Fighting the funk of not working on the layout

We were talking on line about the malaise that sometimes sets in; you can go weeks without working on the layout, until something moves you to make progress.

I decided to do something about it!

All finished:

Except for the details, and the wiring. And the scenery. Oh well, at LEAST I can use it as a yard

The coach yard tracks in place; what color WOULD you expect me to use?

The caboose track (of course):

The locomotive servicing area; I need to make a few small adjustments in track centers to fit the refueling and sanding equipment in place, and give my little 1:160 service crew room to work, but for the most part all that remains is to lay the track:

Next time: the last of the track laying. For now.

Yard Work, Model Railroad Style...

It seems like it has been a long time, between having to find a new job, being sick with the flu, and the weather making it a bit too cold to do anything productive. But in my efforts to make good from bad, I put the gift I as given by my colleagues when laid off from my job to good use and purchased most of the track I would need to finish the yard area.

Three boxes of Peco flex may have been overkill. But it DOES mean I can look to do something “with it”…

Progress:

The caboose and auxiliary tracks have been put in, except for the #2 drill track, as I was short a turnout.

The pinned tracks are in place to plot the location of the cork. This way I can visualize where the tracks will be and decide if I like the location and placement.

The through tracks are all in place, and the pins are are holding the track in place while the glue dries.

And to make more progress on the next visit: It looks like the happy birthday fairy blessed me with all the turnouts I need to finish the loco servicing area real soon.

Time to look at details: since I can't go to a hobby shop and see them, what are your thoughts on the fuel and water products offers? I've got a Stewart Product double track sanding tower, so looking at Stewart Products, American Limited, Walther's, and JV Models. Any other manufacturers?

Edit: Well, so much for on-line ordering lol; in place of seven N turnouts I got seven HO/OO. The packing slip has the N product numbers, so worst case I have hostages lol...

Illness delays progress

In a cruel twist of fate, I was in the position to do some work, and got the track in, but suffering from flu! So no progress, but three boxes of flex track and half a dozen turnouts await my next visit!

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!

Working on the Railroad

New turnouts for the through tracks

Cut a Peco medium-radius turnout into the arrival/departure track and installed a Shonohara yard ladder, that I have had for about thirty years! Next time I'll install the ground throws and manage some more turnouts and flex to complete the through tracks. 


New yard tracks

After fitting the turnouts I added two through yard tracks; the right most is only partially complete, as I need two more turnouts at the far end. The track to the left is complete, and just needs wiring. Hopefully next time I can get it done, and get some more flex and turnouts to keep progress moving forward...


View from the West End

After the glue dried I pulled the pins for the pictures; the partially completed track is one of the yard's through tracks, but I need the turnouts for this end to wrap it up. The track to the right of the partially completed track is a through track, which I'll probably use as the primary arrival/departure track when using the station as well.


East End update

I wanted an updated picture with the pins removed after the glue dried most of the way. 


Today's updated view

A view of the yard from the East end, showing most of the progress. In addition to the turnouts and track, I glued down the cork for the remainder of the through tracks. Now I need to cut more strips, and get more medium radius turnouts and flex track for further progress. I've not added power for the new tracks, but the control panel progress should wrap that up too.