Wiring Updates on Nooksack TOMA project

Wiring diagram for Nooksack

Spending some time with the Nooksack modules, particularly dropping new feeders for the track, I have been thinking about my approach to wiring for the railroad in general. First of all, I really appreciate how the TOMA approach allows me to wire without crawling around under the railroad. Beyond that, electrical work such as wiring a model railroad is not an aspect of the hobby with which I came with a lot of experience. Continued skill building is a goal for me. So, I will discuss three phases (electrical pun!) of wiring updates and skill building in this post. I continue to deal with attempting to improve my soldering skills with notoriously shaky hands. I find I am revisiting the electrical standards that I initially established for the Meadville attic model railroad.  The most recent consideration is proactively thinking about the NMRA AP and how it can be a guide to improvement in range of skills. 

Soldering with Shaky Hands

I wrote about improving my skills for bulletproof track and electrical work on my initial practice plank in an earlier post. Complicating my desire to improve my soldering and wiring skills, my always shaky hands are getting worse as I age. In the photo seen here, I displayed the tools that I used in soldering feeders to several sections of revised track. I find that the more that I can stabilize the items that I am soldering the easier it is to get a quick and clean connection. I added locking tweezers and adjustable clamps to the collection to do just that. Pre-tinning the items to be soldered, making sure that they are "clean" (hence the addition of the scratch brush to polish the rail) before tinning, and using thinner solder all help as well. Clamping down my badly balanced soldering iron stand and using higher quality wire strippers make the process move efficiently and allow me to approach the task calmly and more confidently. Another subtle change to my approach is to attempt to set everything up so that I can solidly rest my forearms on a surface to pivot my hands holding the iron and solder into position. Soldering is still not my forte, but I am improving. 

Electrical Standards for the DCC Bus Revisited

Early on with the Meadville attic railroad, I set up some wiring standards as seen in this post from 2015. I have not changed them much, but I want to restate them as I begin the newest version of the 4th Subdivision.

1. DCC bus will be #14 gauge Red and Black wire.
2. Track polarity will be Black "out" or towards the aisle.
3. Track feeders will be #22 Red and Black with new applications soldered under the rail. 
4. Feeder connections will be suitcase connectors (3M "Scotchloc" IDC 905).
5. Bus connections between modules will be Eurostyle terminal strips
6. As I establish power districts, some standards may vary. Longer DCC bus wires may be #12 twisted red and black. Screw type barrier strip terminal blocks with soldered spade lugs may be utilized. 

NMRA Achievement Program: Model Railroad Engineer--Electrical

While I am not positive I will actually attempt the AP Electrical, it provides guidelines and structure for improving skills and doing solid work. In addition to proactively documenting in case I may choose to attempt it, having good records in case of the need for troubleshooting in the future is solid practice. In addition to using this blog, I may create a binder really focused on the AP electrical guidelines. Without going too far into the weeds with the AP here, two areas that Nooksack meets are Section D: Propulsion circuitry diagram of section A and Section B. 1. Turnout. The diagram shown at the beginning of this post is a first step towards diagraming the the "Propulsion Circuitry" of the entire railroad. 

Section B of the requirements includes wiring and demonstrating three of a number of items including turnouts. The Nooksack modules have seven Peco Elecctrofrog turnouts. In the photo of one upside down seen here, the steps I took to prep the turnouts to have powered frogs can be identified. I clipped the two wire jumpers and used insulated rail joiners to insure that the powered frog was properly gapped. 

At the same time, I soldered jumpers between the closure rails and stock rails. I also soldered a green feeder to the underside of the now isolated frog area, assuming that I remember to use insulated rail joiners at the point rails when installing the turnout. 

In the schematic seen here, one can follow how the green frog feeder wire is routed to the SPDT switch in the Tortoise by Circuitron switch machine used in the Nooksack modules. When the switch machine is thrown, the internal SPDT changes the polarity of the frog. One aspect of wiring the Peco turnouts in this manner is that the wire spring in the actual switch must be removed. Because the spring changes the speed at which the turnout is thrown by the motor versus the speed of the SPDT switch changing the polarity of the frog, a short is likely to happen with the wire spring left in place. 

This schematic drawing is also needed as a supplement to the "Propulsion Circuitry" diagram seen earlier. In that diagram, the gaps and switches needed for the powered frogs are represented by the shorthand green rectangles which in turn are shown in more detail in this schematic. 

Now, instead of explaining, writing, and drawing, it is time to talk my wife into helping me spin the modules one more time and connect the new feeders to the bus wires and call the propulsion wiring on Nooksack finalized. 

Staging Plan for Nooksack TOMA

Initial track plans for Nooksack temporary staging

 In my last post while setting a goal of the end of January for the Nooksack sections to be in place, I put several other aspects off to the near future. That was somewhat of an oversimplification. The staging planned for Nooksack, the first TOMA section of the 4th Subdivision, is definitely tied into  the wiring I am finalizing on the underside of Nooksack while up on the sawhorses. This post describes what I have come up with for the initial plan for staging. 

On the west end I will employ an existing fold-down staging module that we moved from Meadville. Seen in the photo to the left, it is admittedly small at 6 1/2" X 47." The three track section utilizes Peco Insulfrog turnouts and is powered by a phono plug. While not an ideal solution, it is by definition "temporary" staging. I have it. It is ready to install. While it will be the first to replace moving forward as it is too small, not really providing an adequate train length, it will allow me to get Nooksack up and running as well as moving forward with structures and scenery in the TOMA "methodology." As the 4th Subdivision plan grows, I may later use it in its fold-down mode at the far eastern end of the line providing a staged link  to a logging railroad.

On the other hand, on the east end of Nooksack I am planning a larger and potentially sceniced staging section. While it will also be temporary, I envision it as being viable for a longer period of time and reusable later as the the railroad grows. My initial plan (seen at the beginning of the post) is based on a narrow hollow-core closet door we removed in our recent bathroom renovations. That door is 11 3/4" X 80" which will allow me to make sure that at least one track meets my "logical lineal" standards. (The increased passing track length at Nooksack allows for a longer train length which in turn needs to be matched with yard tracks and spaces between active switching.) 

Straightening the curve at the east end

I don't have the benchwork plans finalized for the door yet, but I am sure enough of the concept that I can make some tweaks to the Nooksack module end now, before installing it, so Nooksack will be ready. The photo shows my alteration of the track at the east end of the Nooksack modules. 

Now that I have a plan for the staging,  I can complete the new feeder drops at the ends of the Nooksack modules. Then, along with some backdrop and lighting prep and installation, I will be ready for Nooksack to slide into place. 

Nooksack To-Do List Part 2

 

Nooksack modules on edge on sawhorses

We are into a new year, traditionally a time to re-evaluate goals. A major point of the TOMA approach is to complete a section of model railroad in a timely manner. So one goal is to get moving on Nooksack, the first phase of the 4th Subdivision. Between the basement issues and the holidays, I hit a definite slowdown. Yesterday, Renee helped me lower the sawhorses and bolt on the small bridge module. While up on the sawhorses I can continue finalizing the DCC bus and feeders as well as the switch machine wiring without crawling around on the concrete floor. I might as well install the UTP cab bus panels and run the cab bus now as well. With just a few more hours of work the Nooksack modules will be ready to move into place. 

One of the basement issues, the slow leak in the water pipe over one of the staging locations, was finally repaired. I do have a little more prep work before installing backdrops behind the modules or setting up the DCC in the new location. I am hoping to have the benchwork in place, the backdrops installed, and the wiring to the track operational by the end of January. 

At that point I can move onto the next steps: staging, lighting, scenery and structures, rolling stock, and operations plans. I have some notions for all of these, if not specific detailed plans. Another of my goals (note the reluctance to use the term resolutions) is to post here more frequently . . . perhaps average three times a month rather than two. As I work on these next steps, I will have much to document. 

To-Do List: Nooksack TOMA

Well, the basement issues mentioned in my last post are still unresolved and have turned into a huge gumption trap (see my post from last February) that has set me into a huge unproductive funk. One of the solutions to gumption traps mentioned in that post is Jack Burgess's suggestion to commit to actual work on the railroad for fifteen or thirty minutes everyday. With my wife's help today, we took down the Nooksack ten-foot section and set it up on sawhorses behind my workbench. I have power to the workbench, so I can rig up some lighting to actually work on the Nooksack section. Hopefully incremental progress on the railroad will lead to incremental improvement to my mental state!

Small Steps To-Do List:

• Module down and on sawhorses
• Reinstall Tortoise for longer passing track turnout
• Check for and add feeder drops as needed
• Connect all drops to DCC Bus
• Install UTP cab bus panels
• Bolt on the small bridge module
• All electrical connections finalized
• Finalize planning and start installation of . . .
• Backdrop
• Lighting
• Valance
• Modules returned and in place!
• Control panel and touch toggles installed
• DCC moved and set up

I also have some not so small steps to work out, but I want to try to get back into a more productive and satisfying mode by making progress with these tasks. Let's hope my next post highlights some more of these steps completed. 

One Task Done, Gumption Traps Revisited, and a To-Do List

Draft train bulletin for initial Nooksack TOMA operations

As mentioned in a previous post, my initial operations notion is to have Nooksack in yard limit rule with a train bulletin posted for the scheduled first class passenger train or trains. I spent a morning at the computer researching some original Great Northern train bulletins and then drafting one in Word. I found Copperplate Graphic Bold to be a reasonable font to duplicate the look of the few GN wooden train bulletins that I found photos of online. My paper version (seen above) is a cross between the one I saw at Tony Koester's railroad and the actual GN ones. 

Several issues have popped up in the train room (aka the basement) that have blocked my gumption to work on the initial Nooksack section of the 4th Subdivision. During a first fall cold spell our furnace stopped working. In going down to the basement that chilly morning, I also noted that the lights were not coming on. I, of course, thought (assumed) the two issues were related. Well, our HVAC folks reminded me that coincidence and causality are not the same! They also reminded me that our oil-fired steam radiator boiler needs yearly maintenance to work efficiently or even work at all. So, with the combustion chamber cleaned of carbon soot, oil filter changed, nozzle cleaned or replaced, and combustion analyzed we were good to go, but with the unrelated short in one of the original basement circuits still there (but where?), that breaker remained off. Our task is to sort out the rat's nest of that circuit to tackle the issue of no lights in the main part of the basement. The new circuit for the railroad and workbench are working just fine, but the basement in general is dark.

Also, during this time my wife and I have been working on our main bathroom with several sets of contractors here for a new tile floor, new shower, and new fixtures. We have tackled wallpaper removal, a little bit of drywall and mudding, and painting. Somewhere in the process, a leak in the water supply line in the basement developed right over one of the initial, temporary staging locations for Nooksack. The first attempt to fix said leak did not last and I am waiting for a phone call to schedule a return of the plumber as I write this. 

Nooksack up temporarily to check location and plan backdrop height

Next Steps, To-Do List:

• Basement Prep
• Fix or replace shorted circuit
• Solve dripping leak
• Paint more east wall
• Remove "bar" wall
• "Ceiling" over benchwork?
• Paint floor?
• Take Down "Nooksack" section
• Set it up on sawhorses
• Switch-motor replacement 
• Other wiring
• Purchase 1/8 inch hardboard and cut to 30" & 18" for backdrop and valance
• Rolling stock to standard
• Structure plans and builds
• Staging plans and builds

 

Inspiration Continued

It has been just over a week since I returned from attending the Mid-Atlantic RPM 2022 (MARPM) in the Baltimore area. As the summer worked its way into fall I had to finally decide whether to attend MARPM or the Mid Eastern Regional convention in North Carolina the following week. Besides the significantly closer location, I chose the MARPM largely because of the opportunity to visit some "bucket list" model railroads and to meet (or at least see) some of the authors of blogs that I regularly read. 

Paul Dolkos's Baltimore Harbor

MARPM 2022 provided excellent clinics, a chance to see some excellent modeling, and the opportunity to visit some outstanding model railroads. The clinics and tours proved helpful in being able to add visuals to my backdrop clinic and fine-tune some of my planning notions. Perhaps the most practical takeaway was taking photos (with permission) at several railroad tours that I will be able to utilize to illustrate techniques mentioned in my backdrop clinic. In addition to inspiring me to improve my somewhat dog-eared clinic, the addition of the visuals may inspire future viewers to try the techniques. 

Visible and sceniced staging on Mat Thompson's Oregon Coast

Among the clinics at this year's MARPM, one appeared to fill a niche in my long range planning for the 4th Subdivision.  In what appeared to be a last minute addition to the clinic list, Travers Stavac presented a version of the Layout Design SIG's clinic called Make Only New Mistakes. He gave an overview of a recommended approach to designing a model railroad. I gathered several ideas from that clinic. First of all, their approach is to flip the priorities from a "normal" approach starting with detailed track planning to one with conceptual planning getting the biggest slice of attention while details get the least initial attention with a structural segment holding down the middle.  One suggestion for the important conceptual segment is to develop a "plumb line" or short written concept/vision statement that captures the intended purpose, theme, and personality of the railroad. All design decisions should not stray far from this so-called plumb line. A couple of concepts from the structural segment include basing design on signature traffic and/or signature scenes as well as developing "savvy standards." Finally, from the details segment a concept that stuck with me is having "logical lineals." In short, this means that the lengths of trains, passing tracks, yard tracks, and spaces between active switching are all interrelated. 

Clinics and tours also provided reinforcement for a notion central to my planning the 4th Subdivision. Paul Dolkos presented a clinic on staging that suggested that staging should be accessible, if not visible at least not be a "dark hole." He showed an example (Chuck Hitchcock's Ottawa Junction) of a recent track and operations plan with the staging as a visible part of the railroad. In addition he presented a series of alternatives to traditional staging such as using sector plates, cassettes, or car floats. Several of the railroad tours incorporated examples of visible staging including Mat Thompson's seen in the photo above. 

Having been inspired, the next step is to apply myself to some actual work and develop some perspiration. My next post may not be more than a to-do list, but that will at least be a first step. 

Inspiration

Iain Rice book image from Amazon

Inspiration, for me, comes from several sources. One is from model railroad authors; I am by nature a reader. One such very influential author was Iain Rice, who I learned passed away on October 8. His book, Small, Smart, & Practical Track Plans, was the first book I purchased when I returned to the hobby as an adult. My interests and approaches to model railroading (fixations with backdrops and smaller/compact design) are probably most influenced by his writings. In my analysis of what I hope to achieve with version 2 of the 4th Subdivision, I find that I am echoing Iain Rice's comment from one of his Kalmbach books:

 "My own goals in layout design have always put realism and atmosphere alongside interesting operation at the top of the want list."

Iain Rice c.1948 -- October 8, 2022

Also on October 8, I attended the Garden State Division's Fall Meet. Even though they are a different NMRA region and division than the one to which I have been assigned, their meeting in Hope, New Jersey was quite close. One of the features of their meeting was having several model railroads open in the afternoon after the meeting. I had the privilege of visiting Ted Pamperin's C&O and Tony Koester's Nickel Plate railroads. Both were excellent and inspiring. As mentioned above, I am a reader, so I was well aware of Tony Koester's work, but Ted Pamperin's amazing New River Gorge depiction was new to me. Clearly, visiting other layouts is an important source of inspiration. 

Visiting Tony Koester's railroad with train bulletins posted at each town provided an aha moment (an important form of inspiration). Not only did his railroad provide examples of backdrop and interchange techniques, but his quality fascia and valance presentation also provided a solution to one of my operations planning conundrums: How will train movement/authority work in my initial one-town TOMA section of Nooksack? The answer: the initial Nooksack section will follow yard limit rules and a posted train bulletin will give the timing of any first class trains. With a broad conceptual plan, but no real track plan for the rest of the 4th Subdivision, I can create a train bulletin for Nooksack without having the data to create a full timetable for the balance of the railroad, before I have a detailed plan for the rest of the railroad. 

I fully expected to learn more about, view in person, and gather photographic evidence of the junction/interchange and backdrop techniques I had read about in Mr. Koester's books and articles, but the truly inspiring part of my visit was the unexpected solution to a planning conundrum based on a small atmospheric detail posted on his valances. 

Before I switch to perspiration, the other half of the unstated formula, I expect to post about another example of inspiration. Last week I traveled to the Mid Atlantic RPM meet where I experienced more in-person inspiration from the clinics and railroad visits of the first RPM that I have attended.