I built a track from suggestions on this forum to tune up my rolling stock: checking and setting coupler heights and measuring and weighting cars, using two rerailers and two Kaydee coupler gages. One night I was getting ready to program a new engine and thought since I had this track already built, why not incorporate it as a program track as well. I added a terminal strip on the back to make all my electrical connections and also added a toggle switch that would add or remove a 1K resistor for when I had to have it for some of the Bachmann locos. I just added an NCE decoder testor to complete the system. I just placed it on the layout to program the 4-6-0 shown in the photos. I connect the two wires to the program connections on my Zephyr and it is ready to go. Once I get my layout set up better and my work benches cleaned off, I will use it on one of the workbenches most of the time.
I just wanted to share this with everyone and get you opinions or suggestions. As always, they are appreciated.
Bob
One of the photos shows it set on my layout near the Zephyr.
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
I was thinking like you a few weeks ago when I made a tune up track and started swapping the stock couplers with Kadee's. But what i ended up doing was was putting a couple plastic gap track connectors to isolate a section of track to be my program track. I wired from my DCC power source a set of power wires to my program track and for the main bus line just hooked that up to a toggle switch. When I want to program a train (which I have to do when I got the club) I just flip the toggle and the whole layout is off other than the program track section and it now saves me from having to remove all the locos.
Fancier than mine, mine's just flat. I stuck my PR3 on mine to make it a self-contained program track, set it up with my laptop at one of our recent club shows and it came in handy .
You DID remember to gap one rail in front of those Kadee height gauges, right?
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Bob,
Very Nicely Done!
I really need to put something like that together. I do have a dedicated "programming track" consisting of a section of flextrack attached to a length of 1x4, but you've done a nice job of adding all the necessary bells and whistles. Inspiration for me to do the same...
I think I would make some short sections on each end that were insulated from the rest of the test track to hold the height gages so that I wouldn't have to remember to remove them every time I wanted to program something.
Or are there insulators that don't show in the photos?
Very nice workmanship and you will love to use it, creativity is fun.
I built my tuneup track unpowered but now I will power it as a dcc test track such as yours. Actually it is my secone one. I rebuilt it to stand higher so that the track was at eye level to see mismatched coupler heinghts, much better (just old and cant bend like I use ta.) as well as shelves for couplers, shims and tools, kinda like a mini book case.
Also found out, the side to side coupler swing always works by finger flipping, mounting an uncoupler mag in the middle of the test track lenght, the magnetec force is much less then the finger.
Also noted you market it for adding weight, nice idea.
enjoy...John
maxman I think I would make some short sections on each end that were insulated from the rest of the test track to hold the height gages so that I wouldn't have to remember to remove them every time I wanted to program something. Or are there insulators that don't show in the photos?
That's why I asked I find that anything left loose, like coupler gauges or an NMRA gauge, has a tendency to walk away. I haven't gotten to the point of chaining an NMRA gauge to my test track, but my uncouplers are CA'd in place and I just cut a gap in one rail just in front of the gauge - it barely shows. I still need to put the weight markings on mine, and this has given me an idea, to put a toggle switch and a pair of terminals on mine to switch between programming from the PR3 and input either from a booster or straight DC to use it as an actual test track to move locos back and forth. Plenty of room as I built mine on a piece of Rubbermaid laminated shelf board, 3 feet long.
Randy,
I did forget to cut gaps in the rail to isolate the Kadee gages, but apparently it hadn't shorted; must have some paint or ???????? under the gages. I just went down to the layout and cut the gaps. Thanks for pointing that out.
I also intend to add a PR3 at some point in time and will most likelly rework the toggle switch to accomodate it. I made my track long enough to handle my Big Boy for when I get to install the decoder in it. I also planned to paint it to look a little more finished, but got carried away with getting it done.