Trappers Gulch

Started mudding in the area of Trappers Gulch and put in the upper mainline trestle. The trestle needs a couple braces replaced. The lower trestle needs the bents installed. After the background is repainted, scenic materials will be added.

Layout plan

The blue track from Grants Pass is the connection to the NP. At Medford (staging) dashed lines, electrically isolated. Orange tracks are in the port, electrically isolated. Red tracks are the Waldo logging branch, electrically isolated. The towns of Grants Pass and O'Brien are also electrically isolated and use a BPBT switch to select power from the appropriate direction of travel. Because of the gaps at O'Brien, the mainline is divided into 2 sections. All of the gaps are for block control operation.

Hole in the wall, AKA O'BRIEN

Now that the upper mainline loops around and joins the lower loop, there is no need for a yard or turntable in O' Brien. The yard was made into a passing track and the Barrel Factory replaced the turntable. The village was also extended back into the corner.

Wait, now that I have a spare turntable, why not remove the wye in Pelican Bay and replace it with the turntable?  With the route from Pelican Bay now turning to the left off the Peninsula, the right leg of the wye can be removed, providing  the space for the turntable. 

On the lower level,  the right track comes off the Peninsula, and has a turnout running back to the turntable. It heads, off the bottom of the picture to O'BRIEN.  There is a cross over on the line from Grants Pass so engines can use the turntable as a run around while moving cars in and out of staging. You may also see that there are 2 tracks coming from Pelican Bay. With the removal of the wye there was room to lengthen the passing tracks.

Track plan changes.

The newest track plans biggest change is a tunnel (yet to be built) through the wall to connect the lower mainline to the upper mainline  at O BRIEN.  The towns had to be changed around putting Grants Pass  on the lower right of the plan. This makes Grants Pass the tail of a loop (the rest of the railroad). If you leave Grants Pass with your train on the track to the left you travel down past and ignore Pelican Bay and proceed to the connection with the Northern Pacific, which is staging under Cave Junction. If instead you leave Grants Pass on the track to the right (lower) you travel the high line to Cave Junction and then OBrien, proceeding through  the new tunnel, downward to Pelican Bay.  Turning on the wye you can return to Grants Pass via OBrien or to 2 staging tracks representing Smith River and Crescent City. This plan is my working electric plan, so ignore that stuff. This new plan will make the Grants Pass  Railroad  from Grants Pass to Pelican Bay a nice log run which it should be as it is the main focus of the layout.  The 4 staging  tracks, the Waldo logging branch and the narrow gauge coal line add interest. Usually in summer not much gets done on the layout but all this rain provides an opportunity to work on it, now if I  could just fined my rail nipper.

It's Alive!

Got my throttle back, he found a loose wire and fixed it. Got it home and no power. It was mentioned that the cable was not in good shape, so I got out my meter and found the green AC-DC feeder had no power, no noticeable problems. Replaced the cable and it works like a charm. Now all my hand held throttles work. Now I have to label all my control panels.

No power?

After hooking up the last bit of wiring  (to the turntable in Grants Pass) my Varipulse throtles would not work. Then I tried another throttle and Nothing! Well both throttles can't go bad at the same time, can they? So it must be my wiring. Reviewing my wiring plan I could not find a problem, but that doesn't mean that the wire gremlins can't. I did use different colours and wire type to keep everything straight. Next, I  unhooked the last bit of wiring  (all on a terminal, thank goodness) still no go. Next I tried a different areas to rule out a short in the Grants Pass area, Nothing! Next to eliminate any shorts or Transformer problem I set up a test track powered by a different throttle, still Nothing!  Both throttles can't go bad at the same time, can they? I got out another 1, and to my surprise it works.  Opened up the Varipulse, everything looks good,  the other throttle had a broken wire. So I guess I dropped the Varipulse 1 too many times. A friend of mine is going to check it out. On the positive  side (pardon the pun) my wiring is good to go.

Trail into the woods.

I may have bitten off more than I can chew. Now I have to paint a horse trail into the woods on the backdrop, that's hard to reach.

I think it will turn off to the right  or left rather quickly.