September 1, 2020 Long Overdue Progress Report

To rule out all suspicion of idling my time away, here's a summary of what's been done since my last e-mail update on April 3rd. If you want to continue to receive update info, please sign up as a member with your e-mail address there, and you will automatically get blog notices. I promise I won't go crazy. Check out some of the other pages for additional documents. Let me know if there's something specific you'd like me to focus on for future blogs....

Track Work

• April 9: all main track is installed; “Golden Tie” ceremony would happen if anyone could visit

• Lower level staging loops and junctions are complete

• All yard, engine facility, and passenger station tracks and turnouts are repaired

• All industrial tracks are repaired and regraded for level

• Kink removal and “debugging” ongoing with long equipment and 6-axle locomotives

• Cleaning with dragger and CMX solvent pad cleaning car is ongoing

Wiring

• All main track circuits are wired to BDL-16 detectors and PM42 power managers

• All turnout control/indication interfaces (enough for 48 switches) configured and installed

• All 51 controlled turnouts have Tortoise machines installed and interfaced to Loconet

• Lower level staging loop wiring to and configuration of BXPA1 reverse units is complete

• Zephyr installed as yard booster power district/throttle

• DB150 installed as upper level booster and back-up command station

• JMRI computer control panel is fully configured and functional with big-screen display capability

• Upper and lower level industrial tracks on independent power districts

• All rail joints have been “bonded” to assure electrical conductivity

• Additional 110 VAC receptacle installed on peninsula for radio wall-warts

• Engine facility wired for independent track power control to a miniature panel on fascia

• Record-keeping and drawings are current; master block diagram still a work-in-progress

Lighting

• All upper level lighting valence and warm-white LED strips installed with 2-150 Watt magnetic dimmable transformers

• Dimmer control of layout lighting

Equipment

• NJT Comet Cab car equipped with decoder-controlled headlight and markers

• NJT Comet coaches equipped with 10K resistors for detection

Other

• Fascia installation is 2/3 complete

• Trains are successfully running throughout the layout!

• Local zone maps are updated

• Web ste launched!

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Golden Tie ready for insertion