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: