2 train automation at the NSNGM.com open day
Article #51 - 07/09/2026 11:24Iron Bridge Mill had a trip out to the Norfolk & Suffolk Narrow Gauge Modellers open house day.
One of the locos had died during the week, and the black and yellow one didn't want to play, so just the 2 trains were running but it was enough to put on a show.
The DCC-EX/EXRAIL scripts now have a random feature so that the once set routes around the loop now have some options.
When the Diesel gets to the tunnel mouth, it can randomly do the following.
1. Continue around the loop as usual, stopping at the front station as usual.
2. Alternatively it can come into the siding (if free) and wait to refuel before reversing out and then continuing around. If the steam engine is quick enough, it can proceed to the front station and make the diesel wait.
Also, at the tunnel entrance, the diesel can randomly wait there, and set a virtual signal, which means the steam loco can reverse back to the front station using the driver in the auto-coach.
Occasionally both alternative routes get triggered which means trains are seen to be running in different directions.
Hopefully I can get at least a third loco operating as well.
Ps. When I filmed the time-lapse video I held the camera against my body as I had forgotten to take my tripod. I forgot that breathing and wobbling makes for a very unstable film. My phone had an option to stabilise the video, which it made quite a good job of, but some things like the buildings and signal post still wabble. Maybe I should put it through the filter again 😂
One of the locos had died during the week, and the black and yellow one didn't want to play, so just the 2 trains were running but it was enough to put on a show.
The DCC-EX/EXRAIL scripts now have a random feature so that the once set routes around the loop now have some options.
When the Diesel gets to the tunnel mouth, it can randomly do the following.
1. Continue around the loop as usual, stopping at the front station as usual.
2. Alternatively it can come into the siding (if free) and wait to refuel before reversing out and then continuing around. If the steam engine is quick enough, it can proceed to the front station and make the diesel wait.
Also, at the tunnel entrance, the diesel can randomly wait there, and set a virtual signal, which means the steam loco can reverse back to the front station using the driver in the auto-coach.
Occasionally both alternative routes get triggered which means trains are seen to be running in different directions.
Hopefully I can get at least a third loco operating as well.
Ps. When I filmed the time-lapse video I held the camera against my body as I had forgotten to take my tripod. I forgot that breathing and wobbling makes for a very unstable film. My phone had an option to stabilise the video, which it made quite a good job of, but some things like the buildings and signal post still wabble. Maybe I should put it through the filter again 😂
.jpg "See gallery below#")
.jpg "See gallery below#")
.jpg "2024-04-09 developmests(0).jpg")
.jpg "2024-04-11 St Blazy(2).jpg")
.jpg "2024-06-01-davedale(3).jpg")
.jpg "2025-12-14 Clacton exhibition(2).jpg")
.jpg "2026-01-01 Whitwell and Reepham Exhibition(2).jpg")
.jpg "2024-04-09 developmests(1).jpg")
.jpg "2024-04-11 St Blazy2(0).jpg")
.jpg "2024-12-10 Davedale(2).jpg")
.jpg "2026-08(0).jpg")
.jpg "2926-08-Graham Peters(1).jpg")
.jpg "2926-08-Graham Peters(4).jpg")
.jpg "2926-08-Graham Peters(8).jpg")
.jpg "2024-04-09 developmests(2).jpg")
.jpg "2024-04-11 St Blazy2(1).jpg")
.jpg "2024-06-01-davedale(2).jpg")
.jpg "2025-12-14 Clacton exhibition(1).jpg")
.jpg "2026-01-01 Whitwell and Reepham Exhibition(1).jpg")
.jpg "2926-08-Graham Peters(0).jpg")
.jpg "2926-08-Graham Peters(3).jpg")
.jpg "2926-08-Graham Peters(7).jpg")
.jpg "2024-04-09 developmests(3).jpg")
.jpg "2024-06-01-davedale(1).jpg")
.jpg "2025-12-14 Clacton exhibition(0).jpg")
.jpg "2026-01-01 Whitwell and Reepham Exhibition(0).jpg")
.jpg "2026-08(2).jpg")
.jpg "2926-08-Graham Peters(5).jpg")
.jpg "2024-04-11 St Blazy(0).jpg")
.jpg "2024-06-01-davedale(0).jpg")
.jpg "2024-12-10 Davedale(0).jpg")
.jpg "2026-08(1).jpg")
.jpg "2926-08-Graham Peters(2).jpg")
.jpg "2926-08-Graham Peters(6).jpg")
.jpg "2024-04-11 St Blazy(1).jpg")
.jpg "2024-04-11 St Blazy2(2).jpg")
.jpg "2024-12-10 Davedale(1).jpg")
.jpg "2026-01-01 Whitwell and Reepham Exhibition(3).jpg")