Stuart W's Mousehaven Railway Company
Mousehaven is an impressive well-established OO LMS/BR layout, featuring a 6-station single-track point-to-point main line plus three branch lines (one of which is narrow gauge). The emphasis is on operation, with a full 24-hour timetable, clocks running at 4x normal speed, many industries with waybilled goods handling, and a minimum crew size of 7 operators. Movement of trains between stations is controlled by a combination of block bells, simple block instruments and departure signals. It is basically a British layout built in the American style.
The Mousehaven Railway Company has had three layouts since its inception in 1962. The current layout was started in 1972 and has undergone continuous change and expansion since then. Each station has been rebuilt at least twice with the exception of Mousehaven itself. While alterations have occurred at this station (and are continuing when this was written), some of the tracks here date back to the original 1972 version. Many ideas have been taken from operators' suggestions or borrowed from visits to other layouts throughout Australia.
The Mousehaven Railway Company has had three layouts since its inception in 1962. The current layout was started in 1972 and has undergone continuous change and expansion since then. Each station has been rebuilt at least twice with the exception of Mousehaven itself. While alterations have occurred at this station (and are continuing when this was written), some of the tracks here date back to the original 1972 version. Many ideas have been taken from operators' suggestions or borrowed from visits to other layouts throughout Australia.
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Operation
Mousehaven is run very much like a prototype railway. Each operator controls one station, acting as signalman and also handling all shunting and all arrivals at that station. Communication with neighboring stations is by means of bells and buzzers, using a variation of the standard LMS bell codes. Simple block instruments allocate control of the line between stations to the receiving station. Each block has a bell or buzzer at each end, 14 in all. At busy times it can get quite noisy!
To send a train, the operator at the departure station bells out the code for the train, then waits for the acknowledgement from the next station. Both operators then set their block instruments to the correct direction (both have to match), and then the receiving station clears the originating station's advanced starter signal. The departure operator then gives the "train entering section" bell code and starts the train moving. The receiving operator has control as soon as it passes the last set of points in the departure station. When the train arrives at the next station, the operator sends a "train out of section" bell code back and both operators clear their block instruments, so everything is ready for another train.
There is a full 24-hour timetable for the whole layout with approximately 150 scheduled trains per day. The busiest stations (Westmere and Rapstown) will see most of these trains, while the branch line stations might only handle 30 arrivals and departures. One of three synchronised railway clocks running at 4x normal speed is visible from anywhere on the layout. At the end of an operating session, the clock is stopped and all trains stop at their next station. The next weekly operating session picks up from where things left off, and generally getting through about half the timetable over an evening.
All stock is fitted with KayDee couplers, but most uncoupling is performed manually (there are a few permanent magnets scattered around, but operator opinion is divided on their utility).
Passenger trains are mainly fixed rakes of coaches or DMUs, with a maximum train length of 6 coaches. Most passenger trains originate and terminate from the last two stations at each end of the line, some stopping all stations, some running express through particular stations, and a few running express from one end of the line to the other. Variations include mail, parcel and newspaper trains that drop off one vehicle at each station heading away from London Road, then pick them up again on the return working. There is even a daily ferry train that ends up on a barge at Port Baker.
Goods handling is extensive. All stations have some basic standard facilities (goods shed, cattle dock, coal merchant, and (usually) a loco depot needing coal and/or oil). Each station also has its own unique collection of industries, ranging from timber merchants, grain silos and dairies up to a large colliery, steelworks and wharf. There are dedicated block trains running between major industries, as well as numerous local coal trains and pick-up goods services each day for everything else. The maximum train length is 16 wagons plus a brake van.
All open wagons have removable (reversible) loads, and all wagons (open and closed) have a small hole somewhere to accept a drawing pin. Each pin represents a waybill or consignment, and is colour coded to indicate the receiving station and industry. When a goods train arrives at a station, the operator can see at a glance what wagons need to be removed (and where to shunt them), and how much space is left for outgoing loads. Outgoing loads are allocated using various rules and common sense, based on wagon type, what pins are available, etc. (OK, who sent the fish van to the dairy?) The total number of each kind of pin reflects the number of suitable wagons and the available siding space.
There are also a number of special trains that run once or twice a day to random destinations: the breakdown train runs every midnight, the Chief Mechanical Engineer's inspection saloon travels at midday (usually mid-afternoon when long luncheons cause delays), while (horse)race and pigeon specials each do a round trip once a day.
Each station has extensive platform, yard and building lighting allowing night time operation, although currently not all of these are operational. An alternative set of purple room lights can be switched on to provide general illumination by moonlight.
Mousehaven is run very much like a prototype railway. Each operator controls one station, acting as signalman and also handling all shunting and all arrivals at that station. Communication with neighboring stations is by means of bells and buzzers, using a variation of the standard LMS bell codes. Simple block instruments allocate control of the line between stations to the receiving station. Each block has a bell or buzzer at each end, 14 in all. At busy times it can get quite noisy!
To send a train, the operator at the departure station bells out the code for the train, then waits for the acknowledgement from the next station. Both operators then set their block instruments to the correct direction (both have to match), and then the receiving station clears the originating station's advanced starter signal. The departure operator then gives the "train entering section" bell code and starts the train moving. The receiving operator has control as soon as it passes the last set of points in the departure station. When the train arrives at the next station, the operator sends a "train out of section" bell code back and both operators clear their block instruments, so everything is ready for another train.
There is a full 24-hour timetable for the whole layout with approximately 150 scheduled trains per day. The busiest stations (Westmere and Rapstown) will see most of these trains, while the branch line stations might only handle 30 arrivals and departures. One of three synchronised railway clocks running at 4x normal speed is visible from anywhere on the layout. At the end of an operating session, the clock is stopped and all trains stop at their next station. The next weekly operating session picks up from where things left off, and generally getting through about half the timetable over an evening.
All stock is fitted with KayDee couplers, but most uncoupling is performed manually (there are a few permanent magnets scattered around, but operator opinion is divided on their utility).
Passenger trains are mainly fixed rakes of coaches or DMUs, with a maximum train length of 6 coaches. Most passenger trains originate and terminate from the last two stations at each end of the line, some stopping all stations, some running express through particular stations, and a few running express from one end of the line to the other. Variations include mail, parcel and newspaper trains that drop off one vehicle at each station heading away from London Road, then pick them up again on the return working. There is even a daily ferry train that ends up on a barge at Port Baker.
Goods handling is extensive. All stations have some basic standard facilities (goods shed, cattle dock, coal merchant, and (usually) a loco depot needing coal and/or oil). Each station also has its own unique collection of industries, ranging from timber merchants, grain silos and dairies up to a large colliery, steelworks and wharf. There are dedicated block trains running between major industries, as well as numerous local coal trains and pick-up goods services each day for everything else. The maximum train length is 16 wagons plus a brake van.
All open wagons have removable (reversible) loads, and all wagons (open and closed) have a small hole somewhere to accept a drawing pin. Each pin represents a waybill or consignment, and is colour coded to indicate the receiving station and industry. When a goods train arrives at a station, the operator can see at a glance what wagons need to be removed (and where to shunt them), and how much space is left for outgoing loads. Outgoing loads are allocated using various rules and common sense, based on wagon type, what pins are available, etc. (OK, who sent the fish van to the dairy?) The total number of each kind of pin reflects the number of suitable wagons and the available siding space.
There are also a number of special trains that run once or twice a day to random destinations: the breakdown train runs every midnight, the Chief Mechanical Engineer's inspection saloon travels at midday (usually mid-afternoon when long luncheons cause delays), while (horse)race and pigeon specials each do a round trip once a day.
Each station has extensive platform, yard and building lighting allowing night time operation, although currently not all of these are operational. An alternative set of purple room lights can be switched on to provide general illumination by moonlight.
Electrics and Control
The control system is standard DC using common return wiring. The twenty-odd transistor controllers use a split potential power supply, where two transformers and two rectifiers provide layout-wide +12V and -12V DC supplies. Internally, each controller is actually two controllers - a positive half and a negative half. Instead of swapping the output wires, the reversing switches select which half is connected to the track. This permits two (fairly hefty) transformers to be used instead of the twenty-plus that would be need with conventional techniques.
Each station is independent, run from a conventional cab control panel, most fitted with two controllers. The branch line stations and major MPDs each have a single controller, while the main junction station of Rapstown has four. Control of the track between each station is normally split at the half-way point to allow shunting, but the pairs of block switches between each station assign the whole section to one station or the other for through running.
Points are powered by telephone relays operated by toggle switches on each mimic panel, with LEDs showing the selected route. The relays also perform frog switching and power the selected roads rather than relying on the point blades. Some sidings have the track power switched this way, while others have their own cab switches.
Starter (and sometimes advanced starter) signals operated by push buttons are provided at all stations, and both involved operators have to clear the signal(s) for a departure. Some stations have separate signals for each departure track, partially interlocked with the points. Most signals are colour light with a couple of semaphores on the branch lines, and most are self-cancelling when a train passes them.
There is a continuous run option to allow single-operator and test running, with Narmen, Rapstown and Westmere on this circuit. In this mode, all trains are controlled from the Narmen panel.
The control system is standard DC using common return wiring. The twenty-odd transistor controllers use a split potential power supply, where two transformers and two rectifiers provide layout-wide +12V and -12V DC supplies. Internally, each controller is actually two controllers - a positive half and a negative half. Instead of swapping the output wires, the reversing switches select which half is connected to the track. This permits two (fairly hefty) transformers to be used instead of the twenty-plus that would be need with conventional techniques.
Each station is independent, run from a conventional cab control panel, most fitted with two controllers. The branch line stations and major MPDs each have a single controller, while the main junction station of Rapstown has four. Control of the track between each station is normally split at the half-way point to allow shunting, but the pairs of block switches between each station assign the whole section to one station or the other for through running.
Points are powered by telephone relays operated by toggle switches on each mimic panel, with LEDs showing the selected route. The relays also perform frog switching and power the selected roads rather than relying on the point blades. Some sidings have the track power switched this way, while others have their own cab switches.
Starter (and sometimes advanced starter) signals operated by push buttons are provided at all stations, and both involved operators have to clear the signal(s) for a departure. Some stations have separate signals for each departure track, partially interlocked with the points. Most signals are colour light with a couple of semaphores on the branch lines, and most are self-cancelling when a train passes them.
There is a continuous run option to allow single-operator and test running, with Narmen, Rapstown and Westmere on this circuit. In this mode, all trains are controlled from the Narmen panel.