Thanks All! I wasn't expecting quite this response. Those little buttons are a pain, easy to get glue into the button, when trying to attach. And I certainly learned a lot about the wiring as I progressed down the journey (why I don't show the interior of the other panel with the card... the "middle" panel actually doesn't have a control board, it runs off boards from the other two panels - hence the Cat5 cable in the picture.) My big breakthrough was realizing not to try to connect directly to the flat ribbon cables, and have another connector/board, with thin wires running from there. Then, I needed to attach those boards (double sided foam tape).
Bob - the XpressNet certainly makes coordinating the panels and the rest of the system more complicated, but one could make it work with the NCE SwitchKats and a signal board. The trick would be running wires back from each SwitchKat to a DPDT button, so that you basically "push" two buttons at once: the Switch-Kat and (say) the SRC-16. The SRC16 controls the lights on the panel, and has to use track power, so that it also sees any DCC commands to the accessory address. I would assume there are other methods, but my cursory screening of XpressNet accessories today didn't find anything currently available.
The beginnings of my underground station As can be seen in my earlier pictures in this thread, I have a loop of my main encircling the roundhouse, going underground and crossing below the turntable leads. I did this so that I would have unimpeded views and access to the roundhouse/turntable, besides trying something "different". I started building the station platform this past weekend, and after one false start, put this together this evening. Still needs a couple of minor tweaks, and, after seeing the pictures of the new ElCap cars in PowerSteamGuy's JJJ&E thread, I'll need to lower the platform down another 2 millimeters, to ensure any of those ElCap cars can clear it. Such are the problems of not having a sufficiently long straight stretch to be the station. Once I get the height of the platform corrected, I will place a number of pillars in rows along the platforms, which will support the station roof and the resulting ground level scenery above, including a road. The "actual" station is where one is standing when entering the layout and looking at the roundhouse. Here we see the SP GS4 #4453 pulling the Morning Daylight in. The turntable and some storage tracks visible on left This view shows how I might have made the platform just a smidge too high I always like to play with depth of field
Looking through what will be the main viewing port onto the platform, from the "station". You can see the corner of the roundhouse in the upper right The platform is the 1/16" square tile style (or about 10" scale tiles). The pillars will be 1/4" (40" scale) square pillars, along with some bare I-beams. Haven't quite figured out stairs, etc. I will light the enclosed station with LEDs, which will come up from the rear of it. I will put a false wall of decorator stone about an inch in front of the dark brown wall, which will also cut down the depth of the rear platform. The unitrack bed will be painted a cement color, and rails weathered, with rust and grease stains on the cement. The flooring will be painted/washed to look grey with darkish flecks (1950s/60s standard public grade tiling) The Daylight pulling out These pictures really show how difficult it is to handle car lengths vs the radii of track in modelling, even using the 19" (481 mm) tracks here (I couldn't go with the 28" in this location). These cars still overhang too much - you need to leave huge gaps for clearance. (Next layout, my station will be on a straightaway -- but that is year's in the future.)
New Arrival! A new arrival to the JACALAR - the UP 2708 Heavy Mike wends its way towards the roundhouse and maintenance facility for detail installation and DCC conversion <shudder> Runs like a champ on DC - also need to add a traction driver and traction tires.
Platform colors I was testing out different colors for use on the station platform. Here we see tests of "Aged Concrete", "Dust" with some flecks of "SP Light Grey Lettering", and a mottled "Sand" with "SP Light Grey Lettering" and "Dust" washed over and then blotted. I like the mottled sand look the best. The second picture also shows the uncut full sheet of what will be the back wall of the station. I plan to do a weathering wash on it, so as to bring out the texture.
I was studying just that last night. Still makes me shudder - more surgery than I've done on any loco yet. (i paid for the GS4 tsunami install)
Rick: If you follow the photo's and transcript, the installation is easy. The hardest part is taking the locomotive apart and the photo's show this in the exact order it needs yo be done. Call me if you need more support. You have my phone number.
You'll do just fine. Bob's photos are priceless, but once you begin the work you'll find it's not as daunting as it sounds.
Thanks Mark and Bob. I don't expect to have problems (and yes, Bob, I will call if I run into any, I appreciate having your resource available), but a bit of fear and trepidation for a first time is good. If I go in too confident, I might rush it and screw something up. Will probably go for a "simple" decoder in this one, wait until I have some experience under my belt before stepping up to a Tsunami.
Thanks Raymond. I wanted to build something that was also easy to maintain and expand (I know, doesn't necessarily look like that), so that meant keeping things as modular as possible. Being able to fully disconnect the actual panel from the control cards was a prime design consideration, and led to the wiring. Creating the face of the panels was quite simple, using PowerPoint, and printing on transparency film.
I've been quitely following the progress on your layout and it is some incredible work. Can't wait to see the scenery and how it will look. (One of my favorite parts of modeling!) Keep up the great work, and thanks for sharing it all with us here on Trainboard!
Rick: Installing a micro Tsunami decoder or a ESU Micro Lok-Sound decoder isn't difficult. The only extra part is the speaker and there is just enough room for the decoder and speaker in the tender. The first decoder installation in a Kato Mikado should be in the one hour range.
Thanks Jerry - high praise coming from you. I've loved following your progress, too, especially as I know that area well. I'm going to take my time, and be extra careful on the scenery. I've always had a habit of being impatient and rushing, but I want the results to be as grand as my vision for the layout. As soon as I get the basics of the station platform and the ground level above it complete (hopefully this week), I'm going to switch gears and start on the mountain area. My plans for it are more formalized than the rest of the layout, so that will give me time to work on an area while finalizing how I want the rest to actually look. I've already placed an order with Canyon Creek Scenics for some tall mountain conifers, which will look fantastic next to my Donner Summit/Lake backdrop.
Pete, at Canyon Creek, responds quickly, however, it is pretty much a "build to order" operation, and the orders I placed over the holidays are being scheduled for May! No biggie for me timewise, but gives one an idea of the detail they put into their product. From the pictures, it will be well worth the wait.
