are all fully digitized.

And when you are using a digitally system every interruption of power leads to problems with light and sound, even if you have several capacitors inside the loco.

hope that clarifies it.


Regards
schluss

Yes it does, thanks

I could not figure it out if you were using , is analog the correct word ?, the old track power system.

With digital it makes sense as you do not need to keep changing the current on the track. If it was the old system I could not understand how you would change the current if you had multiple power sources

Oh as if the track and trains were not expensive enough, someday I want to upgrade to digital

G scale what a deep dark money pit of love  :love: I should have stuck to N scale that I had as a kid or even went to Z , hmm wait.... I wonder if Z would look like a toy train for playmobil ? What am I thinking  :wall:
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: playmofire on June 29, 2011, 16:02:02
Despite the shortcomings of the plastic track, e.g. no electric points and no way of using electrically operated signals to control the trains, when I look at all the wiring involved with the metal track, I'm glad I use the modern stuff.
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on June 29, 2011, 16:36:54
Despite the shortcomings of the plastic track, e.g. no electric points and no way of using electrically operated signals to control the trains, when I look at all the wiring involved with the metal track, I'm glad I use the modern stuff.

The wiring is done once and then the fun can start.  And the wiring is not difficult, just throw earth power cable in the ground, every whatever meter cut it, get rid of the isolation of the wires, put the wires into WAGO clamps and add a connection to the rails itself.

And from my point of view the biggest advantage: Never charge batteries....

Regards
schluss
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Giorginetto on June 30, 2011, 12:33:30
And the wiring is not difficult, just throw earth power cable in the ground, every whatever meter cut it, get rid of the isolation of the wires, put the wires into WAGO clamps and add a connection to the rails itself.
Regards
schluss

Can you explain that a bit rainer Sir???
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on June 30, 2011, 15:33:52
Can you explain that a bit rainer Sir???

I will make some pictures to illustrate what I mean.

Regards
schluss
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Giorginetto on July 01, 2011, 13:37:53
I will make some pictures to illustrate what I mean.

Regards
schluss

 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :)9 :wow: :wow: :wow:
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on July 01, 2011, 14:06:33
Most of the explanations can be found here:
http://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=8373.msg152149#msg152149

But pictures will follow......
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on July 05, 2011, 12:19:53
The work continues....
I had only a few hours left therefore the progress is small.

All concrete plates have been removed, the wodden boundary put into the earth and other preparing work was done.

Here are some pictures:
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Wolf Knight on July 06, 2011, 17:20:27
It sooo great to see this work in progress!!!
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on July 08, 2011, 10:51:04
slow progress, but progress at all.

Unfortunatley I am running out of gravel.
So a trip to our löcal gravel quarry is needed....

Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: playmofire on July 08, 2011, 10:52:57
It's good to see things progressing, even if it can only be slowly.    :)9
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on July 28, 2011, 08:02:44
Slow progress, but progress at all.

More than the half of work is done, next 500kg of gravel carried from the gravel quarry to my garden, bought several additional concrete plates,....

and the first new tracks can be seen...
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: playmofire on July 28, 2011, 10:24:18
That looks good.
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on August 17, 2011, 13:44:59
It´s going on.....
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: zugpferdchen on August 18, 2011, 07:32:24
Hello Schluss,

are the last curves in LGB-R3 (looks like 4 pieces per 90°)?

I also have bought 16x cheap LGB-R3 curves and put them instead of R1. Nice swing with R3.

Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on August 18, 2011, 12:17:05
Hello Schluss,

are the last curves in LGB-R3 (looks like 4 pieces per 90°)?

I also have bought 16x cheap LGB-R3 curves and put them instead of R1. Nice swing with R3.



Hi zugpferdchen,

yes , they are R3-tracks (LGB 16000).


Regards

schluss
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on September 05, 2011, 10:05:10
Hi,

last weekend I took the chance to install the tracks spontanously for a proof of concept.
Due to the missing power supply only a RC loco has done some rounds across the circuit.

Next steps will be finetuning of the tracks , I need to cut / to saw several tracks and then start to wire all cabling.

Regards
schluss
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Giorginetto on September 05, 2011, 10:13:21
Superb !!! Look forward for many more pictures and perhaps a video too !!!  ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on September 20, 2011, 16:23:09
Hi ,

the proof of concept has shown some problems with the clearance diameter/railway loading gauge on the right side. so the tracks have to be moved slightly.
That led to more tracks to be sawed.

Another problem: I thought that I could use WAGO clambs with 5 connectors, but having 4 wires for the electrical loop around the circuit and two wires going to the rails... seems to be in total 6 wires.......

So just another stop at the DIY-store and purchased now WAGO-clambs with 8 connectors, unfortunately they are only sold in sets of 50 pieces.......

Let´s hope for good and dry weather during fall to finish the mechanical work on the tracks.

Regards
schluss

the pictures are showing the 5-WAGO-clambs
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on September 24, 2011, 17:11:29
Hi,

the weather was good and not too many other things to do.....
so a few hours for the train.

Today the master feeding point for the power supply to the tracks has been installed.

The whole layout will have 8 feeding points.

The master point gets the power from the Massoth central unit.

This point is installed in a bigger plastic case which found its place on a post of the garden fence.


The installation works in principle, but it seems that I have now problems with the loco decoders or its programming. Last year every thing was working fine with the old LGB digital central station, but with the Massoth supply every loco is doing what she wants...
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on October 04, 2011, 12:32:40
Only two pictures from last weekend:


picture 1:  I had forgotten that a train needs a power supply and that the layout is at the different end of our garden and that there is no mains in the wooden garden house....
So I had to place a power cable the whole way from the garage to the garden house into the earth....

picture 2: The only train which has been on the track....

Regards
schluss
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Giorginetto on October 04, 2011, 12:56:46
Very nice sir !!! very nice indeed !!! please post more pictures with more locos. More locos !!!  :love: :love: :love:
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on October 27, 2011, 09:27:58
A small video of 3,5 minutes ....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnXNgQomX-0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnXNgQomX-0)

Videolink updated
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: playmofire on October 27, 2011, 09:38:30
Very nice trip.  Does this mean all the control problems are sorted out?
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on October 27, 2011, 09:47:14

Not all problems are sorted out, but I can see progress and I have an idea how to solve them.

Some are caused by dirt on the track, some belonging to missing feeding points to the track.

Analog works fine, digital shows more problems.

The major problem was the change of the digital master station. The old master could only handle 14 steps of speed, the new one up to 128.
I am usingg 28 steps now, this made the change in every decoder necessary.
And also the new digital master has got a major firmware upgrade.


 
Very nice trip.  Does this mean all the control problems are sorted out?
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: Giorginetto on October 27, 2011, 10:11:57
Very nice Schull , very nice sire !!! if the weather permits i will set up some stuff on saturday , your outdoor set up proves very inspirational and motivating sir !!!!  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: zugpferdchen on October 27, 2011, 11:50:47
Thank you for the video!
(pity that it was saved somewhat distorted (everything seems to be too high). The ratio of the video must be changed.)


Which decoder is in the BR 218?

Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on October 27, 2011, 13:40:32
It´s an Uhlenbrock 77500 and a 32100 for the sound.



Which decoder is in the BR 218?


Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on October 27, 2011, 14:07:07
I will re-encode it and update the link....

Thank you for the video!
(pity that it was saved somewhat distorted (everything seems to be too high). The ratio of the video must be changed.)
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: tomegood87 on October 27, 2011, 15:58:56
The BR 218 looks nice pulling playmobil.
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on October 27, 2011, 17:18:56
New encoded video online, now with correct ratio.

I will re-encode it and update the link....

Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: zugpferdchen on October 27, 2011, 18:51:14
New encoded video online, now with correct ratio.

...much better!!!


(http://www.smilies.4-user.de/include/Schilder/10.gif)
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on October 28, 2011, 09:06:56
Thanks for the hint zugpferdchen !

...much better!!!


(http://www.smilies.4-user.de/include/Schilder/10.gif)

Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: zugpferdchen on October 28, 2011, 12:25:31
And from my point of view the biggest advantage: Never charge batteries....
Yes, but only if you have no wireless controllers (they need batteries/accus)...  ;)
Title: Re: Spring time = time to start a garden railway
Post by: schluss on October 29, 2011, 16:46:37
Accus can be charged without replacing while using the cable for a certain period of time....
Yes, but only if you have no wireless controllers (they need batteries/accus)...  ;)