New Track Work for the Hershey Plant...

Today I spent the day installing the new track work around the south side of the new Hershey Plant.

When I designed the track work for the plant I had an added benefit that it made both the south & north sides of the layout in this area flow a lot smoother and also added another passing siding and storage track.

Below is the old trackplan of the left and the new on the right.  With the series of three #7 curved turnouts on the south & north of the Hershey main I have the ability to have trains cross from several locations which allows for more passing manoeuvres on either the main or the eastern Hershey storage track.

                   

The track work through the whole south side now flows a lot better too, clearances have been improved and I have also a #8 right hand crossover before the track goes through the backdrop.

The curved turnouts (which are all PECO #7) that are in series together will all be interlocked, Ive also wired each turnout with power for detection too.

The series of three curved turnouts to the south of the Hershey Plant allow for the main from the centre peninsula, the rear wall (left of the backdrop) and to the north to all be interconnected.  This one change will greatly increase the flexibility of operations on the layout.

Once the track work to the north is also altered it will be onto wiring in all the blocks and installing the Tortoise motors.

Jas...

Hershey Chocolate Factory - New Trackplan..

Hi guys,

Quick update…

 

I’ve been trying to get the Hershey Chocolate Factory onto the layout.  To do it justice I needed a fairly big area and one area that I hadn’t been happy with for some time may have just solved the problem.  

It’s the section that is on the far west wall of the main layout and the plant will take up this whole area...

 

 

It’s not strictly prototypical but its damn close and will be a major scratch build to pull it off.  The best bit is it fits perfectly into the Reading era and works quite well with the layouts switching theme that I'm currently developing. 

I've opened up some of the distances between the buildings of the plant to allow for reach in to uncouple or re-rail rolling stock.  This will still have to be proven once mocked up.

 

I found on the old inter-webs a photo of the prototype for reference too.  This one however is fairly modern as all the rail served sidings are removed.  I will be likely using the one above for track work reference.

 

Cheers,

 

Jas...

York Haven - Signal Bridge installed...

Today I finished off the remainder of the wiring for the triple head mast and installed the signal bridge onto the layout.

This signal bridge protects the main heading south east towards Carlislie Junction from York Haven just outside the York Haven - Pulp & Paper Mill.

The passing siding next to the main on the south side will be protected via a double head dwarf...

Jas...

Completed LokSound Conversion on a Athearn RDG RS3...

Yesterday I finally completed the conversion of my Athearn RDG RS3.  This was to date the most challenging of the decoder installs I have done myself.

There is minimal room underneath these shells and even with the LokSound - Select Micro there was barely enough room to get everything in.

First step was to strip everything down and begin wiring in the Select Micro.

Next step was to get all the wiring in and secured using Kapton tape and make sure that the decoder was mounted properly.

There was just enough room to also get the ESU (50321) cube speaker in bunched up with all the wiring.  I think if needed I get a power capacitor in but then that would be it...

And to finish off a small video showing the start up of the clunky old ALCO V12 and the manual notching of the Full Throttle features in the decoder.

Jas..