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Showing posts from August, 2018

Layout Command Control - The Adventure Begins!

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Layout Command Control, a.k.a., LCC, is a data highway for the control of layout accessories, such as turnouts, signals and other accessories.  It can also accept data inputs  like block occupancy and push buttons.  Planning on using LCC for the control of my layout.  First order is in and just got shipped.  Let the fun begin!

Staging Tracks Are Laid!

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In another milestone reached, all the staging tracks are laid!  You cannot ever have enough staging, but there are practical limits.  That said, I think I packed in as much as I could.  The track plan developed a 'continuous' staging scheme, unlike the dead-end staging on the previous version.  Hopefully this will reduce the time needed for staging.  After running over the main, EB trains will enter the "points east" end of the staging yard, and then emerge on the "from the west" end as an EB train again.  Previously I had to back out each train, turn it around and then back it into the yard.  As such, and EB train would become a WB on the next session. There are 9 staging tracks, each roughly between 30 and 40' in length; shorter inside and remarkably longer as they go out.  I plan to keep the very inside track as a run-through to allow people to just run trains in circles or break in equipment.  This is a first for my layout!  Up until now, it was al