Ingleton: Track and Wiring

While working on the Ingleton "practice plank" over the last few weeks, I tried to work towards bulletproof track and electrical continuity. I set as one of my goals for this small switching layout to run flawlessly whether as a switch job or a puzzle. 

As a first step, I prepped the two Peco Electrofrog switches by following what I now think of as a seven- step process first explored in an earlier post.  I find the Peco turnouts operate reliably and their powered frogs, whether using frog juicers or the toggle switches built into turnout motors, eliminate hiccups with locomotives running through the turnouts.  

In the photo, one of the turnouts, placed on the workbench, is ready for prep work. I ordered thinner (.032) solder before starting to see if I can improve my soldering technique. 

Steps in prepping Peco Electrofrog turnouts:

1. Snip jumper wires
2. Solder jumpers from point to stock rails
3. Solder feeder wire extension to frog
4. Check continuity of earlier steps
5. Trim tie spikes for rail joiners
6. Drill out the four dimples for track nails
7. Don't forget to use insulated joiners to isolate the frogs!

For the next step, cutting and fitting the track, I started with the two turnouts. After pinning them in place, I cut a small piece of flex track to size and trimmed off extra rails to fit rail joiners in place. Then I also started fitting the other pieces of track in place. I am finding that soldering the feeders under the rails before final installation of the track becomes easier the more I do it. I described the process in an earlier post in the section "Sequence is Important for Under the Track Feeder Usage." As I am using Atlas code 83 flex track, double checking the relative positioning of the rail and gap in the plastic between the ties is important when the track has a curve. 

Once I had all the track fitted into place, I soldered the rail joiners and the one feeder that I had forgotten. I soldered that one feeder under the track after the track was in place. Because of supply chain issues, I wasn't able to find the clear or gray caulk that I had planned to try as a track adhesive. My alternate plan included spiking the turnouts using the four holes that I had drilled with the pin vice in each turnout. I also used Weldbond adhesive for the ends of the longer pieces of track. We will see how that holds up, but initially I like using Weldbond as a track adhesive. After drying overnight, the shelf was ready to turn over onto sawhorses for wiring. 

I found working with the plank upside down on sawhorses so much easier than working under the benchwork -- a real incentive to build a layout in sections that can be worked on up on sawhorses or the work table. Having seen no long term issues with 3M suitcase or "insulation displacement connectors" in my previous layout, I continued with them. I did try a new technique (to me) of twisting the red and black 14 gauge bus wires together. I have read that NCE recommends doing this, and I thought I would try it here. Again, with working with small sections of benchwork at a time, it is not difficult to do. I marked where the shelf brackets will be with a sharpie, and connected the feeders and Tam Valley Frog Juicer with room around the bracket locations. 

After setting the shelf back in place and connecting the DCC system, I successfully ran the 0-6-0 locomotive through all the turnouts both forwards and in reverse. The track and wiring are complete, and it is time for me to start on scenery, structures, and rolling stock. 

Learning Points

• Slight curves and track not tangent to the benchwork adds to illusion of apparent length and realism

• Working in small benchwork sections makes some tasks much easier

• Starting with the most complicated trackwork, soldering the feeders under the rails, and fitting the track before soldering the joiners and attaching the track to the roadbed becomes easier with practice. 

• Addition of new new tools and techniques (.032 solder, bronze tip cleaner stand, higher quality wire strippers, twisting the bus wires) should improve the quality of my wiring

Starting Over Part Four: Decisions Revisited

 While continuing to unpack and organize my modeling workshop as well as make more progress on the Ingleton shelf, I have also been revisiting my thoughts on the larger Version 2 of the 4th Subdivision. Last week I put a PowerPoint presentation together to share at my old division's Thursday Modeling Night Zoom meeting. While the "vibe was not right" for sharing my presentation at that particular meeting, I will use it as a basis for this post. 

First of all, I have decided that the basement will be the location of my model railroad for a number of reasons. The ceiling height is fine; I can walk under the steam pipes and support beam easily without ducking. The basement has easy access with wide stairs directly up to a landing with either a door to the outside or a short, three-step winder continuing to the first floor. Not only is the basement cool in the summer, but with the boiler and steam pipes to the radiators to the rest of the house, comfortably warm in the winter. Looking back at the reflections on my former model railroad in the attic of our house in Meadville, the temperature extremes were a major issue that the new location in our Tobyhanna basement should ameliorate. On the other hand, the basement is not finished and moisture issues will have to be dealt with. Based on our experiences in September, the dehumidifier (including a possible second one) will be running continuously during the summer months. The basement has an existing moisture containment system that includes a "french drain" or miniature drainage canal system around the inside perimeter and a sump pit as well as a sump pump in the opposite corner. Because this system must be accessed, at least part of any model railroad design will need to be an island design rather than an around the walls plan. 

In my first attempts at creating a design for Version 2 of the 4th Subdivision, I am, if not following, at least influenced by Lance Mindheim's recent book, How To Design A Model Railroad, as well as concepts from Iain Rice from several of his model railroad planning books. One idea that I am definitely following is Mindheim's so-called "plan of attack" consisting of starting with the benchwork footprint and then selecting and overlaying a route type (point to point, continuous run, return loop pure or sincere versus folded lap, etc.) Only then does one start creating (or adapting from the protype) a schematic before overlaying it on the route and finally adding secondary track and details.  This final step is what is often thought of as track planning. Two Iain Rice concepts that I incorporated in all of my initial drafts were the importance of backdrops and the use of curvy edges rather than straight or square-cornered ones. In looking at these first drafts other ideas from Iain Rice clearly appear. 

First Plan: Proof of Concept

After making some rough measurements of the basement, my first plan was to check to see if an island plan as I had described it in a discussion at an earlier Thursday Night Zoom meeting might work. This plan includes mostly four foot aisleways with a few pinch points down to three feet in width. It follows a potential out and back or point to point route with no duck unders, liftouts, or cut offs from following the path of the train. The "proof of concept" plan suggest that a partial island track plan would work. In this example, the plan includes approximately eighty-five feet of run length and one module, the Green Rock section with turntable, moved from Meadville.

Second Plan: Include Return Loops

Drawing up a second benchwork footprint, I included the possibility of return loops for continuous running as an option. The location of the return loops is suggested in the drawing above by the curved black lines. In this option the central peninsula is shorter while the end of the run extends along the right in the image. Instead of using the existing turntable module, the option of a possible turnback loop and/or some hidden staging is provided at this end of the run. By adding continuous running to break in locomotives, having trains running for open house situations, or visitor (or my own) enjoyment creates additional opportunities. However additional complexities also arise. Return loops require more complex wiring and additional components with the need for polarity reversing and automation. To maintain the wide aisleways, a smaller 22" radius is suggested dropping below my already low 24" minimum radius. Another complication, much like the next option to be discussed, is that it does not incorporate any of the sections moved from our previous home. 

Third Plan: Inspired by Iain Rice

In unpacking and storing my collection of model railroad magazines, I came across MR's 43 Track Plans From the Experts from Fall 2011. In it I noticed a prescient article, "A Seaside Layout That Grows," describing Iain Rice's "Gulfport, Yarde, & Industry." First of all, Rice presents an approach very similar to the TOMA or one module approach suggested by Joe Fugate et al in Model Railroad Hobbyist. The Gulfport, Yarde & Industry presents Rice's suggestion to build one or two sections at a time. By building sectionally, he suggests that the first part can be operated as a stand alone with the addition of some simple staging. Then, as interests, available time, or space change additional sections can be added, moved, or combined. Secondly, as presented, Rice's layout drawing provided a model for my third benchwork footprint plan. This plan includes additional concepts from Iain Rice such as the cameo or shadowboxed diorama look and not just building the benchwork in sections, but including benchwork design as part of initial planning. The need for this is seen in the concept of grade/elevation change in order to overlap the unsceniced connector with sceniced sections.

While I am very intrigued by the notion of starting with a section or sections with a harbor scene, I think the next plan for version 2 that I will explore (at least on paper) should include more, if not all, of the sections brought from our former home. On the other hand, I suspect that the next post here will be an update to progress on the Ingleton shelf.