WAMRC - Layouts
The WAMRC has four club owned layouts in three different scales on our premises. Here is a short description of each of them.
Public HO Scale Layout
The public HO scale (3.5mm to the foot, or 1:87.1 on 16.5mm gauge rails) layout consists of two main loops of track with multiple holding yards hidden from view at the rear. It uses a simple automated system made from old telecommunications relays and track mounted reed switches operated by magnets glued under the last car of each train, to control operation and sequence an endless parade of constantly different trains into view of the public.
On the top loop we run prototypically accurate freight and passenger trains from all over Australia - both past and present. Some of the classic trains you can see are “The Overlander” (Adelaide - Melbourne), “The Ghan” (Adelaide - Alice Springs our model is of the old Ghan - before the extension to Darwin was built!), “The Indian-Pacific” (Perth - Sydney), and a variety of freight trains.
On the bottom loop (closest to the viewing public) we run trains designed to appeal to our youngest visitors. The biggest problem we have is that the young-un's know far more about these trains than we do! Boy do we cop it if we put the wrong coaches behind an engine...
When not open to the public this layout is available to members to run their own locomotives and rolling stock on. It uses standard DC control and is compatible with running OO scale models (English 4mm to the foot, or 1:76.2 on 16.5mm gauge rails).
Main HO Scale Layout
Situated behind the public layout and occupying about 80% of the available floor space, the main HO Scale layout is the club’s primary indoor layout. It consists of a single main line about 70m in length - at scale speeds it takes around 20 minutes to drive once around the layout! The main line is cleverly serpentined around the layout twice to make it appear that there are multiple main lines.
Radio operated DCC (Digital Command Control) is used to allow drivers to control their trains without having to worry about the mechanics of switching electrical blocks over. This system is fantastic for a layout of this size as it allows the driver to walk around with their train and maintain control over it at all times.
The layout shape is like a “four-fingered hand”. A train has to go up and back each finger twice in order to complete a full circuit of the layout. Numerous passing loops, sidings and stations create interest by providing sources and destinations of freight and passengers.
Although designed primarily as an end-to-end layout for operational purposes, the two main yards at the end termini are actually adjacent to each other. A single track interconnects them allowing continuous running if you are feeling lazy.
In addition to the main line, a branch line extends from the (approximate) middle of the main line run to a major passenger terminus situated on a slightly elevated dog-leg off the end of one of the fingers. As this branch line actually connects on to the main line at two points, it forms a triangle and it is possible to turn a complete train in this manner.
The main HO layout is probably about half finished at the moment. The main line is fully operational (on most nights) and some of the yards are operational. Scenic detail is sporadic at best, but is being actively worked on. In addition we have a jury rigged system to switch the whole layout over to standard DC control (as a single block) as not many members have DCC equipped locos yet.
The club has many HO locos and rolling stock, or some members choose to run their own.
N Scale Exhibition Layouts: “Maple Deutsche” and “Weepy Junction”
The club’s N scale layouts (1:160) are of lightweight modular construction to allow them to be transported for exhibitions. “Weepy Junction” is a very small layout (4m x 0.3m) consisting of two adjacent and interconnected shunting yards. At the other extreme, “Maple Deutsche” is 15m long and consists of two intertwined and interconnected main lines, with separate modules holding fiddle yards and storage tracks.
“Weepy Junction” is so named as it was built by Peter Tullis, whose occasional nick-name is “Wee Pierre” (he isn't French - apparently it is due to the fact he doesn't have to go as far to reach the ground as most of us). “Maple Deutsche” is so named as the scenery and rolling stock is a curious mixture of Canadian and German. This reflects the dominant collecting interests of the members of the N-Scale group. With that said the occasional British, US and Japanese trains are also seen! The layouts were originally set up to be exhibited together (and still can be), but experience at the 2005 Model Railway Show has shown it is much easier to only exhibit one at a time.
Both layouts can be controlled using DC or DCC (Lenz and Roco controllers) and include the Lenz wireless throttles based on standard cordless telephones. One main-line loop on “Maple Deutsche” is equipped with occupancy detectors in each section to allow automated running of multiple trains in an exhibition scenario.
The club successfully exhibited both layouts (together) at the AMRA(WA) Model Railway Show in June 2005 (see the gallery for pictures from the show). Although we didn't win any prizes, we had a lot of fun and received a lot of positive feedback - especially about the quality of the scenery. We also took “Maple Deutsche” down to Albany in October 2005 for the Albany Hobby Expo. That was also a very successful and enjoyable exhibition - until nearly the whole crew came down with a gastro bug after it was over!
G Scale Garden Railway
The club has a large outdoor G scale railway (various scales from about 1:22 to 1:30 (nominally 1:24), running on 45mm gauge track) that runs around the outside of the clubrooms. It is completely level and elevated to about three feet to permit easy eye-level viewing when seated.
All of the infrastructure of the G scale layout has been scratch built using many recycled materials. The most significant purchase was the brass rail and the thousands of screws used to hold it down to the sleepers - each of which was cut from recycled timber.
A hand operated rolling rail bender was designed and built within the club to allow the brass rail to be bent (or straightened) to any desired radius. All of the points (and even one cross-over) have been scratch built by hand and customised to the intended installation location. Several bridges have also been scratch built to add interest.
One end of the railway consists of a large loop running over a pond and through a small tunnel under a waterfall. This area is part of the public area of the club and permits Mum and Dad to enjoy a cuppa while the kids watch the trains.
The G scale railway runs track fed DC, radio controlled battery feed and live steam.
Last modified: 02 March 2008, 08:51 AM WST (+0900)
