CN Yellowhead Division

[MK]

Man, I can't believe scenery like that during "a day at the office"!

[Cajonpassfan]

Stunning scenery! You'll need some good backdrops to make it come off!
Looking forward to progress...
Otto

[Scottl]

It is a very beautiful setting.  You are right about the backdrops, it will be a big challenge.

After I top the benchwork with plywood, I plan to put up the backdrops right away and paint them sky blue before I lay any track down.  I want to get a good feel for the sightlines for the major scenes before sketching out the mountain elements. 

[Scottl]

Framing was all completed this week, plywood is next.  The aisles and spaces all seem pretty good and I like the height (50").  Lots of room underneath for storage, my workbench and the paint booth.

[GaryHinshaw]

Nice.  Wastin' no time!

[basementcalling]

I would consider moving the legs on the central peninsula if you can. The one on the right looks very close to the aisle and might trip some toes of operators squeezing by. In setting the legs can buy you some extra space for operator meets.

 I'm impressed at how you condensed and compressed the plan but kept the feel of the scenes you chose.

[Scottl]

The legs are set in more than it looks in the photo.  I have long feet and can't get to them when pushed up against the edge, but I'll look at that again.  The challenge is supporting a 10' long peninsula adequately.  I'm expecting to add more cross bracing but want to see how stiff it is with the plywood on top.

[Scottl]

A minor hand injury (a big plywood sliver) grounded my benchwork progress so I turned to other tasks.

I've been playing with Arduino components with the goal of using these for various layout controls.  This is fun stuff and has a huge community of users for support.  I'm working on frog juicers, block detection, distributed layout sound and turnout control with servos.  Ultimately, I want to operate with DCC-EX to get wifi-enabled smart phone throttles.  Signaling is easy to implement too.

The servo control of turnouts is the highest priority.  There are lots of implementations out there but I wanted to figure it out myself.  Using an Arduino Uno and a 16-channel PWM board, I have come up with a simple means of flipping turnouts with a single button each.  I could add LED indicators but I'm not planning to as it would add a lot of wiring.  The system and sketch work (photo of a 2-servo test), now just waiting on the slow boat to bring a few minor components and I'll be ready to deploy. The controller boards are about $10 for up to 16 servos, plus the cost of servos, buttons, wire and a 5V power supply, so it is very inexpensive (about $3/turnout or less).  The wiring is also very easy and I will have screw terminals for the push buttons and standard servo plugs.

Since the boards are so cheap, I'll end up with four of these on my layout for all of the turnouts: one for each end of the Jasper yard and one for each end of Devona.  The latter will only control 1-2 turnout each, so I just need the Uno board ($6).  Long cables are not worth the cost.  A single 5V supply will serve all boards and provide additional power for future plans.

Ultimately, each Uno can be linked to DCC-EX as a node and controlled with DCC or JMRI too, no alteration of the hardware is needed.

[Sokramiketes]

A minor hand injury (a big plywood sliver) grounded my benchwork progress so I turned to other tasks.

I've been playing with Arduino components with the goal of using these for various layout controls.  This is fun stuff and has a huge community of users for support.  I'm working on frog juicers, block detection, distributed layout sound and turnout control with servos.  Ultimately, I want to operate with DCC-EX to get wifi-enabled smart phone throttles.  Signaling is easy to implement too.

The servo control of turnouts is the highest priority.  There are lots of implementations out there but I wanted to figure it out myself.  Using an Arduino Uno and a 16-channel PWM board, I have come up with a simple means of flipping turnouts with a single button each.  I could add LED indicators but I'm not planning to as it would add a lot of wiring.  The system and sketch work (photo of a 2-servo test), now just waiting on the slow boat to bring a few minor components and I'll be ready to deploy. The controller boards are about $10 for up to 16 servos, plus the cost of servos, buttons, wire and a 5V power supply, so it is very inexpensive (about $3/turnout or less).  The wiring is also very easy and I will have screw terminals for the push buttons and standard servo plugs.

Since the boards are so cheap, I'll end up with four of these on my layout for all of the turnouts: one for each end of the Jasper yard and one for each end of Devona.  The latter will only control 1-2 turnout each, so I just need the Uno board ($6).  Long cables are not worth the cost.  A single 5V supply will serve all boards and provide additional power for future plans.

Ultimately, each Uno can be linked to DCC-EX as a node and controlled with DCC or JMRI too, no alteration of the hardware is needed.

Very cool.  DCC-EX got me to purchase my first Arduinos and start playing.  It was almost too easy, and the capabilities are awesome.  Glad to see that servo implementation is easy too.  Which board is that? 

[Scottl]

I agree, it is very easy to make all of this work.  Lots of applications for layouts.

I'm using a Chinese generic PCA9685 16 channel PWM shield for the servos.  It goes right on the Uno board and the pair are about $10.  I'm using the Adafruit libraries for the PCA9685.

[Scottl]

Plywood topping going down.  A few weeks delay for a short holiday and then a funeral in Vancouver.  I also managed to embed a 2" splinter in palm when I started the plywood so now I'm wearing proper glove protection.   Next step will be backdrop and fascia.

[basementcalling]

Plywood topping going down.  A few weeks delay for a short holiday and then a funeral in Vancouver.  I also managed to embed a 2" splinter in palm when I started the plywood so now I'm wearing proper glove protection.   Next step will be backdrop and fascia.

Still looks far too neat. We need sawdust, and piles of tools, not well organized clamps and a few boxes of dry wall screws.     Come on, let it rip and make a mess. What are you waiting for?

[Scottl]

Ha ha, the basement is pristine so everything needs to be neat and tidy.  I have a vacuum just out of site to clear up the messes and all the wood was cut outside on my porch.

[basementcalling]

Ha ha, the basement is pristine so everything needs to be neat and tidy.  I have a vacuum just out of site to clear up the messes and all the wood was cut outside on my porch.

When I was cutting wood for benchwork I put the chop saw out back under the deck. Sawdust covered the whole townhouse back yard. Looked like it snowed. Didn't have to sweep. Might even have been good for the grass. I dunno.

[Scottl]

60' of backdrop up.  Now I suppose I need to put some track down.