Journey of a thousand miles starts with a single chuff (redux)

[SteamGene]

Some track for South River Yard is in.  Then I remembered I'm going to power each track to keep having eight locomotives come alive when the power goes on.  So I pulled track and inserted insulating joiners.  The good side was the insulating joiners went on easily.  So maybe there IS a patron saint of model railroaders, after all.  OTOH, I have too many right hand turnouts and need a left hand one.
I'd have it up tomorrow except it's been raining and I need to cut homosote and that is done outside.
I had to give up on the west service track, but I may wind up buying a curved turnout so it will work.
Gene

[Paul M.]

Gene,
I know you've probably mentioned this in previous posts, but is your layout DC or DCC?

[SteamGene]

DCC. It's broken up into four power districts and then each track of loco storage and South River Yard has/will have on-off capability.  I don't want 20 sound equipted steam locos powering up at the same time.
Gene

[SteamGene]

The benchwork for South River Yard is up, the homosote - or most of it painted, and I'll start laying the final track Wednesday.  (I have a CT scan tomorrow, so I may not do much that requires a great deal of care.  Ground foam may be in the order for Tuesday afternoon/evening.)
Gene

[SteamGene]

Mainline track actually met on 9 Oct.  South River Yard has four tracks installed, two of them powered, and I've found a way to have both an east and a west caboose track.  The east is in, the west will need a #6 left hand, which I will trade tomorrow or Monday for a #6 right hand which is not needed. 
(For various reasons, I'm thinking of realigning the mainline going through Leesboro - this may give me the other approach track to the turntable I want.  If I do this, I'll do the inner track first, and then align the other.
Gene

[Yampa Bob]

Hi Gene
To cut homasote, I use one of those razor blade utility knives, the break off type.  Very smooth cuts and no mess.  After cutting, smooth up the edge with a sanding block.

I use light strokes, takes maybe 8 to 10 strokes to cut all the way through.

[SteamGene]

Bob,
With me, it depends on the size of the homosote I'm cutting. Big pieces, I use a table saw outdoors.  Small cuts I use a razor saw, or a Dremel, or.... The east end caboose track required some small pieces and I used both table saw, razor and Dremel to piece them together.  The caboose track is so close to the edge that I think I'm going to get some chain link fencing to keep a caboose from going off the edge. 
Gene

[grumpy]

Have fun with the chain link fence.
Don

[SteamGene]

I've got the South River Yard track in and wired.  BUT - when I put the power to Track Four, the power district shorts out.  The track is (or should be) insulated on both ends and wired the same way as the other tracks.  All other yard tracks work as planned.
Suggestions?
Gene

[WoundedBear]

A wayward track nail causing a short, perhaps?

Sid

[SteamGene]

I vaccumed.  But that's along the lines of what I was thinking.  I'll look again.
Gene

[SteamGene]

Drop wire is strand.  Sloppy connection to the power switch caused the short.  Neat connection caused proper running.  All six yard tracks work fine. 
Sunday I'm getting a VT&P USRA 0-8-0 on the yard.  My thanks to C&O GP7 5707. 
Gene

[pdlethbridge]

Bob, my personal favorite for cutting homasote is a chainsaw. Arr arr

[grumpy]

Are you still in the hospital . I heard your injuries were quite severe. They can do great transplants now.
Don

[pdlethbridge]

They were going to do a brain transplant, but couldn't find the old one