Nooksack: Wiring Complete and Checked

Since my last post I have checked off more from my to-do list with only one real hiccup.  

I moved the NCE DCC system to the shelf under the Nooksack Module. As the railroad grows, I will have four power districts, but the two NCE EB1s that I already have will be fine for now. The LED lights and the DCC system are all on a surge protector plugged into the new circuit in the basement. So, the railroad can be turned on with one switch. On the day that I set up the command station, I tested the track and had power to all the tracks. I also plugged in the Touch Toggles, and after adjusting the spring wire of the one turnout that I moved last spring, all the turnouts appeared to be working. 

The next day, I fit the Touch Toggles into the revised control panel, cleaned the track, and unpacked the throttles. Well, when I plugged in either of the throttles, the screen did not advance past the version, date, and time screen. After contacting some folks from my old NMRA division and exploring online, I replaced batteries without any better results. Finally, I unplugged the cable from the command station to the UTPs and plugged a throttle into the command station directly. Eureka, it worked. Troubleshooting the next day, I discovered that despite being "sure" that I had run the cab bus cables perfectly, I had actually plugged a cab bus cable into the wrong side of a UTP. With that correction made, I was back on track. Today, I ran a locomotive and a few cars around successfully. 

I have some track to prep and paint, and the masonite backdrops are ready to paint the sky color. However, I think that I need to prioritize a final plan for the east staging. One idea that I have already explored is to use the narrow, hollow-core door from our bathroom remodel. Do I want to learn how to wire through foam and hollow door? Or, do I want to use a technique that I am familiar with? I don't want to spend a lot of money for a temporary staging module, so the next question is, "What do I have on hand already?" That's not just for benchwork, but also track. Also, some of the big interrelated steps (operations, scenery, and structures) while in one-town mode need to move from notions to a plan!