A Major Milestone Reached...

So today we reached another major milestone for the layout, we finished the wiring for the detection side of the layout.  It has taken just over two years to get to this stage, it has on several occasions nearly broken me with the amount of work required.

Last month it got that bad with a persistent LocoNet problem I almost gave up on signalling the layout, thankfully that problem was solved by changing over one wire.  Yes one wire!

For the record the this is what has been installed in the last two years:

Four (4) Digitrax - BDL168 Block Detectors.
Eight (8) Digitrax - SE8C's.
Sixty Four (64) - Tortoise Slow Motion Switch Machines.
Sixty Four (64) - Push Button Fascia Switches.
Two (2) PSX-AR - Auto Reversers.
Four (4) PSX - Circuit Breakers.
Sixty Four (64) Detected Blocks.
More than 60 Insulated Rail Joiners.
Hundreds of feet/metres of wiring including:  CAT6, Bus Wire, Feeders, Printer Cable.
Countless Terminal Strips.
One Hundred plus - ID Tags for the detection blocks & tortoise motors.
About a thousand cable ties (that's what it felt like...)

I have now finished this portion of the greater detection & signalling system, the blocks are all programmed into our JMRI - Panel Pro Panel and operating as expected.

Here are a few shots of all the completed works to date:

This was the final BDL168 to be installed and the last of the detection wiring...

Just a few of the sixty four (64) Tortoise Motors...

   

One of the most dense sections of the layout for wiring, tortoise motors & labelling...

   

Special thanks needs to go out to my wiring team Noel Purdey & Dennis Hare.  And to our resident Dr Digitrax & DCC - Brendan Dennis!  

You guys are the greatest and thanks for helping us get here to this milestone.

Next step is onto the installation of the signal bridges, masts, heads & dwarf signals and all the wiring the associated with that.

More soon...