Growing Old.

Not everything one does has to be a means to an end: one can follow some pursuits for their inherent pleasure. For example, listening to music, watching a football match or a film or playing a sport. Some people get satisfaction from their work. And of course, some people take up model trains as an inherently pleasurable pursuit.

But this issue over re-wiring these sets of points is getting me down. If I had the money I would definitely pay somebody to do it for me.

But, that's not to be. Since the task has no inherent  pleasure I have tried to find a justification for my tackling it. My first port of call would normally be that I might learn something from doing it. But I honestly believe that even if I manage to work out the logic of the polarity switching, and understand the nature of the electrical connections that have to be made, I will never utilise that knowledge again. And that thought depresses me and puts me off doing it.

However, a few days ago, a justification presented itself to me.

It has often been said, has it not, that as one grows older one can stem mental decline by exercising one's brain. I'm sure that the scientific basis for this claim is flimsy but casual observation of older people being given some kind of mental task to perform does suggest that they do indeed become more mentally animated.

This then is my justification. By seriously grappling with the logical and technological issues asociated with wiring these points I might eke out a few extra months of enhanced mental performance in other areas.

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Silver Apples

Silver Apples are an American psychedelic electronic music duo from New York, composed of Simeon Coxe III, who performs as Simeon, on a primitive synthesizer of his own devising (also named The Simeon), and until his death in 2005, drummer Danny Taylor. The group was active between 1967 and 1969, before reforming in the mid 1990s. They were one of the first groups to employ electronic music techniques extensively within a rock idiom, and their minimalistic style, with its pulsing, driving beat and frequently discordant modality, anticipated not only the experimental electronic music and krautrock of the 1970s, but also underground dance music and indie rock of the 1990s.

That resume was stolen from Wikipedia. But, it seems about right.

They remind me of Hot Chip, a band I like an awful lot.

Very, very silly video combined with an infectious beat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs9NgGZkErU

A Plank of Wood

Here is the plank of wood in question:

I have high hopes for this plank: it could save the project!!

Basically, I am overwhelmed and thus paralysed by the technical difficulties and confusion which surround  wiring the various sets of points.

As previously reported: for DCC (and some say for DC as well) points cannot simply be joined to the rest of the track and the power switched on. They have to be wired up in a complex fashion and then have motors and polarity switches wired in. Also, the internal wiring of the points has to be modified ie snipped at a certain place.

AND I HAVE POTENTIALLY 8 SETS OF POINTS TO MAKE A MESS OF!

It's the sheer number of points which is crippling me.

But what makes things worse is that experts are divided 50:50 as to whether any of this palaver is necessary.

On the one side you have those who say that if you don't go down the re-wiring route then short-circuits will occur which will blow-up the expensive computer chips inside the DCC locomotives.

That's where the fear comes in.

On the other side you have those who say that they have examined the electrical issues concerned and are convinced that none of this re-wiring is necessary to prevent that disaster occurring.

I feel, I cannot take the risk and have to side with the pessimists/pre-cautionists but know I don't have the brain-power to follow their warnings..

Therefore, I have decided to walk the plank.



Or, I might set up a mini-layout on the aforementioned plank with only one set of points and practise re-wiring in this more circumscribed situation.

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The use of a cartoon as opposed to a photograph of my walking the plank reminds me of a humourous observation by Jack Dee who said that in the safety booklet one finds on aeroplanes he would prefer to see an actual photograph of a ditched plane floating happily in the middle of the Atlantic and not just an artist's impression.

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DCC wiring part 2

Feeder wires.

Obviously DC electricity involves a  + ve and a  - ve, usually denoted by red and black wires, respectively. With all these rails meeting and crossing over each other at the sets of points, it is imperative to be consistent about which rail is + ve and which - ve, so I decided that the rail nearest the wall would always be + ve and red in colour and the other one  - ve and black.

Today's task was to drill numerous small holes through the baseboard to allow the feeder wires which will eventually be soldered to the rails, to pass through to the underside where they will eventually be connected to the the power BUS cable.

This repeated use of the word "eventually" is beginning to sum up this project.

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Lonnie Donegan

My brother-in-law recently reminded me what a great performer Lonnie Donegan was.

And here he is on youTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI4t0NpF3z8&feature=related

Wiring for DCC

Laid out some cabling on top of the baseboard to determine where it would have to be positioned underneath the board and where holes would have to be drilled to thread it upwards to connect with the track and the points.

The basic principles are these:

A power BUS is laid in position. This is another word for the powerline off-which numerous subsidiary wires will take electricity to the track and points motors.

Each branch line (in my case siding/platform) will have a direct power connection ie subsidiary wire, from the power BUS.

Each set of points and its associated motor and polarity switch will have a direct power connection ie subsidiary wire, from the power BUS.

Each length of track will have a soldered connection to the next piece to ensure no breaks in electrical connectivity where tracks join.

ALL THE ABOVE IS IN TOTAL CONTRAST WITH MY MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD TRAIN SETS WHERE ONE SIMPLY CONNECTED THE 12 volt POWER SOURCE TO THE TRACK AT ONE PLACE AND THE POWER SEEMED TO CIRCULATE THE ENTIRE LAYOUT.

One very interesting outcome of this exercise is that metres of cabling will not be necessary.

I positioned the power BUS (the red and black cables in the photo below) where all the necessary subsidiary wires would have to run to the track and points. All these connections occur within a very small area.

Here is an example of the numerous subsidiary wires that will have to run from the power BUS to the tracks and points. Note the little green wire which runs from the switch to the points so as to change its polarity when necessary - more of that later.

All of this wiring will be underneath the board and then surface through little holes to connect with the track.

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Robert Hood

Nighttime World

Listening to iTunes on shuffle ie random and this amazing track (instrumental and electronic) by Robert Hood has come up. Absolutely fantastic.

I've quite a few of his records. He hails from Detroit and this sound typifies Detroit Techno which is melancholic, pulsating and has the feel of the night.

DJ Cam

Any model railway, of even moderate complexity, has metres of cabling running underneath its baseboard. To install this cabling and all the required inter-connectors  involves a lot of crawling along the floor, bending one's neck double and having the blood run out of one's arms as one works like a coal miner beneath the baseboard. At least, I imagine that that's what would be involved. I can't face any of that misery so I decided to put my baseboard on hinges so that it can be lifted up and the underside is now leaning against the wall and I can stand up while sorting out all the wires etc.

Next step - the wiring.

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DJ Cam

Underground Vibes

I HATE any kind of DIY, so it was imperative to have plenty of cups of tea within easy reach and  a very special CD playing.

Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison

At last! For the first time in over two months, tomorrow I will have time to devote to the actual model railway and, therefore,  might have something concrete to report in tomorrow's blog - as opposed to all this waffling I've been doing.

Anyway, that's tomorrow.

For now I'll have to resort to a photograph of a train.

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Anton Bruckner's sacred music.



The Roman Catholic Mass (like the Communion services of other denominations) is a sequence of devotional activities.

When music is composed for choirs to accompany the Mass, it too is sub-divided into those sections.

Bruckner's Mass in D minor thus begins with the section that is always referred to as "the Kyrie".

This is my favourite part of the Mass and Bruckner's Kyrie is exceptionally moving. Sung here by the Corydon Singers.

It consists of these simple words.

Kyrie, eleison,
Christe, eleison,
Kyrie, eleison

which means

Lord, have mercy,
Christ have mercy,
Lord, have mercy.

Another Ceramics Technique

The ceramic buildings for the layout must be in relief - and not be simply painted tiles. One way of having raised features like window sills and pillars is through the addition of little strips of clay. That's the technique I used to create the finished tile shown on yesterday's blog. I do fear that that was beginner's luck and that rather than by gaining skills and improving, I might just stand still and my subsequent creations may actually be less effective.

Anyway, the new technique involves the painting-on of features onto a semi-dry slab of clay. But, it's not paint that one uses but either wax-resist or shellac.

This stuff dries after a few minutes and water-proofs the clay that is directly beneath it. One then takes a damp sponge and rubs away the unpainted clay. This leaves the "painted" features standing proud. Hope these pictures explain this process.

By the way, the lighting for these photographs was provided by a classmate who had an "app" on her phone which acted as a mini-floodlight. She also had a low-energy lightbulb "app"! Seriously! As I say, the class is very supportive of novices like me.

In fact, the technique of sponging required quite a lot of feel. The tutor did almost all of it in a matter of a minute. I then took over and rubbed-off or severely distorted 30% of the features. However, I applied more wax-resist to the damaged parts so hopefully the gist of the features will survive.

Not sure what the next step in the process is; presumably, getting rid of the wax-resist.

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Eels: "Hey Man"

Spent much of the day humming Eels tunes to myself.

In my, it has to be said, ignorant opinion (I've never been an adept with the English language)  the lyrics to the song "Hey Man!" are particularly good: simple but pointed.

Basically, he seems to be saying that a person is only really living when they are tackling tremendous challenges or experiencing great satisfaction. Just treading water - which is what I do most of the time, and seek to do most of the time, it has to be said - is simply not living to the full.

All of this philosophy is delivered in a jaunty style with a jaunty melody which, I think, emphasises the serious point he is making.


Do you know what it's like to fall on the floor?
Cry your guts out till you got no more
Hey man, now you're really living
Have you ever made love to a beautiful girl?
Made you feel like it's not such a bad world
Hey man, now you're really living
Now you're really giving everything
And you're really gettin' what you gave
Now you're really livin' what this life is all about
Well, I just saw the sun rise over the hill
Never used to give me much of a thrill
But, hey man, now I'm really living
Do you know what it's like to care too much?
About someone that you're never gonna get to touch
Hey man, now you're really living
Have you ever sat down in the fresh-cut grass
And thought about the moment and when it will pass
Hey man, now you're really living
Now you're really giving everything
And you're really gettin' what you gave
Now you're really livin' what this life is all about
Now, what would you say if I told you that
Everyone thinks you're a crazy old cat
Hey man, now you're really living
Do you know what it's like to fall on the floor?
Cry your guts out till you got no more
Hey man, now you're really living
Have you ever made love to a beautiful girl?
Made you feel like it's not such a bad world
Hey man, now you're really living...
Just saw the sun rise over the hill
Never used to give me much of a thrill
But hey man now I'm really living