Greetings everyone!
Success - at least preliminary good indications. I got the old turnout removed by sliding the joiners completely on to the old TO; unsoldered the pair of feeders; used the flexible putty knife to carefully break the caulk I use for adhesive; and lifted the old one off. So far so good.
Did some clean and prep for the new TO including carefully drilling out the throwbar hole in case I do want to connect the Caboose throw, and soldered on the frog feeder wire. Slid the joiners into place and put down new latex caulk, and carefully, with patience, a mild batch of colorful language, some motivational pep-talk, and finally got all six joiners attached and the to weighted down. Yay!
Will solder on the feeder wires and should be back in business. Also ready to wire up the program track that comes off the turntable by means of a on-off-on DPDT toggle. That should be fairly easy as I can solder all the wires to the switch at the workbench and connect to respective sources mechanically.
All this done by 1830 (6:30pm) and then to enjoy two bowls of homemade black-eye pea with collard greens soup for dinner and some telly before the missus returned from her dinner with the daughters at 2030.
Youngest dau, she who is declared legally blind, had an occupational therapy appointment yesterday morning. Wife and I went with her as we have learned the hard way that it is better to have at least two sets of ears hearing what medical professionals say, but only she was allowed back with her due to covid precautions. It is always emotionally hard for wife and I to confront just how bad her sight has become. But she is getting more and more help and remains fiercely independent. Hopefully within a year or so, she will be able to get a seeing eye dog. She would prefer a breed like a German Shepherd. Why you ask? Because it apparently is a thing that low-life scum who mug look at those using blind-canes as 'easy targets.' Now remember that I am in the "Fallen Human Nature" business, but hearing that really makes my blood boil.
Anyways - - busy day today. Dog to the vet and then to get my booster shot.
Steve J