Layout

The layout is 42 x 25 double decker . It is a fictitious track plan between Worcester Ma. and Fresh Pond Yd in Queens Ny.

It models the Providence & Worcester Railroad as a regional freight carrier with trackage rights on the Amtrak NEC .

Commodities include Paper goods,produce,coal,stone,plastic resins,lumber,grain ,cement,chemicals,general merchandise and scrap metals.

Interchange is made with CSX Transportation , New York & Atlantic Railway, SeaView Transportation , SeaView is a short line railroad located in Davisville , RI and the New England Central Railroad in Ct, and the Guilford Rail System in Gardner Ma, (ex Boston & Maine)

Two way radios are used to communicate with the train crews .

The railroad is dispatcher controlled by means of CTC (Centralized Traffic Control) using JMRI PanalPro dispatching software. The new 17" LCD monitors have been installed in the dispatching office. One to set track signals and turnouts and the other is for train and crew information. Block detection also appears on the signal and turnout monitor to let the dispatcher see the advancement of the 14 trains that are running on the system. I am using NCE (AIU) Auxiliary Input Units and DB20 block detectors to do this function. Also I use the AIUs for turnout acknowledgement so the system knows which position the turnout is in. CVP Products EasyDCC (AD4MC) accessory decoders are used for the turnout and signal controls. There are 22 decoders in use each having 4 outputs per card. The biggest feature for using CVPs decoders is that they are rack mounted for easy replacement and programming. There is no soldering to the cards. Just pull them out and pop one in. The old panel will not be forgotten, I spent a lot of hours building and wiring it , so now it will be used as a display only. The switches will remain but will not function. All the LED`s will be controlled via the computer in the same manner that is on the monitors. We now are using a remote dispatcher that`s based in Ringgold, Ga. Ed Juaire moved to Ga. and still wanted to be involved in the railroads operation sessions so we setup our computers to communicate with each other so he could run the software from his home. We also setup the computers so he could communicate with the train crews on the 2 way radio system we have been using for sometime now. This is done via the internet and using a voice over the internet software. This is great stuff!!! I would like to thank my operators Bill Powers & Ed Juaire for all there help in making this latest project a big success. Bill did all the software work and panel design and Ed supplied the LCD monitors and cables he is also helped me out with the remote dispatching project. I did all the wiring for the new system.

That`s all for now.

MAINLINE DISTANCE

539'

8.9 Scale Miles

CONTROL

3 NCE systems

NCE Powerhouse Pro ( Dispatching,turnouts & signals)

NCE Powerhouse Pro/DCC/ Wireless (Train operations)

NCE PowerCab for engine programming during operations.

CTC Control uses JMRI Panel Pro software.

Sound Decoders

Exclusively ESU Loksound w/ Full Throttle

 PERIOD

1990s to 2016 when they were aquired by the G&W

 LAYOUT STYLE

Double decker around the walls in 4 rooms with 1 peninsulas in the main room. Two helixes,one is 56" dia. with 12 levels and the other is 52" dia. with 6 levels with 2 1/2% grade.

 TRACK

Atlas code 100 flex track and turnouts, #4 on branch lines and #8 on the mainline crossovers.

 SCALE

HO-1:87

 OPERATING SESSIONS

3rd Thursday of the month.