Streetcar on a Shelf Project

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My plan is to build a street scene with a street car on a shelf (I don’t have room for a railroad setup). I’m new to the hobby and I’ve found a lot of information on this forum. The scope of my project is to run a streetcar 10-12 feet back & forth with some stops and streetcar sounds, plus street and building lighting.

I decided to go O-scale. I found a Rail King PCC streetcar with the Twin Cities colors (a real one still runs between two lakes in Minneapolis). The streetcar is DCS/DSS compatible and has Proto-Sound 3. I figured it allowed me options for a control system.

I had to decide if I wanted to go DCS or DSS. I downloaded manuals for several controllers (when possible) to review them – I figure a good manual would be the most significant support I can rely on (I’m a technical writer). I read MTH was ending production but I choose the MTH DCS system because it has very good documentation available and offers an integrated system with a track interface controller (TIU), an accessory interface unit (AIU), and WIFI module; it should be good for my limited application.

I wanted the hand-held remote because I think hardware will-last longer than an app. A TIU with the hand-held remote/TIU combo is only available on Ebay, used prices on Ebay exceeded the newer WIFI/TIU price. I eventually found one for about list price, once I got that piece, I looked for the rest. The MTH site has a Find It Locally button, it lists all of the hobby shops around the USA that had the items I wanted. I bought the rest of my components from small hobby shops.

I got the hand-held remote, TIU module, AIU module, WIFI module, power supply, and Graves track. I also bought the $5 version of the app and the DCS Companion manuals (versions 1 and 2, for the remote and WIFI versions), the manuals are 240 pages with detailed information which is a big help.

It was time to see if the components worked together. I connected everything and powered it up; the remote and app found the engine ID I couldn’t figure out how to run it. Time to read the manuals; I’m happy I bought the optional manuals.

It took some time but I got the street car moving with both the remote and the WIFI app. I discovered while playing with the remote, that the streetcar has a sound file installed and it announces local stops for actual streets in Minneapolis – I blown away to hear the street names I know. I wasn’t expecting the sound file to be installed, I thought I’d have to install one.

There is a lot more to learn.

Bench testing the electronic components:

 

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I’m looking for advice to help me determine the layout of my project.

I’m designing a shelf as an open box with the street scene on the top and the support equipment below. I arbitrarily picked 12” for the depth of the shelf, I don’t know how deep is practical for my application. I’ll incorporate horizontal and vertical ways to route wiring. I’m still evaluating my design for the dimensions, wall anchor and shelf support system.

• I’m not familiar with O-scale building kits but I know they are deeper than the space I am allocating. I’m trying to decide to how much space I want for buildings (I’m thinking 2-4 inches).
  
  
• How wide and tall should the sidewalk be?
  
  
• The street will only have the track. I’m wondering how much space I would need if I wanted two streetcars. Also, how to hide the railroad ties.
  
  
• I’m trying to determine how high off the floor to make the shelf – what point of view would I like (I’m don’t know how tall the buildings will be).

There are things I haven’t considered (like what kind of buildings I want on the street). Most every project I do has a point where I discover something significant that I overlooked.