DCC practice?

I have been reluctant to learn how to use my DCC system since the beginning. The manuals (Digitrax) and the different decoders specifics have kept me from doing much other than changing the ID on the engines. I guess I was fearful that I would permanently screw up the programming on these engines.

So for the last week I have been reading and learning how to use the system. Today was a breakthrough as I finally understood what was being displayed and how that tied into changing the CV settings. The factory setting for sound on my sound equipped engines was so loud and distracting. I resolved to fix that the other day with my Atlas engines by using the wand that comes with them, and it reset the engine to factory default including the address ( I had set all engines up for 4 digit addressing) instead of adjusting the volume. This made me read and understand that if I goofed up programming it would be easily reset. Tonight I set to lowering the volume on 2 Atlas engines and adjusting the bell rate CV on my Athearn MP-15AC. After several attempts it just clicked!

Next I will try speed matching 3 of my MEC GP-38's so they will run in a consist.

Any way, it just felt good that I made progress, I was on the verge of calling around to find a college course for DCC programing.

Paper Mill

This is the paper mill, it will be a finishing type like several that were in Maine. Pulp from a full mill is shipped in by boxcar and chemicals and starch are off loaded for specialty papers. The tall silo is for starch storage, made from PVC Pipe connectors and other bits from the left overs box. This is Kit bashed using parts of a Walther's Magic Pan Bakery, a Pike Stuff Manufacturing Plant and some Evergreen Plastic. There is a whole lot more detail to add but the basic structure work is complete.

Paved

The materials yard pavement is in and the road has been added. The tall gray structure is the start of the cement storage facility, the paint can is where the storage silo will be.

Entrance from staging

The staging yard is located in the closet and passes through a cutout in the wall. I worked this area up to look somewhat like the old Yard 5 tracks which were on the other side of Commercial street from Yard 8 the tracks ran between the hill that Portland was built on and several industries that by the 1970's were no longer served by rail or even in business. The tracks had a walkway and pipe bridge that passed over the tracks. I chose to put a pipe bridge to hide the cut and retaining walls and buildings. The building on the right will have the yard paved over the tracks for unloading building supplies. The loads will be concrete blocks , bricks and lumber that are received here. The building is a stand in for now that was used on a previous layout.

Yard 8 gets ballast

With a 4 day holiday I was able to put some time in on the layout, I ballasted Yard 8 and added a little grass in some areas.

Working 12 hrs a day 6 to 7 days a week has meant little layout construction time. I did manage to get the track on the trestle and finish all wiring for track power, all that remains is connecting up the switch machines.

Power is Back

I spent the day running bus wires under the bench work and then added the feeders to the Commercial Street Section.

I also built the removable section for the doorway before Vacation but never posted a picture. I will do the fianl track installation and power it next. This was my first time using the Woodland Scenics water. It took some of the paint from the base and made a very interesting murky water effect.