The JACALAR RR

River Canyon (pt 2)

More of the CZ next to my (needs lots of imagination right now) river

 

Lots of trains in yard

Here's my passenger fleet, staged in the yard, with locos ready to head out





ok- don't know what they're doing here....

 

More passenger trains pics

 

Just a few more









Next up -- installing decoders in the WP F3s, and then the control panels.

 

Thanks Mike, Mark and Nick. It was a fun day, actually running trains yesterday afternoon, after a brief foray into the retail world of between Thanksgiving and Christmas (something I usually avoid like the plague). Luckily, knew exactly what we needed and where, so was able to avoid the mobs.

Finally got the most recent JMRI software loaded on the "new" old laptop I will be using for Decoder Pro access, and started updating the rosters. Will also use Decoder Pro to help program the Team Digital SRC 16s which will be used in the control panels.

Installed the decoders into the F3s (minor problem with motor contacts and the boards, but a bit of foam tape solved that, temporarily, may need to add some solder), and they consisted nicely. Now to "pack up" the Alcos (since I need to receive them for Channukah, this Friday night).

 

Control Panels - Finally Making Progress

I finally was able to get started on the control panels this week. Expect to get them completed next week, during my vacation (of course, I still have reports to do, and calls to attend every day....)

The actual panel layouts were designed in PowerPoint, and I printed them on an HP DeskJet 970, using Transparency Film. I printed in "mirror image" mode, so that the printing is on the reverse side of the film. The film is mounted on 0.060" (for the small panels) or 0.080" (for the large panel) sheet styrene, and holes drilled for the switches and LEDs.

Here's what the base boxes look like. These will be mounted to the fascia, with holes drilled for the wires to come in through. Inside the boxes will be TeamDigital SRC 16s, connected to the LocoNet.



If you look carefully, I sloped the boxes, so that when mounted, the panel face will be tilted slightly upwards, rather than vertical.

Here's the back of the large panel, with the switches mounted. You can see the LED holes


Here are close ups of the switches that I am using





The large switch in this photo will be connected to the "bridge out" lights which will eventually be installed along the tracks.

 

Control Panels - pt 2

Here are the three panels, head on. Switches are installed, no LEDs, yet





The glue behind the transparency is not nearly as visible in person, as with the lighting for the photo

 

Close up of panel switches

Here's what those little button switches are like, coming through the panel

 

Panels are complete and installed!

Wow - that took a lot more work than I expected. I couldn't sit for too long, lots of fine soldering (which I don't really do finely), and a couple of false starts and resets. But, the panels are complete and operational as of today.

Here's a view of the main panel (in dim lighting, for effect)


Here's a far view of the panel for the town area


And here's the one which also controls the turnouts on the lift-out bridge. I messed this one up, and drew the non-bridge turnouts inverted (i.e., reversed the straight/diverging routes). Oh well, with the SRC16, not a problem - just changed the CV values, and everything is still correct.

 

Here's a long shot of the main panel, with the California Zephyr and the Morning Daylight ready to roll



And, for any techies - here is the interior of the main panel

 

Thanks Mark -- certainly wanted it to look spiffy. I've taken all my little flags down, numbering the turnouts, so I am now dependent on the panels.

 

Awesome!!!!