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Well its been a while since I had even gone in the train room, a critter had made a mess on the floor, so I mucked in and cleaned it all up - no damage to anything - but yuck!!
Figured while I was there I would clean the track down - suprising how dirty tracks get even when their not been used for a long while - So after an hour of hand cleaning I had both helix and the main loop cleaned so I pulled out of storage an old diesel, hooked up my track cleaner carriage and let it do 20 laps - to give the track a good polish - found some spots I missed along the way.
When I get it automated I should set it up to auto clean at night after a session????
It was good to be able to just turn the power on select my loco an off it went - I just love this hobby
Well, it's been a while since I last caught up.
Now retired my wife nudged me into the Train room and the dam burst and am now revisiting where I was up to.
The layout is still operational and now delving back into the DCC side of this and whilst the tech has updated, I am very lucky I had purchased most before my time away.
Catching up with the updated tech and how it will fit into my design is filling my nights. I am trying where possible to keep the same (BDL168's are getting rare, DS64's have just about disappeared). Working around the possible update to a Digitrax Evox as my throttle and additional booster.
I have just installed a draw under the layout to house this tech and because of need to rewire all my points motors (wires would be to short and I know I can do a better job of cable management)
There will be more to come
With the control draw build complete, next the actual layout of the components i have so far (see attach 1)
Mounted the BLD168's and the 2 DS64's (the remaining 4 x DS64's will be replaced with DS74's)
Did some Loconet cables and started wiring the BLD168's
And as you will see in attach 2 what a mess you can get into
Still working on the control draw, I surprised myself with the amount of wiring it has taken!!
Found some wiring design faults (me DOH) with the BLD168's and I removed the PSX4 as it was redundant because of the PM74.
This then led me to need another PM74 to accommodate 2 additional power districts.
Received the additional DS74's so was able to finish wiring to the terminal blocks, so pretty much the draw is finished except for the new PM74.
I have attached the Track Power and Block Detection drawing - Let me know if you see an error
Well how things change
I have completed all the wiring, of cause some minor but head scratching issues but worked through them and got all the tracks correct, all the point’s working.
Got trains running both manually and through Train Controller.
Now after a few months of running I was missing something, I come to the conclusion that the layout was “lacking” in something. Long story short I decided ( with she who shall be obeyed authority) to rebuild/build a new layout.
The new layout will be fitted into a 3m x 6m area in the Big Shed and am hoping to have the design completed within the next week. I am having help with the design as based on my current design I needed help.
A big undertaking but when you realise something isn’t quite right you can give up or forge ahead, I decided to forge ahead as now being retired I have time to do it right
Best to realize that now than to carry on and regret it later.
If possible keep it simple to start then add on when things are smoothed out.
We’ll be watching for updates!
I have committed to build my new layout and currently doing comparisons on point motors MTB, MP series, Tortoise, Cobalt and their controllers - DS74, DAC22 etc. - any advice would be greatly appreciated.
The layout as designed will have 78 sets of points over 100m of track and control by Train Controller.
The room size is 3.3 x 6m
I am planning benchwork to be 75x 19 pine with 9 or 12mm base board - not sure to go with foam or not, Track will be laid on WS track bed
