First, my "regular" layout, the one that has a full loop of track for continuous running, is about to temporarily (we hope) lose its place in the basement, as that basement is scheduled to undergo a complete remodel starting sometime in January. I am in the process of looking at various forms of modular layout construction in hopes of converting it to something I can easily reassemble following the remodel.
Second, the modular layout I posted photos of way back in the late spring has finally seen some progress recently. I've been able to add roadbed and track to two of the three modules that have been built, and have started laying out track on the third module. The fourth module is scheduled to be assembled sometime this week, although the components of the fourth module have been cut and waiting for assembly for several months .
As part of the basement changes, I took the opportunity to "tear down" and move the already built modules to another location in the house for further assembly/construction, although I am not able to keep all of the modules assembled in their operating positions as they were before. As my intent is to bring the four modules to a state of completion before the Port Huron train show in April, I have a lot of work to do over the next several months.
I had the opportunity to operate on an all DCC layout at the Novi train show a couple weeks ago. As a result, I've started to feel the bite of the DCC bug. As it turns out, I have three locomotives with DCC decoders that I know work (found out about two weeks ago that an ATSF unit I picked up at a train show in February actually had a decoder already installed) and a fourth sitting on the workbench waiting for decals, among other things, also receiving a decoder. The group that the modules are being built to participate with is also an almost-all DCC group, so I will be wiring the modules for DCC operation, rather than the straight DC operation found on all of my prior layouts.
Here's the work that's been done so far:
And here's what I've come up with (so far) for the third module:
I intend to post more updates as I make more progress on the modules.
Thank you for looking,
Charles W.
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