Switch control from Möllehem part: 1

Hello all

This is the first post of a series about my switch panel that I will be building for my N scale track.
I will mainly use products from Möllehems gårds produkter (MGP) wich is a Swedish company that have created a really smart way to control the switches, signals and other accessories on the track.

Sins this is the first time I build a model railway track will I try to keep it fairly simple and lean. But I also want to learn for future projects. So my track is a simple oval with some side rails for cargo. Here is the track plan:

For this will I build a control panel that will control all the switches with push buttons and also indicate the position of the switch. Here is an illustration of the swith panel and the naming of the different buttons.

MGP products use standard servos to through the switch. I like this concept because it´s easy, cheap and simple to replace a damage servo. They also produce a bracket and a arm to through the switch. But I will comeback to the physical installation in later blog posts.
To control the servos do they use a servo decoder that control up to 5 servos and 5 frogs. This decoder can be a stand alone unit but I will use it in conjunction with their panel decoder sins I will use 6 servos in total and might add one or two more for moving other things like road crossings, cranes etc. I also want the panel because I can add led indicators of the position of the switch.

To activate the switches will I use a push buttons that will connect to the panel decoder which will send the information forward on the loconet buss. Then will the servo decoder pick up the command will it through the switch or switches depending on the coding that have been done. But I will comeback to that in a later blog post also.

So I think we stop here for now and continue when I have done some more progress.
I also have some new projects for Flames of War that take my precious hobby time.

Infinity Operation Ice-storm PanOcean models

Hello All

I though that I should show you what I finally did with my operation icestorm models. I painted the PanOcean models and sold them because there where no good response from my local club. Anyway here is what I did and the result.

I have also started painting the PanOcean troops from the box. I think these are one of the cleaner and most detail metal figures have have seen. They fitted together perfect and was not that hard to assemble. The only tricky parts where the antennas on the armoured troops. I pinned the antennas so they would be easier to mount but they where still tricky. But I think it was worth the work, the models look stunning especially with the antennas.

Next step was to move the to the airbrush. I will paint them in a traditional colour scheme (Blue) sins it will be the base force for my coming PanOcean force. I started with the base layer of black primer and then continued with grey to get the first shadow effect.
Next step is to get the blue colour painted they where layered with airbrush. I used Vallejo´s new model airbrush colour series. I really like the Vallejo paints and they have a nice level of coverage.

Next step was to hand pain the all cloth, I used the studio painted models as a reference. They models are so good moulded and crafted that it was an easy task to get a good contrast but still look good in close inspection.

Here is the final result.