After my turnout trials over the past month, I completed
final installation of the Springfield track, followed by installation of switch
machines. I find myself returning
to basics with both turnouts and wiring.
My decision to use Fast Tracks tools for all future turnouts
has relieved my stress level and made me much happier with the result. This is supposed to be a “hobby,”
though a layout the size of my SP Cascade Line takes on an appearance of a full
time job.
In mid-February, I placed a rush order with Fast Tracks for
#6 assembly jigs and the point and frog tool. This quickly provided the means to manufacture #6 turnouts,
albeit delayed in delivery by the US Presidents’ Day holiday. In short order, I assembled ten
turnouts. I am now pushing closer
to twenty #6 and another half dozen #8 turnouts since making the commitment to
Fast Tracks methodology.
I am VERY pleased with the result of my “back to basics”
(hand/jig made) turnouts. Fast
Tracks has been very responsive to my orders in spite of their February shift
to their new “Copperhead” printed circuit (pc) board ties. As with my efforts, Fast Tracks has
gone “back to basics” by bringing more in-house control over their pc board tie
manufacturing. The new ties handle
about the same as the former sheared ties, albeit without the little ridges
that would sometimes appear.
Fast Tracks Copperhead printed
circuit board ties.
Number 6 turnouts manufactured
with Fast Tracks tools and supplies.
Blank wood beyond ties will be broken off before use on layout.
With the turnout “crisis” resolved the time to wire part of
the layout arrived. Although this
will be a DCC (North Coast Engineering) layout, I still must wire much of it as
blocks for detection purposes. My
first pair of blocks, the long track segments for the mainline and siding at
Springfield, included several switch motors. I am using Circuitron Tortoise ™ switch machines for the
powered switches. I am using Blue
Point switch machines for manual throw switches (industry spurs off unsignalled
tracks).
The Tortoise machines threw a curve at me as I wired and
began checking the layout. I took
a brief glance at Circuitron’s instructions and blasted ahead with what I
thought I saw in the wiring diagram.
I have been looking at a lot of wiring diagrams as I educate myself
about the circuits I will use to install Centralized Traffic Control and
signaling. That was my
downfall.
I interpreted the Circuitron diagram as having a more
conventional double pole double throw switch in addition to the movement
control. The familiar toggle
switch convention (also used on the Blue Point devices) places the poles in the
middle contact position with the throws straddling their pole. This would imply the contact sets for
Circuitron “ought” to be 2-3-4 and 5-6-7 with the poles as contacts 3 and
6. I started by wiring my machines
that way.
I had “strange” continuity readings when I put a VOM tester
on the contacts, but I didn’t think much of that and went ahead wiring. On layout, those “strange” readings
manifested themselves as dead shorts.
OOOPS! It took me a
frustrating week to finally get back to the Circuitron diagram and now see what
it really indicated. The pole
contacts are the inner pair: contacts 4 and 5. That led to rewiring—on site--of ten switch machines already
installed in the layout. Grrr!
Circuitron Tortoise ™ switch
machine installed under the layout.
Solid green wires connect to frog.
Yes, my assumption made an a** out of me.
Back to basics: read the
directions!
I now also followed
Allan Gartner’s (
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/index.htm)
FIRST wiring suggestion: build a continuity checker (his uses a buzzer) and use
it throughout any wiring job on the layout.
Sound fundamentals such as solid turnout construction
methods and rigorous wiring—following the directions—are the only way this
large layout will become operational and remain so. Off we go!
