Shaun Previous Layout

Cut my access hole to the inside of the helix finally. Made doing the final wiring a breeze. The inner and outer tracks are now wired to be as their own blocks. Just need to cut the rail gaps.

One issue I’ve been dealing with lately is the track at the end of the lower level, primarily one spot where a switch and some flex track join keeps giving me problems. So I just yanked up all the track from the track crossing to the end of the benchwork and will re-lay it down.  I’ll also add a hint a super-elevation to the curve here too as I re-do it.

And lastly a peek at my new staging cassette project to replace my “swing bridge”. I’ll have more details on this next week or so when I get the first tray completed.

Shaun Previous Layout

A short clip showing off a MRC sound decoder I installed on a Kato SD90. This decoder has a speaker built-in on the board, so it’s literally plug-n-play like traditional decoders.  Haven’t done any programming yet though, so these are all the default sounds and volume levels.

Shaun Previous Layout

Here’s a little rundown of some of the progress I’ve made on the layout.

I got the tortoise and throwbar for the turnout on the upper level just outside the helix installed.  This will be the east turnout on the siding through Elmwood.  I also installed the tortoise on the lower level helix turnout.

I have it placed in its general location, but here is one of my two cantilever signal bridges.  These were custom made by Custom Signal Systems and are operational with a Red/Green LED.  See the video post below for a demo.

Got my 2nd order in for Humpyard throws, so my GERN industry now has all it’s turnouts completed.

Just some pics of scenery progress, not a whole lot really. Little more tape in the corner, moved the feed industry to the back, and installed the rock molds in the other corner.

I installed a Grade Crossing Pro module on the lower level road.  I”m using photocells for detection on this unit. Works pretty well.

Here’s a video demo of the crossing (the cross bucks are NJ International)

And lastly, my tunnel portal from Alkem Scale Models arrived. This is a B&O double track portal with a custom engraving of 2006, the year my wife and I married.

The portal looks fantastic. I’ll eventually paint it one of these days

Shaun Previous Layout