Test of Video

Last Two Local Control Panels

Today I finished and installed the last two Local Control panels.  There will be two additional panels needed when the Harbor Area in completed and the Port Covington is completed.  They will just be turnout control panels, not local control, because they are in dark territory beyond CTC.  The trestle will be installed tomorrow and then the remaining bends will be built and added.  In the meantime, the railroad will be operational again after about a year or more of no operation.  Once operation is restored it will be time to finish the signaling and be available to test the signal system.

Revised Track Plan and Location Names as of August 10, 2014

Below is an image of the current track plan.  Changes include naming of towns and locations and the addition of the upper level branch to Durbin, WV and its connection with the C & O.

Layout Design - High Resolution Image Can Be Enlarged to see details

More Local Control Panels Completed and Installed

Following are the most recent local control panels to be installed and tested.  The local control panels are used for two purposes.  If no dispatcher is present you can set the signaling system to ABS mode (automatic block signal) and operate the turnouts from the local panels.  When a dispatcher is present and the signaling system is in CTC mode, an engineer/crew can call dispatcher and request to use a portion of the layout and control those turnouts in that portion.  The dispatcher can throw a local toggle and press the code button to allow local control.  A light on the local control panel will then light giving control to the crew within the area the dispatcher has released to them.  My photos were taken while in ABS so the local control light are lit on all panels.  The first two panels I finished can be found under the posting for June 2014.

Penn Station Panel.  Due to the size of Penn Station this panel also has turnout position indicator lights so an operator and see all the turnouts in the station area from their panel.

Fulton Junction Panel.  Also controls the PRR South Staging.  Occupancy lights for the staging tracks are also shown so staging can be operated from this location as the staging tracks can not be seen from this location.  There is also an occupancy light for the lead track into Port Covington for the same reason.  When a dispatcher is present the engineer/crew won't need to know the occupancy in these area.

Leahigh Junction Panel.  Also includes control, turnout position, and occupancy lights for Northern Central Staging as these tracks are under Leahigh and therefore a bit hard to see.

Computer generated version of the CTC model boards and lever boards.  This can be used until such time the actual CTC is finished.  Everything is controlled by a mouse.  Also this display includes the ability to turn on some testing procedures as well as change from CTC mode to ABS mode.  Please excuse the fuzzy photo.  I will try to replace it with a screen capture later which should produce a sharper image.

The New Bridges Over Elk River

Yesterday I finished the two plate girder bridges, except for walkways and fire barrels, across the Elk River.  The main line to C & C Junction is in front and the branch to Durbin is in the back.  The bridges are  basically two blocks of wood with styrene structural shapes applies.  Rail is hand laid on standard ties turned on their ends to give them more height typical of bridge ties.

Crossing Elk River

Recent Scenery Photos by Warren Hart

Going through switch from track #2 into Summit Tunnel

 

Passing over Dark Holler Bridge

Returning Westbound just past Spruce Ridge

Stay tuned as I expect to have the twin bridges at Greenbrier Junction and the Trestle over Big Spring Run completed within the next week or two.

Signal Progress on the Layout

We had guest crew Tuesday and Wednesday all the way from Rochester, NY.  Bill and Gail Carr came down and helped to build a large number of our "temporary signals" to get ready for the October Middle Region Convention open house and OPs session.  Bill has written the Visual Basic software that runs the signaling and CTC on the layout.  Below is a few of our signal factory.

And below is our first signal to operate on the railroad, ever!  It is located at Mount Airy on the WMRY.  The aspect shown is Green over Red and controls entrance to the OS at Mount Airy.  What a trill it was to see the signal work and show the proper aspect based on the signal and switch lever setting on the CTC.

More photos and further explanation of the system in the future to follow.  Stay tuned.