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O Scale Progress Fall 2007 |
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Updated: January 12, 2021 |
O Scale Progress Fall 2007
The GSMRM O Scale group has been busy during the summer and fall with completing the scenery and texturing of the large mountain area on the west (train direction) area of the layout, as well as the mountain areas of the On3 layout. The lower part has been rocked and textured. A technique from Model Railroader magazine to make nice looking and inexpensive trees is being used to add wooded areas to the mountains. We have just recently finished with the rock castings for the upper mountain sections and texturing is in progress.
Earlier this summer, the turntable for the Midway engine terminal was installed along with the control panel for the engine terminal. The automatic track selector wiring to the three-stall round house is complete and operational. Most of the engine terminal track-work has been completed and wired. Ten additional storage tracks are available, plus room for five additional roundhouse tracks. The diesel engine facility is still in the planning stage.
Along the mainlines, we continue to add additional infra red train detection for improved dispatcher control. We have also been experimenting with various kinds of track cleaning cars to improve our operations.
A computer interface prototype has been developed for O Scale (OSCI). It is based on the free open source software -JMRI- (Java Model Railroad Interface). The prototype has the Departure panel including all signals, turnout controls and indicators, and block indicators. It uses a DCC bus to communicate with DCC accessory decoders and sensors, and is connected to a Mac Intel Mini via a USB bus. The system is designed to allow either manual, DCC, or OSCI to operate the layout. To fully implement, the turnout and block toggles on our control panels will have to be replaced with pushbutton controls to allow the dispatcher panels plus local and remote manual operations to interface with OSCI. In addition, some manual mode route control will have to be implemented using relays.
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--Pictures by Jeff Rowe unless otherwise noted.
O Scale-Fall 07
On3 Rock and texture work Fall 07
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Turntable and control panel
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Rock and texture work Fall 07
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Rock and texture work Fall 07
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Rock and texture work Fall 07
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Rock and texture work Fall 07
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O Scale Computer Interface prototype
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O Scale Computer Interface prototype
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Route relay board for OSCI
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OSCI prototype with DCC accessory and sensor boards.
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Excited guest 12 Nov 07
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