Running Again - Santa will be pleased!

The new "bridge" module connecting the new layout construction is in, the electrical gremlins have been squashed, and we are running again! A lot of work remains but we are once again functional.

The completed layout is designed to run as a 2 tower system. Brown Tower (Camden & Philly) will pass electrical control to trains entering Red Oak tower (Brooklawn, Westville, & Woodbury).  Each tower will have 2 cabs. Everything runs with  common rail (all block's south feeds looped together) wiring.

Here is a scribbled track plan. This is a DC layout using Atlas Selectors for 2 train block control in each section. All my power packs are MRC Tech II 2500s. There are more than 30 electrical blocks and 100+ track leads. In the end I needed to separate the commons at the tower sections meets. Now everything runs fine.

It seems like a whole new world. The previous 2 construction phases left me with a glorified oval. Even though it was an irregular 5'-7'x17' it still had the feel of an oval. When this phase was added it seems like a whole new world. The trains now feel like they are going somewhere. With a mainline run of ~ 3 scale miles it takes a while to get back to the start. Now I need to get the 7 track yard operational. The feeders are wired to terminal blocks but now I need to get a control panel installed. That means miniature SPDT center-off toggles and a soldering nightmare. That will be an after-Christmas project. Now we have to get ready for our 4 kids, spouses, 12 grandkids and monkey bread! Where did I store the Christmas lights (and when is it going to warm up enough outside to put them up)?