Latest update on the construction of the N-scale ATSF Paradigm Division (see my previous April 2014 blog item to see the track plans). UPDATED with new pictures and video on 17 April and 27 April.
The physical construction of the staging level, that is, supporting benchwork, roadbed (I use it even in staging yards) and track were completed on 16 December 2013.
Next came the electrical phase. I think that I have read every book available about how to lay out a DCC track plan and wire it and been to most of the websites dealing with DCC. My DCC system is the NCE Power Pro, 5 amp. The Command Station/Booster is located in a re-purposed kitchen cabinet at the geographic center of the layout. The cabinet idea was borrowed from one of Jurgen Kleylein’s MRH blogs, titled “User-friendly DCC cabinet”, that I read last year.
I have completed soldering of all of the feeder wires (22 AWG wire since this is N-scale) of which there is about 400 each. The feeders were then connected to short pieces of 18 AWG and connected to a terminal strip (European style that can be cut apart to the size needed). From the terminal strip, 14 AWG was used to connect to the main power bus using 3M suitcase connectors. I used 12 AWG for the main power bus.
UPDATED 17 April - I have included some pictures from underneath the staging level to show some of the wiring. I have numbered all of the various power blocks with a code so that I will know what power feed goes where so I will be able to troubleshoot if and when necessary. The first picture shows the Main Power bus and how the suitcase connectors were used to attach the 14 AWG wire feeds to the 12 AWG main bus. The 14 AWG wire then routes to a European style terminal strip that has been cut to the appropriate size as shown in the second and third pictures. In order to control power to each of the three RTE tracks, I took the red aire and routed it to the SPDT switch. The green wire would be routed directly to a feeder to a given power block. In this case, there are two separate feeds to RTE track 1, namely RTE11 and RTE12 so the green wires are connected directly to the green feeder wire directly to the track. The red wire comes OUT from the SPDT switch to a terminal that has the black jumper wire (see picture 2). The power is then routed to the terminal strip at the RTE11 and RTE12 feeds using a 14AWG wire. At the terminal strip below the RTE11 and RTE12 feeds, an 18AWG wire is used to connect to the 22AWG track feeders. I check for continuity on every connection prior to moving to the next installation. Some may say that this is a lot more connections than needed, but by doing my wiring this way allows me to troubleshoot and repair as needed very easily. I used this method on my last DC layout with good results.
UPDATED 17 April - When working under the layout, I decided to use a “creeper” that has big wheels and a headrest that props up. I found it on Amazon for about $45. The bottom of the staging level is about 32” above the floor so the “creeper” allows me to be comfortable when working on the wiring. I spent about 4 hours on the “creeper” one day last week while working on the wiring.
UPDATED 17 April - Other than where track is connected to turnouts and where I placed power breaks, all of the flex track is soldered. I used a RRampMeter DCC Amp/Volt Meter to check the voltage before running the first DCC equipped engine. After watching Art Houston’s 2-part video on the “NCE Cab Bus”, I decided to attempt to make my own cab bus cables since the distance between each of the seven UTP panels did not match up to any of the expensive pre-made cables. The first four cables were made and worked perfectly the first time.
All of the turnouts are Peco insulfrog on the staging level. Since I do not like to solder turnouts to track (in case they have to be replaced), I have added two additional power feeds on the diverging routes to ensure good current flow. UPDATED 17 April - For power breaks, I used Atlas code 80 insulated rail joiners (shown in the picture) on both rails. Their construction provides a vertical block between the two adjoining tracks. I have tested all of the turnouts in the Ready Tracks East (RTE) yard to ensure that there isn’t any current flow beyond the insulated rail joiner. I plan to use them on the main and top levels but they will get painted so they blend in as they are noticeable on the staging level. This is okay on the staging level since it will give me a view of where all of the power breaks are when I have friends and family help me run the railroad in the future.
The vast majority of turnouts on the staging level will be changed by finger, however, I have six of them that are too far from the edge of the table so I will use manual (Bluepoint) controllers. The picture below shows the first of the manual controllers that is being set up to show the position of the turnout on a small panel (yet to be built). Note the LED just below the Bluepoint. That is one of the three LEDs that will show that the power is on or off in the 3-track Ready Tracks East yard.
One of the planned four power districts on the staging level has been completely wired and is now working as shown in the video below. The first section runs from the cabinet to the Ready Tracks East yard and powers the helix in the video.
UPDATED 27 April - This series of videos (parts 1, 2, and 3) show the testing that I did using two N-scale Lifelike E8A engines running as a consist. I plan on using this pair of engines to be the motive power for MoPac trains #9/10 that ran from St. Louis to Kansas City and beyond but only the St Louis to Kansas City portion will be used on my layout. The purpose of running these trains is to provide an interchange with the ATSF Paradigm Division and particularly express cars from the east coast to meet up with the ATSF Fast Mail #7/8 at Kansas City. This train brought additional express cars to Kansas City Union Station from the northeast that did not make it to Chicago in time to meet up with the Santa Fe’s Fast Mail Express.
The next video is of an N-scale Broadway Limited ATSF E6 A/B (the A unit is sound equipped) coming off the helix for a short run.
The picture below shows the supports for the main level above the staging yards on the peninsula. The main level will be cantilevered over the staging level so it will not have any obstructions to viewing or changing the position of turnouts. The bottom of the main level will be 15” above the staging level track.
I will continue to work and test the operation of the staging level before proceeding to cover it with the main level (see my previous blog item to see the track plan for the main level). I hope to have the entire staging level wired and tested by the end of May 2014. It is just me doing the work so it takes a while.
