Developing & Building Bell Code Block Instruments.

Thanks Pete....
Yes I think something really kicked in yesterday with the boys....
I`m still thinking through what actually happened out there in the shed and I guess it`s a combination of things.
The fact that they could communicate with each other without seeing each other or talking to each other was a big factor I think.
The little bloke is teaching himself Hungarian, Greek and Italian at the moment so I can understand the appeal for him, whereas Liam ( the older of the two ) is mechanically minded and enjoys the complexity of things.
Between the two of them, we have a formidable and capable little team of operators coming along.
Gormo

 

G`day Chris,
Yes I suppose that could be true.......
It must be the role of Grandfathers to plant these seeds in their Grandchildren`s minds at an early age, in order to have rail nuts emerge at a later time.......even 5 minutes later.....
Well...?????....why not..????.......it certainly won`t do them any harm, and they get to participate in an activity that a lot of kids now don`t have access to.
I don`t think train sets are cool anymore, especially when competing against video games and electronic media..........however given half a chance to operate a model railway, I bet there would be a lot more little rail nuts around.
I don`t think I`ll ever retire from being a railroad tycoon, but rather add a few more seats at the boardroom table for the young`uns coming through.......
Gormo

 

Well Andy,
At least he is running trains for some of the time......
Smart phones are an accessory that young people must have these days. You`ve got to be seen to be cool and keep up with what is going on with your mates.
Once your lad starts working and the phone becomes part of his daily work flow, he will not be so keen to turn it on I would imagine.?
Gormo

 

Yes I`ve seen that on the trains many times Chris.
The whole carriage on their phones.........they would not know what`s going on around them half the time.
It`s the old Dopamine hit, which for adults I suppose is OK, but for children the Dopamine is addictive and I think some major changes need to happen around children and phones.
I mean , people may call me a party pooper or a stupid old man, but turn the internet off and watch how it stresses people out.?
People of our vintage can handle it..........we know how to amuse ourselves without a phone or a screen or a device or whatever, but the younger generation have grown up with the technology and they and many other parts of society now depend on it.
So I would encourage members of this forum to show their kids and Grandkids the joys and pleasures of model railways.......which I`m sure you do anyway.
It`s a great hobby and always will be.
Gormo

 

G`day Ross,
Welcome aboard once again and I hope you enjoy the forum.
We`ve got a talented group on here with varied interests, so anything you need to know, just pop the question and there will be somebody here who knows something about it.
The Block instruments are a lot of work to build, but you can`t just go out and buy them off the shelf.......so it`s a labor of love.
Mine are still working fine, however they are indoors.
My two little Grandsons use them and they are quite proficient now, even to the point where they correct me if I haven`t reset my instrument.....Duh !!!!....it`s a little embarrassing..
My instruments are not 100% prototypical but they do work in a way that is so close to prototypical that it doesn`t matter.
When they read " LINE BLOCKED".....the line is (electrically) blocked......a train entering a blocked section will stop.
The joy of the system is that you are starting to transfer trains between signal boxes in a prototypical way. Controllers and points have to be set correctly before you can accept a train.....so it adds a level of responsibility to the operator to get it right......just like the real thing.
The older of my two little signalmen is now doing passing moves on my intermediate branch station ( Little Bardfield ) where he has to isolate a train on the platform road to allow a through train to go through the passing loop. He is operating two instruments at the same time and making a good job of it.
This sort of thing really challenges children, but it does give them a great sense of satisfaction when everything falls into place......and I think it`s just the same for adults.
I hope your instruments work out well for you
Gormo