Bit by Bit Solving the Issues

Yesterday I went down to the shed and tried to see what I could do get the points on a crossover in Fisherman Islands Yard working.  Both points would throw straight, but neither would throw to the crossover position.  So the first thing I did was work on this pair of points.  These points were fired of a single address in an NCE QSnap set to accessory address 1522.  This is the third address output from the QSnap.

I started by replacing one point and tested with a new set of points in place.  Still not working in the crossover position.  I replaced the point motor on the set of points I just replaced and tested again.  Still not working in the crossover position.  I removed the second point from the picture and tested again.  Still not working in the crossover position.  I then connected the first point I removed to the original point motor that I also removed from the picture while testing and then connected them to a new output from my second NCE QSnap located at Fisherman Islands.  I tested in both directions and they operated successfully.  

I then wired the second point from the crossover pair at the old accessory address of 1522, to another address output on the second NCE QSnap.  I tested that accessory address in both directions and that worked.  Can anyone see anything pattern forming here?  It seems that the output from the third accessory address (given address 1522) on the first NCE QSnap does not want to play the game.  So that address is now left free.  

I then had to go into the programming of my NCE Mini Panel and change the commands that previously referenced 1522 to now reference accessory addresses 1533 and 1534.  As I moved the points from operating on the same address to separate new accessory decoder addresses, I had to make these changes.  So the control panel works well except for one more output.

The point motor at accessory address 1523 (this is the fourth output from the same NCE QSnap above that has the third output address 1522 not working) which is also not working correctly.  This has been left for another day.  So at another time I will go back and remove this one and look at fixing this as well.  But if I need another working NCE QSnap accessory address I might be in luck.  I am thinking of removing a Snap-it from Acacia Ridge Yard and replace it with a new NCE QSnap at that location.  This will give me three more addresses at this location for use.

Today I was contemplating what I will do with my new siding at a new location Rocklea, between Acacia Ridge Yard and Clapham Yard.  I built a small push button control panel and installed the push buttons.  I still need to wire everything up and run the 4 wires back to the Mini Panel located at Loco Pilly.  That is the second closest Mini Panel but the only one with spare ports to connect up push buttons.  That will be wired up next weekend.  If I purchase a new NCE QSnap above, I can use two of the spare output for the two new point motors I need to operate Rocklea Sidings remotely.

I also was able to pull out some wiring today that I had previously positioned for the Fisherman Islands panel that was to go back to the Border Loop Mini Panel.  As I purchased a new Mini Panel last week and wired that up, all the pre-positioned wiring is now superfluous.  I will try and use this wiring for connecting the Loco Pilly Mini Panel up to the new control panel I started today that will go on the facia new the Rocklea Sidings.