I really like your take on G&D, with a great plan. One suggestion: in the last photo, the crossover made from two #6 switches would be shorter with a doubletrack LH crossover. This would allow more room on the upper right track for loco and more railcars to serve the upper left siding. While the LHXO is constructed with the same overall geometry as two #4's, the LHXO is more reliable. And the controls (manual or electrical) for both switches in the XO are already unified.
Oh, absolutely. But I had originally planned just a single switch there, but when I realized I had two on hand, I modified the plan.
Also, there were used switches and the previous owner has cut the control wires. So it will be a simple step to solder them together for a single throw switch control at that end.
Still working on the terrain and found a binding spot [and eliminated it]. Drilled holes for wiring and am testing as I progress [so far, so good]. Getting the foundations for the terrain glued in, it is nice to see the beginnings of the shapes to come. Working on making sure the turnouts switch properly, next step is soldering the leads for the Fox Mesa passing track and running those wires. 0
Four more turnout controllers ordered, needed for the Upper Section and one existing controller that seems to be failing.
Just checking, but you can combine controls on turnout pairs: that form a crossover (must be coordinated, manually or otherwise) on mutually exclusive routes (e.g. immediately downstream from both routes of one turnout, and can be coordinated) You may have to swap control wire (red/black) polarity on some of the turnouts (if one has to be open when the other is closed, etc.), but that's pretty easy, especially if you have the pin/socket insertion/removal tool for their connectors. I posted quite a while ago about the tool; IIRC, it's the same tool used for some brand of battery battery pack connectors used in many RC cars, etc. Of course, if you are cutting off the connectors and soldering the wires, swapping connector pin locations is moot. My career in digital logic design taught me to identify common or mutually-exclusive controls, and optimize logic controlling them. Who knew it would come in handy for model railroad turnout controls?
Andy, thank you for telling this. I believe you were the one who told me of this when starting this project, and it is such a tremendous way to simplify the turnout controls on the passing tracks especially.
Oops, I know I've posted about it before, but couldn't remember where. Swapping pins on connectors is only necessary if you are using kato wye adapter cables to combine up to three switches on a single control. If your cutting and crimping/soldering the control wires anyway, swapping polarity is perhaps too easy.
The two remaining turnouts that will be run together will be the only soldering planned. And oh yes, I will test them to make sure they are properly connected, that would be too easy to make such a simple mistake.
Well the soldering went well and I now have functioning turnouts and their controllers. Went by the LHS yesterday while I was running errands and they were closed. Might try to go that way next week, hoping they will have a 2-6-0 running for me that is there for repair. Hopefully can "draft" my g'niece to help me pull some wires next week to finish off the wiring bird's nest. Nest wiring challenge is to start getting the feeders for the roundhouse and turntable.
Today just ran a couple of trains, overall the trackage is working well with a couple of spots that I suspect dirty track more than anything else. The Main lines are running smoothly, with the only spot of trouble is in the central yard area. Got all the wiring tucked under the layout now, so that improved the appearance of the place immensely. Not going to glue down the rest of the track until I know the gremlins are at least at bay.
Any day you run trains is a good day. Running trains for a while before gluing track is a time well spent. It not only helps you to find gremlins but is the best way to find out if the layout operates as you thought it would.
