Staying on Track: Nooksack Switch Control Redo

 

NP interchange, one of the new control touch toggles

In a post last fall, I discussed changing from a control panel to individual controls for the switch machines in the turnouts in and around Nooksack, thinking that it would be a more prototypical approach. In a post earlier this month, I mentioned actually getting on track by regularly spending time in the basement with the new switch control system as one of the potential projects. 

Having earlier removed the control panel and ordered "Mini-Cup Toggles" and "Extension Cables" from Barrett Hill Shop, the first step was to remove the "Direct Base" from the front of the fascia. As seen in the photo, I identified the bell wires coming from the different switch motors before disconnecting them. I also sketched a quick diagram of red and white wire order, so that the LEDs in the toggles would show green for mainline and red for diverging route when everything was completed. I went ahead and disconnected the wires labeling them by turnout number.

Remembering that the panel would be reversed when mounted on the back of the fascia, I reinstalled the wires from the Tortoise turnout motors to the "Direct Base." Then I reinstalled the unit, screwing it to the back of the benchwork 1" X 4" behind the fascia. As the fascia was pretty beat up and I didn't want to replace it, I resorted to spackle to plug the holes and otherwise smooth the damage from removing the control panel. Luckily, I was working on the railroad for a limited time, but regularly. Rewiring the base unit and testing took some time, as did waiting for the spackle to dry, sanding it, and later touching up the paint. 

As long as nothing was directly behind, I chose to drill the 1" holes lined up in front of the turnout throw bars. In a couple of cases, I had to veer a little off to clear an obstruction.  I also wanted a consistent level above the bottom of the fascia. After marking a point 2" above the bottom of the fascia with tape, I first drilled a small hole through the fascia and frame at that point. Then I used a 1" Forstner bit to drill the holes lining up the center point with the smaller hole. While the Forstner bits are more expensive and slower than spade bits, the holes are clean and accurate. 

In this photo, one can see the cup touch toggles as they come from Barrett Hill Shop. I also ordered some extension cables as the mini-cup toggles come with a relatively short three wire cable. Luckily I had calculated closely enough with the number of two and five foot extensions that I had ordered. When I first made my order, Kevin offered me a good deal on the mini-cups if I returned the original touch toggles from my control panels. He is very helpful, and has a reputation of working with folks to solve their problems.

 

 In this photo two of the Mini-Cup Toggles can be seen in place. Although I had one kerfuffle with the wires slipping out of their clamp in the base unit, with a little patience I was able to solve that problem. In doing so, I found another feature of the Direct Base. The blue wiring clamps actually slip off and on on posts, so I was able to reattach the wires easily rather than working in a really tight space behind the fascia. 

Looking at the original photo at the top of the post, one can see that the fascia there still needs some touch up. I will need to remove the fascia to complete the water and other scenery in that section, so I chose to not attach the toggle cups with acrylic caulk at this time. They are tight enough to stay in place, but can be easily removed for fascia touch up later. I also want to dress some of the cable wires, so they are more hidden from view. They are all working, so when we ever get the electrical work done, they are ready! 

Back On Track in 2026

 

My last few posts from 2025 discussed the railroad in the basement being on hiatus. One step towards getting back on track in 2026 consists of having model railroading itself not be on hiatus. No matter the status of the basement and still incomplete electrical work, I can spend time at the workbench. In this photo, I have mounted some 1/16th inch wood to the roof and started trimming some Bar Mills shingles to complete the roofing of the wooden warehouse. I initially started construction of this warehouse back in July, but work on it has been in fits and starts. Roof shingles and installing the windows should finish it.

Actually building the habit of spending at least ten or fifteen minutes most days is the first major step to getting back on track!

Looking back over my posts from 2025, a major issue and gumption trap stemmed from taking a one section at a time approach to prepping the basement as train space. Definitely connected to that were the 2025 sump pump failure and electrical work's glacial pace. Our electrician had family illness, hospitalization, and death causing delays, and I had hospitalizations as well. We still haven't gotten the planned work done. While the rolling stock and buildings are safely packed up, limiting what can be done, some work definitely can be done, either on the workbench or in other train room prep. 

Another step that I could take, now that the holidays are over, is to redo the switch controls as I discussed in an earlier post. I am pretty sure that I have everything that I need on hand. The work would largely be under the Nooksack benchwork, and the completion now would set me up for being able to actually run trains once the electrical project is finished. While working under the benchwork, I could also revisit my plans for revamping the DCC cab bus. The East Branch segment does not have a UTP panel.

Midwinter is an ideal time for model railroading and to get myself motivated. As noted above, I have projects to work on now, and I have projects to work on after the electrical work is done:

• Complete scenery in sections of the Nooksack and transition to East Branch areas.
• Paint walls and prep space for Phase Two of Nooksack.
• Revisit the Ingleton mini layout. 
• Organize storage and work on train room "presentation."

I've Gone Down a Rabbit Hole

 

Family vacation to Rockport, MA this fall

I have gone down a rabbit hole while construction of the 4th Subdivision remains on hiatus. Why it is on hiatus is a different topic. So, what is this rabbit hole of which I speak? Mainly it all revolves around my new fascination with HOn30. Over the past year, I started watching Thunder Mesa Studio, a YouTube channel; family vacations over the last decade have been to mid-coast Maine and coastal Massachusetts; and a recent Susquehanna Division membership meeting sucked me further down the rabbit hole.

Richard's modules

One member, Richard Clouser, brought some N-scale mini dioramas to the "member's showcase" portion of the November Susquehanna Division membership meeting. Some were official Mini-Dioramas, while others were built on scrap foam that still interlocked with the Kato Unitrack used in the mini dioramas. The link above will take you to a guidebook that explains the concept of using the mini dioramas to actively engage children in model railroading. I ordered some Kato 124mm straights and 183mm curves in narrow gauge, N gauge rail width but larger ties (52-120 and 52-220), thinking that I could play around with the format. I also discovered a Facebook Group -- N Scale Pocket Sized Modules. The key to all of these formats is to use 25mm thick (1 inch) insulation foam with a 1mm overhang of the Unitrack, so they all can interconnect. At our meeting's raffle, I won a pile of older Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazettes further enabling my descent.

Again, I have followed Dave Meek's Thunder Mesa Studio on YouTube for a while now. His focus is on mini-layouts, many set in the southwest, often narrow gauge and based on the imagineering of early Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm railroads. His more recent project is a more realistic HOn3 railroad. While his style is not really my cup of tea, his videos are entertaining, informative, and his modeling is top notch. He has created some On18 locos based on the Kato 11-109 mechanism that are kind of cool and affordable. One of the issues that I am discovering with HOn30 is that not much is made in that scale, at least in ready to run format. Another interesting aspect of his work is his art studio or gallery approach. When our electrician and I finally get together on finishing the work in the basement/train room, I am wondering about having several smaller railroads rather than growing my 4th Subdivision into phase four or five of TOMA development. I am definitely planning on revitalizing the Ingleton plank. We'll see what develops. . .

No. 9 at Alna on the W, W. & FR

In researching HOn30, again not a very popular scale, I came across a four-part article in an early seventies RMC: Thatcher's Inlet written by Bob Hayden and posted online. He developed the plans for this build after visiting the sea coasts of Maine and Massachusetts. Having visited similar spots on family vacations I found this article fascinating. HOn30 doesn't exactly match Maine two-foot narrow gauge, but it is close enough to interest me. When we visited the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway a few years ago, I picked up a book and took a lot of photos. A fair amount of information is available online as well. Fooling around with some simple narrow gauge mini-modules and/or sketching some ideas for a New England/Maine HOn30 harbor scene may scratch my itch enough that I can climb out of this rabbit hole.

Or, am I just digging myself deeper?

Research, Hiatus, and Next Steps

 

Sisal and static grass foundation

In my last post, I left off with the notion of researching apple orchards, and I found that a fair amount of information and images can be found on the internet. A good first overview can be found here. First of all, while it is not the center of the Washington state apple industry, the area I am modeling (Whatcom county around Ferndale), had apple orchards in the 1950s and continues to have apple orchards.  The scratchbuilt sisal foundations make a reasonable model of apple trees with the proper leaf color and the addition of apples themselves. Looking at a number of photos through different time periods, the addition of ladders, baskets, and boxes would add to the suggestion or appearance of apple orchard. I was not as successful finding appropriate apple picking figures in HO scale. Preiser has a set with figures, baskets, and a ladder. However, the clothing is not correct at all. Before I go too far with this, I should remember that I don't really have a plan for a location for an orchard, This is something to keep in mind for detailed planning in the future. An orchard scene fits the story I am trying to tell, and I should plan on including such a scene as I move into additional phases following my TOMA plans. 

As mentioned in the last post, I learned this sisal technique of scratchbuilding shrubs from a Boomer Diorama video. One of his thoughts on modeling vegetation such as trees and shrubs is to model a specific example. One that I might use is Pacific ninebark or Physocarpus capitatus. These sisal trunk and branch structures are appropriate. The ninebark grows to 12 -18 feet high which is just about what these first examples work out to. I would need to highlight the trunk with several colors and use lighter color leaves than my first samples. Also, the trunk, with its twisting strands appearing somewhat correct, should be fairly hidden by other shorter vegetation. As I plan to model August or September, the white flower clusters of the ninebark would be diminished and transitioning into smaller red/brown seed clusters. Pacific ninebark is native to the area and would be found along stream beds, so it would be a reasonable choice for the trestle scene outside of Nooksack. 

While I have successfully done some research, my plans to form the "at least a few minutes every day" habit has not been that successful. In fact, actual work has been on hiatus. After having a problematic echocardiogram stress test, I was scheduled for a heart catheterization procedure. That procedure, which revealed a blocked artery, transitioned into angioplasty and stent placement. TMI, but the scheduled electrical work has been delayed until I am able to assist with that project. I will soon be able to work with the electrician, and after those projects are complete I can return to prepping more train room space and modeling. 

Restart building a habit: on the workbench and a return to Nooksack:

• Make some Pacific ninebark
• Wooden warehouse
• Nooksack packing house, 15 steps continued
• Rolling stock projects
• Touch toggle cups install on Nooksack

Other next steps:

• Make some real headway on Nooksack
• Phase two of TOMA plans; a new module expanding scenery to the west
• Return to Ingleton as part of train room revitalization

Big Shrubs or Start of an Orchard?

 

Unintended result: apple trees!

While not everyday, but most days I have been working in the basement. One of the "habit forming" projects at the workbench that I mentioned in my last post was making shrubs with sisal rope. The process is outlined below. You can click on the photos to enlarge them and see details more clearly.

I rewatched a Boomer Diorama video on modeling shrubs, taking notes on his process. Once I had the notes and the materials on hand, I started the process thinking that I would explore making inexpensive shrubs and forming the habit of regularly spending time in the basement/trainroom. I had some sisal on hand from a well-used cat tower, several Noch leaf packets and a jar of matte medium from my tub of tree making supplies, and a packet of 12 mm static grass from a recent trip to Trains and Lanes hobby shop. 

The first step was to cut the sisal into two inch lengths before dipping one end into a 50/50 mixture of matte medium and water. The recommended dip into the mixture was one quarter of an inch. In hindsight, I probably went deeper than that, and I believe the thinned matte medium wicks a bit into the sisal fiber. The result needs to dry overnight (or at least for several hours). The next step is to untwist the unglued end and splay out the individual fibers.

Once the sisal fibers are fanned out, the next step is to turn them upside down, dipping them into more of the 50/50 mixture of matte medium, and sprinkling/dabbing on the 12mm static grass. A couple of notes here from the video and my experience: Lay the wet pieces out on wax paper to dry. Use old yogurt cups for mixing and dipping. Save the 50/50 mixture in capped medicine bottles. Wash goopy hands before the matte medium starts to dry, as it dries almost as tightly and hard to remove as super glue. 

After letting my sample shrubs dry overnight, the next step was to "massage" the branches allowing the loose static fibers to fall off. Then the dipping and sprinkling was repeated a second time. After drying, the branches were again "massaged" to remove any lose fibers. One recommended step that I omitted was a third application with 7mm static grass. In this photo, the trunks and branches have been painted with two camouflage rattle can colors, a dark grey/brown from underneath and a much lighter tan from above. 

The final step is to add leaves. In my case, I used Noch medium green leaves. I also have some light green, but I wanted to see what these would look like. For applying the leaves, full strength matte medium is used. Instead of dipping the branches, I followed the recommended process of dabbing full strength matte medium onto sections of the branch structure with a stiff brush. Then, I sprinkled on the leaves. The goal is to apply leaves to the smaller branches without clumping them onto thicker branches or the trunk. 

As seen in this photo, these sisal models make nicely detailed foliage when they are positioned horizontally or with the trunk hidden. They could represent large shrubs or a small tree. While they take some time and effort, their expense is minimal (compared to some commercial shrubs). The few that I have completed could have some drybrushing done to the trunks and some trimming done of an occasional stray fiber as a final step. After researching what large shrubs that I might model, I could fine tune the paint color and airbrush instead of using rattle cans. I could also attempt to adapt my technique to avoid the large groups of sisal fiber reforming and creating thicker branches than I would prefer. 

Looking at the opening photo, the sisal treees as modeled could easily represent apple or other fruit trees with both their size and appearance. This unintended result is making me think that an orchard scene would be an interesting addition to my plans for the model railroad. Afterall, a fruit and produce packing house is one of my current structure projects, and having an orchard represented in the vicinity would reinforce the story. In cursery online research I found a contemporary orchard in Lynden that also has an orchard in Ferndale. With more research I could identify orchard details to represent in such a scene. 

A Restart and Building a Habit

Having returned from a family vacation and seeing the arrival of fall, I am trying to get a fresh start on model railroading. Throughout 2025, the state of the basement has been a gumption trap, and as one of my Susquehanna Division buddies said the other day, "the key to progress starts by just getting down to the basement." We are meeting with our electrician again this week to finalize the plan which includes a switched circuit for lighting for the railroad, a switched circuit and light fixtures for general basement lighting, and updating several other circuits in the basement. This has motivated (i.e. forced) me to begin the process of cleaning out clutter in the basement and to move rolling stock and structures off the existing benchwork to prepare for work to be done directly overhead.

A recent Jason Jensen video also mentioned a technique for making progress. He points to forming a habit of spending time in the train room or at the modeling bench every day. In his view forming the habit is more important than accomplishing specific tasks. I have been trying to do just that, spend some time every day.  

For the most part, I have focused on work on the "basement to train room" transition. However, I have several workbench projects I can also consider in my habit forming quest. One is to continue with the wooden warehouse project that I started months ago. The other is to make some shrubs using a technique from a Boomer Diorama video that I watched. I have the basic materials on hand, and it is a project that breaks down into a series of short steps with drying time in-between. It would be a good project for my attempts to build the daily habit!  

Moving backwards?

 

The TOMA phase one, Nooksack, is moving backwards rather than forwards. Here in this snapshot from earlier this year, one can see the control panel that operated the turnouts. In real life, the spur and passing tracks would not have been part of an interlocking. The switches would be thrown by the train crew. I feel the need to make a change to better model the railroading/operating process. 

Also, we are planning to have some more electrical work done in the basement. To facilitate that I have started packing up rolling stock, locomotives, and structures for safety while work is to be done above the layout.  We are hoping to add or replace several circuits. One is specifically for the model railroad's lighting, and others are for the infrastructure of our home. In either case, some existing wiring and fixtures will be removed and/or added over the model railroad. I am hopeful that prepping for and improving the electrical work will inspire additional upgrades of the basement ambiance. 

As mentioned above, I recently went down the rabbit hole of questioning why I was using a control panel for Nooksack. I like the touch toggles in the control panel, but it appears to represent the model board of an interlocking. In my operations scheme and limited experience operating on other railroads, using a control panel like this does not realistically duplicate the actions taken by the train crew of a local switching crew. I explored how to use the existing touch toggles to craft homemade individual turnout controls, going so far as collecting water bottles to follow a procedure suggested by Gerry Leone for using the top of the water bottles to create a cup for each location. I realized this method would not work on my thicker fascia, so I turned to Berritt Hill, the makers of touch toggles for their Mini-Cup Toggles. In my rabbit hole exploration enthusiasm I ordered the parts, but I will need to hold off for now to focus on clearing out all clutter and finalizing the details of our upcoming electrical work.  

Not only has work slowed down, it is being undone. The turnout controls will need to be redone to better align with my operations scheme. Not only did I make a mistake with that choice, but the larger mistake (not finishing the layout space prep, before starting the railroad) continues to haunt me.