Hey ya'all. Since my last post here, I've made several workings to the 12x10 shelf layout as noted below. Also, I introduced RC jr to menards "O" gauge stuff via text. Two days later, He text's me from his local Menards (Toledo) with a pic of the Morton Salt building saying "Look what I just got for half price", because it was the display model & 15% off day! I said, "Oh, my grandson is gonna love this" & He say's, "No, Dad, This is for YOU!" Dang, I think we can fit it in on the wide portion of the lower level & wire it thru the AIU as a center piece based on preliminary measurements. Here's what I have done;
Started a test version of a backdrop using neon blue poster board (I know it sounds kinda chinsey as opposed to facia), but taking into consideration it's a shelf layout & with multiple grades it seemed more logistical. It not only gives a nice color enhancement with the lcd lighting, hides brackets & some wiring & could be hand painted for ground effect.
Also, if I decide to change to facia next year, the poster board could be used as a pattern for cutting the angles & grades. So, I'm headed back to Pat Catans for enough to go all the way around. Another test area, the wall in craneville where I have been playing with scenery & ballast, I tried the poster board in black and love it! So, I'm going to do the entire lower level backdrop the same way, giving it a Dark night effect.
As seen in that photo, I painted the shelf underside in preparation for that. here's the wide area I hope the Morton salt will fit into once it gets here.
Also, the 5 amp re-settable breakers made it from china. I installed them along with some buss & wiring improvements; a breaker on each of the 3 track circuits & 1 on Acc circuit fed with a brick. They so far, they function perfectly, but I did notice that I have to knock the track circuit down with the AIU before re-setting as they cause the units to restart in conventional mode. This is probably for the best anyway so as not to re set under load.
Needed something to keep me out of the mower shop for another month anyway ( getting some warm days in between cold spells) & this should do it without breaking the bank.