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Hey Rico - no, didn't make the show. I was out of town that weekend. I'm curious about how it went too because they combined it this year, did they not?
Hey Chris - no progress since my last update. I spent this past weekend shoveling and hosting the Grey Cup party, so didn't even look at the layout. I have also decided to wait it out for the Atlas Code 83 turnouts, so it may be 3 months before they are back in stock. In the meantime I need to work out the wiring schematic, and I also have a couple of kits to build, so that should keep me busy till Christmas anyway.....
I am starting to lay out the wiring for the layout, and I was wondering if I could get some opinions. I know I have 2 reverse loops, one on either side of the crossover. I have indicated in blue the sections of track that I think I will need to connect to an auto reverser (one for each reverse loop). Is this correct? Thanks in advance.
I think I can see it (I think). Takes a bit of working out and following the tracks around and remembering which way you were travelling to start with. Quite clever. Haven't a clue how it'll affect your wiring though.
I think you only have a reversing section sometimes. If both sets of switches are set normal(mainline an oval) or reversed(mainline a figure 8) there isn't the need for a reversing section. If one pair is normal and the other reversed, then you might need a reversing section or two. Bruce Chubb once made some modifications to Atlas's Granite Gorge & Northern layout by adding some crossovers, but the configuration he claimed didn't need reverse loop wiring, at least for analog DC.
Seeing as I am still waiting for track I thought I would start some wiring. I ordered up an NCE SB5, UTP panel and RJ12 cable for my PowerCab.
I located the SB5 on the shelf below the center module along with a power bar.
Here is the UTP panel mounted.
I used a couple of terminal strips to make a bus bar. The main bus wires from the SB5 come to here and split off to the North and South ends of the layout. I also bought two Digitrax AR1 reversing modules and installed them. Again, one is for the reverse loop on the North side and one is for the South. The bus wires for these are the white and green wires. All wires are 14AWG, except for the connections to the AR1's. These are 18AWG splices, as the terminal blocks on them will not take a 14AWG wire. I twisted the wires with my cordless drill.
I have considered Peco, but they are a little out of my price range and I already have a few Atlas. I have also designed everything with Atlas, so I am going to be patient and hope that if/when they do arrive that I can grab some before they sell out!
I will be in the 'Peg overnight. Not sure if its gonna happen this week or not, but gonna try to make it happen for Wednesday night. Got the long johns out here already...haha
Hope ya got yer layout done by then so we can run some trains LOL
I wish!! Been too damn busy snowblowing and shoveling. Just had another 5 inches of snow and high winds yesterday. If this keeps up it's going to be an ugly spring for flooding.
In the little spare time I have had I did manage to plot out the track plan in 1:1 and have started to transfer it to the layout. It's nice having a 36" wide plotter at work!