Laying Track

After many, many months of planning and building bench-work the first section of track has been laid on the Southern and Central. It's been an expensive month! I don't even want to total up what I have spent, but it's well over $500! Eek....shhhh, don't tell the Mrs.

The section in question is the main line leading into the (as yet unnamed) lower deck terminal. Due to the issues surrounding Atlas and their supply of code 55 flex track, I have been forced to use sectional track for now, which actually hasn't been the biggest problem in the world, though I do wish I was using Peco code 55 since it is available in large supply from nearly everywhere. Much of the track I have managed to get my hands on has come from the US; thanks to Ebay and NZ Post's excellent US post forwarding service that they offer.

Track and track-bed is secured using white glue, with pushpins used to temporarily hold the sections in place as you can see in the pictures below. Once dry the push pins are removed the track is nice and secure. In the past I have used track pins, but to be honest I found them more trouble than they are worth, and inevitable I end up make a fist of it. Glue is a little more permanent, but then I am not planning on moving anything (hopefully).

Track glued and held in position with pushpins.

I am wiring for DCC, which I will be controlling using an NCE Powercab (again, thanks Ebay, effectively half the price it would have cost me had I bought it in NZ).

I love the walk-around controller, and the face plate which I can easily plug it into! I will definitely get some more panels for the other modules. Because the controller is not hard wired, when I am not using it, it can be safely secured, an added bonus. I will eventually pick up a pocket that it will sit in and attach it to the fascia.

The uncovered holes on the fascias will ultimately be covered by small control panels for turnout control; I am going to use aluminium or acrylic panels and micro switches. I will detail that further when I install my first turnout mechanism, which is probably going to be a cobalt switch machine, since they come from Australia and are a damn site cheaper than tortoise. I am still mulling over whether I will use the DCC versions or just the standard versions. It doesn't seem practical to control these from the powercab, so the DCC version just seems like overkill to me, but for an extra $3 it seems a shame to not use those instead.

Desk fits snugly under module! Note the holes in the fascia.

My next post will detail the wiring process a little more, since by then my trains will be here and running! How exciting...