Following a number of comments from modellers who built Quad Servo DCC Decoders (QSDD), as published in the February and March 2020 issues of MRH Magazine, an improved version is now available.

Ok, I'm going to get into the "additive manufacturing" mode with the Anycubic Photon printer.

I needed a faster computer to run Fusion 360 and one that has Windows 10 on it. I did not want to update my Windows 7 Professional software because I have software running for my CNC Sherline mill. So I purchased the computer equipment from Tiger Direct. Took a bit of time to get here due to the weather the past couple of weeks. So new screen, track ball and keyboard plus the computer itself.

Finally got around to weathering the GP7 that my wife bought me for Christmas using the techniques from the Mike Confalone weathering videos as well as some rolling stock that needed it:

The creative wave continues although I sense it starting to die out a bit now and the pace of progress on my pike has slowed considerably. Still, I'll ride it as long as I can and keeping this blog updated with photo documentation of my progress tends to spur me on and keeps the motivation flowing so here goes again...

Please follow this link to the photos already posted in my main MRH Blog: 

Lift Bridge on the Pere Marquette C&O

or this link, same thing:  https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/42073

I've never taken the time to draw up a track plan for the layout, but I finally sat down and drew up a track plan of the layout I'm building. Details to follow in next post to keep the lead post clean.

Here's a video I shot on my layout.

"On a fine spring morning in 1978, I headed out to Plattsburgh to see what I could catch on the D&H Champlain Division. First up was SC-19, the Whitehall-Rouses Point local freight, with a Geep on point. After clearing the yard, SC-12, the Plattsburgh local, headed out onto the siding, and after picking up a boxcar, headed up to the GP mill. After watching them switch the mill, we caught them down at the yard again to wrap up this day of railfanning on the D&H."

Enjoy!

As I was trying to organize the layout a little and start doing some things to get parts and pieces of the track running, I was forced to come up with a solution to mounting my Digitrax system. You can see by the Velcro pads on top of four of the units, the extent of my system was a DCS100 and a DB150. My brother, had G scale and decided he was no longer interested. He gave me an 8 amp DCS100 and an 8 amp DB100+. The other ones have been acquired in various auctions or train shows. 

Hey all,

For those of you that have staging yards, do you install switches that allow you to turn the power to each track on/off?  If you have a lot of engines just sitting in staging, why have them pulling power while parked?

I really don't want to do this due to the additional wiring complexity, but wondering what the opinions are out there as to whether it is worth the effort.

Modern packaging is well designed to protect your locomotive and all the fine details from damage.  But what do you do with used models that don't have a box?  Older Athearn Blue Boxes (and similar boxes) are fine until you start adding details like sunshades and plastic handrails. Then the box is too narrow and those details get crushed or bent.