September 2019 Journal

Operations

9/5/2019 - I had a few friends over tonight to run trains, and I was pleasantly surprised how well everything ran. There are a few known issues on the layout, but they actually didn't find any additional ones. We did find that a few of the locomotives need to have their couplers switched to longer shank versions so that their walkways don't hit each other, but that's easy to take care of. We also ran into the somewhat obvious problem that you can't run all the trains out of one staging yard without taking an equal number from the other.

I have a few more sessions planned for the next few weeks where we'll do some more switching of trains/cars and I hope to have some more of my punch list items (especially Tortoise installation) done prior. It's good to have these sessions to keep up a little bit of healthy pressure to make progress on that list. 

Trackwork

9/5/2019 - As part of my punch list cleanup, I fixed a nasty kink that developed on the upper level of my helix. All the trains were derailing on it prior to the fix. I drilled some track nail-sized holes in the flex track, used a SweepStick to align the track, and put a bunch of track nails through the plastic ties. This got the track back into alignment and the derailments were no more. 

DCC/Electronics

9/3/2019 - I did a little bit of work tonight reinstalling the Digitrax UR92 wireless panel temporarily on the upper deck, where it will get less interference with people standing next to it. I also pulled out one of the standard Digitrax UP5 panels and investigated all the extra connections on it. While I didn't install the "keep alive" wire to it, I did add the track power indicator wires and connected it to my bus. Now when the power is on, the center light turns on. It's an easy way to tell that power is on if all the engine sounds are turned off. 

9/4/2019 - I knocked a few items off my punch list tonight -- connecting block 101 to the Watchman detector board, and fixing a crossover turnout wire that had gotten dislodged. I also decided to start running LocoNet wires so that I could install the remaining UP5 panels strategically around the layout. While I expect most people to use wireless throttles, certain things still work better with wired throttles, like switching yards and consisting/etc. locomotives. I installed a total of 6 panels on the lower deck and cut the connector cables between them. It took a little while to remember how you had to cut the wires to the 6 pin connectors, but once I got rolling, I got all the panels installed and wired to the layout. When I get the fascia cut and installed, the panels will be reinstalled on the fascia in their permanent locations, but the wires are long enough to allow me to move things around.

9/8/2019 - I was working on adding a new Tortoise drive to the upper deck mainline. In the process, I had turned on the power for the lights/DCC/etc. While I was working, I started smelling something strange, like burning plastic. I tracked the smell back to my Digitrax DT400 throttle and immediately turned everything off. Over the next few days, I worked with Digitrax support to determine that the command station and other hardware were OK, but the throttle got smoked. In addition, the computer interface seems to have gone south. Luckily the command station tested out OK, as did the UP5s and my Digitrax wireless UR92 device. Digitrax has great support and said they'd repair the throttle for $25, as opposed to buying a new one for almost $200.

The downside is that until I get the computer interface working, I can't really operate since all the turnouts are JMRI controlled. Hopefully I'll be back up and running in the next few weeks.

9/24/2019 - Got an email back from Digitrax acknowledging receipt of my throttle, but notifying me that it would be 60 days to get it back. They are blaming last year's hurricane for the delay. At least my LocoBuffer-USB will be back quicker, at which point I can turn on and off the layout without the big throttle. I'm borrowing one for now, but a lot of my punch list items are related to programming and wiring components to my RR-Cirkits components.

Givens and Druthers

If you've never heard the term before, the "givens and druthers" are the rules that you have made for how your railroad will be built and operated. It also describes what you're planning to model and perhaps even how you're planning to build the layout.

Setting

The Northstar Subdivision (NS Sub) is modeling the Canadian Pacific and BNSF mainlines from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area up to the northwest into North Dakota. While these two railroads have separate mainlines in reality, I have "merged" the two lines into a single mainline. Besides CP and BNSF, the railroad also interchanges with the Union Pacific and Canadian National railroads, as it does in real life. Pool power from other railroads will also make an appearance on the NS Sub. 

That said, when I first learned about operating sessions at the Purdue Railroad Club, each operating session would change the layout locations into a different railroad. As the scenery will be generic Midwest scenery, there's no reason that the destinations along the railroad could not be another region of the country. For instance, we might run from Chicago to Iowa on the Union Pacific, or somewhere on another railroad. The only real requirement is that there is enough motive power for the railroad to be realistic. 

Train Types

There will be both freight and passenger trains on the railroad. Amtrak's Empire Builder will traverse the route to and from Seattle. We'll also take some liberty with reality and have VIA Rail trains going from the Twin Cities to Winnipeg, as well as a Canadian Pacific "heritage" train that can make the rounds as a fan trip. I will also be hosting some truly foreign engines, as I'm a fan of German Rail (Deutsche Bundesbahn) trains. We'll ignore the pesky fact that those trains are electric and chalk it up to hidden third rail. This will be another fan train owned by a museum somewhere along the line. Passenger trains will get priority on the NS Sub, unlike in real life. 

I'm also planning to add some passenger stations to the railroad, although I don't think I have space for a large passenger terminal. Passenger train crews will be required to make station stops during their journeys. 

Freight trains will be broken into three categories:

• Run-through trains with no switching -- intermodal and unit coal trains for starters. 
• Manifest freight trains that will switch cars only at yards.
• Local trains that will work industries. 

Manifest freight trains do not work industries. They drop and pick up cars at yards only. Locals are responsible for moving those cars to and from the industry tracks. There will be far more rail-served industries than likely exist in real life, but as this is primarily an operations-focused railroad, that's to be expected. Freight trains arriving at the main yard will need to take their power to get serviced, as the yard represents a major stop on each train's trip. 

There may also be "special" trains that inject variety into the operating session, such as work trains that block a particular part of the line. 

Standards

• Atlas code 83 track - concrete color for mainlines, wood color for all other track
• Mainline turnouts - #8, all other turnouts
• Minimum radius on visible track: 30"
• Maximum train length is governed by staging yard track lengths, but 11-12' is roughly the maximum length. 
• Mainline track blocks are all detected through JMRI and RR-Cirkits products. 
• Mainline turnouts will be controlled both from dispatcher's panel (via JMRI) and with lineside pushbutton controls. The pushbutton controls will be considered out of service during operating sessions if a dispatcher is present. 
• All mainline turnouts and turnouts that are out of easy reach will be powered using Tortoise drives. 
• Layout will eventually be signaled through JMRI and RR-Cirkits products.
• Wiring Standards - See this article
• Benchwork Construction - See this article 
• Visual indicators will be added to the layout to help identify the block divisions. 

DCC

• Digitrax DCC is the command system in use on the layout. 
• JMRI is also installed, allowing for Wi-Fi throttles. 
• Yard operators will have wired utility throttles (UT4) for responsiveness. 
• UT4D throttles are already available for operators to use. 
• Command throttles (DT400, DT500, etc.) should be restricted to avoid programming issues during an operating session. 

Motive Power

• Each locomotive will be assigned an engine card with instructions on how the DCC functions work. Engines that are consisted will have their cards clipped together with the addressable engine card on top. 
• In general, locomotives will be assigned in pairs for manifest freight trains. Locals may use single engines if they don't have to traverse the helix or if the train is less than 10 cars. 
• Engines will all have reversing headlights, which helps determine if the locomotive is answering to DCC commands. 
• Engines with sound will have their sound turned down so that an engineer walking along side can hear it, but so that it can't be heard across the room. 
• Engines should be muted when they are not in use, either through the appropriate command function or through a kill switch on the track. 

Signals

• While hooded signals are more modern, ensure that they are easily visible from the engineer's point of view. May need to angle them slightly out towards the aisle, or install "repeaters" on the fascia. 
• We are not following a particular prototype for signals. Most signals in the Midwest use the colors and not positions for their indicators. Some Canadian signals use a single multicolored light, but the specific signals used on the layout will be dictated by what models are available for purchase. 

August 2019 Construction Journal

Benchwork Construction

8/5/2019 - I glued down the cork on the last lap of plywood in the helix. I'll let it dry before adding the cork.

8/13/2019 - I got the track secured to the cork on the last lap of plywood. The next pieces will go across the connector to the wall. I also found that I'll need to continue the grade up to the wall so that trains can get underneath the last piece of plywood.

8/22/2019 - I got module L10 installed, which is the lower deck section that connects to the east wall yard sections. I had to add a backdrop to it and adjust the supports so that it fits nicely on the shelving brackets. I also cut wiring holes through the crosspieces and bolted it to section L9. I also found that the short sections I cut to finish the benchwork to the helix room are about an inch short, so I need to rebuild those.

8/25/2019 - I got the lower two modules in the main room and completed the benchwork in the helix. Once I got that done, I laid caulk and put down the roadbed. While there will be a peninsula extending from south wall prior to the helix room, I can always pull the track up at that point.

8/26/2019 - I added the mainline track extending from L9 into L10, and then prepped additional track pieces for the next round of tracklaying.

8/27/2019 - I finished the track connecting to the helix, plus finished the west-end yard lead. I was going to add a double crossover near the tunnel into the helix room, but once I laid it out, there was not going to be enough room. The track coming out of the tunnel will eventually be curving down the peninsula and there wouldn't have been enough room to fit both turnouts in. I will likely have some sort of switching district on the adjoining side of the peninsula and it can incorporate a pair of crossovers.

8/28/2019 - I added a set of feeders to the track on the south wall and was able to successfully run the two trains out of the helix back to the rest of the railroad. I also took a full-length freight train (16 cars, 1 engine) from the lower staging yard all the way up the helix. It only had one engine (Proto SD60) and did pretty well. I'm not sure if it was spinning its wheels or if I was getting some power dropout on one part of the loop, though. I'm planning to run dual engines to make it easier to turn power, but it's good to see that the 2% grade isn't too daunting. Once I get the peninsula underway, I'll rewire the feeders to enable detection on this block of track, but for now, it's fine to be able to run trains on.

8/31/2019 - I completed the plywood subroadbed around the layout, including the connectors to the helix. I also laid cork for track installation but ran short of cork roadbed.

DCC/Electronics

8/28/2019 - Since I figured out that I was going to need five sets of feeders for the helix, I replaced the two four-gang blocks with a single ten-gang block. I started by cutting jumper wires to connect each terminal to the next one, and the result was a bit of a mess.

I found some purpose-built terminal block jumpers and the result has a much cleaner (and probably more reliable) appearance.

September 1st, 2019 - Mainline Construction Completed

At long last, the connection between the upper and lower deck is complete and trains can traverse the entire mainline. I've decided to do a lot of finishing work on what's been completed prior to starting the peninsula, including:

• Powered turnouts in staging yard and on mainline, including fascia-mounted controls
• Fascia installed and painted
• Ground throws, where I'm not using PECO turnouts
• I'm also considering starting scenery, including ballasting track, lineside buildings, etc. 

The peninsula will add a lot more switching opportunities, but having this phase of the layout completed will let me start having shake-out operating sessions and make some needed fixes/improvements to what I've built so far. I have a very busy fall coming up, so I'd rather focus on what I've built so far, enjoying running trains, and perfecting the known bugs. Having additional people come run trains on it will also help shake out bugs, since every software developer knows that users find bugs far faster than you do. 

Construction Timeline

I went back through my Facebook posts to get an idea of how long it took to build the layout so far. Based on when I posted pictures, descriptions, etc. and allowing for some notable gaps in construction due to life events, it looks like it took about 14 months of construction over two and a half years. The false start in 2016 was preceded by basement painting and some family medical issues that took precedence. 

Phase 1: Test Phase

During phase 1 of construction, I did a lot of research into how to build the layout, how to construct the modules, and so on. I ended the phase by completing the first few modules and getting them (roughly) installed on the wall. This also let me confirm heights and viewlines.

Jul 16-20, 2016 - Initial lumber cut and first modules constructed
Apr 21, 2017 - May 11, 2017 - U1 installation

Phase 2: Outside Walls and Helix

I next built the sections to be installed on the north, east, and south walls of the basement, both upper and lower deck. I built the upper deck first and then built the lower deck.

Oct 2017 - U1-U3 completed
Nov 2017 - U4 (Sump room connector), U5-U8 construction
Dec 2017 - U5-U8 construction
Apr 2018 - L1-L3 construction
May 2018 - L5-L9 construction
Aug 2018 - L4 (Sump room connector) construction
Sep 2018 - L4 construction, L1-L3 track
Nov 2018 - L1-L3 track, L5-L9 track
Dec 2018 - L5-L9 track
Jan 2019 - engine facility
Jun 2019-Aug 2019 - helix and south wall benchwork
September 1, 2019 - Mainline construction completed, first trains run between staging yards

Phase 3: Peninsula

The final phase of construction will be to build a double-deck peninsula originating from the south wall, running parallel to the east wall. This peninsula will add a number of industries and switching districts to make operating sessions more interesting. However, I'm not planning to start building that until I've gotten a lot more of the work done to "finish" the phase 2 sections.

Current Layout Photos

I've been making a habit of taking pictures along the way during construction, since photos can often help explain how someone else can take from what I've done for their own layout. These photos show each of the sections of the layout, as they exist in September 2019. The sections are shown in order from east staging (lower deck) to west staging (upper deck).

L1-L3 - Lower Staging

U4, L4 - Utility room connector

L5 - Switching district TBD

U5-U6 - Interchange yard (left), Industry sidings (right)

L6 - Mainline and East Yard Lead

L6/L7 - East Yard Throat

L8 - East End of Yard

L9 - West End of Yard

L9 - Engine/Maintenance Facility, L10 - South Wall connector

L11, U11 - South Wall Connector

U11 - South Wall Connector

U12, L12 - Helix Connectors

L12 - Helix Connector

Helix (without upper level connector installed)

Operations Primer - Road Crew 101

While every operating session is different, in terms of what railroad you're simulating, how trains are allowed to move, etc., nearly every operating session will have people working as road crews for trains moving across the layout. A road crew might be assigned to:

• Passenger train with limited stops and limited switching of cars
• Through freight that is just passing through the railroad on its way somewhere else
• A local taking cars from a yard to a town or industry
• Combined passenger/freight train that has to make every station stop along the route
• and many others.

Depending on the layout, a road crew may be just one person, two people (an engineer and a conductor), or even more. I got to operate on a 1/8 scale railroad and our crew had three people in it because those cars tend to be a LOT heavier. 

Finding a Session

One of the first things you need to do in order be part of a road crew is to find an operating session to attend. In this part of the hobby, you'll find that there are some layouts that never invite guest operators to participate. Other layouts have a regular crew and if you happen to know someone, you might be able to wrangle an invitation. However, there are a lot of layouts out there that are regularly operating and frequently looking for more people to participate. As I get my layout operating, I'm planning to offer an Operations 101 session periodically to help teach people how to do railroad operations, since it's easier to learn by doing than by reading, frankly. 

Most NMRA regional and national events will have at least a few operating sessions as part of the event, and these sessions are usually open to any attendee of the event. For more experienced operators, there are regional invitational events held yearly or every few years. These also require that you know someone in order to get an invitation, partially because they want to make sure they get experienced operators. 

As a new operator, your best bet is to ask your "neighbor" model railroaders to find open sessions you can attend. Check with your NMRA division or with the Operations Special Interest Group about sessions in your area.

Before the Session

Depending on the complexity of the railroad and the operating scheme, you may be able to just show up and run, or you may have some homework to do in advance. One of the features on OperatingSessions.com is to allow layout owners to upload maps, timetables, rulebooks and other documents that will be used during the session. If the owner sends these out, be courteous and read them. You may also want to print them and bring them with you. 

You should also find out if there are any unusual requirements for the session, such as:

• Do you need to bring your own radio? If so, what type? Family radio system (FRS) radios are the most common these days. 
• Do you need to bring a throttle? Some railroads will also support phone-based throttles. You should download the app to your phone in advance. 
• For outdoor operating sessions, what clothing or extra equipment should you bring? For large outdoor layouts, I've had to bring work gloves and a water jug, since you could be out on the railroad for an hour or more on a single run. 

If you have allergies to pets, you should ask if the owner has pets that will cause you an issue. Asking the owner to put the pet away is inappropriate... the pet lives there, you're a guest. For instance, I fully expect that my dog, Riley, will be around the house and the layout greeting the operators. You may just need to sit that session out if your allergies are that bad. 

You should also find out if there are rules about where to park and which door to use to get into the building/house. 

In all cases, if you aren't given this information, you should feel free to ask the layout owner about any special requirements. 

Attending the Session

Be sure to thank the owner for the invitation to the session, and if the owner has a spouse/roommate/etc., be sure to thank them, as well. A little politeness goes a long way. If the owner designates a particular entry, restroom, etc. to use, be sure to only use that one. You're in their house, after all. 

When it comes to the layout itself, make no assumptions about what you're allowed to do. For instance, if a car comes off the track, some owners may ask that you not rerail it yourself for fear of damaging tiny details on the car. This is rare, but it's worth asking. Picking up equipment and moving it is generally frowned upon unless you're given special permission to do so. In a system with DCC, any issues with decoders should be handled by the owner. Don't consist extra engines or change programming without permission. In fact, many layout owners will not allow operators to bring in "full" throttles (think Digitrax DT400, DT500, NCE PowerCab) that allow for programming and will instead ask operators to only use utility throttles. This prevents accidental changes to programming.

It's never acceptable to bring your own locomotives and cars to someone else's railroad during an operating session without asking in advance. It's certainly never acceptable to do the first time you're going to a railroad. Operating sessions are set up with a particular flow of equipment, engine numbers, etc. and throwing an unknown engine into the mix just causes confusion. 

When it comes to the rest of the layout, be aware of your surroundings. One of the layouts I'm going to be operating on soon has asked that operators not wear baggy clothing or long sleeves since that clothing can catch on the scenery and the turnout stands. 

Most owners will want to know about trouble spots or equipment that has issues. They may ask you to fill out a quick form explaining what problem you had, so that they can fix the issue after the session. Just like software development, some issues don't appear unless you've got multiple people running the layout simultaneously. Providing feedback to the owner will make for better sessions in the future.

Prior to starting the session, most owners will have an operator briefing. The owner will explain a little bit about the railroad and any important rules you need to follow. Pay attention to this briefing, as it will help alleviate potential issues later.

You may get a choice of jobs, you may be assigned a job, or it may be a random selection. When it comes to signing up for jobs, you need to be aware of your own limitations, especially if you're new. Being put with a more experienced operator should not be looked at as an insult; instead, take the opportunity to learn how the layout works, how the trains flow, etc.

Job boards at Andrew Keeney's Nashville Road layout. Operators sign up
by putting their magnetic nametag next to a train or job, and the
trains on the left are lined-through when completed. 

Personally, while I like working yards, on a new layout, I always like to sign up for a train that is going to tour a large part of the railroad. This isn't always possible, depending on the layout, but it's something I try to do. There have been sessions where I didn't do this and I missed out getting to see a train run through the entire layout. It's a good way to see all the locations along the route and you may find a town/district/job that is of interest as your next job.

Running Your Train

Now you've got a job assigned, you're working either by yourself or with a partner, and you're ready to roll, right? 

Well, maybe not. Your job should at least tell you where you need to go on the layout to pick up your train. You may be getting a train from:

• Visible or hidden staging tracks where the train is completely assembled
• A yard where the cars may be assembled with or without an engine
• An engine facility or parking track where you are picking up a lone engine (with or without a caboose) as the start of a local job. 

Assuming your train isn't coming from staging, you may or may not be able to start right away. On certain layouts, a hostler is the person who moves the engine from the engine facility/roundhouse out to the track where your cars are. The yardmaster may not have assembled your train yet, in which case you'll need to wait. You can let the yardmaster know you're ready for your train and in theory, the dispatcher or session manager should not have assigned that train to you yet. The yardmaster may send you back to find a different train to take out. 

You'll probably get a deck of car cards or a list of cars in your train. Be sure to verify that the list matches what you have in your train. If you're missing cars or have extras, bring it to the yardmaster's or dispatcher/traffic manager's notice. 

At a certain point, you'll have your engine and know how to control it, either with a DCC address or with a traditional DC throttle. Even before I've left the yard or parking location, I will ensure that I have control over the locomotive, typically by turning the headlights on/off, making a whistle/bell sound, or something similar. This lets me ensure that I can move the train without actually moving it yet. 

The cardinal rule to remember is that no trains move on the mainline without dispatcher permission. The permission may come in the form of verbal or written orders, or you may get a signal indication. If you are getting verbal or written orders, make sure that you know how far you can go before you start moving. Once or twice, I have overrun a block because I did not see the block marker. As a result, I always look a bit ahead to make sure I know where my next stop is. When you're running on a signaled layout, you're looking for the next signal for your track. Just like when you're driving and approaching a signal, you should assume you need to stop and slow down accordingly. 

When it comes to locomotive sounds, defer to your host's rules on this. If you're going to use the sounds, you should use them properly. Do you need to blow your whistle/horn at a road crossing? Do you need to use a bell at certain times? Ask your host before you blow out people's ears. 

As you're working your job, be sure that the cars are going exactly where they are supposed to go. If the layout specifies a "spot number" for the car in front of an industry, that's where it needs to go. If you need to move cars to get to that spot, make sure that the cars you moved end up in exactly the same spot they were when you started. It is never acceptable to pick a car up and move it because it's easier to do it that way. 

Assuming you get all the tasks done for your job, your train will need to terminate somewhere. It may go into a staging track, go back to a yard, or go back to the engine facility/roundhouse. Follow the instructions you're given. The final step is usually to let the dispatcher or traffic manager know that the train has terminated and that you're taking a break or you're ready for another train. Make sure you turn in any paperwork, binder clips, or other materials you were given. Uncoupling tools tend to find their way into aprons and out of the railroad owner's home way too often. 

Wrapping Up

Hopefully these suggestions about etiquette have not scared you from wanting to operate trains. 99% of railroad owners are flexible about nearly everything related to the session, but the "rules" I've listed are because I've run into these issues at a session here or there. Most railroad owners are in it for the fun, but occasionally you get the owner who wants to exert authority over plastic toys and ruins the enjoyment for everyone. 

If you have other experiences or rules that I didn't list, please send them to me at eric@northcomp.com so I can add them to my list. 

July 2019 Construction Journal

Helix Construction

7/4/2019 - Over the July 4th holiday, I did quite a bit of work on the helix. For starters, I got the rest of the lumber cut for the helix and the connector modules. I also turned my curve template into a track guide that I could use for drawing curves into the plywood. This makes it easier to get the roadbed installed in a clean manner. 

I also discovered that the previous elevations on the first layer of the helix were incorrect. The first curve started higher than I had originally anticipated (1.5" up) and while the first two quarter curves were OK, the third one was not rising nearly enough. I removed the riser blocks, remeasured, and now I've got the right grade in place. I got the cork secured to the first helix deck this morning using ALEX DAP Clear Caulk, as usual. 

After getting the heights adjusted, I put down a short piece of track and checked the clearance with a double stack car, which is the tallest car I have. Even at the exit from the helix, there's still plenty of space. There's also enough space on either side of the track, even when you account for the spacer blocks. 

While I was cutting the other lumber, I also burned through my scrap pile to make about 120 4" high spacer blocks out of the 1x4 material. 

7/6/2019 - After the roadbed adhesive was dry, I laid the Atlas Code 83 concrete tie track on it. I put down a thick bead of caulk and then spread it with a putty knife. With very little work, the track lined up with the center line of the cork and I used my Fast Tracks Sweepsticks to help maintain the curve alignment, especially where the pieces of track were joined together. The end result was a smooth double track section of track.

7/9/2019 - I wired up the inner and outer loops using 20 gauge feeders connected to 14 gauge bus wires. One of the limitations of the RR-Cirkits detection coils is that you can only fit three wires through the middle, so instead of running the feeders through, I'm running the bus wire through the coil to a terminal strip. There will be one terminal strip for the outer loop, one for the inner loop, and one for the common wire. The Watchman board will be mounted on the inside of the helix and then connected into the LocoNet/Simple Serial Bus wiring.

After getting the first layer of track wired up, I added the next layer of lumber and support columns. Once I made the final corner, I don't have to cut custom supports for each layer -- I just grab more from my pile of 4" blocks. I'm using wood glue on the bottom of the 4" blocks and screwing into the top using drywall screws. I'm also using clamps to help provide a good seal. 

7/10/2019 - Continuing work on what I did the night before, I laid the rest of the roadbed and since the caulk set up quick enough, I went ahead and laid the track too. For the outer loop, I cut all the pieces first and then tried to put them into the caulk. However, I ended up having to adjust the rail. For the inner loop, I put down one piece at a time and it was a smoother process. After getting the track down, I glued down the spacer blocks all the way up the incline. 

7/11/2019 - I continued working my way up, adding the next plywood sections on top of the spacer blocks. 

7/14/2019 - Unfortunately, the next layer of plywood got in the way of adding roadbed and track. The end of the previous deck's track ended in a somewhat difficult place to reach. However, I was able to get the roadbed and track connected up. At the end of this deck's track, I added the track to the end and secured it as far as I could. This will make it easier to connect up the next layer of track. 

7/15/2019 - I finished wiring the track and glued down the spacer blocks. These take a while to dry, so that was it for the night. At this point, the front of the helix is 12" high, it's heading to 21" high to connect to the wall to the left. 

7/17/2019 - I added the plywood and roadbed to create the next layer of the helix tonight. I had waited to add the last spacer block, so I went ahead and glued that down and screwed the plywood into it. The clamp will help make a good glue joint. With the plywood down, it will be easier to run the bus wires for the previous deck and get the feeders connected up to them. The front of the helix is now 17" high from the support table to the top of the plywood. 

7/24/2019 - I glued down the track to the roadbed on layer #3. I also glued down the next set of spacer blocks to support layer #4's plywood subroadbed. 

7/25/2019 - I was unhappy with the look of the duct-taped bus wires running all over the inside, so I got some plastic wire clips. I added those clips on the support blocks and then snugged the bus wires at the end of the run with additional suitcase connectors. This keeps the wires loose enough to prevent pulling but keeps them from getting in the way. I also hooked up the feeders that weren't connected to the bus wires yet and ran trains up both tracks without any issues. I also figured out that I need to replace the three four-circuit terminal blocks with a ten-circuit block and one four-circuit block, since I need five bus wires to reach the top of the helix. 

7/31/2019 - I topped out the helix tonight when I added the last layer of plywood. I'll still need to add the horizontal connectors to the wall after I get the roadbed and track laid down, though. 

South Wall

7/4/2019 - The south wall of the layout is where I'll eventually connect my peninsula, but for now, it's connecting track from the east wall to the helix. I got all the lumber cut and ready to be assembled. 

7/6/2019 - I got all six benchwork sections assembled and put up more shelving brackets. I had to remove a door that the contractor put in to take advantage of space under our fireplace. I decided in case I needed access, I'd rather have the door off its hinges than have to rip out benchwork in an emergency. 

There will be two more sections (one upper, one lower) of benchwork to finish the connection to the back room. In the back room where the helix is, there will be one 8' section on the bottom and one 4' section on the top. The bottom sections will have Homasote and plywood tops, while the upper sections will just be plywood on an open grid section. I'll fill it in with scenery sometime in the future.

7/25/2019 - I installed two more vertical standards on the south wall and fitted the modules into their spaces. I'll have to adjust the bottom module because either I mis-measured the wall or something has moved. 

DCC/Electronics/JMRI

7/5/2019 - I continued making progress getting blocks wired up to my RR-Cirkits Watchman boards. I realized too late that I should have soldered the leads to the coils while sitting at my worktable instead of trying to do it under the layout. I only have three more to do under the layout, after which I can correct my oversight. 

I also did some rework on my panel layout. In a previous post, I used the classic CTC machine graphics as a backdrop, but decided that I wanted a more modern looking panel. In addition, I wanted more of the layout to fit on a single panel screen. I'm also using a smaller indicator in the track to indicate occupancy. 

All the turnouts shown here are now wired up. I'm using the dashed line to indicate track that is not being detected. In block 100 on the upper track, I'll add my staging yard turnouts. The other end of 103 will be the west end of the yard with the crossovers once I get those turnouts wired up. The other alternative to the small indicators in the track are the larger ones, shown here:

I removed the CTC background on this panel and set the background color to the neutral gray color. 

June 2019 Construction Journal

Helix Construction

After getting the majority of the curves cut, the next step is to build the support structure for the helix. Based on a suggestion from Brad Rotert, owner of the B&O Decatur Sub layout, I'm using the same box design to support the helix as I've been using on the rest of the layout so far. Each section will be 12" x 60" with 1/2" plywood tops on 1 x 4 lumber, probably with a 1 x 4 cross member in it. The boxes will be arranged so that they make a square 72" on a side. The helix will sit on top of the box and some of the inside curves will hang over the edge of the box. Each layer will be well-supported by the layers underneath, so a little bit of overhang is not a concern. 

The lumber cut list is as follows:

• (4) 12" x 60" 1/2" plywood - tops
• (8) 60" 1x4 pine - box sides
• (12) 10.5" 1x4 pine - box ends and crossmembers

The boxes will be bolted to each other and I'll make a leg pocket in each of the four corners. If one leg is not enough, I'll add more legs around the outer perimeter and possibly the interior perimeter, if necessary. 

Stack of curves to build the double-track helix.The inner track is 30" radius, the
outer track is 32.5" radius. Each piece is 7.5" wide, which accounts for track
spacing and for allows room for the support blocks. 

I got the boxes all built and laid out a circle on top to see if everything fits, and it looks like it does. The next step is to bolt the boxes together and cut the legs.

The support platform is 72" square and each section is 12" wide. There

is a small overhang in each corner but since the helix will be secured

to the boxes, this is not a real concern. 

The four support boxes got leveled and bolted together and then we started assembling the lower level entrance/exit with the other curves. 

We connected the first course of curves together using 1/2" plywood "plates" and some 1" wood screws. As the helix goes higher, I'm planning to use 4" wood blocks that are glued on the bottom and screwed in the top. This will let the blocks line up vertically and eliminate the need for a guard rail around the helix itself. Later in the week, I got all the blocks screwed down and I've got a nice smooth curve heading up. The next step is to draw the track alignments and lay down cork and track for the first course of the helix.

DCC/Electronics

After getting the right parts from RR-Cirkits and some education on how to make cables, I was able to get the east end yard crossovers and the arrival/departure turnouts wired up with Tortoises. It's so satisfying to hear that motor run when you click the icon on the JMRI panel.

Besides the five I installed tonight, I bench-wired the rest of the Tortoises I had, since it's far easier to do that than work above my head. Of the Tortoises that are left, 5 go to the west end of the yard (2 crossovers and the turnout between the two arrival/departure tracks), 4 go to the pair of crossovers to the east of the yard which allow access to staging and to the industrial district, and 3 more are heading elsewhere, probably to the industry tracks on the upper deck that are slightly out of reach.

Bench wiring Tortoise drives is far easier and safer than doing it under the layout. 

I also had to use longer .025" piano wire to reach the track, got it at Hobby Lobby. It's much easier to work with a longer wire and trim it than the included wire if your benchwork is thicker than they expect. To make it easier to mount the Tortoises, I used Scotch double-sided foam tape. This stuff is insanely strong and the screws are an afterthought, especially since some of the locations are impossible to reach with a screwdriver.

The next step in this project is to wire up the two remaining crossovers at the west end of the yard, as well as the turnout accessing arrival/departure tracks 1 and 2 in the yard. That will use up all 8 ports on the Motorman board, so I'm getting more on order. One of them will handle the mainline turnout on the upper deck right above the yard, as well as other turnouts down the line. Two of them will be used in the staging yards, which will allow me to do push button routing. I was going to wire each turnout individually but these are so much nicer and easier to work with, I decided to spring for the components.

I finished running feeders to the west end of my main yard. It turns out the parallel jaw pliers I got for making the 10 connector cables also work great for clamping down my suitcase connectors. The magnifying lamp I purchased from Menards makes it much easier to see what I'm doing, both above and below the layout. I put the lamp on my IKEA tool cart and can push it around to where I need it.