It's about time!

It has been 4.5 months since I updated this blog. Sorry - I was not happy about the way things were going so rather than complain I just did not write anything. There has been much progress on the Rutland. The drop leaf shelf has been contructed and installed. A great deal of wiring has been going on under (within) the benchwork. DCC recommends that a power drop be installed about every three feet. I have put in power drops for each of the yard tracks, both yard leads, to almost every turnout, etc... Lots of wire and soldering! There do not seem to be any dead spots in the power grid. At present the layout is being powered by a DC transformer. I had some very bad luck with attempting to clean the power pick-ups on several engines. There was a ton of cat hair and other gunk all over so I took several engines apart to clean out the hair. Not paying enough attention I created several short circuits within the engines and numerous other mistakes when I put them back together. I took everything up to Maine Trains in Chelmsford, MA. The owner is a very patient man! He tested my entire DCC system (I brought it all with me!) and looked over the engines. The system tested fine! The engines on the other hand were not so easily tested. I left two for repairs and brought two home that tested OK on the Maine Trains in-house layout. I, however, have not switched back to DCC control as yet. DCC has not been a great change for me as yet. I still think it will be in the long run. Done for tonite!