Circuit Panel

Well before I could lay any track, I had to work out where my separate circuits were going to be isolated, as I am using DC the whole track would be electrified, and only one loco could be sitting on the track without disaster! So insulated joiners are used to do this, and isolate sections, chosen by the end user.

The diagram has to be drawn up correctly in a program like Adobe Illustrator, ProDesktop, or Corel. Then saved for the program Euroa Secondary College uses, with there Roland CNC machine, Dr Engraver- which requires a .BMP file.

The CNC machine cut the diagram out and the holes for the switches, but it didn't show up easily for the eye to tell the difference between where it had cut and where the original plastic was left.

That meant hours of painting and masking to get a smooth well done paint job of the lines, I was pushed for time and didn't want to do it this way. So what then was done was I went to Splash Gecko http://splashgecko.com.au/ where I have done work experience and with Signage Vinyl and board I used Flexisign to cut my design into the vinyl. This was laid on the corflute board with app tape-technical words! :) to allow the vinyl to be applied. I then cut out the holes for the switches and super glued and hot glued the switches in!

So a simple circuit diagram was not that simple!

Circuit diagram drawn in adobe illustrator, saved as a .BMP file for the Dr Engraver Software that works with CNC

Vinyl cut tracks, onto corflute sign panel, switches holes cut out manually.

The panel is then bolted to the sign of one of the moduls and can come off in transport and when the modules are placed away in the case.

Cheers
Mark



Easy Adjustment!

After travelling to train shows and seeing what others are doing and how they hold or join there modules Ive just used what I think is the best and easiest!

Basically the screw in legs allow easy change of height, all though the metal nut is in the wrong side the idea still works screw it in the leg gets shorter, screw it out and the leg/height of the module gets higher!

Making it this easy means less time trying to align track and correct height differences when setting up!

Then all you do is just use a basic largish clamp between each module to keep them all togther and make them stable.

Painting the case

Painting the case enables it to be now protected and covered so it can be cleaned if required. The case will hopefully have some signage and instructions painted onto!

Paint used, is

Dulux Black PGI.A9

Taubmans_w.lib

Neutral 1 Litre

B   2Y 26N

J    0Y 12N

I    0Y 16N

W  0Y 13N

Water based enamel - never knew it existed! :)

Track Diagram

After referencing photographs and track diagrams from the below sites,
http://www.signaldiagramsandphotos.com/mywebpages/vr/North_Eastern/15'29.htm
http://www.signaldiagramsandphotos.com/mywebpages/vr/North_Eastern/9'69.htm
http://www.signaldiagramsandphotos.com/mywebpages/vr/North_Eastern/40'89.htm

http://www.victorianrailways.net/signaling/completedia/sigdialist.html

and photographs from
http://www.westonlangford.com/search/?q=euroa
http://www.flickr.com/photos/syncrostep/

and David Langley via email.

I drew up the track diagram with help from Rob from Aust N Rail in a program called Anyrail http://www.anyrail.com/index_en.html which is just fantastic because the diagram as below was printed to actual size to make sure things fitted on the modules, there are the options within the program to place in the points and objects sold by the leading companies and it also allows you to see if the radius's are to tight or not, so yep its recommended!,
We discussed removing a couple of points around the goods shed which we couldn't have due to size constraints of the modules., but in doing this we were able to still have the double slip which is great for shunting in the yard later down the track!

Below are a couple of photographs of the printed diagram and how I used it!

Mark

Euroa drawn in Anyrail

Ready to go!

Well after many, many classes, the case and modules are ready for some paint and track!

Cheers

Mark :)

Completing construction of case.

The final touches to the case have now been completed. The ply (3mm) top was a little fragile in the last couple of days of class, so I decided that it was best to add some support to make sure if weight was added on top of the case that it wouldn't break the ply, -well as easy anyway! so 5 pieces of pine cut to the correct width and 40mm height were glued and screwed into the framing to support the top.

The case with the modules in it, weighs a fair bit, and carrying it with 2 people is possible but not for a long distance, so I purchased some casters. The back of the case has fixed wheels screwed on, while the front has the swivel type so allow some movement in any direction, the reason for two of each to be fitted is so that it makes the case easily moved without wheels going in all directions! In saying that I need a locking system so that it doesnt take off on you, while unloading and loading the modules into the case!!

Standing Tall

Well after all the hard work modules are finally starting to stand on there own!!

The legs from Bunnings were a metre in length those are now 800mm tall and have the Leggz bit in the top to screw into the underneath of the module.

Module Issue

When I tried to fit the last module into the case it seems to be wider than the rest for some strange reason, so we had to remove 1mm for each side of the module. Using the combination of a belt sander, and a planer (if I remembered the correct name) I removed material from each side to allow the module to fit. 3 Shelves were required and the 4th module sits on the ply bottom part of the frame.

Shelves

Adding my steel shelves created with 2mm steel folded by and sourced from SJ Rural, Euroa.

I just pre drilled some holes each end and once marked and gaps between selves checked, leaving height for the modelling to be done onto the module the shelves were screwed into place.

Completing the Case

Sealing as such the case, was not a simple task only for the reason that adding that extra 9mm create a gap on one side of the frame, which was not expected. So when it came to lining the case we had a couple extra gaps than what I intended.