I am working on laying the lower level return loop/staging tracks. There will be 8 loops with the outside loop representing the UP mainline east of Ogden. Each loop will have a rerailer on each end. All of this track will eventually be hidden (either under the city of Ogden or behind the Ogden city backdrop.

The 7 staging tracks range from 250" to 296" in length.

I started working on the eastbound side and installed 3 turnouts but then I decided that I should focus first on the westbound side because I need all 7 of those turnouts in order to complete the outside (mainline) loop.

The 2nd photo is a closeup of the track gapping for the turnout ladders. Per this DCCWiki https://dccwiki.com/PECO_Insulfrog Peco insulfrog turnouts should have both point rails gapped to prevent shorts on the frog. On my previous layout I did not know this and I experienced intermittent shorts for this exact reason.

The point rails gapped at #2. The rerailers are double gapped (#1) on the right side to create an isolated occupancy zone (the whole loop). Repeat 14 times for each of the turnouts.

The Norfolk Western 50ft boxcar has been designated the sacrificial lamb for initial track testing.
 

Quote from: Jerry on August 24, 2025, 10:49:04 AMNice update.  Don't forget the cat's up there!! 

Jerry

I debated whether to let her get down on her own or to stage a rescue intervention.  I opted for rescue intervention.

Quote from: deemery on August 24, 2025, 10:39:52 AMAnd then I caulked and painted the homesote.

What did you use caulk for with the homasote?  Filling in joints? 

dave

Yes, I caulked the joints between pieces of Homasote.

I've been working on the lower return loop this weekend. I added additional 3/4" subroadbed and 1/2" Homasote from the lower return loop to the point where it will transition to the 3/4" plywood and 1/4" foam roadbed as the double track mainline exits the tunnel. The lower return loop is at 36" nominal elevation and the rest of the lower level is at 40" elevation so the mainline climbs at 1.37% as it exits the lower return loop.

There will be 8 track loops in the lower return loop ranging from 28 1/4" to 44" radius.  The outside (44" radius) will be considered the mainline.

The quality of the Homasote board is even more crappy then when building the previous layout 10 years ago. And it kicks up a ton of cellulose dust when cutting the homasote (over in the basement garage/woodshop area).

And then I caulked and painted the homesote. I am basically ready to start laying track! There was much rejoicing!

Keep in mind that all this track will be hidden under the city of Ogden.

And Adventure Kitty got up into the ceiling/floor joists this morning. I knew this was inevitable.

Quote from: jbvb on August 18, 2025, 12:27:36 PMWhen I added PSX circuit breakers, I bought and installed the feeper part mentioned in the instructions.  It does make it clear when there's a short but all the feepers produce the same note, so my operators still have to look for the lit LED on the panel to see if they caused the short.

I run the PSX remote status LEDs to small panels on the fascia like these I saved from the previous layout. The top two LEDs are normally green and the lower LED is off unless there is a short detected and then it lights up RED.

 

I am still waiting to get additional LED strip lights that match the existing LED strip lights color temp. I found some and verified the color match, but they went out of stock. Supposedly they will be back in stock this week.

I have working on the 5 control panels so they will be ready once I start installing track/turnouts.

For the DCC track power/control there are the following components:
Digitrax DCS-240+ command station
(2) Digitrax DB-210 8 amp track power booster
(4) Digitrax DB-150 5 amp track power booster
15 DCC Specialties PSX circuit breakers
2 DCC Specialties PSX-AR auto reversing circuit breakers
Each control panel also has a RRampMeter inline between the DCC booster and the first PSX circuit breaker. The RRampMeters display the track power voltage (should be around 15 volts) and track power current.

The wires that come off the PSX circuit breakers are to drive remote status LEDs mounted on the fascia. For each PSX breaker there are 3 status LEDs: input power, output power, short status

I used 1/2" homasote on the previous layout for the yard/loco service areas and I found that I had to spend a lot of time/effort patching it to make it level.  That's why I switched 1/2" rigid foam for the new layout.  Not that the foam doesn't have issues:  the surface is very fragile (even a finger nail can cut into surface) and you have to be very careful when working on/above the foam.  Dropping almost anything results in a depression or surface gouge.

The issue I am currently fighting is getting new LED strips to match the color temp of the old/saved LED strip fixtures.  I am loathing the possibility of redoing all the LED strip fixtures with new LEDs in order to get 'matched'. 

Quote from: Jerry on July 18, 2025, 03:34:37 PMDoug nice update!!

After watching this come together I've come to the conclusion that "THE LUMBER YARD" loves to see you coming!! 

Jerry

The layout has around 485 - 490 linear feet of benchwork, so YES.  Lots of lumber.

Original/placeholder design for the loco service turntable/roundhouse area.  This has definite 'reach' issues so I have been working on new design to reduce the reach issue in that area.  2nd photo is my current solution (work in progress).

Installing more fascia for the middle level 'nolix' area.

Closer detail of the LEDs mounted on the backside of the fascia.

Installing hardboard fascias.  I use the fascia to mount LED strip lights for layout lighting.

I saved a bunch of the LED strip light components from the previous layout.

Two of the LED strip lights are the wrong color temp as you can see from the purplish backdrop areas (as opposed to the correct blue sky color).  Those LED fixtures will be replaced.

Installed 1/2" rigid foam board and then painted it (gray for yard areas and brown for non yard areas).  The paint is just to cover up the pinkness of the foam.

I installed a room dehumidifier because the humidity in the layout room (non airconditioned) spiked up to 68-70% in late June.  It's working. Humidity is back down to around 50%.

Upper level backdrop installed, primed and the painted Ace Hardware color "Dancing Blue"  (one shade darker than the lower/middle level "Radiant Skies".