Time is Passing

Time is Passing is an old cliche isn't it?

Well it has been another three years since my last post.  Where does all the time go?

Many changes have happened in that time.  Our group has become incorporated, so we are now the Argyle Model Railway Society Inc.

Membership has grown in our new home.  We now have around 25 members.

Other changes are: -
     - The society has purchased two layouts, both have potential as exhibition layouts.  The first has been an exhibition layout built by some friends in Canberra and known as Willigobung.  Part of the sale was a requirement that the name be kept by the previous owners.  The new name we chose was 'Binabeen', a combination of Binalong and Wallendbeen - the prototype locations that inspired the layout.  The second layout is mostly bare boards and complementary with Binabeen and could form a new exhibition layout some time in the future.
    - Binabeen has been exhibited at exhibitions in Canberra (Kaleen and Malkara).
    - The building we occupy has been substantially upgraded with water and electricity facilities being renewed.  Windows have been mostly rebuilt and the layout room has been repainted.
    - The membership decided to sell the old Argyle/Goulburn layout and it has gone to a new home, hopefully to be rebirthed.
    - Plans are being hatched for a new (fixed) layout around the southern end of the layout room (room size 14.6m x 6.0m).  This will initially be in an E shape with return loops at the end of the legs of the E.  Construction has commenced on the framing for this layout.  This means that members will not need to 'duck under' to access the layout.  One will be able to walk all around it.  This will be a major improvement for some of our older members.

The new layout will be H0 (of course) with Code 100 track, main line curves of 900mm radius, branch line 750mm radius, points will be Peco livefrog with minimum of medium radius.  Point control will be by Tortoise/Cobalt point motors and facilities will be provided for eventual provision for DCC, but initially DC only.  The plan is for a dual DC/DCC option in the future so that we can all run our older DC locomotives or newer DCC types at different times.

As I type this Binabeen is in its boxes (coffins), loaded on the trailer, ready to go to Malkara tomorrow afternoon.

Hopefully the next posting will not be in another three years time.

Happy training,

John