'power' to the track (2) - control box

Have put the control box in place so I can run the feeds to the track. I re-used my old control box which was made from a green mailbox.

I had to be creative on making a stand for it and a rummage around yielded two offcuts of treated wood batton, a length of angle iron and a couple of suitable brackets.  The angle iron was knocked into the ground about 18ins to provide the main support - painted over quickly in wood stain - the rear view...

The control panel in the box has a connection for the feeds to the track from the controller and switches in place if I want to add control of the sections for the station main line, passing loop and siding.

'power' to the track (1)

Have started putting stuff together for getting 'power' to the track.  I've put in a weatherproof extension lead for summer use - with the flex going up to the lean-to under cover of gravel.

 Next getting ready for the power connections to the track, using some spare track I've made up two sections which will be swapped out with what is currently in place - these have the connectors to go to the controller - for these I used brass track connectors with solder tags.

 On the 'to do' list

• buy suitable cable and layout the lengths needed
• buy conduit/plastic pipe to hold the cable
• setup control box (saved from the old layout)
• solder cable to track and lay into the control box
• clean the track
• play with trains ---->  'toot - toot'

An update and a short running session ...

I had hoped to be running track powered locos by now, however the necessary works have not been done to bad weather, a badly sprained foot and two nasty bouts of flu.  I've only just caught up on the normal jobs in the garden.

The garden planting has matured nicely and the railway now looks like it belongs in the garden .....

Managed to get a nice little running session in a couple of days ago when I got home from work on a nice sunny evening

This years outdoor works will focus on getting setup to run track powered locos, on battery only at the moment.  I have to dig a couple of shallow trenches for wiring and power supply - hopefully I'll get this done before our clay soil turns to 'concrete' due to  the summer weather.