[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":130},["ShallowReactive",2],{"post-summer-2026-updates":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"date":117,"description":118,"extension":119,"image":120,"meta":121,"navigation":122,"path":123,"published":122,"seo":124,"slug":125,"stem":126,"tags":127,"__hash__":129},"blog/blog/2026/08/summer-2026-updates.md","Summer 2026 Updates",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":107},"minimark",[9,13,18,21,29,33,36,40,43,47,51,54,57,60,64,68,71,74,78,82,85,104],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Updates here on the blog and Facebook page have been a bit quiet this summer. Nonetheless, the layout continues\nto progress. Here's what we've been up to, and a peek at what the next priorities are.",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"lower-level-mainline-complete","Lower level mainline complete",[10,19,20],{},"We finished and tested the mainline on the lower level, including the return loop and the connection to the helix. Dave also\ninstalled the second turnout in the helix to allow us to have a \"complete loop\" on the lower level. Feeder drops and\nconnection to the track bus followed. All turnouts coming off the mainline will be motorized and controlled from fasica\npanels or the dispatcher, so we also installed all the servos as we went.",[22,23],"gallery",{":columns":24,":images":25,"caption":26,"layout":27,"provider":28},"3","[{\"src\":\"019fe9e7-f216-78bc-9889-df42b7453288\"},{\"src\":\"019fe9e6-5ef9-7dfa-97bc-33b4935a9778\"},{\"src\":\"019fe9e6-5ed2-76cf-b2ff-3954a5df29f6\"}]","Mainline completion","grid","imagee",[14,30,32],{"id":31},"mainline-feeders-added","Mainline feeders added",[10,34,35],{},"To keep from having to bury my head in endless feeder drops and connections, I like to install them in groups as I lay track.\nThere's no magic number for how many feet or sections, but it helps keep things interesting to work on. The bigger\nbenefit is that I can test the section to make sure it works as intended: no shorts, proper gapping of rails, continuity, etc.\nI really need to write a post about how I do this for future reference (would someone please remind me to actually do this...).",[14,37,39],{"id":38},"janesville-yard-completion","Janesville yard completion",[10,41,42],{},"We also finished laying the Janesville yard tracks. Unfortunately, I had to make quite a few\nconcessions with the yard compared to the prototype, but I am still happy with the result. The yard has capacity for\naround 55 cars, and the engine tracks can likely hold up to 6. After discussions with some fellow railroaders, I also\nadded a \"thoroughfare\" track to allow locomotives to go to and from the engine facility more easily.",[22,44],{":columns":24,":images":45,"caption":46,"layout":27,"provider":28},"[{\"src\":\"019fea2b-b923-77a1-a8ca-5669e68f52fb\"},{\"src\":\"019fe9ea-1072-7d02-a0de-9da848e85364\"},{\"src\":\"019fea2b-99fd-73e8-9c23-6675150ba070\"}]","Janesville Yard",[14,48,50],{"id":49},"turnout-control-panel-design-prototyping","Turnout control panel design + prototyping",[10,52,53],{},"Since all the turnouts coming off the main are going to be driven by servos, I needed a way to control them. While I\nmay have a dispatcher for operations, I want to ensure that's not the only way to control these turnouts. I have been\nthinking about how I want to do these panels for a bit now and was inspired by both Tom Jacobs' custom laser-cut panels\nand Robin Becker's 3D printed panels. I considered a few ways to make them and landed on designing and 3D printing them.",[10,55,56],{},"After discussions with my local friends Steve and Dave, I was a little afraid that this would be a rather arduous\nprocess, but from the first few panels I've prototyped, the process isn't too bad. The initial design setup of the\n3D models took a bit; however, I've developed a process that makes them easier to produce. Once I get a few\nmore done I plan on doing a post series about it.",[10,58,59],{},"To say that I'm super excited about how these are turning out is an understatement.",[22,61],{":columns":24,":images":62,"caption":63,"layout":27,"provider":28},"[{\"src\":\"019fe9e8-c7cc-76e5-8362-1174af474e74\"},{\"src\":\"019fe9e8-8fa3-7203-8a21-8e558b1f6e12\"},{\"src\":\"019fe9e8-9055-76be-8d9d-3ae6755a91af\"}]","Control Panel Protoypes",[14,65,67],{"id":66},"wiring-cleanup","Wiring cleanup",[10,69,70],{},"The last medium-size project (that I remember at least) was rearranging the main electronics board for the layout. I\nstarted out keeping things really tidy but then just kept adding components without keeping it neat. It was really\nstarting to bug my OCD side, so I bit the bullet and redid most of it. I had the added benefit now of my 3D printer, so\nI designed and printed some component straps to keep things in place. I'll be posting those designs on MakerWorld soon.",[10,72,73],{},"The other important part was having connectors and terminal blocks on the edges of the board for the bus wires, LCC and\nLocoNet cables. That keeps the stiff, hard-to-dress wires from running across the board. It's not perfect, but it is a\nlot better.",[22,75],{":columns":24,":images":76,"caption":77,"layout":27,"provider":28},"[{\"src\":\"019fe9e6-5f0d-74c5-8305-cec236585853\"},{\"src\":\"019fe9e7-caf2-7185-b887-90bd6dbcf778\"},{\"src\":\"019fe9e8-0226-7d72-b88f-bc0f271530ae\",\"alt\":\"More wiring under the layout being tidied up\"}]","Wiring + Panel Cleanup",[14,79,81],{"id":80},"whats-next","What's next",[10,83,84],{},"As we march towards lower level operations, here's what we'll be focusing on next:",[86,87,88,92,95,98,101],"ul",{},[89,90,91],"li",{},"Painting the foam a tan/brown color to hide the pink when it comes to scenery time",[89,93,94],{},"Creating building mockups for industries out of foam board and cardboard",[89,96,97],{},"Laying and wiring industry spurs",[89,99,100],{},"Continuing turnout panel design, printing and installation",[89,102,103],{},"Operations planning and rolling stock inventory",[10,105,106],{},"So, while my updates have been sparse, progress is continuing.",{"title":108,"searchDepth":109,"depth":109,"links":110},"",2,[111,112,113,114,115,116],{"id":16,"depth":109,"text":17},{"id":31,"depth":109,"text":32},{"id":38,"depth":109,"text":39},{"id":49,"depth":109,"text":50},{"id":66,"depth":109,"text":67},{"id":80,"depth":109,"text":81},"2026-08-10T00:00:00.000Z","Lower level mainline finished, Janesville yard complete, and a first look at 3D printed turnout control panels.","md",null,{},true,"/blog/2026/08/summer-2026-updates",{"title":5,"description":118},"summer-2026-updates","blog/2026/08/summer-2026-updates",[128],"progress","4TfFyAckxEIGTGWjtuVgbCkBfvXd3Kynekqqq9MAUzQ",1786340821173]