Exploration continues with the QSSR Mark VII and along the way, many serendipity moments are discovered, while some well thoughts ideas just don’t materialize. I’ll sum up here my few key observations over the last few weeks.
Wiring… I’m bad at wiring. My brain isn’t wired for wiring. And as such, I’ve been unable to do a good job at wiring the turnout frogs on my Peco Unifrog turnouts without getting shorts. I tried to trouble shoot them, but it’s a mess. Will wait for Louis-Marie to sort that mess out. It’s probably a very simple issue. Speaking of turnouts, I’ve also observed that Peco code 70 turnout with solid rail points have a slight flaw. When the points are pushed against the rail, they sit a little bit higher than the stock rail. That’s annoying because it makes cars wobbles in an unrealistic manner. I’m thinking about adding some fine shims on the throwbar so the sit at the perfect height. Robin Talukbar also shown me his wonderful turnout control mechanism in St. Louis. He developed the idea from products his company manufactures and distributes. It’s really interesting because it is a turning motion which I feel more realistic. He can also control the fake scale stand switch without complicated links. That’s something I really want to try.
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| "Close and personal" is the name of the game |
A nice discovery was that my feed mill which I scratchbuilt earlier last year for a different module based on the same concept do fit the layout without alteration. I’m looking at ways to enlarge it by adding warehouses, but for now, this is a neat and fairly nice looking structure that fills the gap conveniently. I’ve yet to decide how I will handle it in the future, but it’s great to have something already made.
Operations: Will it get boring? I don’t know. That layout isn’t about big operations but rather as a whimsical diorama which I can turn out at the flick of a finger and move around some nice cars. It is a close and personal layout, meaning it’s more about seeing nicely weathered cars and engines in motion. For such a purpose, it seems to be a success and operating session last about anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes. No preparation required, I just turn my chair around, plug the control cab and move freight.
One thing that worked according to plan was to use the station as a view block to hide the staging entrance. Not only does it work well, but it also frames the train in a perfect fashion as you see it emerging behind the structure. It distracts the eyes and you don’t question where the train is going outside the modelled scene.
Another advantage that appeared after a few operating sessions was that I would leave the locomotive idling by the station, as if it was a natural spot to park it between different scenarios. In some ways, it is the anchor point on the layout and just shows that this structure is not only a view block but also part and parcel of the narrative. Hence, the interest in making it a maintenance of way dedicated area. I’m really tempted to park a fuel truck there from time to time.
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| Station hiding the staging and loco ready to work |
On the other hand, another scenic idea that I developed kind of failed. It is the raised foreground which seems to trick my eyes when I’m sitting on my chair and looking at trains. For some reason, when my eyes are close to the ground level in that area, the little bumps and lumps on the fascia start to trick my vision. My eyes focus on the fascia bumps and that makes the trains go blurry. I would have never expected something like that, but it sure does happen and makes the experience less immersive.
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| That little bumps really tricks you eye... |
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| ...and will be lowered to create a smoother transition. |
I will probably need to alter the raised foreground left to the grade crossing to remove the bumps and make it smoother and lower. However, the raised terrain on the left corner really works well and will be kept as is.
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| The raised terrain and vanishing yard tracks |
This raised terrain really frame the tracks which looks like a small yard in that area. I’m really glad to have curved the main line and sidings because when you look at them from the grade crossing, you can’t see their end against the backdrop. If you leave a cut of cars on these, you can’t really see the end of your train, thus it really creates the illusion of a full-length yard when it’s just a bunch of short tracks. In that regard, the unplanned optical illusion is a wonderful quality I didn’t expect.
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| 72" of fun is good enough... |
That really helps to create a sense of immersion as both the station and the curved tracks do blur the layout ends. It really feels like you are at the center of something really big, just like when you stand trackside in real life. In that regard, I consider the layout to be my best version of the QSSR experiments. I did love my other versions, but this one really provides a compelling experience.
It doesn’t feel like an artificial slice of reality, but rather like standing in the middle of a real place. It also proves that 72” long is good enough to fool your brain if your design is well thought out. All kind of locomotives are at their place on this layout, be it large 6-axle modern diesel, big steamers or small switchers.
Speaking of locomotives, the layout is so focussed on accurate and slow movement that I’m really considering the acquisition of a Proto Throttle. This is truly a layout where I feel it could shine and add an extra layer of immersion and realism. It would be wise to start saving money for such a controller.
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