Powering Up (and other disasters)

Not sure how to sum up the last few days. First the SNAFU with the Sperry car and then...

Hooked up the DCC system with no hitches. Nothing went pop. Neither was there a smell of seared circuits. So far, so good. Since there are only two locomotives with decoders I decided to use the 0 address that's reserved for plain old DC. That's when the fun began.

The first locomotive I tried was a six axle diesel, a PA chassis, I believe with the FM Eriebuilt shell left off. The lights lit and the thing moved and started circumnavigating the layout on Track 1 (eastbound freight). Right as rain until it reached the second level on the helix. Try as I might it getting everything perfect there was an issue and the locomotive derailed, big time. Turns out the track that was supposed to be glued in place wasn't. Not sure why. I brushed Tite-Bond wood glue in the trench that holds the track. The glue was there, it just wasn't holding the track. More glue and some clamps put Track 1 off line for a day...

Helix: Track 1 After Glue and Clamps

Track 3 (eastbound passenger main). Everything is going just great until the locomotive hits the helix. One of the axles derails but the loco keeps going. I noticed a kink in the rail joint on Level 3 and use a small pliers to adjust. The soldered joint doesn't hold and Track 3 goes offline. Repairing it will be a challenge. I may have to remove the upper approach...

Helix: Failed Joint Track 3

So I'm left with Tracks 2 and 4 and a deep regret that I didn't use code 55 in the helix.. I decide to run my two L1's on the "surviving" tracks. Everything goes fine. At one point one of the L1's hits a raised track nail and derails. When I pick it up I notice one of the tender trucks is hot. Instead of stopping right then and there I put the loco back on the track and it goes off on its merry way. For a while. It derails in the helix. I think "Not another problem" and reach in to get the engine. The front tender truck is HOT, the axle is melted and one wheel is missing. Now I HAVE to put it aside...

First L1s After Truck Meltdown

Several more test runs. Two DL109's. both running rather slow. Apparently it is taking a full 2.5 amps  to power these two beasts cause the throttle is at the last notch. I swap in my conventional 2 cab throttle with 4 amps. The trains are moving faster but I notice that it doesn't matter which throttle I use. Apparently both locomotives are running off the same cab. If you reverse one, both back up.

I put the surviving L1s on the track and take it for spin. It stalls right about where Gallitzin Tunnel will be...

Site of the "Plunge"

I reach to check it out and it tumbles over. It drops almost 700 scale feet onto the unyielding concrete below. Now both L1's are in the shop and I'm thinking of installing safety nets...

Second L1s After 700 foot Plunge

After various and sundrie other errands and grandchildren and children and children-in-law I get back to the layout and check out this throttle problem. I check for continuity and find that all tracks except Track 1 are interconnected. I check the only place they are physically connected, the ALTO interlocking. There are insulated rail joiners between each set of crossovers except one. I install insulated joiners. That should take care of that problem...Well, no, it hasn't. I check the terminal strip where all the leads from the tracks connect to all the leads from the controllers. Maybe the strip is bad some how. I bypass the terminal strip and connect the throttle directly to the tracks. Problem still exists. I check the DC connections on the throttle in case it's a problem inside the throttle itself. It is not.

Heavy Sigh! The issue must be at ALTO. All the tracks are insulated from each other. Not sure what is happening at this point. It's pretty obvious where the insulated joiners are here...

ALTO

Insulation Between Tracks 2, 3 and 4

Insulation Between Tracks 2 and 3

Insulation Between Tracks 3 and 4

I mutter to myself "There are absolutely NO other points where the tracks would meet" as I try to pull what's left of my hair out. I decide I've had enough excitement for now and call it a day.

Regards,

Frank Musick

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer

Allegheny Eastern Railroad