Wiring Peco Electrofrog code 55 turnouts

First of all let me remind you again the fantastic page "Wiring for DCC", here you will find all the information you need. But I'm using a simplified wiring version in my layout that doesn't need cuts nor jumpers in the turnout.

This simplified versions is thanks to the modules I'm using to drive the servos and feed the turnout frog. A typical problem is when polarity is switched when servo movement starts but point rails hadn't enough time to move away of the curren side. This provoques a short circuit, and the same short circuit is produced when polarity is changed at the end of the movement.

I tried also some turnout control modules changing polarity in the middle of the movement (Uhlenbrock), but unless you fix the servo perfectly centered (quite difficult in our scale and the size of servos and turnouts) you will provoque again more shortcircuits.

Finally, Peter Giling servo modules with frog feeders implement a really smart behavior: switches off frog feeder, makes the movement, and switches on the frog feeder when movement is completed with the switched polarity. It also provides an input for each turnout that remains high (on) while is doing the movement and can be used by train software control to block trains from passing through that turnout until movement is completed.

This also affects in the way turnouts are wired simplifying installation, and it's as simple as using isolated joiners in the frog rails and wiring the frog feeder under the turnout.



Peco code 55 turnouts have a frog jumper (the wire you see embedded in a rectangular shape) that you can lift easily from the side, solder the frog feeder in the edge (there is a bit more of room) and embed again in place.

 

STAP with Battledroid finished

S.T.A.P. with Battledroid is finished. Chipping technique in STAP looks really good, maybe better than the chipping technique used in Battledroid.

I used Vallejo Model-Air color for airbrush, and I have to admit these paints are great. No need to dilute, great application and adhesion, and metallic colors are just awesome!!!

I did some washes with acrylic black paint diluted in airbrush cleaner. I use the acrylic paint that comes in tubes, like oils, for washes. Texture is very similar to oils and it has a really weathered finish.

I also did some drybrush, mostly in dark grey parts of the STAP with aluminium color. Engines' noozles (reactors) where filled with magenta ink (from citadel) and drybrushed with metallic color. It has a red shiny finish with which I'm really satisfied.

STAP with battledroid: Chipping

My railroad model doesn't advance very fast because of my other hobbies, I have to split my little free time between them. I like bonsais (http://verenverde.blogspot.com) and build plastic model kits. I like to build StarWars related models. But everything has application in the railroad model, because many buildings come in plastic model kit that you have to mount, glue and paint. That's the reason I'll post also in this blog some of my work in plastic kits. All techniques can be useful for railroad model buildings and scenery.

This is a very useful painting technique in plastic models, and I practiced it for first time in my STAP with Battledroid. It consists in the following steps:

1) Base paint with a metallic color, in my case Aluminium



2) Then airbrush again with gloss varnish:

3) Paint normally with your prefered color
4) Before it's completely dry (but not wet) use adhesive tape fixing it to the new paint layer and quickly strip it out. It will remove your last color layer and aluminium color will appear. But aluminium will suffer no damage because it was protected with the varnish.

 

You can also use some sharp tool to create those wears in the edges and create scratches:

The only difficult thing is to find the right drying time of the paint to start chipping, and the type of adhesive tape because not all have the same "traction power". I suggest you to start with some wasted adhesive tape (fix it to the table some times before try it in the model) or it can occure it removes too big pieces.

But definitely the effect is much better than painting chips with any other technique, like with darker or lighter halos.