The recent articles in MRH about signals and signal circuits have a lot of useful information.  I would like to describe some circuits that I have used on my home layout and also on the Crossroads Club layout in Vandalia OH.  Also, some homemade signals that are not super detailed but will work and are good for a limited retirement budget.  The are three parts needed for the system (1) detection , (2) signal lamp driver circuits and (3) signals themselves.  All of the circuits are from the model magazines or from the internet.  There are no computers or mini compute

When designing a small Erie "protofreelanced" switching layout based on Dayton Branch, OH, I got interested into the last steamers that worked on Erie tracks, mainly circa 1952.

Here is a short update on the TCS WiThrottle support. I've added support for Release/Dispatch. And also preliminary support for steal, which, I believe, applies only to Digitrax systems. I'd love to hear what you guys think about stealing a loco without asking. Is that a good idea?

Although I'm more one to post how-to blogs than updates, I thought I'd try to combine the two to some degree here today as I have about a week until I go back to college. I've had about three weeks off now, but unfortunately many projects only get about 50% done until I realize that I don't have an essential tool or part to complete the job.

Planning with the end in mind:

Current demolition

I have decided to jump on the band wagon and start a blog for my layout. The May Valley Railroad (Named after my 89 Y.O. Step Father), which is in planning stages will be a fictional CN Branch line  based on proto-type practices with a Canadian maritime theme. It will be a double decker and  will feature a logging area on the upper level. The layout will be located in a 15x11 room with some issues to overcome that will be discussed in future posts.

Here are a few more projects I’ve completed recently 

Due to the huge response and requests, even several by private email, I’ve decided to open up my blog again. Thanks to all of you who honored me with compliments here, and website views, they are much appreciated! I’ll be back posting here when I can. Right now I’m concentrating on my weathering more than anything, to sell a few, and to get my own fleet up to my standards as far as weathering. 

The Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad is my 10 x 18 HO depiction of southern Nevada mining railroads circa 1915.  Starting with the founding of Tonopah in 1900, the discovery of significant mineral deposits led to the development of a series of towns including Goldfield and Rhyolite south of Tonopah.