Lead up to December 27th, 2013 Running Session

With Christmas Day and Boxing Day this week, I was able to find some spare time and travel down to the Shed and complete the last few tasks before the running session was due to occur on the Friday.  So on Christmas Morning after the kids opened their presents I was able to get to the Shed for about an hour and a half.  I wired power to the last 7 point motors around Clapham Yard and Loco Pilly.  I connected the first four motors up to the DS64 point controller.  These were allocated addresses and tested.  I then coded up the mini panel so the push button controls from the Loco Pilly panel through the various point at the northern end of Clapham Yard and the first two sidings in Loco Pilly.  These worked like a bought one.

I then wired up the next three point motors to the second DS64 point controller.  These were also allocated addresses.  However, whenever I tried to fire the points, the LED on the DS64 did not light, as it does on my other DS64's.  I can only assume that it is not getting the addresses I set it up with.  I just hope this is not another warranty claim as this is killing me posting this stuff back the US.

On Boxing Day in the morning during the first session of the cricket I then found a wire off my Master Layout Voltmeter.  Why not use the TV in the shed if you have one!  The next major task that I had to do was to setup the train number magnets on the master layout minic panel used by North Coast Control with the all trains magnets placed in their starting locations in the various display panel sidings.  I then had to go through the train timetable cards and remove the various trains that I had decided that we were not going to run during the session.  I use two sets of timetable cards.  One that the drivers use and one for North Coast Control to refer to so he can see what instructions the driver is also seeing on the timetable card.  The cards say things like what siding to take and what wagons to drop off or pick up at what locations.  I think that makes it easier for North Coast Control. 

I had always been experiencing issues with the auto reversing unit located at Acacia Ridge Yard when it did not always throw when a train entered Acacia Ridge Yard from the south sometimes stalled upon entry at the section boundary.  During the week I printed out the single page instruction sheet for the auto revering unit.  I then knew what way to turn the variable resistor located on the reversing unit and adjusted the triggering current downwards and then ran a test train.  Again - it worked just like a bought one.  I had no idea why it has taken me so long to adjust that setting.

All was now set for the Running Session the next day - the 27th December.  From memory I think I also went down to the Shed on the morning of the Running Session to potter around for an hour or two while watching the cricket.