Wiring & track work

Over the last few weeks i have been busy wiring up the top deck which houses Yass & Jerrawa.When i started construction of the layout i decided to go DCC.The system i am using is NCE power cab with a SB3a booster.DCC was all new to me as basic layout i had years ago used the conventional power packs & block wiring,so many hours have been spent on the net learning how to wire the current layout to suit DCC.All these new terms of main power bus,sub bus & cab bus ect....the most informative site i found is Alan Gardner's wiring for DCC web site.What did we do before the internet ?.I have broken the layout in to several different districts & separated the main lines from the yards  & for short protection i used the tail light globe system.Wiring was made easier with the layout being 1.45 high & the centre being hollow in the middle only cross beams of the frame to work around & one of those mechanic's seats with wheels to sit on.All wiring is soldered off the sub bus,with heat shrink which takes a bit longer but the connections are better than using scotch locks & then i used terminal blocks to connect the track dropper wires which are soldered to the underside of the track prior to laying(it looks much better than blobs of solder on the sides of the rails).I must have got i right,as tonight i test run a few loco's and it all ran perfectly & the tail light glob method works.

Also i have started on the 2nd station on the lower deck branch line.This station will be called Grabben Gullen.The branch line has 4 stations starting with Dalton,then Grabben Gullen,then Kialla & terminating at Crookwell.To come up with the 2 middle stations i just looked on a map & seen what towns lay inbetween Dalton & Crookwell.

Sub bus running left to right & tortoise wiring for live frog

Underside shot of the centre 

Anyhow a few photos & till next time, Booly.

Wiring coming from the main power bus at the top,through the  globe on the red wire,then  on the left  it connects to the sub bus,on the right is the track droppers.

Grabben Gullen station



the approach to Grabben Gullen

The template for drilling the mounting holes for tortoise point motors.In the top photo you can see the locating pin which i place through the hole in the point throw bar and then drill the 4 holes

Yass Junction grain depot

Since the last post i have been busy starting the construction of the grain shed,to fit it in the area on the layout i have had to make it slightly smaller by 3 panels in length & 2 panels width.Just a few photos on the construction so far.

Any how till next time Booly

Yass Junction yard light

Over the long week end i went down the farm to visit my grand father & uncle and on saturday i went out to Yass Junction station to get some more photos and was supprised to see that at the northern end of the yard that there is still a yard light still standing.Now this is something i had missed on all my previous visits,this light use to provide light to the water column on the up loop and the water tank use to be located just behind the light and was a single panel tank on a double teir steel stand & was a covered tank which served several purposes,1 to help stop the water from freezing during winter & keep out the birds.

Some photos can be seen on the Westonlangford web page as well as some other fantastic pictures on Yass Junction.I also done some measurements on the Grain storage depot,this is going to be quite a large building at 521mm long  301mm wide plus the outloading bin & shute,i am going to have to slightly change the track layout to fit it in.In the 2 hours i spent there i seen the down Griffith 2 car Explorer set,down XPT,up empty seel with triple NR's & up PN grain with double 81"s.

Manual point control

In a previous post i described the manual point control switches i made for Crookwell.For the point control on the rest of the layout i have changed the setup slightly.The switches are now mounted under the points instead of at the edge on the facia & the method of control is now by a small brass knob connected to a length of brass rod to the switch.The mounting brackets are 20mm alloy angle with a slot machined on 1 side to fit the switch.The switches i have used are perfect in the throw for the peco points(jaycar part No.ss0821 slide mini DPST)and for wiring up the frog power.Anyhow till next time Booly

Look at what just arrived

Well the wait is over the Auscision 422's are here mine just got delivered my Aust Post.Very nice indeed

Lesson learnt

As mentioned in a previous post i was worried that the shop i had 2 of the auscision 422's ordered at would not be delivered.Well my worries were confermed.after contacting Auscision to order another 2 locos's they told me that any orders that are not directly through them will not be supplied,they fulfill all direct orders then if there are any left over the shops get them.I personally think they have underesimated how well they will sell.So i miss out on 42220 f##*!. The reason i ordered through a shop is i like to support the shops as much as i can because without the shops in my opinion the hobby wont survive, and to the shops owner he gave me a full refund  as soon as he knew of the situation.So lesson learnt in future i will order direct with the manufacturer so i wont have the disapointment of missing out on what want.On another note when i spoke to Auscision on friday they said that the 422's are on the ship now and should be here in about 1 week so the wait is nearly over.Till next time Booly

Track Laying

The track laying has been going at a rapid rate on the Yass side of the layout & i have also finally attached the base boards for the storage yards & layed the track.Before i dismantled the original centre section which houses Yass & Jerrawa i took measurements so i could relay the track the same,thankfully it worked,it all went down the same.The end sections for the upper & lower decks have been constructed & fitted.I have worked out the manual point switching mechanisms for  all 40 + points on the upper deck of the layout,but i will save that for another post.
I contacted Auscision during the week(the wait is nearly over,(6 weeks they said) & ordered 2 422'S,Bicentenial 18 & reverse 12.The Bicentenial will replace the Lima one i repowered with a athern mech & fitted with a TC-1 decoder(might be up for sale),hopefully the other 2 422's i ordered through a shop will get supplied as well cause if i miss out on these 2 ill be very annoyed especially as 1 of these 2 is 42220 which is listed as sold out before they even arrive & when i was speeking to Auscision they said that a rerun of the 422's would not happen for at least 2- 3 years,and the rerun might include the later liveries they carry in private ownership.

Yass leading around to the storage yards on the right

Close-up of the upper & lower ends

Anyhow till next time Booly

Storage yards

I had to slightly modify the stair landing, this is the door from inside the house to the layout room



Drop down bridge up

Down