Layout
Track Plan
DCC
Structures
Scenery
Railroad
Locomotives
Rolling Stock
Maintenance
Layout
Track Plan
DCC
Structures
Scenery
Railroad
Locomotives
Rolling Stock
Maintenance
Daley Train Log
Page 43
I have been working on the layout for about 4 hours today. The major task was to clean all of the track on the outer mainline loop as well as the complete Coaldale classification Yard. This should eliminate one explanation for locomotive stalls, particularly over switches.
I definitely had a short circuit in the track wiring within the Coaldale Yard. I took a close look at it and realized that I did not have a reversing loop situation and I removed the DCC reversing loop module from the circuit and now everything is working fine.
I had to refresh my memory on the ID# for some of the mainline switches that are under DCC control. Basically switches 8, 9, 14 and 15 are the critical ones, with #8 set to open and the other three to closed for mainline run through. The switch control panels for both the Coadale and Jasper Yards are working perfectly. The remaining switches are manual throws and this is working well.
I am still having some minor problems with starting up some of the locomotives under DCC control. I think this has more to do with how I shut down the system from the previous run than with what I am doing when I begin a session.
I am also having a couple of minor problems with locomotive stalls over a couple of the switches in the Coaldale Yard but overall it is really working smoothly. I finally have the feeling that I have an operational layout and can begin focusing on the actual running of locomotives and trains.
However the next major task is to complete cleaning all of the remaining track on the layout.
Then there is a sequence of test runs to verify that the rolling stock all runs without problems over all sections of the layout. The first step is to simply run the locomotives. Then once that all seems in working order I will try running a consist of 4 cars, then 6, and finally 8. I am expecting a few of the cars to give me problems but I should be able to fix them so they work. This all takes more time than I expect, but it is very enjoyable and engrossing.