# WP's Feather River Canyon in N Scale



## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

I drew the mushroom design around 1994 when at the time, I had set two mobile homes side by side, added new 10' walls and new roof with truss rafters. The original layout was UP's Cheyenne to Laramie in 1950. Went through a divorce in 1997 and decided to build my house with a 28' X 52' basement that the layout would fit in. Took me 18 months to complete the house doing almost all the work myself while working 50 to 60 hours a week at my real job. While building the house, I decided to change the local to WP's Feather River Canyon. Work started on the layout in late 2003. I changed jobs in early 2004, went form local (truck) driver to over the road. Didn't get to work much on the layout for a few years.
I use CVP's Easy DCC with 10 tethered and 16 radio throttles. It's powered by 4, 10 amp and 2, 5 amp boosters (yes, I know it's way over powered) Most trains will have 4 powered units, pulling about 45 to 55 cars with a caboose. I have 2 complete California Zephyrs, one for each direction, and they have ABB F3's for power. All visible track is Micro Engineering code 55 and most of the turnouts are Atlas, along with some scratch built and a few Micro Engineering. Helix and staging uses Atlas code 80 with Peco turnouts. minimum radius is 24" with the exception of the high line side of Kedie Wye to high line staging yard.
Layout height at Oroville is 56" and at Portola and rises to 82" off the concrete floor. The floor is raised 10" at Belden, and just beyond Belden it rises another 10" so that Portola is off the raised floor 62". The 9 and 1/2 turn helix rises from 54" to 90" off the floor to the 10 track staging yard.


This is just a basic track diagram









The helix. Note the stool for the helix operator.









Helix control panel


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Coming off the helix, going to the staging yard. The track on the right is to staging and the one on the left is to the layout.
The helix is designed so the layout can be operated loop to loop, continuous running and to and from staging to Oroville and Portola.










The trains coming off the helix will be on the track to the left. The track coming into the photo on the left is a connection for a continuous loop running in the staging yard area.


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

Nice huge layout wish I had the space.
You ever plan on doing scenery?


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Conductorkev said:


> You ever plan on doing scenery?


 Yes, scenery will be done someday.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

The far track is coming off the helix, into west Oroville. The other track on the left is part of the loop. There will be 3 industries to switch here.




In the upper area, there will be a sawmill and a pressure treatment plat.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

More of west Oroville


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Oroville Yard


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

REdington said:


> Yes, scenery will be done someday.



Did you ever make a track plan on scarm or anyrail? Just curious how many feet of track you've got on the layout. That is a very big layout.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Conductorkev said:


> Did you ever make a track plan on scarm or anyrail? Just curious how many feet of track you've got on the layout. That is a very big layout.


 When I started the original UP layout, all I had was some doodlings (as John Armstrong called it) on a few pieces of paper. When I started this layout, I had the track plan in my mind and didn't draw one till almost all the mainline was done.

The helix and staging yard used almost 2 cases (100 pcs, 30" long) of Atlas code 80 track. I started with 30, 6 piece bundles of ME code 55, and have bought 30 more bundles since. When I started the UP layout, I had bought 6 cases of Atlas code 80 track that was made in New Jersey. So all the flex track used on the layout was made in the good ole USA.

The mainline is about 350' long, or just over 10 scale miles from helix to helix


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Classification is done on this end of the yard, Trim (cuts & fills) will be done on the other end. The mainline is on the far right, and next to it is a siding. Next 3 tracks are arrival and departure. then 12 classification tracks. 






East Oroville will have a lot of industries to keep one WP and one SP operator busy for a whole session.
Just east of the yard throat






The track the 3 boxcars are on will serve 2 industries by the SP. The far left track will have Wyandotte Packing and will be served by WP.







The big white building is Ida Packing and is served by both the SP and WP. WP uses the track beside the building and the SP track goes inside from the other end. 2nd track from the left is SP tracks and the 3rd track is the WP/ SP interchange track.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

REdington said:


> Classification is done on this end of the yard, Trim (cuts & fills) will be done on the other end. The mainline is on the far right, and next to it is a siding. Next 3 tracks are arrival and departure. then 12 classification tracks.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


WOW!


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

I’m not sure if “intense” is an adequate descriptor for your layout or is insufficient. I’ve seen club layouts that are smaller, built by a dozen people. 
Hats off to you.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

OilValleyRy said:


> I’m not sure if “intense” is an adequate descriptor for your layout or is insufficient. I’ve seen club layouts that are smaller, built by a dozen people.
> Hats off to you.


That is why I only said WOW!
And it is no where done, previews are great!


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Thanks guys. 
Your kind words are much appreciated.

I've done most of the layout build myself as I want the trackwork to be as perfect as I can get it. As soon as I get all the trackwork done, I start having work sessions to work on scenery.


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

REdington said:


> Thanks guys.
> Your kind words are much appreciated.
> 
> I've done most of the layout build myself as I want the trackwork to be as perfect as I can get it. As soon as I get all the trackwork done, I start having work sessions to work on scenery.


.
Well keep us updated you have one nice non club layout.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

More of east Oroville

Fiddle yard for the sawmill, beet processing plant, Stokely Van Camp, WP freight house and Fyten Furniture. I might add a few more industries once I get all the structures built and trackwork done.




Stokely's will be somewhat large structure and will go where the 2 yellow tags are. One side will be for refers and the other will be for boxcars. 
Fyten Furniture will be served by the far left track.





Beet processing plant. 




Sugar warehouse is the building on the right. Bulk sugar will have another siding closer to the processing plant.





Start of the sawmill




Just beyond the sawmill will be the WP freight house.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

SP mainline is the far right track. I'm hoping I can hide it with trees where it goes off the layout.






SP is on the left






Looking back to the west










SP has 5 industries to work here along with a team track. A SP style station will be here too. The track goes off to a 2 track staging yard that will hold 20 cars on each track.


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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

You sure have a ambitious layout for one person, hope you have some helper friends to help and keep you on track.
JUST AMAZING! Gosh!
I agree with others in saying I have seen club layouts as big.
I see your running Easy DCC and I can only guess you will be automating some parts of the layout.
I subscribed to your thread as I can't even imagine the burnout you are going to get if you try to do too much.
Keep it real and thanks for sharng your ADVENTURE!!! 😎 ...BTW, interesting town you live in.
*Fred Harvey*_ bought a mansion in your town at the height of his success and lived here until his death. He created the chain of *depot restaurants (some for the Santa Fe Railroad)* called the Harvey Houses with their charming waitresses the *"Harvey Girls"*. _ 
Hope to see his mansion, if only in spirit, on your layout.


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## Berrychon (4 mo ago)

SF Gal said:


> I subscribed to your thread as I can't even imagine the burnout you are going to get if you try to do too much.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

SF Gal said:


> You sure have a ambitious layout for one person, hope you have some helper friends to help and keep you on track.
> JUST AMAZING! Gosh!
> I agree with others in saying I have seen club layouts as big.
> I see your running Easy DCC and I can only guess you will be automating some parts of the layout.
> ...


 I have a pool of over 70 experienced operators in the area. So getting people is no problem.

Nothing will be automated on my railroad. I bought the Easy DCC command station, 2, 3 amp boosters in 1998 and built them from a kit. Of all the DCC systems I've operated on, I do like it the best. 

Know all about the Harvey House and Harvey girls. Sorry, no Harvey mansion will be on the layout. Funny thing is that I've almost always lived within a stones throw of some ATSF tracks, but never had the desire to model it.


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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

REdington said:


> I have a pool of over 70 experienced operators in the area. So getting people is no problem......
> ....Funny thing is that I've almost always lived within a stones throw of some ATSF tracks, but never had the desire to model it.


I should have guessed you are sponsoring a _"no dues, help if I say it is okay"_ club layout.
That's a lot of modelers dream scenario, with a layout that size.
I just about _fainted_ (JK) when you said you never desired to model the Santa Fe. 🤪
I suppose if you see it everyday, why not model something you never see as much!
I am the same way with the Indiana Harbor Belt RR, as it passed by everyday across the street from a house a lived in while in my teens.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Leaving Oroville

The 1.75% grade starts about just beyond the sawmill. Mainline is just right of the sawmill.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)




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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Looking back west


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

This is Belden siding














Looking west again


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

The tracks on the left is the staging for the high line that comes off the left side of Keddie Wye.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Keddie Wye


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

SF Gal said:


> I should have guessed you are sponsoring a _"no dues, help if I say it is okay"_ club layout.
> That's a lot of modelers dream scenario, with a layout that size.
> I just about _fainted_ (JK) when you said you never desired to model the Santa Fe. 🤪
> I suppose if you see it everyday, why not model something you never see as much!
> I am the same way with the Indiana Harbor Belt RR, as it passed by everyday across the street from a house a lived in while in my teens.


Pretty much why I model European; I haven't been there to see it in 30+ years.

That is going to be a great looking layout when you get around to the scenery.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

We're going back to Belden siding for a minute.

I forgot to show where the raised floor starts. It raises almost 10" for 16' in this area. 






Then raises another 10" for the rest of the layout


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Getting back to Keddie

Entering the Keddie yard





As you can see, I'm getting ready to add some classification tracks. I don't have enough room for any industries or locomotive shops.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Quincy Junction
On the prototype, the junction is a few miles east of Keddie, but I have it at the east end if Keddie yard,
The track on the right goes down to Quincy. The mainline on the left is going up to Williams loop.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Williams Loop
The radius of the loop starts at 36" and then widens out to about 40"













Coming off the loop, and into Blairsden siding


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Quincy
There will be the station, a sawmill, 2 oil distributors, distillery and a grain store.













Under Williams Loop is the dispatchers desk


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

REdington said:


> Keddie Wye



Is that the micro engineering viaduct bridges?
Thinking about getting that fir a curved bridge I'll need


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Conductorkev said:


> Is that the micro engineering viaduct bridges?
> Thinking about getting that fir a curved bridge I'll need


 Yes, those are ME towers and girders. 

The tie strips were 3D printed and have PCB ties glued to them.

Here is tie strips right off one of the printers






With the PCB ties glues on





Once the scenery is done, I'll add railings to both side like in the Prototype photo


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

REdington said:


> Yes, those are ME towers and girders.
> 
> The tie strips were 3D printed and have PCB ties glued to them.
> 
> ...



How hard was the deck getting it to curve. I know they have a whole writeup on hiw to do it but trying to get a sense of hoe difficult it will be.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Conductorkev said:


> How hard was the deck getting it to curve. I know they have a whole writeup on hiw to do it but trying to get a sense of hoe difficult it will be.


 It wasn't very difficult at all.
The girder spans between the towers is what needs to be modified. 
I couldn't find any instructions for 15" radius, so I drew in out in Sketchup with the 15" radius to get the dimensions of the inside girder. Took equal amount each end. The outside is stock length.

I"ll help you with anything you need when you get ready to build it.


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

REdington said:


> It wasn't very difficult at all.
> The girder spans between the towers is what needs to be modified.
> I couldn't find any instructions for 15" radius, so I drew in out in Sketchup with the 15" radius to get the dimensions of the inside girder. Took equal amount each end. The outside is stock length.
> 
> I"ll help you with anything you need when you get ready to build it.


Ya not to sure when I'll get to it. Need yo still buy it. I know it's not as long as yours I believe 14"


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Conductorkev said:


> Ya not to sure when I'll get to it. Need yo still buy it. I know it's not as long as yours I believe 14"


 OK, it's going to 14" long and what radius is it going to be??? I'll draw it up and tell you the length of the inside girders.
Also what track will you be using??? ME doesn't have any bridge flex in code 70 or 55 in stock. 
I could print some tie strips for you if you need them


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

This open area will be the village of Blairsden. The station will go on the far side of the tracks, about where the unpainted backdrop starts.








Graeagle was a settlement just the the southeast of Blairsden. It was a sawmill town with the usual mill houses with a general store with gas pumps. The store was also the towns meeting hall with a cafe. Now, the whole building is a restaurant. The sawmill is long gone, but a few of the houses, the store building and the log pond sill remain. Somehow I've never got any photos of the pond the many times we've been there. I will make sure I get some when we go out there again next June.









Graeagle Sawmill will be a large complex that will occupy a lot of this area. Will also have 2 oil/gasoline distributors, door and sash factory, and a feed mill.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Around the corner from Blairsden





And here's the entry into the layout room. The track is 80" off the concrete floor. There is 2 steps after you walk through the door to get up the the raised floor.





Clio Trestle 





This is where the 78" long Clio Trestle will be. I have enough ME parts to build it, but the towers are too short. So I will draw some up and print them on my new Anycubic Mono X 6K printer. Might even draw the girders and print them with more details than the ME's.


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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

Very ambitious Rodney, and very cool. I wanted to ask, how long ago did the first timbers get screwed to framework?
It look like you and your crew been at this for more than a couple weeks. 
And are there any women supporting your effort on the layout?


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

SF Gal said:


> Very ambitious Rodney, and very cool. I wanted to ask, how long ago did the first timbers get screwed to framework?
> It look like you and your crew been at this for more than a couple weeks.
> And are there any women supporting your effort on the layout?



There is no crew helping me yet. I started building the layout in December 2003. I've done everything, but installing a few risers, by myself. That includes hanging 4 X 12 sheets of sheetrock on the walls and ceiling. When I first started, I went gangbusters and had the mainline in and running trains inside of 6 months. Then took 5 or 6 years off to play with the wife's 20.3 stuff. I built a outdoor layout that covered about a acre, We was modeling DRGW narrow gauge with about 700' mainline. I converted 18 loco's to battery and Airwire control. I did a lot of white metal casting of detail parts and trucks for scratchbuilt rolling stock. 

My wife is a model railroader of sorts. The really likes to run the trains and go to operating sessions. She's pretty good operator too. She has been invited to sessions when I was on the road and couldn't attend.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

After going over Clio Trestle














In the open area will be the town of Delleker where there will be another sawmill with a wood crate factory. Most of the crates used to pack fruits and vegetables in the state of California were made at this factory.






Here is a photo of the prototype


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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

Very cool to hear your wife also operates. The are a few ladies here on the forum. Not many though. Wish more were active in posting. Thanks for sharing the "inside story!"


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Portola
Still have a lot of track to lay here.






This yard has been redone 3 times to get it the way I think it will operate efficiently.












Trim end of the yard. Classification will be done at the far end.
From (top) left to right
The 2 tracks by the Dremels are for icing tracks
Next track is the mainline and then siding.
Next 3 tracks are arrival and departure
Next is for cars to be classified
And then 8 tracks for classification.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Portola yard from the classification end











I have the ice house and icing dock built, but not installed


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Going around the corner









Locomotive shops will go in here.






Down on this end will be a lumber yard, feed store and a oil distributorship.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Leaving Portola


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Here it goes back to the helix
Somewhere here will be a rock query about


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

I've talked about "operation" several times, and I'm sure there are a few of you that have no idea what I'm talking about.
For operations, each car has a carcard and a waybill that goes with the carcard.

Lets say these 2 cars are on westbound extra 916 coming into Oroville. The yardmaster would instruct the trim operator to take them off. Then they would go to the classification end and that operator would classify them and put on the Oroville local track. The local operator would then take the cars and spot them.

Carcards with waybills





Here some videos of a day at Mike Porter's "Chicago and Great Western" It starts with a crew meeting. The Ops starts about 3:10 and I'm the Ft Dodge Yardmaster classifying cars,






Part 2






Part 3


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

All the turnouts on the layout will be powered eventually.
All the turnouts on the mainline have or will be thrown with Tortoise's with the exception of 2 crossovers on Portola and one in Oroville. They will be wired so that they can be thrown locally or from the dispatchers panel. Most of the other turnouts are thrown with servos mounted on 3D printed bases. I use Arduino Mega's to operate the servos. I've got the cost down to under $4 to throw a turnout and that includes a micro switch to control to polarity of the frog, the LED's and switch that goes on the panel.

Servo mounted with limit switch





Measuring tube length I need





Drilling hole for tube





Making bellcrank out of .025" music wire





Measure overall length and cut with cutoff disk





Bellcrank installed and bent 90 degrees








Servos installed


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

REdington said:


> OK, it's going to 14" long and what radius is it going to be??? I'll draw it up and tell you the length of the inside girders.
> Also what track will you be using??? ME doesn't have any bridge flex in code 70 or 55 in stock.
> I could print some tie strips for you if you need them


It's 24" code 100 using primarily atlas flex with peco turnouts.

I'm trying to get a 3d print to fit that I found but won't fit my printer


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Conductorkev said:


> It's 24" code 100 using primarily atlas flex with peco turnouts.
> 
> I'm trying to get a 3d print to fit that I found but won't fit my printer


 OK, I'll try to get it drawn out in Sketchup in the next day or two, and get the girder length for you
Got a link to it?? I have a very old 12" FDM printer that I could try to print what you want.


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## Conductorkev (Nov 5, 2021)

REdington said:


> OK, I'll try to get it drawn out in Sketchup in the next day or two, and get the girder length for you
> Got a link to it?? I have a very old 12" FDM printer that I could try to print what you want.



NM went to see the fike name to pull it up and noticed it was the wrong one. The one i had was 26 needed 24. The 24 fits so ill be printing that later 











HO Scale 24" Radius Curved Bridge Section by kabrumble


This HO Scale Bridge is 24° and can be assembled in multiple sections to create the length of curve you need. The ends are flat to make gluing them together with CA is easy.




www.thingiverse.com


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Conductorkev said:


> NM went to see the fike name to pull it up and noticed it was the wrong one. The one i had was 26 needed 24. The 24 fits so ill be printing that later
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Sound good


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Here's a Arduino Uno and a Mega with sensor boards on them.
The Uno will throw a maximum of 8 servos and 24 for the Mega.
I had help getting the Arduino code developed so that the servos run smoth and about the same speed as the Tortoise's. 





Here the Mega's on the staging yard


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

In a few places I used a small slide switches to control the Arduino's


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## afboundguy (Jan 10, 2021)

Mind blowing! Love it! Makes me think of the time I had a thought about doing N scale instead of HO scale as it would have allowed me to add more on the layout but alas I had a bunch of HO scale stuff already... Can't wait to see all the progress!


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

afboundguy said:


> Mind blowing! Love it! Makes me think of the time I had a thought about doing N scale instead of HO scale as it would have allowed me to add more on the layout but alas I had a bunch of HO scale stuff already... Can't wait to see all the progress!


 I too, have a lot of HO equipment and N scale still won out. I really considered switching to HO, but just couldn't get all I wanted to fit, even though I have a large layout space. 
I've been following along your build as well and your doing great work.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Last Tuesday evening as I was switching some cars on the trim end of Oroville yard, I discovered some trackwork that might hinder the efficiency of the trim operator. They couldn't get to class tracks 1 and 2 if any trains were arriving or departing. Also was having some derailments on the turnout off the siding to the A & D tracks.


Here it is before the change









New turnout installed with revised trackwork and getting ready to install the bell crank linkage for the servos.


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

Got all the bell cranks done and the Arduino mounted





Ready for servos


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

One of the major drawbacks to servos, is that the signal wire cannot be longer than 60" or somewhere there about. 

There is a couple of ways to wire servos
One, is run all three wires back to the controller
The other is run a buss with 5 volt positive and negative for the servo power, and only the signal wire goes to the controller. 

On most of my mine, I've done the all three wires back to the controller (Arduino)


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## REdington (Aug 20, 2018)

22 servos installed and the rotary switch matrix wired. Next will be the 2 control panels


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## afboundguy (Jan 10, 2021)

REdington said:


> 22 servos installed and the rotary switch matrix wired. Next will be the 2 control panels


This is making me rethink wanting to do servos with my turnouts as I keep delaying finishing up the main wiring 🤣 Looks really good though!


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