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. 

Layout development ideas -- from RBTB

The NMRA 2021 RBTB convention is over. A lot of hard work, got to meet some really great model railroaders. And I still have a bunch of videos to watch. I didn't even make it to 25% of the clinics.

From the clinics I did attend, I got a bunch of good ideas.

1. Layout concept -- I remain steadfast in my commitment to the B&OCT. Nope, not switching to narrow gauge, steam in the early 20th century or KCS in the 2020s.

2. Standards --From several clinics - including Joe Fugate's Make it run like a dream -- Very important to establish standards for benchwork, track and rolling stock. 

    Benchwork standard is 1/4" plywood over 1/2"x3" plywood framing. It will be sealed to minimize dimensional adjustment.

    Track standard - Staging -- code 80 Peco flex and Medium insulfrog switches. Visible track -- code 55 Atlas Flex and FastTracks #6. Grades 2%, Minimum radius - 15 inches.

    Rolling stock and locomotives -- Digitrax decoders, Atlas Locomotives (predominantly), eventually get to body mounted couplers. Before running on the layout: All rolling stock to have a basic coat of weathering, metal wheels, resistor on one wheelset, properly weighted, coupler height checked, wheels roll freely. (More to come on this).

    2A. The layout will have NCE DCC and signals. I suspect that my signal needs will be less than I had imagined. 

    2B -- TEST, TEST, TEST -- test everything multiple times, ensure that everything is solid and works properly. It will payoff when operations begin. 

3. Goals and To Do List -- need two sets of goals -- long term and short term. Need to do lists to support the goals. The to do lists are those projects that can be picked up and set down in less than an hour and those that take 90 minutes or more.

4. Layout design -- I'm pretty happy with the layout design. 

    Need to check on the whether I have enough crossovers on mainlines. 

    Need to add a Brighton Park crossing view scene on the helix connecting the upper level and middle level. (This will provide operational interest and give operators a chance to check on train progress while in the helix.) Predominantly, the signals will be set to proceed. But may have a restricted or even stop indication. 

5. Operations 

    The highlight of the layout are the interlocking towers. They are a part of keeping train runs interesting. These might be operated remotely. Let others play.  

    There will be switch jobs and yard jobs. But, there will be a big need for transfer runs. These enter and exit the visual area from many locations. They will pick up and drop off cars at the main yards. They will need to navigate a busy mainline, need to follow signals. 

    Passenger trains will always get the priority and will run to whatever timetable and time system is decided upon. The B&O passenger trains will have to visit servicing facilities -- so it's not just a simple run onto the layout and run off. 

    Communications -- another major emphasis is communications. The tower operators will need to report train passage to other operators, yard masters and the dispatcher. They may be the point of contact for road crews. Eventually there will be some kind of phone system. But, there's more to this -- Yardmasters will expect to report car counts to the dispatcher -- who will be assigning locomotives to over the road freights. the dispatcher will have car counts from inbound transfer runs -- no surprising the yard masters. In fact -- that's a big goal -- as problems arise -- they are properly communicated across the system and a team approach is taken to solving problems. The goal is to minimize surprises. 

6. Documenting the layout -- This blog is one tool that I expect to use to keep ideas and document layout progress. I may try to post videos. I dropped in to a breakout room talking about YouTube videos during the convention. I was encouraged to try making some videos. Ok, here goes -- look for one by the end of the week.  

7. Keep perspective -- No job is outside my capabilities. I have friends who can offer advice and help. This will be the largest layout I have ever attempted to build, but in context of others, it's on the large end of medium. It's very achievable and probably in a shorter time frame than I might think.

8. Take a break -- work on my logging layout. I have an HO logging layout -- in the steam era. That's an opportunity for a diversion. 

A new feature for this blog -- I will close with a goal and an update on a previous goal.

New goal - complete track testing of the Barr Yard Staging by July 26.

Progress check - Barr Yard staging testing: 39 of 140 forwards runs complete, so far. Another 70 reverse runs to complete. The first 39 runs revealed the need to paint clear fingernail polish on the frog of switch 0 to eliminate a short. Switch 3 at the turnback end had one derailment -- cause unknown.