TOMA Phase One: Three Quick Updates

 1. Track Down and Wiring Complete on East Staging

Track down and ready to connect to the DCC bus extension

With my procedures for prepping the turnouts and soldering feeders under the rails, laying track and electrical work are interwoven rather than two sequenced steps. I have written about this process before, and it really does become easier after doing it multiple times. 

I did have one frustrating stumbling block that illustrates what I think of as the difference between remodeling and new construction. In fitting the new flex track into the glued down (well, technically latex caulked down) spur and mainline track, I had to peel up the existing ends and fit it to the new track. Track nails do not hold in the foam insulation board, and I did not want to be trying to adjust track on wet caulk. I should have worked from the existing spur track ends towards the new turnout instead of my standard procedure of working outward from the turnout. Adding to my frustration was the realization that I only had three Micro Engineering code 83 insulated rail joiners which fit nicely onto Peco turnouts, but are a bear to slip onto the Atlas flex track. Well, I almost immediately lost the third "spare" joiner into the ether as it flew off the end of a rail as I tried to force it on. While I had filed the ends of the rail, I had not made sure to have enough joiners on hand. I ultimately got the track installed with the last two insulated joiners. Must. Order. More.

The next day, the notion that "model railroading is fun" actually lived up to its reputation as the DCC bus extension, feeder drop connections, and Tam Valley Frog Juicer all wired up smoothly even though I was working under the layout. Having the right tools and materials on hand and having experience using them certainly makes things go smoother. I cleaned the rails and ran a loco over the new work. It ran smoothly, so I went ahead and soldered rail joiners. Again I cleaned the rails and ran a loco. It also ran smoothly. As I have a couple of sections of new (unpainted) track on the Nooksack module, I decided to run some experimental ops over the whole TOMA Phase One (Nooksack, trestle scene, and both staging sections) before breaking out the airbrush for final track painting.

2. First Operations Session

Having unpacked my Alco RS3 #229, I set up a west run of a freight extra from the, as yet unnamed, east staging. Using a switch list to organize the work, I arranged for pick ups and drop offs at the NP interchange, pick ups and drop offs at the trailing point switches in Nooksack, and some cars to continue on to Ferndale (in the west staging.) Using the switch list to list cars to be picked up and dropped off worked well. However, after almost immediately realizing that the Nooksack track had not been used or cleaned recently and that I hadn't cleaned the wheels of the RS3 since before packing it to move in 2021, I took a break to clean wheels and track. I thoroughly enjoyed doing some switching work, guided by just a switch list. I think that the process would work well with a second person, breaking the tasks up between engineer and conductor. 

I did jot down some steps to take to improve the experience, either just running solo or adding another person or two. Either labeled placeholder mockups of the industries or just labels to identify industries or spots in Nooksack are needed. The tape holding the lighted toggle switches in the control panel is not working consistently and needs to be replaced. Finally, make sure that locomotive wheels and all rail are clean before the session! 

#229 turned and ready to make up an east bound extra from the west staging

3. Freight Car Roster Update

While looking through boxes of railroad stuff in search of my locomotives I found the kits and ready to run rolling stock that I intend to add to my roster for the initial TOMA layout. I will have enough freight rolling stock to represent a reasonable mix of kinds of cars, railroads, and regional origin. The thirty-one car total should be more than enough to run, allowing for variety, and the total should allow for appropriate car flow at the proposed industries. 

I haven't really thought about my locomotive, passenger car, or caboose roster at this point. I have several locomotives that need decoder upgrades and all my locos other than #229 need some weathering. Both of those factors are potential gumption traps for me. To move beyond simple switching and just one train I will need to move beyond fear of failure and at least do some simple weathering and attempt a hard wired decoder install! Or not, and focus on structure and scenery work while enjoying some solo switching with what is there now.

Current Freight Car Roster with Railroad highlighted on cars weathered and at standard:

East Staging: Fixing the "Mistake"

Extension ready for track work and wiring

In a post from last month I discussed the possibility of adding an extension to the sceniced staging to provide a siding with run-around capability, stick to a more prototypical plan to GN practice, and create a coved end with the backdrop. After several weeks of indecision, I decided to go ahead and add the extension. Yes, this is temporary staging, but it will have a use through several iterations of TOMA section additions. Making the decision, I committed to working on the railroad pretty much every day, even if it is only for 15 minutes. 

Step One: I drew up a tentative track plan and scale construction plans for the 11 3/4" X 24" open grid benchwork. I made a cut list and cut the pieces and assembled the benchwork with wood glue and 1 1/4" brads using  1" X 3" and 1/2" plywood from stock I had on hand. With the wood shop finally set up out in the garage, it was a fairly easy project with the miter saw and brad nailer ready to go. 

Double checking before assembly on the workbench

Step Two: Using a 2" X 2" leg from my previous railroad as a pedestal, I clamped the extension into place. Experimenting with code 83 track and a Peco switch I had on hand, I laid out and marked the switch location and track center lines. Deciding to use cork roadbed here, I adjusted the height of the benchwork and carefully lag screwed it into place securely attached to the hollow-core door benchwork. I bolted the leg into place, although when I eventually move this staging to another location I will replace it with a narrow pair of legs. 

Benchwork clamped in place and marking the finalized track plan

Step Three: Wanting to experiment with a coved end to the backdrop here, I found an existing piece of hardboard that I had used for a corner of my "U" shaped previous layout. Using the notch cut from the bottom of the backdrop for the corner, I clamped the piece in place and marked where to cut it to create the end. Both that end and the joint with the existing backdrop are held in place by a wooden brace or corner trim screwed into the benchwork frame. 

Fitting the corner backdrop before finalizing the end cut

Step Four: Once the backdrop was in place, screwed into the frame along the back and tucked into the corner brace and trim piece, my next step was to tape and mud the joint and fit the cork. In the photo below, the first coat of mud has been applied and the cork has been cut, glued into place, and tacked down until the glue dries. 

Cork glued down and mudding started

Step Five: as seen in this post's opening photo, I painted the sky and plywood today. While I had the sky blue paint out today, I finished painting the yellow spray foam on the west wall seen unpainted in the previous photo.

Next Steps: I need to prep the switch, solder feeder drops and install the track, extend the DCC bus line, and after wiring and installing the track set up the airbrush and paint the track in order to catch the "fix" up with the rest of this sceniced staging.