I can look at clouds from both sides now - but the backside ain't pretty.  

Time to get back to the basement and back to this blog - only been a few years since my last post. 

Decided it was time to rip out the old and start fresh with a new layout, bigger, better, and DCC. 

images are imbedded from my Flickr Album:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/fkd54/albums/72157699943587121

Decided to lay some track. 

Began the rehab of the dock area. 

Hopefully this will lend itself to some interesting switching.

The WYE with two stub ends will be a ferry dock.  (Have the craftsman kit). 

The section next to the wye with the re-railer will be my DCC programming track. It will be isolated from the rest of the track (cut the track and CA glued in some bits of styrene to ensure no contact). 

Making progress converting my layout to DCC

Part of the project was to convert from Atlas to PECO switches.  They are in and I began testing.  I found that some of my PECO switches caused the engine to stall.  Only some, some of the time.

They are the insulated frogs version not PECO's Electro-frogs.  Converted one of them and most of my PECO's were insul-frogs, and I was glad.  Now I find a few of them (maybe a third) still short out the DCC system.

I like Mike Fifer's 3D Control Panel and built mine based on his instructions.  So far I've created the panel with the 3D track layout - for the part that has remote switches only.  I built a wooden frame for it, slight angel back from vertical.  And I've begun to mount the terminal strips behind the panel using a left over bit of plexi-glass.  I'm still am waiting for six more terminal strips to arrive to complete that part of the projct. 

She ain't pretty but she works.  

The Model Power all metal FP-7 is "DCC Wired" - not sure what they meant, but it was not one of those plug in pins, nor were the wires colour coded to DCC colours.  

Thanks to those here who recommended this one as a good candidate for my first Decoder. 

Been making some progress. 

Much of the old wiring is out.  

Half of my Atlas-PECO conversion is 80% done - switches are in, PL-10's check, PL-15's - check, wired to control panel - Oh yeah, I need a control panel. 

Out with the old - anyone need a box of used Atlas control's?  Removed the DC packs (one is back as I'm going to give myself an either-or DPDT switch - no cab control, just the chance to run DC trains switch will choose either the DC transformer or the DCC system).  

Been reading lots on DCC and the wiring involved. 

Read the DCC Impulse articles on MRH back issues.  Convinced me to get a soldering station, While equipment won't make up for lack of soldering skill it can't hurt to have the right stuff.  

Forgive me it has been three years since my last post. . . . 

Been through some tough times with my health last couple of years but I'm back, and I've decided I need to get back to the basement and play with my trains. 

I have a NCE Powercab I bought  about 4 years ago but never installed so will start my return by re-wiring the layout - DCC style.  

This is going to take some time.