Thanks for the feedback Massey. I liked it to from a simplicity standpoint. the issue I had with double lines was that there was no room for vehicles on right side without fouling the line, and that wouldn’t be very good from a modeling standpoint. This way I can run them down the median a la New Orleans. Also leaves option open for magnerail or similar one day. the ar1 can do it, it’s in their guideline on how to use... you just power both loops from throttle instead and it flips the main/single when trolleys are detected in the loops. But I like to do night/dusk running so they wouldn’t work for me with photo sensors.
I lost the instructions long ago... LOL What about using the median to park the cars? I dont remember where but I seen somewhere doing that with a light rail line running down the middle of the street but not leaving enough room on the sidewalk for cars to park, instead they parked in the median and had crosswalks managed by traffic lights ever block or so.
Second layer foam. Installed Servo actuated water columns instead of Bachman tank. Trolley throttle now has a headphone jack on throttle and module, so I can run an off the shelf 6 ft aux cable. painted 3 DPM kits Didn’t get as much done as I wanted to, but I got something done and that’s progress.
Last bit of work done before I had to put modules away so my wife could have her dining table back for the holidays. Was hoping USPS would finally get my Tomix insulated joiners delivered this week but looks like they are trapped in Ft. Worth. Idiots. They were here in El Paso at the hub last week, why they transshipped them to FtW hub from there I have no idea, but it means I can’t finish the trolley line track which means no terrain or scenic-ing until they do. So I did some testing on the water columns. Had a bad Servo, so replaced it, then remade the linkage for the water column because I needed to reverse the direction of rotation compared to Servo, wired the analog buttons for it to the SwitchPilot Servo. I do need an aux power supply for this module though. It freaks the DCC out when it has more than one Servo connected on power up. Still needs the other turnout Servo installed, the other water columns Servo installed, and the other 6 buttons wired in as well. But it is more complete than it was a month ago! Here’s a vid:
Ok I was able to build my modules tonight. So the doubles must have been cut with a brand new bit. They had like 0 fuzzies on them and required next to no sanding. The flip side though is the pieces didn’t lock together like normal. I only needed a hammer for one part of the module and that was it. Do there is tape on them keeping them tight. The single (not pictured) was typical had fuzzies everywhere and needed sanding. This module also needed the hammer, and no tape. I laid out the modules in their intended directions, so now I just need to start building the scenery. Enjoy and as always like and comment as you want.
Nice transition modules! I’m hoping my wife will let me buy more modules so I can make a full loop and run trains at home. what depth are yours here? 13”?
Ok so I had wired up my modules a while back with my own color scheme. It worked for me, but I wanted to use the official coloring. I found that the Anderson Power Poles actually come apart pretty easy so I went with black for the blue wire, and red (track 1) and yellow (track 2 & 3) for the white wires. I have my harness left to do, but I also changed that up a but feeding the #3 track directly off the #2 line at the module itself. Now I only need 2 lines for track power. So now my conundrum... do I put my DS64 with my module to switch the turnouts, or should I keep it at my interface station. If I put it in my module, it limits my use of it to just the station which needs 3 of the 4 channels. I should be able to power it with the DCC signal on track 1. Disadvantages here are not being able to use it at all if track 1 is in DC mode, and not being able to control the branchline. if I use it at the interface station, I can set it up to power 2 standard turnouts on the station set and the 2 turnouts on the branchline module. Or maybe I can set the 2 turnouts on the station module to function together as one so it frees up the channel for the crossover. Disadvantage, I still lack one channel for the crossover when wired up independent, and I doubt I will be using my interface station much in a club setting. So my interface module will basically be a box that has a couple switches that will allow me to change each track from DC or DCC and also a hookup in the front for the systems, it will prolly also hold a PM42 or something for power management. There will also be a short indication sensor. I’m debating on the DS64 still.
No one says you can’t run a flying lead to control a turnout Servo on an adjoining module. Not familiar with a ds64 but it sounds like it doesn’t have analog/ button control option if working on DC, and if you are running in a show setting on dc you probably wouldn’t be using the turnouts anyway... but isn’t front track always DCC if dc and DCC are mixed? if so, why not connect it to front track, let it control the turnouts on the rear track if needed? That way it doesn’t matter if running dc on rear, you’d still have DCC turnout control. Just an idea.
That’s my idea with the control of the DS64. with the Kato turnouts they have coils inside them so no servo needed. I don’t remember of the DS64 has analog capability but I do have analog switch controls if all else fails.
Not much of an update here. Just rebuilt my harness and modules to meet T-Trak standards. I’m still wired BWBW but that’s my clubs method so I’m good to go. I also created a “Y” harness for expanding my modules wiring so other modules.
After re-reading this entire thread for the 4-5th time, I’m still loving how randgust split the mains and hid one behind the sky board/ scenery, Arbos foam canyon and super detailing on mother road, but I keep coming back to my original idea of Santa Claus Beach on a matched pair of triples, with one front main making a large arc while reducing in elevation 2% grade to get down onto the beach itself, the other staying high/ normal and running at the back of the module where it can be hidden by hillocks. Ie something like this.
I believe OC Engineer JD did a similar scene on his layout. Although not T-Trak, it might be worth a browse through his older posts to see that work.
I like the idea of one train going "off scene" while the other stays on to make it look like a single track main in the area.
This will be much easier than I thought. finally found an over head view. The beach is straight not curved like I thought. https://www.dreamstime.com/santa-cl...alt-marsh-reserve-santa-claus-video160502179# now the question is, do I want to build Santa clause beach or that desolate cliff side single main curved track seen above.
That’s what I decided as well. Especially with the kitsch of the original 50s Santa clause village there. bought two 14” triples for the beach scene two 14” deep singles with sky boards and 4 rounded 16” corners from one of the two suppliers. they are the same ones I got 16” deep quad and double from in 2019. This way I can run 13” and 15” radius track for corners as that is the smallest that the ac12 can reasonably traverse. Will need to order some unitrack tomix ends and some more unitrack sections and extension cables from Mike Fifer but that will have to wait till I get modules here and assembled.
@Massey my dc autoreverser arrived finally from France. his diagram may make it more clear. I have off tomorrow so I may install it then and finally get to try out the trolley the way I’ve always envisioned it.
I could see this working just fine on the trolly line, but not so much on a larger layout where the entry to the loop is not always the same. In your case though the loops are not going to be changed the center part is doing the changing... but only one sensor... wont you need 2?
Exactly, just add a second sensor to the other loop in parallel to the first and hardwire the second loop also to throttle. Correct also that the entry always has to be the same so that the polarity will always work out. Not a problem with Tomix as they work as spring switches out of the box.
