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Phase 2 will be about converting the layout to DCC, having wired the layout originally with DCC in mind. I'm planning on going down the DCC++ route, mainly for budget reasons. I'll use a free mobile phone app, connecting via Bluetooth to a Raspberry Pi running JMRI, which will communicate via USB t...

Thanks for the replies. Good to know that the "glue and pin" method does involve the additional block. I thought it seemed a bit wrong to screw into the end of ply! Also noted regarding the length of baseboard. I think I may well have picked up the 4' from one of Freezer's books! I'm havin...

As can be seen from the discussion there are many different ways to achieve the same result, everybody writes differently and are different levels of knowledge-ability. So I thought I would throw my two bobs worth anyway, and write the code as I do for my personal projects and don't worry about oth...

I'm looking into options for the baseboard of an exhibition layout. It's an engine shed layout, scenic area approx 12' × 1.5', with a fiddle yard coming off the short edge. It'll need to be transported around, obviously. I'm currently assuming 3 lots of 4'×1.5' scenic boards plus another the same si...

The Thomas conversion was very straight-forward. I had a 6-pin decoder for this, direct plug and supplied with a couple of adapters for 6-pin and 8-pin sockets. I snipped the 6-pin plug off that adapter (as I have no other 6-pin sockets) and soldered it directly to the motor terminals and pickups, a...

Not much time for continued conversion of locos. I did find time on a club running night to convert my Thomas loco to DCC, much to the mock-dismay of the vice-chair when I started running it (with Anne and Clarabel!) on the main layout. A little side project I have completed is a short plank with a ...

So in terms of tight spaces and chips: Flying Scotsman: Plenty of space for the chip at the back of the tender. Wires running across the tender were more of an issue with this one. Class 25: No problems whatsoever, loads of room inside this one. Percy: If I wanted it to be invisible, I'd have had is...

Jinty conversion: Here's what the finished Jinty looks like - the decoder wiring is reasonably tight up against the sides of the body compared to the old wiring: http://chris.jkhub.net/model-rail/images/dcc-conversion/jinty/20181230_230022-w.png http://chris.jkhub.net/model-rail/images/dcc-conversio...

"Percy" conversion As this little loco was new and bought mostly for my youngest son's pleasure, I was a little hesitant to start butchering it, but after he saw Flying Scotsman and the Class 25 running on the track together and couldn't understand why Percy couldn't join them I thought I'...

Class 25 conversion: Starting point: needs a good clean and service before attempting any conversion http://chris.jkhub.net/model-rail/images/dcc-conversion/class-25/20181118_211756-w.png First step is get access to the motor bogie: http://chris.jkhub.net/model-rail/images/dcc-conversion/class-25/20...

Flying Scotsman conversion: Starting point of the cleanup: http://chris.jkhub.net/model-rail/images/dcc-conversion/flying-scotsman/20181022_223139-w.png There had been some build up over the years of little bits of track rubber into the mechanism that need wiping out: http://chris.jkhub.net/model-ra...

I've finally got around to sorting some hosting for images, so here's a quick shot of what my "workbench" (aka the dining table) has looked like for several evenings of the last couple of months: http://chris.jkhub.net/model-rail/images/dcc-conversion/20181022_221407-w.png Sometimes the gl...

Whats your overall experience with tight spaces and the chips? Im not up to date with whats currently available but I used to read about guys using N gauge chips in OO locos. Is this still a thing? I've also heard of putting N gauge decoders in OO, but have not gone this route personally. All my de...

Why not slide it under the sofa for flat storage? I was just idly reviewing this thread. I haven't started constructing this yet (I've been working on some OO stuff for other plans), but about a month ago we got new sofas. These new sofas don't have the support leg in the centre, which is what mean...

Have just spent the last two evenings working on DCC conversions. Flying Scotsman got its socket rewired so the chip sits neatly inside the space in the tender. The tender doesn't shut yet though, because there are some coils of wire hanging off the socket for lighting functions. I have purchased a ...