Category Archives: Wiring

Finally working on my main Yard control panel

My Control panels will use Berretthill.com touch toggles for all the switch controls, uncouplers, and even room lights.

I started by taking a number of phone shots looking straight down on the area for the panel

Phone shots from overhead

Next I realized I would need to change the actual proportions of the area to fit a useful sized panel for the controls, done in Photoshop.

Area of panel compressed in Photoshop

I then traced the compressed photo composite, and smoothed things out

Part of tracing paper taken from compressed photos

Then I photographed the tracing and put it in Photoshop to do vector final track layout the width needed for the controls etc.

Starting to put track diagram on a photoshop layer above the tracing

This completed diagram will be printed out to size for the panel, and the touch toggles (seen below) will be attached to the back of the paper and will show through indicating direction

group of touch toggles in my hand.

Here is how they would work showing through the completed paper for the panel.

Light shows which way the switch is thrown.

Below is completed panel, ready to be printed out to size.

panel just about ready for printing

In a future post, after I get all the touch controls in place, I will put up a fully glowing panel.

 

Night about to come to the layout

About to install a 51 foot length of blue rope leds, which is just about right to do a single trace around the whole layout in from the front of the aisle.

Starting to see how I will install lights

Will use the blue lights and perhaps a string of Warm white dimmable rope lights, so I can adjust the balance between the blue and white.

Town in blue night light only

Addition of the white Dimmable light should give a night effect, but still be better able to see.

Back working on the layout

Back after a summer of visiting various railroad venues, and getting down to finishing trackwork. I am modifying Shinohara code 70 # 8 switches, to work on DCC.

I am using Micro engineering Code 70 flextrack and # 6 switches, but need some # 8s and also some # 4s on the logging branch, which ME does not offer. On the Shinoharas, I am changing to gapped PC board throw rods and  connecting the running rails and closure rails with wire jumpers soldered to the bottom of the rails.

Modified Shinohara #8 code 70 switch

Also cutting gaps in the rail on either side of the frog, filling the gaps with CA glued plastic, formed to fit, and soldering a wire to the frog rails underneath to connect to a Tortoise switch machine contacts as the switch is thrown to guard against shorting.

Switch frog modified

The Yard and Engine service

Another area that I am working on, both for operation reasons and for photography, is the yard and engine service area. Still have some final pieces to add to the concrete coaling tower, as well as definite weathering. This is the first of several structures to be completed for that area as well as track and signaling

Almost completed coaling tower

Also working on Sanding tower, water tower and stanchions, small sheds, as well as the switches and trackwork.

 

Wiring the movable access section part of the town for lighting

 

Using several kinds of lighting including woodland scenics Just Plug, strips of long reel leds

as well as some 12-16 volt incandescent Veissmann gas lamps.

Wires for town site

Wires for town site

Rigging bus bars and Just Plug light hub to a couple of mini plugs [added later) so the access section can be removed if needed with little trouble.

under the town section wiring in progress

under the town section wiring in progress