August 2nd, 2009

So let me start this off by saying I am completely sick of installing Tortoise switch machines. This last week was a busy one for me, so train time was cut down to almost nothing. So the majority of this work was done on Saturday evening and all day Sunday. I ended up installing the last 3 Tort's in the lower level staging yard and all 10 on the upper level staging yard. My neck has a permanent kink in it now from looking up under the benchwork.
Along with the Tort's, I made a control panel for the lower level staging yard using Microsoft Paint. Real quick and easy, and printed on normal paper. I glued it to a piece of 1/8" masonite and drilled out the holes for both the switch machine and track power toggle switches. I previously had the power switches wired, so I jumped on the switch machine toggles. Wiring up all 9 Tortoise switch machines took up most of the morning, but I'm happy to have them all working now. Next up will be a control panel and toggle switches for the upper level, along with laying and wiring 11 staging tracks... Not looking forward to this.

 

 

Here is the control panel for the lower level staging tracks. Turnout control on the left, track power switches on the right. Diagram made in Microsoft Paint and printed on normal paper glued to 1/8" masonite.

 

 

I had already wired up the power switches, so all that was left to do was the turnout control switches.

 

 

I still have one more staging track to put in on the lower level. It will be connected to the reverse loops, so I'm waiting till I get them built to put it in.

 

 

Upper level staging yard throat. 11 tracks.

 

 

Both throats.

 

 

 

Looking up at the upper level Torts. I had a few real tight fits. These all need to be wired up, both for track and turnout control. Not looking forward to it.

 

 

Here I've started on the staging yard tracks. One down, a ton more to go.

 

 

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