A Spontaneous Redesign

[Jsa274]

After another prolonged period of inactivity on my layout build, I had a sudden and unexpected spark of motivation to improve the freight sidings of my layout.

Old version and how my layout currently looks:



New redesigned layout:




(Excuse the crude any rail image, to get around the section limit I stitched two screenshots together to make the whole layout..)

The operational possibilities are vastly improved with the addition of a reception line and a head shunt, so freight trains can be marshalled and run smoothly in either direction around the main loops without any awkward shunting. There is also a fuel bay for loco storage.

The track can mostly be reused with only two pairs of points to be bought to complete the new goods area.

The two road TMD on the old design was a nice idea but after an objective review I thought it was redundant and the track and effort better spent elsewhere.

The other major consequence to the redesign is modifying the control panel and wiring.

I remember commenting on another forum member’s thread warning against mid-build redesigns of perfectly good track and scenery recently, well I have succumbed to the temptation as well!

Hopefully further photos will be taken when I get round to the rebuild itself.

…and it still has no name. I’ve got some ideas but nothing firm yet.

[Jsa274]

I had a spurt of productivity this weekend and finally implemented ‘layout version 24’ in the nice weather, fuelled by zero percent beer (thanks to being on call for work).

I had enough track to implement the desired new layout, with some tweaks that make the electrics much simpler. I have shifted the two sets of points to the sidings to the left side of the baseboard joint, so there are no awkward track cuts at an angle and accompanying pair of track circuit jumper wires.

It was a faff removing and refitting the point motors as well. Some wires weren’t long enough to meet the new point motor position so new lengths were cut. I’m awaiting one final point motor to complete the set.

The next hurdle will be to redistribute the baseboard wiring from some redundant track circuit jumpers (from the old TMD and sidings) to the additional point motors. There is already a need to gut out the control panel and start again due to the new layout, so once that is done it’ll be lots of wire chasing and continuity testing to make sure everything is correct.

No photos unfortunately, perhaps once the electrics are sorted I’ll take a few photos of the end result.

[broadoak]

JSA 274, good luck with your future activity on the wiring front, not a job to be taken lightly.

Regards Peter M

[Jsa274]

Recently I got stuck into the control wiring on my layout.

This involved moving wires from old point positions to new ones, and belling out every wire to make sure the schematic was reflective of reality. I am now happy that I know where every wire goes, but I did find a short circuit between four point control wires (paired to two sets of points) indicating I’ve made a boo-boo somewhere or there is a short inside a multi-plug, to be investigated later.

I have also made a start on tidying up the control panel, after implementing a paper and tape modification to the control panel diagram (photo pending). I have promised myself to try and make it tidier, progress photo is attached.

I have also found a short clip recorded of the whole thing working a year or two ago, albeit before the freight sidings re-design.

It is proof it did work once upon a time!




https://youtu.be/Km__1Uu8UM4?feature=shared

Jamie

[Rog (RJ)]

Quite a tidy panel.

[Jsa274]

Thanks Rog, unfortunately it’s only half-finished. Whether it still looks as tidy when it’s finished will be a different matter!