Hershey Signal Bridge Installed...

This week I finished the second last signal bridge for the layout.  This one is for Hershey and protects the interlocking & Manheim Junction to the south heading towards Rutherford & Sinking Springs.

The bridge protects the main (track1) heading south, and the passing siding (track 2) heading northbound towards Columbia.  The main mast is a triple head, and the passing siding mast in a double head.

This bridge was the first time I used heat shrink tube to feed the wires through and to hide them along the signal bridge.  It actually worked much better than anticipated and looks far better than styrene tube I have used in the past.

The bridge has now been installed and connected to the LocoNet & JMRI Panel.

The double head dwarf signal has also been installed on track 4 that will protect the crossover entrance into track 2 and the interlocking.

One more signal bridge to go...

Jas...

Athearn - Genesis RDG GP39-2 #3416...

Another locomotive has been added to the RDG fleet this week.  An Athearn - Genesis RDG GP39-2 #3416.

The Athearn unit has had a LokSound - Select Direct decoder with LokSound Cube Speaker (50321) added.  The OEM Athearn board was completely removed and everything hard wired to the Select-Direct.

The Athearn bulbs have also been removed and replaced with 1.63mm Clear - Acrylic Tube for the headlight lenses and had TCS 3mm "Golden White" LED's fitted.

After installing the Select Direct I decided to play around with the LokProgrammer and alter the Function Mapping.  The idea is to get the most common functions mapped so that fit on the first screen of the WiThrottle app.

Of course to test out the functionality of the changes and get used to the features associated with Full Throttle features on the LokSound, I had to do some switching around Reading - Allied Manufacturing...

Having the Full Throttle features along with Manual Notching, Independent Braking and a host of other features has slowed down the switching to a more prototypical speed and added a whole other level to the fun of switching the layout.

Jas...