Phase Two Modules In Place

 

Many of the initial next steps for the new module mentioned in my last post are now in place. I leveled, shimmed, and bolted this module to the Nooksack module. I drove a couple of screws through the L-girder ledger into the grid frame and bolted the one leg into place as well. In this photo, one can see a length of track that I fit onto the end of the module before soldering the track joiners. As the phase two modules make up a second power district, I left a gap between the rails at the module joint and attached this end of the DCC bus to a second circuit breaker.

Again, I mentioned a number of steps to take while the Ferndale Junction module was up on the sawhorse workbench in my last post. In this photo you can see those steps completed: bus wires flagged with correct colors, piano hinge installed, frog juicer attached, and all existing DCC and frog feeders connected. 

While not as firmly in place, the Ferndale Junction module is level and bolted to the adjacent new module. I have started working out the location for the turnouts for the run-around track, so I can install the roadbed. I want to focus on the roadbed and track for the run-around as well as track between these two newly installed modules in order to finalize the wiring enough to run some trial trains. I will need to make sure the two  turnouts on the new module are set up properly as well as the ones on the run-around. 

My intention is to add a bit of an extension to the benchwork here at the connection between the modules. The mainline will be curving away here to the left, and for phase two, I hope to attach my three-track unsceniced staging mini module here. This will require some additional template making and track planning. At the far end, I still need to finalize the drop down segment of the yard. It is hinged to ease future access to the well plumbing and tank.

Here at the far end with the drop down section, I will need to design a removable extension of the backdrop incorporating a curved or coved approach. That should be an "interesting" project! I also need to figure out how to hang the light fixture for this end. This area of the ceiling is a little different, so I don't have convenient furring strips from which to hang the fixture. 

I hope to continue with the level of enthusiasm and focus I have had recently in order to actually get the railroad back on track, the theme for 2026. I don't think a train has run in a year!

Phase Two Modules update

Once I installed the backdrop, some real progress on the modules is possible, and dare I say it, underway. My wife helped me, and we moved the new module into place on the L-girder ledger and up against the Nooksack section. We got it leveled and clamped it and its leg into place. 

Initial Next Steps For New Module

• Shim at ledger corner with Nooksack module
• Bolts at south end
• Holes drilled for DCC bus to attach to circuit breaker
• Double check level and bolt leg
• A couple of screws to attach to L-girder
• Complete mainline track to Nooksack module (gap at joint--new power district)
• Adjust tortoise music wire at turnouts for proper operation
• Double check electrical plan and connect DCC bus

Start Work on Ferndale Junction Module

With the new module up in place, we moved the Ferndale Junction modules to the temporary sawhorse workbench and clamped it up on its side. I hadn't noticed this before, but by turning the module around (the back is now the front) the wire color code is incorrect. My standard is for black to be out towards the aisle and red to be in towards the back of the benchwork. In this section that is reversed. 

I don't want to redo the wiring, but I do need to avoid future confusion with the wire colors. I will mark the wires with the correct colored tape. On inspection, I have several other steps that I can complete more easily while the modules are here on the workbench. 

• Use red and black electrical tape to mark the existing bus and feeder wires
• Install the frog juicer and connect green feeder wires
• Add a piano hinge to the joint between the two modules
• Add a Euro terminal strip to connect existing feeders to DCC bus at removed programming track switches

The plan for Ferndale Junction includes a fair amount of new trackwork. I will finalize that once it is in place. As I am not sure yet whether that will be a permanent or temporary placement, I might as well do what I can now!

Backdrop Underway for Phase Two

First coat of faded sky

While I found the backdrop for this new section to be a bit of a gumption trap, once I started, progress has been moving right along. With this part of the backdrop up and painting started, I can go ahead and install the new module. 

To be honest, the real gumption trap was getting the 1/8" hardboard. A 4 X 8 sheet doesn't fit in our car, so I have to get the big box store to cut it the long way. I finally went to the local Lowes, but they were out of 1/8" hardboard. So, about a week ago, my wife and I went to a Home Depot in a neighboring town and got a piece cut at my standard backdrop height of 30" (I then plan to use the 18" offcut as valance). This photo shows the piece clamped in place against the stud wall. 

The phase two modules expand past the stud wall as does this backdrop section, so I tried to come up with a way of supporting the loose flapping half of the hardboard. Ultimately the bottom will be attached to the Ferndale module, but I wanted to prevent the sheet from getting too wavy. In this photo, one can see the 2 X 2 glued along the edge and the support boards glued along the top and bottom of the half of this backdrop that, at least for now, will be just be loosely hanging, projecting out from the half attached to the stud wall. 

Before mounting the backdrop in place I applied two coats of primer to the back of the backdrop. Hardboard, an engineered panel made with compressed wood fibers, is very susceptible to humidity changes. I really should use one of the shellac based primers rather than a latex one as acrylic latex paint does not provide as much of a barrier to water vapor. I have acrylic primer on hand, and I much prefer water cleanup, so that is what I used. It has got to be better than nothing, right?

I attached the new panel to the stud wall with small panel nails. With the backdrop finally in place, I went ahead and mounted a four foot LED 4000K light over this section. I also applied fiberglass tape and two coats of mud at the seam between the new and existing backboard panels. This photo shows the seam after a final sanding, ready for the painting stage. I used what has become my standard technique of rolling the blue and brushing white primer along the bottom with the first coat results seen in the initial photo above.