Just finished installing a Digitrax SDN144K0a into an N-scale Kato F7A.  The engine frame was modified by Aztec Mfg so it has a machined slot in the rear to hold a round 16mm speaker from Tony's Train Exchange.  The decoder comes with front and rear LEDs, a capacitor, and a 13mm speaker.  Here are some pictures of the F7 disassembled and the machined opening for the speaker:

I finally completed the wiring for the 4th power district on the main level/third level.  This is the track that runs from Michaelson Jct. (aka Ottawa Jct., KS) both to the West Helix and on the branch line that runs over the top of the West Helix to the third level that has the cities of Michaelson (aka Ottawa, KS) and then to Elizabeth City, OK (aka Tulsa, OK). 

The staging level had been completed and running for several months and I had been inching along on the main level due to a lot of diversions to my time in the layout building. But now, I have finally been making some progress on getting a major portion of the visible part of the layout in working condition. 

This video is Part 2 of Layout Update for mid-June 2015.  The first part described the track installation and this part shows how the paper plan for DCC electrical installation is translated to the physical layout. 

The current work area is located in the center of the peninsula on the upper or third level of the layout.  All of the track and turnouts for this area have been installed and it is now ready for the fun part, known as electrical installation.

This is a continuation of my current DCC engine project. The project goal is to merge the looks of the N-scale Bachmann 4-8-4 Northern (Santa Fe style) with the DCC ready guts of an N-scale Con-Cor 4-8-4 GS4 (Rail Baron series). The first part of this project was in the second portion of my Layout Update Mid-May 2015 YouTube video.

Construction on the ATSF Paradigm Division has been progressing slowly over the last month or so.  I have been working on power district # 4 near the west helix for the past month or so. All of the track, turnouts, and wiring has been installed for Michaelson Jct. (simulates Ottawa Jct., KS) , the branch line over the top of the west helix to Michaelson, and Michaelson (simulates Ottawa, KS). Additionally, all of the sub-roadbed (plywood) for the peninsula has been installed and all of the cork roadbed has been glued down and painted with the dark base color that I have been using.

I have some great running N-scale Kato engines (E8 A/B, PA-PB-PA) as well as a BLI Paragon2 sound equipped E8A/B set. But I was really interested in seeing how sound could be added to at least some of the Kato “A” units.  

Every once in a while I visit a friend of mine who has a large scale outdoor layout.  In case you have not had the pleasure of visiting this railroad, I have posted a video of my last ride for you to enjoy. 

The section of the layout that is in the video is where the double track mainline goes in/out of the west helix, the branch line goes in a loop above the west helix, and the town of Michaelson is against two walls.  The depth of this section is 30 inches and so I found that it would be easier to remove each module and work on them when I was sitting down as opposed to stretching over them after they are screwed down in place on their support structure.