If you are concerned about the DPDTs' obtrusiveness, you can move them out to the edge of the layout with a long throw wire like the one on the left. The tube is a swizzle stick.
I did the same with my underdeck yard from my HO scale layout I built in a shed. I didn't use switches on my switches but the Caboose ground throws. Same concept with the straws and wire though.
After having to take care of some other projects, started laying out the track on the ladder sections. Managed to realize that I miscounted the number of switches I needed, still have to make a couple more (was a pure transcription error when creating my build list). Spent most of the time this weekend futzing around with the ground level end plate PCB tie holders that I designed and printed. Affixing them to the end plates using JB Weld steel strengthened epoxy didn’t work; but simple Gel CA did. And then placing and gapping the 120 PCB ties along the interface of the two sections took a while, but now have a process which will help with the remaining. A few progress photos
Lookin' good !! Its getting juicy from where I am sitting!! Exciting too with all the hand made turnouts
Far beyond my skills. You have my respect! It looks very nice. I find it odd that ordinary gel CA did the trick when JB Weld didn't. That's mighty useful stuff!
These plates are so thin, the JB Weld epoxy created an unevenness as it dried (since it doesn't flow to an even layer). That made the PCB ties uneven. It held just fine, but what I needed was also as flat as possible
Well that makes more sense. When you said "didn't work", I assumed the adhesion wasn't what it should have been, not that it functioned, but wasn't optimal. Uneven ties would serve well for Rock Island or MILW track just before 1980....
Progress continues, slowly. I’ve got the wye interchange and the crossover for the first section out together, and everything fits as it should! In the upper left, you can see the dual crossover, fully assembled, for one of the other sections.
All 35 switches are hand built. The real fun was putting the different single ones together into this new maze of switches, without killing them.
I have not tried the N scale ones, but I have built a few HO scale switches. A friend of mine even built them linked together in a very compact but very reliable yard ladder. The entire ladder was one unit and about 8 branches total. It was a piece of art!!
This weekend, the tedious work of installing the next 72 end plate PCB tie holders along with the 360 ties that went in them. Finished mid-afternoon. The STL files for these plates can be found in the Resources section These are the roadbed level plates These are ground level plates, which can also be used to connect sections of track together
I finished that last 10 end plate tie holders, and installed the remaining 50 ties, then finished assembling all the “multi-switch” ladders and interchanges. It is now time to start actual laying of the track! This is the “east” entrance to the module (in photo, “east” is to the southwest, LOL). All switches are pinned into position, and he multi-switch interchange is just after the entrance this is the same section, from the other side. The double main is in the lower left, the ground level entrance to the yard ladder will follow the center line, and the alternate main is top right. The two large industrial buildings will be on the area to the upper right, while the lower left will be the commercially area. Since there will be buildings on both sides of this section, all switches will be actuated from below (tortoises, except for one bullfrog for that lone ground level industrial siding switch. Here we see the east end ladder, with the surrounding double main lines. The ladder is now one piece. These will all be manually operated switches, with dwarf signals showing switch positions. The is the “interior” straight section, with double set of crossovers. Operationally it will make sense for the crossovers to be on the alternate main, but this section is reversible. The crossovers will be actuated via tortoises, so that each crossover is always interlocked The west end of the module, with a “fan” ladder. The engine service facility is at ground level on the left. Since there is sufficient space for the switches in the fan, I have not yet joined them to to the rest of the yard entrance switches. The west section, from other direction. All switches are manual control, except for the crossover pair at the entrance to the service area
Yay, track is finally being laid on the new yard! This is the west end of the module. Entrance is at the bottom of photo. On the right will be a modern strip mall, with a Dairy Queen Grill and Chill in bottom right corner. There will be two industries on the left, the one in upper left will have a curved loading dock. this is the entrance to the module, with rails soldered to the end plate tie holders. Rails just need to trimmed at the end plate And here is the section after everything set Started on the connecting section, as well. Those 3D printed track spacers are working just as I had hoped. Makes keeping the track aligned very easy. Tomorrow will work on extending the ladder to the section ends.
Today’s progress: finished up the ladder tracks, got everything glued down and soldered, then put the first two sections together to check all the alignments (pretty good, just a few minor adjustments required). Track, prior to glue after glue, looking “east” (though in reality, more WSW, lol). Note the 3D printed track alignment guides, to ensure all the parallel tracks are 1.125” spacing. Looking the other way This end of the yard assembled (used the CalTrain coach to test crossing between sections)
The west entrance section is coming together nicely. Ran out of rail joiners, though. Waiting for an order I placed last week, so I guess I may start wiring the 3 sections if they don’t show up tomorrow. Ready for gluing. Have the 8 yard tracks to finish. glued and adjacent to the other ladder section. Still need to trim the rails at the end and solder to the PCB ties, but wanted to make sure everything lined up as it is supposed to (it does). From other direction This got delivered while I was working today, so if the track starts to get wobbly looking....
The yard is looking great so far. As for that other package you received, that will surely up the track laying challenge level