Model Railway
a. Layout
b. Locomotives
c. Cars
d. Operating
e. Summaries
Railfan
Photos
Daley Train Log
Page 60
My goal today will be to run a test of my passenger coaches over the mainline in both directions.
However before I do that I need to install a foam roadbed under two spur lines in the Jasper Yard. These two lines will hold the passenger coaches when they are not in use.
Secondly, I need to rewire the two switches that were moved earlier this week when I made a small modification to the track layout in the Jasper Yard. This involves a little more work as I will have to drill a couple of new holes through the table top as well as solder the new wires to the control panel.
I now realize that I did not have to modify the track layout, but having done it I like it. It has simplified the overall routes in the Jasper area as well as straightening out a small kink in the line. Each small step is an improvement. But I continue to think that this phase of preparing the layout is virtually completed. The activities will soon shift to running trains, building structures, and completing the assembly of running stock. I am also beginning to read about the history of the CNR.
I have encountered a problem with one of the two switches that I moved. It no longer is able to switch between the two states. I have taken the switch apart a few times and it seems fine when I operate it manually, but fails to turn the switch to the open state when the appropriate button is pushed. It clearly is trying to complete the operation but something seems to be jamming the mechanism and preventing it from completing the motion. I am still working on this.
I ran the complete passenger train of 5 long cars powered by unit CN 6700 (a 5-axle passenger C-Liner Diesel) and CN 6708 (a dummy B-unit) west bound on the outer mainline for 6 complete circuits with no problems. This is the first time that I have had the complete passenger consist on the layout. Another good feeling. It looked like a real 1950's passenger train, just before the new black & gold color scheme. I still want to see how it behaves when I try the inner mainline loop.
I also realized that although the spur lines in the Jasper Yard can hold the passenger cars, there is no easy way to pull them out and form a consist. Therefore they will occupy one of the classification tracks in the Coaldale Yard. That seems to work okay. I am now beginning to fine tune the operational features of the layout.
However I noticed that CN 6708 is not in my data base. I have added it.