December 2021 - Update

Below is the update written in December, but not sent. Oops. I'll be following up with another update the end of February.

As we near the end of the year, I hope I'm getting back 'on track', not derailed on my regular updates. A few things to cover in this update including my HH660 project, an Exeter Branch update and the latest progress on the Los Angeles Division.

Some have inquired as to my progress on the Atlas HH660 number board lighting from my post which I noted the number boards weren't lighted. I went back and checked and that was September of 2020. Hello procrastination! I decided I wanted to get that project off of my workbench, not having realized it sat for over a year. With no plans to add sound, I installed a TCS M1 decoder that I had laying around.

My reluctance in starting the project was regarding the lighting of the number boards. I really didn't want to notch the weight on each side to mount a smd LED to light each number board. I thought it would make the number board lighting too bright and not really wanting to go through trial and error to find a brightness I was comfortable. I decided the easiest way would be to drill a hole across the weight spanning from one side to the other. Then, mount a single LED in the light channel provided for the headlight and let the light project laterally to illuminate the number boards. As LEDs are directional, the light would be diffused.

I'm happy to report that this worked out. I now have lit number boards and the loco is programmed and ready for service (pictured right). Unfortunately, I neglected to take any in-progress pictures. I also chose to use a 2 function decoder. Because of that, I needed an alternate solutions for powering the number board LED. I opted to go with track power leaving the number boards lit continuously. Not a big deal. 

On to the Exeter Branch. December marked the conclusion of 11th year of operations on the railroad with session 273. The schedule and assignments for the first quarter of 2022 have been set and operations will resume January 4. In the mean time, the entire railroad has been dusted (ugh), some additional waybills added and new equipment put in service. I'm looking forward to hosting sessions for Deserts Ops '22 in late October. 

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Again, sorry for the delay in getting this brief update published.