TrainBase

My layout is controlled by Dynamis DCC EZ-Command station; each lok is equipped with DCC decoder (mainly Lenz) but the great missing feature is to control my layout from my computer. I’ve seen LocoRail and my station isn’t supported (since has no USB connection); one of the lovely things about LocoRail (a free softesre for controlling trains and layout from a PC) was the Lok database.

In the past I’ve been a programmer, so decided to start building one on myself. At work and home I have Mac and on a old notebook computer I have installed Linux, so I started to develop a train database software to keep track of all my loks, their decoder address (ID) and few informations more; everything was written in C language and compiled to run in a terminal (both MAC and Linux). Then I wanted to add some pictures, so switched to GUI and made it using GTK libraries to run on both Mac OSX and Linux (sorry Windows owners, but I don’t have it anymore).

Initially it was made for my own use, but then I realized that can be useful for others, so I’m fixing it to make it avail FOR FREE for everyone who want a simple program to catalog his train collection. Just drop a comment to see if someone is interested in

Here are some pics of the Work In Progress; hope you like even if some images/icons are still missing.

Later,

Alessandro

Small update and Weathering

Howdy!

I was away from the blog for such a long time (and thus away from the layout); I’ve spent the last months painting Warhammer miniatures, so I’ve improved my painting skills and started to applay to trains!

In the last days I’ve modified the layout and I’m gonna define the new version (today I’m gonna take some pics to post and hope to be more present here

Meanwhile I show you a before/after pic of the first wagon I’ve weathered. It’s a Roco SBB container wagon code 25215.

I gave an heavy weeathering and dirt, because all the coachers, loks, wagons I own are too clean to be true, so I decided with a cheap one before moving on others In the pics you can see the result.

Regards,

Alessandro

Layout

Hi!

The layout is growing; I’ve closed the gap between the two levels and I’ve started to paint the basic green before putting the ballast and the lower grass. Here you can see some pics of the current work in progress.

Upper level finished

Finally!

In the last days I’ve finished placing the track on the lower and the upper level. After some running test, I’ve closed the spaces between the two levels. In the following pics you can see the work done until last week. Yesterday I finished closing all the empty spaces.

Layout pics

As promised, here the pic of the layout. I had to use a wide angle to take the pic, so a little distortion occurred.

During the last weekend, I had some free time, so I placed the track and had some test run. Actually the lower level is done, and I have to work on the upper one. In the following pics, you can see how it looks like. I’ve left a couple of trains, so you can see how big it is

I hope to finish very soon the upper deck, so I can start with the scenery

Stay tuned

New TrackPlan

Hi folks!

I’ve spent the last days in planning the new layout; at first I decided to make a huge layout to have many trains at the same time (many running) and many stopped in a big station. I started to place the tracks; I placed a bridged section, an hidden station, a big main station….

Then, looking for inspiration (and looking a site Jerry suggested my for the ballast), I went into http://denivauphtreseaun.blogspot.com/ and I decided to build a simpler layout and give more room to the scenery

The table is ready, and here’s the trackplan; I’ve also a drawing of how thiw sill look like, but I’ve not the scanner today; in the next days I’ll work on it and start posting the w.i.p. pics.

Updates – Good and Bad

Hi all! How long since last post!

It’s been a while I was away from my blog and sadly my layout. The bad news is that I had to dismantle my layout, because the living room had some works to do and we needed more space for our daughters; but… the good news is that I’m building a new and BIGGER one in my garage

I’ve started 2 days ago and I’m making the base… will post some pics in the next days of my Work In Progress

Stay tuned!