Problem Solved

About two months ago (if you go back through my posts) I installed a set of second hand insulfrog points in Border Loop to create a small run off - just like used to exist many years ago.

Above is scan of two photos taken by Darren Lee of Border Loop that shows this run off siding.

At some point in time after the installation of the point I eventually soldered the jumpers for the dead end siding so a DCC loco would still have power (for lights, sound etc.) if the points were set against it and it was locked away in the siding. But I had not run a loco on the layout since them. Last weekend before the Tuesday Nighters came over I fired up the layout and sure enough it had a short! Insert swear word of choice. What was the cause? Did I leave something on the track - a tool perhaps? Is something derailed? Did my ballasting at Fairy Hill Loop cause it? Nothing was obvious. The Tuesday Nighters could not see any trains running, but could see the scenic improvements I had made since their last visit.

Well late this afternoon in an attempt to humour myself. I just unsoldered one jumper wire around this newly installed (second hand insulfrog) point and the DCC system turned on. So I changed the point to the siding and the DCC system registered a short again. But is was an insulfrog! Well no doubt someone did some work underneath it and changed its function. Well, in went two insulated rail joiners and the jumper wire was re-soldered.

I then cleaned the track on the Main, the Loop and the siding, and ran a few locos back and forth.

Voila! QED!

Problem Solved! Back to doing work on the Farm near the Rocka Siding tomorrow.