Marcelvandervelpen
Registered

Hello,
Thanks for letting me in on this forum. I'm a dutchman, 67 years old, living and working in Norway for over 20 years now. I am running an analogue LGB layout in Gudbrandsdal region in Norway. That means I have restricted operation time on the lay out: mostly fom late april to beginning of october, due to the weather (icy and snowy). Operation with snowplow is not an option: the layout will be covered with 50 cm with snow all winter.
I power the lay out with two 12V/ 87 Ah batteries in series (24 VDC), regulated down to 16 VDC and further through some analogue electronics to simulate inertia and braking. The batteries are charged with solar power. Very old school.
The lay out has some local scenery: buildings / industry that is gone now, and is restored in handmade buildings representing the past. This to interest of local people and tourists. The lay out is open for the public, and often visited by grandparents with their kids and grandchildren, which get the opportunity to drive the trains themselves. Entrance is free.
Garden railways is not a very common hobby in this region, let alone the possibility to buy something from the local shop. Purchasing parts and electronics is mostly through the internet.
So wintertime is time for new projects, improvements and maintenance on rolling stock, with the usual challenges of course.
Thanks for letting me in on this forum. I'm a dutchman, 67 years old, living and working in Norway for over 20 years now. I am running an analogue LGB layout in Gudbrandsdal region in Norway. That means I have restricted operation time on the lay out: mostly fom late april to beginning of october, due to the weather (icy and snowy). Operation with snowplow is not an option: the layout will be covered with 50 cm with snow all winter.
I power the lay out with two 12V/ 87 Ah batteries in series (24 VDC), regulated down to 16 VDC and further through some analogue electronics to simulate inertia and braking. The batteries are charged with solar power. Very old school.
The lay out has some local scenery: buildings / industry that is gone now, and is restored in handmade buildings representing the past. This to interest of local people and tourists. The lay out is open for the public, and often visited by grandparents with their kids and grandchildren, which get the opportunity to drive the trains themselves. Entrance is free.
Garden railways is not a very common hobby in this region, let alone the possibility to buy something from the local shop. Purchasing parts and electronics is mostly through the internet.
So wintertime is time for new projects, improvements and maintenance on rolling stock, with the usual challenges of course.