I've been playing around with a track plan for the new house. So far, this is my thinking on PRR Panhandle 2.0.
Vital Statistics & Decisions:
- Size & Shape: Folded dog bone – 39.5’ x 11’ with a 7.5’ x 11’ staging area – approximately 517 square feet. This layout is nearly 3x the size of the previous version. Layout height is 50”.
- Track: Mostly GarGraves with some Curtis and Ross sectional curves. Turnouts are Curtis Hi-Rail and Ross Custom Switches. Mainline curves are O72. Roadbed will be cork instead of Vinylbed.
- Yards: Weirton Junction, Weirton Steel, Coal Mine Spur, Staging
- Command System: Layout will be completely TMCC with the exception of the River Route, which will use a Track Power Controller (TPC-400) to permit both Command and Conventional operation. Turnouts have Z-Stuff DZ-2500A & C switch machines and are both TMCC and pushbutton controlled. Initially, will have 2 DZ2001 switch buses. [Considering SC-2’s]TBD.
- Wiring & Blocking: Wiring will be home-run from terminal blocks located within each district. Track bus wires will be 14 gauge 2-conductor ribbon wire aka zipcord (black / red). Track feeders will be GarGraves pig-tails. The layout is divided into 8 power districts (blocks):
- Steubenville (Main Line)
- PRR Bridge (Main Line)
- Weirton (Main Line)
- River Route (separate loop; TPC goes here for running convential or command)
- Coal Mine Spur (yard)
- Weirton Junction (yard)
- Weirton Steel (yard)
- Staging (yard)
- Power: 8 Lionel 180 watt PowerHouses supply all track power to districts 1-8. Two (2) K-Line PowerChief 120F transformers supply power to switch machines, some lights, and some AC accessories. All DC accessories, building lights, traffic signals and street lights get their power from respective 3VDC, 5VDC, and 12VDC power supplies.
- Power Distribution: A transformer cart and distribution panel will be located centrally to the right of the bridge. Features are:
- Panel will be large enough to permit all transformer connections to go to individual terminal blocks for distributing power to the eastern and western sides of the layout. Panel will have spare room for expansion and ease of access.
- Each power district will have an indicator light for its bus.
- All TMCC components will be mounted on the panel.
- All 8 Lionel 180 watt PowerHouses will be mounted on the cart.
- Both K-Line PowerChief 120 transformers for the switch machines and some AC accessories will be mounted on the cart.
- All DC power sources for accessories and lights will be mounted on the cart.
- Layout reference and operating manual will go on the cart (simplify).
- Spare fuses, lubricating oil, and smoke fluid will reside on the cart.
- Signals: Z-Stuff DZ-1060 PRR position signals (4) & MTH PRR signal bridges (2). The layout is only signaled for travel in the counter-clockwise direction.
Comments? Thoughts?
George