Wiring - part 12

 

Another short post focusing on the wiring of the external two tracks, so I can get some trains running .....

Wiring and more - part 11

 

A short post about the recent activities on the layout.

Connectors to the rack

The rack has been completed a while back, but the connectors from the rack to the layout still had to be installed. This is now done!

Switch motors

I've been focusing on making the two main tracks work. I already installed 4 switch motors a while back, so I have 9 more to install for these two tracks: 

Installing those motors is not as straightforward as I would like to. I found that pre-drilling the screwing holes and pre-installing both screws helps a lot. Once the motor's wire sticks into the switch bar, it is then easier to hold the motor in place while sliding under the table and install another two screws.

Switch motors

As part of that exercise, I am also gluing all switches and tracks down to the roadbed: 

Opening for Spring

 

How to open RIO cars from Lima

 

A new video on how to open RIO cars from Lima:

Interior lighting of RIO Nord-Pas-de-Calais

 

Following my previous posts on interior lighting, I'm going to start this long endeavor by equipping the RIO Nord-Pas-de-Calais passenger cars from Lima with the ESU led strips.

Background information

http://ffmf.nord.online.fr/cfreels/BB16651/BB166651.htm

I'm providing here some links related to the real RIO cars:

• Historic of the RIO cars: link
• Pictures: link
• Historic of a BB 16500 engine - typical for RIO cars: link

Links for the miniatures

I'm adding a new link to a blog about various options for interior lighting: here and here. There's also a video that shows what I'm trying to achieve:

ESU LED strips

I'm using the following items: 

• ESU 50709 - Digital LED lighting strip "yellow"
• ESU 50707 - Power wheel pickup for LED lighting strip
• ESU 50710 - PowerPack for LED lighting strip. 

The led strip fits perfectly into the RIO car, so there is no need to cut any section. There's a toilet section in the car which will nicely hide the PowerPack; luckily the connectors on the LED strip are almost exactly above the toilet compartment. The main challenge is how to install the power wheel pickup ....  

Power wheel pickup

Looking at the bogie, it seems that using ESU 50707 is the best option. I can put two of those back-to-back and fit them between the two axles. That bogie will pick up power from all 4 wheels.

I then need to carve the thickness of the ESU piece from the bogie:

I then need to make a path for the wires to go back into the car. I made a hole in the bogie and let the wires on each side of the coupler. I also opened the floor inside the car:

And from there, I just need to put the two wires through all the openings and solder them to the ESU power wheel pickups:

And done!

And the usual video - with the Neon effect!