Ideas Page

I plan to produce the following

	Shed construction diary. (Completed)
	Bench construction diary. (Started)
	Railway construction diary. (Include helix build.) (Started)
	Track plan.
	Overhead photos. (Inspired from http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/002/010vflko.asp )
	Wiring: Details of how I wired my Railway (DCC + Ordinary DC)
	Signalling: How I intend to signal my railway
	Scenery: Construction details.

If you would like to see anything else then e-mail me with ideas....I will be looking around at other peoples web sites for further ideas.

Scale/Detailing

I am not going to build this layout to re-produce a particular era, or location, as I don't have the room or the artistic skills. I have never really gone into realistic detailing before, but you never no, I might have a go! Having a layout with loops that allow continuous running are also important to me, I am not so keen layout that just go from A to B. (I am impressed with people's level of detail when they create this type of layout, as this seems to be very important as they are simulating a particular scene at a particular location.)

My main intention is to build a working layout that can be operated and is fun to do so.
I intend my layout to be of an era that allows me to run steam and diesel on the same layout along with coloured light signals. Therefore, I will not be fussed if trains and rolling stock are not quite of the same time frame.

Room Lighting

How to light the layout:-

	From above using strip lights, hidden behind valances.
	From behind the layout scene.

If you have ideas/reasons for/against, or examples on your own web site, then please email me.

Wiring

My ultimate aim is to have a fully wired DCC layout, however, as I have no DCC kit yet, I will have to start off with ordinary DC.

I have not decided which DCC manufacturer to use. I currently have a two DCC manufacturers in mind. One of them being ZTC (UK based), and the other Digitrax (US based). I have been waiting for a couple of years to see how each manufacturer is progressing. Digitrax has been of particular interest as it has started to produce transponders. From what I can gather these can be placed in your railway stock, and the stocks position on the layout can be determined. I am waiting to see if they produce some sort of modular, track display. This would sway my vote.

Sound

I am also interested in putting some sort sound on my layout at a later date. Have not decided quite how this is going to be achieved. Two ideas come to mind, either using sound decoders or a cheaper approach might be to use speakers placed around the layout.

Signalling

Need to consider once the layout is built how and where I will put my signals.
I will definitely being using colour light signals, rather than semaphore signals. I would like to ensure signals are linked together in some way to stop collisions.

Automated Control

I would like the ability to link signals to train position, so that trains do not run red lights. It would be nice for a train to stop (+gracefully and not stop dead) if a red light is ahead. Automated station stopping and the starting would be another nice option if one was feeling lazy.

Another thought is to have totally automated control, may be controlled by a computer....I can dream..!

Other (random) ideas.

	Build a ramp that rails rolling stock with out fiddling with wheels:- \| \| //\\ / / \ \
	Build a stand for my digital camera so that it can take overhead photos.
	Build the helix for dual level layout.

Again, if you can think of anything I have missed then please email me and let me know....so much to think about...!