Building a model railway - Unifrog Points, Point Motors and Signals - Ep 5 Modelling the SD Railway

Welcome to episode 5 of this model railway build. In this video I work through the process of installing Unifrog points, DCC Concepts Point Motors and Dapol Motorised Signals.
For all your modelling needs, please try the South Devon Railway Shop:
www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/g...
Z21 www.z21.eu/en
Simon’s Shed www.youtube.com/@SimonsShed/v...
Products:
Bachmann 4575 5526 locomotive amzn.to/44fUNJv
Bosch drill amzn.to/3RqrAVT
Dapol signal www.dapol.co.uk/products/4l-0...
DCC Concepts Point Motor www.dccconcepts.com/product/c...
DCC Concepts Terminal Strip www.dccconcepts.com/product/t...
Draper wire strippers amzn.to/3AIPdl3
Expo Files amzn.to/3ZOttAf
Gaugemaster DCC92 DCC decoder amzn.to/43jxZHt
Heat gun amzn.to/3WmtLLx
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Peco bullhead amzn.to/3KR5Ilj
Peco bullhead point amzn.to/3NJERrJ
Peco bullhead rail joiners amzn.to/44zvfGJ
Peco red cable amzn.to/43mkOFA
Peco black cable amzn.to/43jxnSb
Peco green cable amzn.to/3NHpikh
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Soldering Iron amzn.to/3HeZfPk
Z21 router amzn.to/46y4HYi
Z21 Start DCC System www.gaugemasterretail.com/roc...
9v battery holder amzn.to/3iRjfOU
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:19 DCC Z21 system
1:09 Peco Unifrog points
4:44 DCC Concepts Cobalt point motors
5:12 Dapol signals
8:16 DCC decoders
#modelrailway
#modelrailroad
#model
#scalemodel
#railway
#oogauge
#hornby
#bachmann
#accurascale
#dapol
#peco
#layout
#hobby
#z21

[@benstrainsandthings]

By far the best and easiest to folow video on youtube! Very helpfull

[@DartsideScenics]

Thanks Ben, I’m glad you found it helpful 😁

[@richardhewitt6081]

High recommended viewing. Excellent video - well thought-out and presented clearly with no wasted time as you had organized all aspects beforehand. Thank you very much - for me as a novice to model trains I found this very useful as this is exactly what I am planning.

[@DartsideScenics]

Thanks Richard, I’m really pleased it was useful

[@josefbuckland]

That’s how I wire my red green signals BUT DAPOL said I can’t do this without buying another box what’s the story yours worked well I have the DCC concepts alpha up digital. Points have their own bus. Dccc has its own buss and accessories have theirs own bus according to your method which is similar to what I do with the red green leds wired directly off the point motor with a diode this seems like a winner. Great content.

[@DartsideScenics]

Thanks for watching. I have received some varied advice on this so can email you the details if it helps. It was all working for me but I haven't touched it for some time and I think there is a question mark over the signal motor burning out. Contact me on [e-mail] 😀

[@josefbuckland]

@@DartsideScenics will do I can also share the soloution that I have been revised and provided from DCC CONCEPTS like you I have had a great relationship with the crew there which is better than that from Dapol themselves lol

[@iamchosenman]

Thank you. Not laid yet, so shall do as you suggest

[@PeachyTT120]

Hang on a minute… Andy, you didn’t mention Mod Podge once! That’s twisting my melons man😮 😂

[@DartsideScenics]

😂 I’ll delete it and put out an edited version which includes Mod Podge!

[@PeachyTT120]

@@DartsideScenics phew! That’s a relief… all is well with the Universe once more. 😀

[@alexmorgan2296]

Another helpful video - thanks for sharing.

[@DartsideScenics]

Thanks Alex

[@rl7881]

Another good video, thank you. With my Peco Bullhead points, I soldered the dropper wires directly to the welded straps underneath. That way, I didn’t compromise the delicate fret arrangement holding the sleepers. I also bent the ends of the dropper wires at 90deg and soldered them all in exactly the same place on the straps, so that I could then make a template to drill holes for the droppers through the base board. I note that you’re using a paste flux, I have recently been using DCC Concepts liquid flux, as it doesn’t need to be cleaned off afterwards in order to prevent corroding of the joint. Just apply it with a small brush. Hope these tips are of help.

[@DartsideScenics]

Thank you, these are really useful to know. There isn’t a huge amount of info on Unifrog points so sharing this is a great help. I’ll try the flux - DCC Concepts make some fantastic stuff 👍🏻

[@marksearle6222]

Another informative video detailing the "how to". My DCC experience has been with Hornby points with added electric point clips and Hornby surface mounted point motors - this Peco alternative looks to be a better way. Thanks for sharing your experiences, knowledge and tips, Looking forward to Episode 6.

[@DartsideScenics]

Thanks Mark 👍🏻

[@oswestryroadtmd4850]

Brilliant Andy love to see the complete article when it's finished for me just an hour's trip from east Devon

[@DartsideScenics]

Thanks Tom. Sounds good and it will be nice to see you 👍🏻

[@steveoram7527]

A very informative video. I always struggle with understanding the wiring of Cobalt IP Digital points you have made the wiring easy to follow always look forward to your videos.

[@DartsideScenics]

Thanks Steve, I’m glad it was useful 😁

[@danbrewer]

Thanks for this Andy, I have cobalts throughout my layout but haven’t installed any signals yet. I didn’t realise I could sync the turnouts and signals together

[@DartsideScenics]

The cobalts are great aren’t they Dan. I’m going to see how it works on my layout but Dapol’s DCC signal controller might be an option if I don’t want to run certain signals with a point motor.

[@northernrails4462]

Brilliant Andy, I could do with you spending a day at mine! 👍🏻👏🏻

[@DartsideScenics]

Cheers Craig! It would be great to see your layout but I would trust your wiring more than mine! Are you doing a video soon to show off the new locos?

[@northernrails4462]

@@DartsideScenics none of mine are wired that’s why I need you! 😂

[@DartsideScenics]

@@northernrails4462 😂

[@ianthomson9363]

As I'm not a railway modeller I probably missed out on some subtleties of this video, but I did understand most of it and it was interesting nonetheless. I imagine most other viewers will get more out of it than I did as it seemed most helpful. Good stuff!

[@DartsideScenics]

Thanks Ian. I thought it might be useful as it was part of the process but I lost quite a few subscribers after posting it!! The next video will be back to scratch building and scenery so might get a bit more interest.

[@ianthomson9363]

@@DartsideScenics I'm sorry and a little surprised that some subscribers jumped ship- I saw no reason to desert just because the content was slightly different this time! You probably know this already, but Luke Towan has just started a vaguely similar project to yours, with a fairly extensive layout split into demountable sections.

[@DartsideScenics]

@@ianthomson9363 I was watching Luke Towan’s video last night and looks like it’ll be a great series. One of his video’s inspired me to start modelling in 2019. Also, he subscribed to my channel over the weekend which I was very happy about!! 😁

[@ianthomson9363]

@@DartsideScenics That's praise indeed!

[@daveconno]

I just watched you video having just picked up a unifrog point and a cobalt digital, i read your comment about subscribers leaving so I looked at your other videos and have subscribed so you got one back :) @@DartsideScenics

[@dinmorejunctionmodelrailway]

Hi. Have you seen the Point Motor Jig from Scenic3D. It makes life so much easier cutting out the guess work when installing the motor underneath the board. Charlie of Chadwick Model Railways recently demonstrated one on his layout. His video "Great Progress"

[@DartsideScenics]

I haven’t seen that one yet but thanks for the tip. Charlie’s videos are great so I’ll look it up later.

[@dinmorejunctionmodelrailway]

@@DartsideScenics I have sent you a message via your website

[@iamchosenman]

Great help to me. Can the spring on the points be removed from the top after fitting to the baseboard?

[@DartsideScenics]

Sorry for the delay in replying. I just had a look a new Peco Bullhead Unifrog point - removing the spring from above didn't seem to work. I'm sure it can be done if you persevere but removing it from underneath is very quick and easy. Also, It might be easier on different types of points. If you haven't already laid the points, I would recommend removing the springs beforehand.

[@josefbuckland]

So does it need to be 9V AC? If that's the case could you please share with us the 9V transformer you purchased. Cheers

[@DartsideScenics]

The advice I received suggests a 9v to 12v regulated DC supply. Gaugemaster offer one here amzn.to/3xt1IUn

[@delboy1727]

I know this was only a test setup, but for anyone watching that is not aware, but alluded to in the video, this signal would not work as demonstrated, as it will always be in the 'stop' position for one of the routes. When approaching a point from the toe end, you will need either two signals, one for each route, or a signal with a feather. It should be possible to wire two signals to a point motor, so the correct signal comes off for the appropriate route, but not so straightforward for a single signal with a feather or route indicator. The wiring demonstrated in the video to get the signal to clear when the point moves would be perfectly OK for a signal situated for traffic coming from the 'converging' end of the point.

[@DartsideScenics]

👍🏻

[@MRacer001]

This is amazing! One question that i have though, once you have thrown the point, so the point is 'straight' for example, would a loco on the track beyond the curve (eg the point is not accessable to it) still be able to function/ move? Do you need to use insulated fish plates for that end have the point as it's own isolated section?

[@DartsideScenics]

Thanks Michael. If you are on DCC and I have understood correctly, then yes the loco will be able to move. If you are on DC, I am not great with that but I believe you are correct that you need an isolated section.

[@MRacer001]

@@DartsideScenics hi! yes I am on DCC Thankyou for clearing that up 👍, a follow up question, would Double Slip points require insulated fishplates? Or would the same logic apply?

[@DartsideScenics]

@@MRacer001 I don’t think you will need to insulate anything on DCC double slips as the frogs will deal with the polarity. Fortunately, Charlie Bishop has just released a video on double slips! kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2bHapqJqtFsmq8

[@MRacer001]

@@DartsideScenics hi again thankyou for your reply, I've seen that video as well but as far as I can recall he only mentioned insulfrog and electrofrog, he doesn't cover unifrog double slips in the video unless I missed it

[@DartsideScenics]

@@MRacer001 Ah, I haven't finished watching the entire video yet but he's very good and enjoy the channel. It looks like there is a guide at www.wiringfordcc.com/switches_peco.htm at the bottom of the page. It seems to depend on your setup but hopefully this will help you.

[@paulrounding5260]

I wired mine exactly the same as you did, however when powering on the layout the dapol signals change from clear to danger or visa versa, did you experience the same issue, if so how have you worked round it.

[@DartsideScenics]

Hi Paul. To be honest, I haven’t had the signals wired up on the layout for some time but someone else emailed me regarding the same issue with this setup on Z21. I emailed Dapol, Roco and DCC Concepts to see if they could advise. DCC Concepts responded in a very impressive time which was great. If you email me at [e-mail] I’ll forward a copy to you 😁

[@kymvalleygardensdesign5350]

That was very nicely explained thank you, Did you have any problems with that particular type of Dapol signal? apparently overtightening the the back nut stops it working and too many amps blows the circuit board.

[@DartsideScenics]

Thank you. No, it seemed to be fine but I have heard that these signals have lots of issues.

[@DevonGeorge85]

The insulted/plastic part of the frog looks a lot smaller than standard insul frog points.

[@DartsideScenics]

I think you’re right George. I don’t have an insulfrog point handy to compare though ☹️