Organization -- Not always my strong suit. A new learning opportunity for me

An empty box of possibilities? Really, an empty box that once held stuff now stored, categorized or tossed. One step in the process of organizing the layout work space.

Building a model railroad requires participating in a multitude of hobbies. The larger the layout, the broader that multitude. 

The B&OCT in N scale is the largest layout I've ever attempted: multiple levels, several helixes, multiple yards, interlockings, signals, DCC, urban scenery, multiple operators (some of them likely participating remotely). There's a lot for me to learn.

Historically, I'd take a scattershot approach to working on trains. It was not always satisfying. In approaching a project of the size that I am imagining -- and it's by no means a huge layout -- I can't be scattered. 

There needs to be method and structure to the madness. Projects need to be identified, prioritized and executed upon. There needs to be accountability.

In the past, my workspace would be cluttered and overwhelmed with started and not-quite-ever-completed projects. I'm looking to make a change. I'm trying to keep a diary of layout projects. It's online -- so easy to access from my computer, tablet or phone. 

One of the first priorities is organizing my layout space. And that's the significance of the top photo. Big whoop, its an empty box. Its a box of things that have been sorted, organized, stored or trashed. I have to get the garage cleaned. Building storage over the layout is on my to-do list. Under layout storage really isn't an option until my construction is further along. 

Next up -- dust mitigation. The garage is a home for the dust stirred up by the mow-blow-and-go landscapers. I'm looking into better weather stripping for the doors -- as a start. I need to reduce the dirt that gets into the layout space and settles on the track, rolling stock and other flat surfaces. 

To mitigate dust created internally I'm trying to move most of that work to the outdoors. 

Tied to dust mitigation is cleaning the Barr Staging track, again, along with locomotive wheels. I'm nearing the end of testing the track -- just need a couple of Atlas locomotives back on the front lines. Another task to put in the diary.

Anyway, until next time.

                                                                            # # #

I'm my own worst enemy!!

The process of building a model railroad has not been as linear as I had expected. There are numerous obstacles that present themselves.

Sometimes the obstacles are external, sometimes internal. 

Let's talk about the external ones: no power to the garage. Can’t do work. 

Nearly two weeks ago, the main circuit breaker to the garage tripped. I tried to reset it, but it would immediately trip. The fact that it was immediately tripping suggested either a bum breaker or some other source of an open circuit. But, I did not know how to diagnose or fix the problem. I’m not about to dive into fixing a 100 amp household circuit. That’s a task better left to a qualified professional I asked a friend to recommend an electrician.

Someone should be by next week. Hopefully, the problem will be easy to fix.

With power restored to the garage (and the irrigation and garden lighting systems) I can test the Barr staging and move on to building a helix. This “external” obstacle is pretty defined and definitely fixable. 

Internal obstacles are a worse problem. These are the roadblocks that I create. 

I’ve had an irrational fear of dealing with DCC. I think the concept is great. Yet, it's a mystery to me.  I have a Digitrax Zephyr system. Up to a point, it works well. I don’t think that Digitrax is the most user friendly system. This is not meant to be a rant against Digitrax, but rather a look at why I don’t roll up my sleeves and figure things out. I’m going to use a Digitrax Zephyr to run my HO logging layout. 

I’ll eventually install an NCE system for the n-scale layout. Meanwhile, I’m using Digitrax to test the layout. It’s doing the job. 

But, one of the things that I needed to do was connect it to my computer, so I can have a better look inside the Zephyr and inside the decoders in each locomotive. 

I have been testing the Barr Staging section track. I want to run more than one locomotive around -- in order to ensure that I have debugged the trackage for all locomotives, not just the primary test engine. The problem is that the slots were full on my Zephyr. The easiest way to solve that problem is to connect it to the computer. I have an old Acer designated for the job. But, it's clunky. Then I created a massive roadblock in my mind. This would be a hard task - given some of the issues with the Acer and the bias against Digitrax.

I could look for a DCC guru to help - but that’s hard to do in this Covid time. I decided to take the plunge and try to solve my problem. 

We took a family trip for a few days last week and I made myself a little DCC travel kit. A couple of locomotives, a test track and programming track, a locobuffer USB and my old Acer computer. 

I tried plugging everything together and firing up the older version of JMRI on my computer. Not much was happening. Then I did a quick search on YouTube and found help.

In about an hour and a half, I had downloaded the current version of JMRI and Java and followed the instructions and I was up and running. DCC is less scary for me now. I may even start installing decoders. Now, on to the testing.

This is not the first time I have created mountains out of molehills. I see that some of my other procrastination relates to these internal obstacles.