TRAIN ORDERS – November 2019

CALDER NORTHERN GROUP
TRAIN ORDERS November 2019

Hi everyone,

First of all, will you please note that as the Heritage Centre has closed its doors to the public for the winter you can now bring cars onto the site until the beginning of April.

At our October meet a general discussion took place regarding work to be undertaken during the winter break whilst the Heritage Centre is closed to the public. Members were invited to comment on the following proposals.
• To undertake work on the Heritage Centre Signal controlled layout in the middle room. For the track to be doubled with the outer track to have a continuously running freight train and for the inner track as now to be controlled from the signal levers. The track to be replaced where required and any electrical work to be carried out as appropriate. The curves at each end of the layout to be eased for better running and alignment. – approved.

North Western Mills – HO scale DCC
• Replace the NCE circuit breakers with the Digitrax ones and purchase a PSU and install the second booster, re-assigning the power districts in the process. – approved
• Fit a flasher unit to the working lights on the short line grade crossing – agreed
• Remove the diamond into Mornflake and replace with a point, replace the existing point with plain track. – in abeyance and for further discussion.
• One of the control panels for the front of the layout has a false LED indication for the point setting, cross over the connections. – agreed
• The panels for the front of the layout could do with the schematics refreshing to better show the track layout. – agreed
• Re-lay the curve into the short line and change the point positioning so as to improve traffic flow through them and where we can do away with all the curved points and just use ordinary ones without loss of operational function. Include some small track adjustments to approach tracks to scrap metal industry and oil depot. – approved
• Motorise the three points on the short line curve. – agreed
• Replace the double slip in the station throat realigning tracks to include a loco holding track and adjustment to caboose road. – approved
• Pelmet style layout lighting using LED strips. – members questioned need for this – deferred for now.
• Finish off changes to low relief buildings against the backscenes. – agreed

Devils Creek – HO scale DC
• Set up the layout and operate it for a day to establish how it will be operated and what that means for the control wiring.
Tidy up the finish of the return loop baseboard and paint it a suitable colour.
Fit the train detection sensors to the return loop
Fit switches to the point motors on the return loop to provide point setting indication.
Make up a new control panel for the return loop and main layout.
Remove superfluous wiring.
Update all documentation and circuit diagrams when work is complete
Replace broken point in station and make repairs to any other track faults. – this was all agreed and that when completed members should be given training on the operation.

Baltic Street Yard – N scale
• Fit backscenes and finalise building placement
Fit point motors and wire the layout to baseboard edges and test run
Build control panel and wire control panel. – all these items agreed.

North Western Mills layout –
Deleting loco addresses when operating the layout.

A situation arose recently where members started operating a loco on the layout only to find another loco with a different address was moving as well. Alan Wyatt has put together the following words as a reminder to members to follow these instructions to avoid similar issues arising again. Can you please read these instructions and also if you have any problems controlling your locos on the layout also seek out information from the Digitrax manuals in the coffin under the layout, thanks.

5.6 Releasing An Address From A Throttle
When you are finished running a locomotive address, release it from your
throttle so that it is available for other throttles to select and run.
Infrared Throttles must be plugged in to LocoNet to release an address from
your throttle. Duplex Radio Throttles do not need to be plugged in to release an
address. You can disable this safety feature by setting your DT500’s Options to
allow tetherless release (See Section 10.0 (IRRelease) for instructions).
© 2016 Digitrax, Inc. www.digitrax.com
1. Use the throttle to make the locomotive’s speed zero (this step is optional
but strongly recommended as the loco will continue to move if speed is not
reduced to zero).
2. While the loco’s address and speed information is displayed, press the
LOCO key to go into select mode. This will release the address from your
throttle immediately.
3. The address will begin to blink in the display. Press the DISP key to dispatch
the address on the throttle and the address will be released to the system
and marked as a dispatched address. See Dispatching below. Pressing
the EXIT key releases the address from both the throttle and the locomotive
stack in the system. The display on your DT500 will show SEL for the
throttle.
4. If you press the LOCO key again, the throttle will begin flashing the
address you just released. You can re-select that address by pressing the
LOCO key or you can use the throttle knobs or key pad to browse to a
new address and select it instead.
5.7 Dispatching addresses or consists
Dispatching is a special feature incorporated in the LocoNet language to meet
the needs of operators that wish to enforce a strict discipline in how operators
gain access to locomotives during an operating session. Dispatching also lets
you run consists with basic throttles that can’t set up their own consists and run
four digit addresses on basic throttles that only have two digit capability. It lets
you have newcomers run trains on the layout without giving them access to the
entire operation.
When you dispatch a locomotive address or consist to your LocoNet system,
you make it available to be acquired by another throttle. Only one address at a
time can be marked as a dispatched address in the system.
To dispatch a locomotive address using a the DT500
1.Press the LOCO key to enter address selection, browse to the address you
want to dispatch.
2.Press the DISP key to dispatch it to your LocoNet system, that’s all there is
to it!
The dispatched address can be a single locomotive address, either two digit or
four digit, or a consist that was set up by the DT500.The TOP locomotive in
a consist or MU can be dispatched to transfer control of the entire consist to
another throttle.
NOTE:DT500 throttles operating in IR mode must be plugged in to LocoNet
to dispatch loco addresses.DT500D does not need to be plugged in to dispatch.

Other news –
I have had a recent telephone call with Derek Milby. Derek sends his best wishes to everyone and hopes soon to be able to make the trip down to Crewe. He is keeping reasonably well but is restricted to using the train for his getting about. I suggested to him that if he decides he wishes to come to a Group meeting then if he lets us know in reasonable time, we can have someone meet him at Crewe station and transport him to the meeting and of course return him to station afterwards. He feels that would be most suitable and hopes to do that as soon as possible.

For a good while I have been trying to contact Len Ford to ascertain how Dave’s operation had gone only to be told when I finally managed to email Len that Dave was still waiting for his surgery. He had a pre-op early in October but is suffering badly with pain, has to be careful what he eats and cannot do anything. Dave just wants the operation and it is taking its toll on him. I have sent the good wishes of all of you and say that we hope his operation comes soon. Len has given me his new address and contact details but before I issue that to all I have asked his permission first and await his reply.

John Massey has also been unwell but contact with John means that hopefully he will also be able to come along to meetings again.

Alan Wyatt has advised that he will not be available during the next month or so as his wife is unwell and they are awaiting hospital reports. Our thoughts go out to you both, Alan and Gillian, we hope the medics can provide a solution and that Gillian is soon feeling better.

Next meeting – Saturday 9th November –
Roy Harris was to give a presentation on using an Arduino and explain is benefits in controlling various electrical gadgetry. Roy has been forced to postpone this presentation as he will be taking Rachel for a hospital visit, which we hope all goes well.

We had also been hoping to undertake a Group discussion but at the same time also discuss and question individual members on what they have on their workbench, things they have completed in the past and how we can help these persons toward the Achievement Programme goals. It is not intended to be a clinic as such, nor a lecture, on how to do things but to talk and hopefully provide help so that people can gain certain AP certification. Take the Golden Spike Award, whilst not an AP element in its self it does allow someone to earn their first certificate. Jonathan Small and myself were going to head this session and understand Steve Park and Eric Belshaw MMR, wished to help too.
Basically the Golden Spike (GS) is to show your familiarity with different areas of the hobby rather than expertise in a specific area. In most cases we suspect you have already qualified for this award.
This GS entails constructing a layout or display/diorama of 8 sq. feet (4’ x 2’) which has either a double track or a main and passing loop. You would also be asked to show 6 items of rolling stock perhaps weathered or with added detail of decals and that the trains can be operated. Full details can be read on the NMRA website under the AP headings.
It is too late to try and organise this session for November and whilst Christmas could be considered, the raffle and general chatting over mince pies may preclude that taking place at that meeting. So hopefully we can organise that early in the New Year when Jonathan and others are available.

Christmas Raffle and prizes –
Again, I am asking for your generous donation of prizes for our Christmas raffle. Hopefully we can again have a bumper event to raise funds for our Group. I know you all enjoy this event and that you will spend wisely buying heaps of tickets.

Meet dates for 2020 –
Mike Lenz is currently preparing these and we will advise the full year’s meeting dates in an email to each of you once that is complete.

CALDER NORTHER FREIGHT CAR DECALS

I was hoping to provide pictures of each of the items available from Alf Milliken but having problems with my scanner. So, I will bring samples of the sheets to Crewe on Saturday for you see the results of Alf’s successful production.

As previously advised decal sheets are available in black or white printing plus there are some coloured logos showing the 4 Counties covered by the Calder Northern administrative area. Sorry Bill Hamilton-Turner the Isle of Man flag is not included on the decal but Alf can produce that if required!
Decals are available in both N scale and HO scale and should anyone wish for larger sizes then that too can be arranged.

Pricing is as follows: –
• Normal black printed decals – HO or N scale – £3 per sheet (A4 size sheet with enough decals for both sides of 5 vehicles)
• White printed decals or any special decals printed on white decal paper (double rose logo etc) – HO
or N scale – £5 per A4 sheet as above.
• 4 Counties Logo decals – price will be provided by Alf before November meet.

Please note that if you request postage of your order, decals will not be sent folded and therefore a fixed price postal rate based on Royal Mail ‘Large letter rate’ of £2 first class or £1.80 second class will be charged for orders up to a dozen sheets.
Decals delivered for collection at Crewe Heritage Centre will be delivered free of charge.

Currently available are:
• Data/Build Year data sheets (essentially blocks of numbers from 0-12 representing inches/months and 0-99 representing feet/years) in either Railroad Roman or Railroad Gothic, these being the two most common fonts for this.
• Random car numbers in the 1000-100000 range.
• Calder Northern wording and CNOR reporting number decals.
• Locomotive warning marks such as “fire extinguisher”, “600 Volts” etc.
• County flags of the 4 counties that make up the Calder Northern Group – Cheshire, Cumberland, Lancashire and Westmorland (no wording on these just the logo).

If anyone wants a specific car number or simple text/logo Alf says he can do that FOC as he has a couple of part-used decal sheets that can be used. Anyone with specific artwork is welcome to supply him with a copy and he will try to replicate it, although there may be an additional cost involved.
Details given above have been provided by Alf. He also says he can provide decals in ‘O’ scale if required but prices will be quoted separately for any requirements.

If anyone has any questions or suggestions concerning the decals then please communicate directly with Alf Milliken but include c.c. to me so that your committee are also aware of your thoughts and suggestions.
Thank you.

Terry Wynne, Secretary.