The start of another year

2025 seemed to pass in no time.

Rospeath Lane is drifting further behind the schedule I've set myself. That said, I'm still making steady progress. Some wise person said "You can't smell the roses from a galloping horse" or something like that. Well, I'm not actually smelling roses, but I am enjoying taking my time constructing this layout with all it's (new to me) technological challenges.

The hope was to have power to the track along with some turnouts operational by the end of 2025. Well I achieved part of this milestone this week and had a loco moving on parts on the layout. At the time I there were no turnouts operational, this is the task I'm currently prioritising.

Underneath the Running Shed board

Underneath the board with the control panel

Starting on the wiring within the control panel. 

Hope to tidy up that mess of wiring a little once all the wiring is installed.

Control panel 

In the last photo, three yard lamps are just visible. I was considering installing these at this stage, especially as the boards are spending much time upside down. I then felt they might be a too fragile to be installed at this stage as they could be damaged especially during track ballasting. The transport end panels have been installed, this is so the boards can be turned upside down on the floor, making it easier to install the wiring.

I've also constructed one of MERG's District Cutout kits It passed the first round of tests, but unfortunately, it didn't cut power to my test track before the NCE Power Cab cut out. The local MERG group suggested a fix, which I've not implemented yet. At this time of the build, I thought progressing with getting all the wiring in place and turnouts working was more important. I've allowed for installing the DCOs at a later date.

MERG's District Cutout board

Someone suggested to me that DCC wiring is not as complex as the wiring required for a DC layout. I must be missing something...