A step back in time

Another day, more layout wiring for a friend on his S scale layout (I must take some pictures).

Today was entertaining on several fronts.
1) Even wiring for DCC isn't as easy as it seems. After hooking up everything I had laid in yesterday (1/2 a dozen point motors and a similar number of track feeds) I fired up the system to be told I had a dead short somewhere. Oh goodie. Fortunately the owner had connected everything up using screw tag terminal strips and it was reasonably easy to locate the short...not. After nearly an hour of seemingly chasing my tail, I finally narrowed it down to a double crossover where someone(else) had failed to gap the PCB sleeper in one place. problem solved and at least it wasn't my wiring.

2)After getting the track all sorted I had a crack at cleaning the loco wheels. Things were a bit grubby, but not as bad as after a day or 2 running at an exhibition, which really is something to behold. What i was surprised to see was that Models assembled buy the manufacturer were on the centuries old 'pick-up one side of loco, other side of tender' type). I think The Pilgrims left England because they didn't want to convert to pick up on all wheels (or maybe it was something to do with 3 rail, who knows). What I was completely astounded to see is that it worked quite well (or worked at all). Maybe I'm just too use to the lovely 'pick upon all wheels' that we in the chosen scale are more acquainted with.

Its actually quite nice to work on someone else's layout, assuming you don't break anything, which i have yet to do...