Extending the layout.

Decided to make a small but significant extension to the track.

For the last 20 months the layout has finished abruptly at the end of the platforms. This has made it difficult to run the trains for more than 100 cm and impossible to check that the sets of points (the turnouts) at the ends of the platforms work properly.

So, as a temporary measure, I've added a length of plywood on which will be a single set of points funnelling all 6 tracks into 1. This will also allow the trains to move from one platform to any other platform.

This re-acquaints me with the misery of soldering and working out how to wire up a set of electro-frog points.

As I say, this is a temporary extension; eventually there will be a proper two-track extension with 4 sets of points allowing proper interchange between all parts of the layout.

But the thought of wiring up 4 sets of points and their associated motors is beyond me at the moment.

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Currently listening to:

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Last night's dinner:

Fray Bentos chicken and mushroom pie plus broccoli; my local Spar didn't have the steak and kidney version.

Fray Bentos is the capital of the Río Negro Department of western Uruguay, a port on the Uruguay River. Now, that I didn't know!

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Still reading:

I include a scan of p 45 of this book:

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Miscellany:

I'm going to stuff the insides of my bongos with cloth to keep the noise down. I really do not like the idea of my neighbours hearing me practise. Doubtless this will be good news for them, but it's self-consciousness which is motivating me.