Saturday, April 4, 2015

Control Panels and St. Pat's

Control Panels

I got 2 of my 3 control panels replaced with ones using mini-toggle switches. The old panels used Atlas Selectors.

In my September 20, 2014 blog entry I listed "Things That Should Be Illegal to Give Rick!" Topping the list was a soldering iron. So why risk additional burns (3 minor) to solder mini-toggles?

The old set-up with Atlas Selectores was fine for continuous running but a hassle when switching (and this is a layout set up for switching operation sessions). It is a DC layout (due to costs and 45 years of accumulated equipment; ditto for code 80 track and 52 turnouts). Doing run-arounds and set-outs/pickups meant searching the various track diagrams on the side of the layout for the Selector number and then finding the Selector switch. This should eliminate much of the hunt and peck.

The Westville panel has 9 toggles and the Woodbury panel 18 (the Camden/Philly panel will have 23). I have now run out of 24 AWG wire, terminal blocks and connector spades. The last panel will have to wait until after the tax season ends anyway.

Westville (/Brooklawn/North Woodbury) Panel:

Wiring the panels:



The Woodbury panel:

St Pat's Church

In the Woodbury station area, the principal structure after the station is the Roman Catholic church (St Patrick's) across the street.

My stand-in has been a very Presbyterian looking church (I love the model but it is a poor representation of the prototype).
I recently saw a Tomytec church on eBay. It has many of the characteristics of St Pat's so I ordered one and plopped it down on Cooper Street across from the station. (Yes, it needs to have the foundations "buried".)



While far from perfect it does have many of the characteristics of St Pat's, the buttresses, window styles, etc. so it should be a closer stand-in. Down the road (ha ha) it should have the narthex shorted and appropriate doors put in and a grayish tint to make the bricks look more like a stone structure. It also needs a new roof structure to eliminate the upper false front.

Progress is our most important product (even if it comes in baby steps).

1 comment: