I’m very excited about getting back to The Town project now that the diorama is finished. I’ve been mulling over next steps: should I start on some structures or shall I finish the track-laying and powering up? I’ve decided to finish track-laying and the goal is to have a powered locomotive navigate the whole layout. I will also build a second cassette and the exit points and a proper control panel so that I can operate the layout in full before starting any structures.
I’ll start working on this tomorrow and should have something to show by the end of the weekend.
Here’s the list of work:
- Design a control panel in Sketchup and then go ahead and build it.
- Build second cassette – I need to be able to run trains on and off from both ends during wiring.
- Move light switch and design a small switch panel – maybe in brass to fit on the side.
- Start wiring. Pull up track on non crossovers-turnouts (ie the straight sections) and relay using prototypical rail lengths and joint bars.
- Wire track into sections, connect turnout motors and connect to the control panel.
- Purchase cassette cradles for the exit points.
- Test and move on.