JFRTM just got a tad more interesting. As has been covered upthread, I've added a fiddle yard and a junction to the lower main line loops. There's still a bit of work to do to smooth out the trackwork and develop a more permanent electrical scheme, and as always, the yard could stand to be a bit longer, but for now I have accomplished the basic functionality of an out and back, point to point run, with the option to run laps in between... at least in one direction.
Here we see the fabled Royal Blue cued up on Track 3, keen to depart on time.
Entering the west bound junction at the back of the layout (this is where I've got to tidy up the rail alignment... it works for now, but I haven't really sampled a broad cross section of my rolling stock yet... I'm certain there will be issues)
Also of note in this view is the ballast in the foreground... by happy accident, after I pulled up the outer main to work in the switches, I had a cup of the wet ballast that I had scraped up. I usually install my unitrak on the module with latex Liquid Nails, squishing a little out the side for a good bond. It turns out, if you take wet, gluey ballast and press it into the seepage, it works out pretty well. It's not an exact color match, but I'm thinking a wash of dirty paintbrush water over the track and ballast should blend it together reasonably well. When I checked it this morning, it was like solid concrete. A true Bob Ross Happy Little Accident!
Next, the station stop at PawPaw, which can now actually be on the way to somewhere.
Then back on the main heading west up the valley toward Cumberland.
At Mexico Farms, we reach the junction to head into the yard.
... through yet another scene of a bridge and a river (am I Johnny One Note, or what?)
Now arriving, Track One, the Royal Blue!
The best part is I now have all my rolling stock storage just below the yard. It will be much easier to access the next train with the 0-5-0, and do it while another train is running circles.
And here's the view from the satellite. Note that yard is being accomplished with TTrak-compatible (if not quite fully compliant) modules. So when it's time to hang the drywall and finish the basement, it can all be unbuttoned and stowed, including the HCD layout, which remains fully independent structurally and (so far) electrically.
The next challenge will be working out the electrical schematic of the yard so it can be operated indepentently of the mains. I'll need a reversing section (or two) to handle the Wye, and then work out isolating the main into several operating blocks. Once all that is sorted out, the next hurdle will be adding a similar yard behind this one to accommodate the Western Maryland's local traffic on the upper level, and perhaps a not too steep interchange track between the two. We shall see.
So, now I officially have a TTrak interface. While I don't have any intention of filling the basement with a layout, there's no reason y'all can't load up your modules and come over once in a while and do it for me!
Lee
