Having asked ChatGPT to design a layout that meets the Budget Model Railways Challenge, I assembled the various pieces of track it recommended and put them together ... and it didn't fit onto the floating shelf as it was too long!
In the end, I decided to design my own layout ... and this is what it looked like:
I tested that it was possible to do some shunting, and made a short video that I have uploaded to my YouTube channel. It can be seen here.
The next step is to paint the floating shelf and then fix the track to it.
Bob, when I saw the Chat GPT proposal, I thought it was not a particularly brilliant response to the design challenge and that you could easily have come up with such a layout yourself without using AI. Now it appears the AI couldn't even use the dimensions of the track pieces to ensure its design fitted the baseboard! Surprising, when it was able to produce such convincing pictures of yourself in historical costumes, and pretty disappointing.
ReplyDeleteI had considered creating such a layout myself, but after doing some internet research and discovering the cost of rolling stock and track (none of which I possess already), decided against it.
Bought a vintage Britain's artillery piece, that has the original shooting and elevation mechanisms as used in HG Wells's day, and a few infantrymen to accompany it for a Little Wars display on my bookshelf off ebay uk instead.
Good luck with your layout! Best wishes, Arthur
Arthur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteThe exercise only goes to prove that ChatGPT is better at some things than it is at others .. and model railway layout design is something that it isn't very good at. It did, however, prompt me to get some track on the floating shelf and try out a design of my own ... and was pleased to see that it worked!
So far, I've only used stuff that I already had, most of which I had bought second-hand, mainly from eBay. I would not want to try to build any size of layout from scratch and at full price!
The original guns used by H G Wells had much better elevation and firing mechanisms than the latter ones and you've done well to fine one on sale at - I assume - a reasonable price. All mine are currently in storage, along with their infantry and cavalry. One day I'll get them back home!
All the best,
Bob
Bob, I paid less than the cheapest price for a Kato 040 chassis on ebay uk, whereas some sellers were asking more for the later 1960s 4.7 inch gun, so I'm happy.
DeleteBest wishes, Arthur
Arthur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteThe variation in prices on eBay for the same items never ceases to surprise me. As I know from my own experience, it is so dependent upon which categories the seller puts an item in. You did well to get a genuine old 4.7-inch for such a reasonable price!
All the best,
Bob
Bob, it was not a 4.7 inch gun, but the lighter 12 pounder gun used in the horse artillery and ACW sets, but has the same elevating mechanism as the original 4.7 inch. Arthur
DeleteArthue1815 (Arthur),
DeleteAs far as I know, that's a much rarer model than the 4.7-inch gun. I've seen the screw elevating mechanism on a field gun (I think that is was a 4.5-inch howitzer) but most of the 12-pounders I have seen didn't have it.
All the best,
Bob
Very cool Bob.
ReplyDeleteWillz.
Tiberian General (Willz),
DeleteCheers! I hope to create a layout that has some sort of military theme.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, if you want a really original subject for your challenge model, have a look at the following:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.twz.com/wwi-aircrews-trained-in-these-moving-cockpits-on-rails-to-learn-aerial-gunnery
It would be easy for a skilled modeller like yourself to build the rail-mounted 'cockpit' on an N gauge chassis and add a 20 or 25mm gunner and Lewis gun. The track layout could be a series of curves in different directions passing several targets, with a siding for the 'cockpit' when not in use/undergoing maintenance. I'll be no one else will have thought of that!
Best wishes, Arthur
I just took a look at this and I love it! Something like that would be a truly unique layout.
DeleteI imagine a Minecraft diorama based on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom minecart sequence would be just as fun.
Arthur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteI tried your suggestion, but the smallest curves that I have are 12cm radius … which makes it impossible to fit the curves into the 23.5cm deep floating shelf as there is an overhang
All the best,
Bob.
Mr. Pavone,
DeleteThat’s a great idea, but I suspect that it might be a bit too complicated to model for this challenge.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, how about imagining a similar training device, but with a more realistic mock up of a plane mounted on a wagon and pulled/pushed by your steam locomotive, as designed by Mr Heath Robinson? The loco reverses out of the siding and goes to the end of the track, the gunner shooting at targets between the track and rear edge of baseboard, as if defending plane from pursuing German aircraft. Then the loco pushes wagon ahead of it towards the other end of the track, the gunner shooting at targets between track and front edge of baseboard until it reaches point, then at targets on both sides of track, to simulate attacking the enemy.
DeleteYou could use an Airfix or similar kit of a WW1 two seater and chop off the engine to leave the tail, gunner's cockpit, Scarff ring and Lewis gun. You could even have shorter versions of the wings in place on the grounds that when shooting forward the gunner's view and field of fire would be limited by them. The clouds of smoke from the loco, of course, simulate the clouds through which planes had to fly - or so the inventor claims!
Just a - zany - thought. Arthur
Arthur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteI think that you ought to build something like this! It would make a great layout for a model railway show as it would be so different from the usual run-of-the-mill layouts one sees.
All the best,
Bob
BOB,
ReplyDeleteA nice little clip you have made - the OO9 engine and stock look terrific- it will be good to see the Layout when it is finished. All the best. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteCheers! The locomotive in the video is a great runner, even at low speed … and the rolling stock is just wonderful.
All the best,
Bob
Not surprised that the geometry suggested by ChatGPT didn't fir. What could be an interesting exercise is to use your plain shelf with tracks as a reference and ask for an sceniced image.
ReplyDeleteRoger,
DeleteI must admit that I both disappointed with ChatGPT’s layout design and not surprised that the track didn’t fit within the size of the floating shelf. I specifically mentioned the size parameters but ChatGPT didn’t quite stick to them.
All the best,
Bob
This is where LLMs tend to fail. They're not all that good, ironically, at doing math or spatial work. They have little issue with drawing pictures or writing short paragraphs but if you ask them to do something like plan a layout for a train set, then they have trouble rectifying the the area of the track vs the area available on the shelf.
ReplyDeleteWe a e on the process of buying a new home but the paperwork is a slog. When we were given a choice on one of the forms we asked one of Google's bleeding edge LLMs for advice and it told us to do something that hasn't been done in years. Lucky for us or real estate agent is experienced and set us straight.
There will come a day when we have Star Trek level AI that helps us with really complex tasks but like you said, it's feeling its growing pains now.
Mr. Pavone,
DeleteI’m still trying to find what AI can do well and what it tends to make a mess of. As you write in your comment, artwork and writing seem well within its capabilities, but it still has some way to go with regard to problem that involve spatial concepts.
It will - no doubt - improve by leaps and bounds … and probably sooner rather than later.
All the best,
Bob
As they say, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. 😁. It occurs to me you might be able to use the layout for a game of Dominion of the Spear and Bayonet. In any case I'm looking forward to seeing the completed project.
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteVery true … and I am certainly working on a layout that will have wargaming potential!
All the best,
Bob