Completing the Main Line Tracks

Completed the first of two crossovers

I had these two Micro-Engineering code 70 turnouts left lying around from another project, and since most everything I own works with them, I used them in this location...

Preparing for the last crossover

I need this one to get trains in and out of all platforms in both directions. These lines both worked well, so I hopefully I won't mess it up too bad...

Cutting the first line

I found this tool, which is primarily used for soldering, to be a very useful thing for holding the flex that is already in place while I cut the section out for the first turnout...

Completed the first cuts

Cut out just enough to insert a Peco long-radius turnout.

And the second...

Both "holes" for the crossover are made. The fitting is actually harder than just putting them in when I was laying the track, but as you can see from this picture, it would have been backwards anyway...

Letting the glue dry

Fully fitted; once the glue dries I can solder the joints that need soldering, and power the section between this and the other crossover I put in, as both lines (to the right of this picture) are now isolated to avoid shorts from the power-routing turnouts...

And no unsightly kinks…

The tracks are both straight, so I managed to leave enough space between them to drop this crossover in now. It was a bit of a pain, but it looks like it works out OK. Will know tomorrow when I run some trains through it...

Train Running

First one of the day:

A CSX GP38-2 (#6638) moves a transfer cut of box cars through the station to the freight yard. The locomotive is probably thirty years old, and not doing too badly for it's age.

Of course, it couldn't get far without a power change:

Home road power finishes the journey out of town towards a connection with the UP.

And a little more variety later on:

CNW GP15-1 #4421 leads a string of Burlington Northern cars out of the yard on a transfer run

An Atlas passenger GP7 (#1521) moves a string of gallery card in preparation for rush hour...

Hopefully you can see how much tidier the yard is, after a clean up. And yes, I drank the water...

It's not just play...

Preparing to bridge the last electrical gap

This corner, inside track, is the last dead spot, at least since I added block controls. powering it will again allow both loops to run, and now I can park trains and power off the station and yard tracks...

Now that that is done, and I can run trains on all existing tracks, I can focus on finishing up jobs that have been hanging around.

Mount Crossover; first to do

Now that I am running on both tracks, and have some control, it's time to finish up these jobs. This one is just outside the station and freight yard.

Mount crossover; second to do...

This one will let me have access to the other track, and is second priority. I can start adding power to the key turnouts, and hopefully get more track!