SP Jawbone Branch (Part 36) - Catching Up on House Keeping

I decided to split this off as a seperete blog post, here's some minor projects which are being worked on in the background over the last month or two.

Ground Throws & Remaining Owenyo Switches to Lay

Some followup from last post, SP Jawbone Branch (Part 34), on the ground throw painting.  I decided to also put the ground throw position on the facia of the modules, showing the normal position.  Eventually at a glance I'm sure I'll memorize the position of the throw handles, but until then this will be an easy way to double check them.

Switch 5235 in Normal position for the main, showing green on top

In the normal position, the target color is shown on the side and the aspect on the top, in this case "green".

Switch 5235 in Reversed position for the siding, showing red on top

As the target is primarily visible in the reversed position, likewise the handle is all red in the reversed position.

Owenyo  electrical diagram showing switch numbers.

Each switch on the Jawbone will be identified by a switch number based on the Milepost.  Owenyo straddles MP 523.0, so all switch numbers are just above and below the MP number counting away from the Milepost.

SW 5235

Switch 5235 with N & R and arrow indicating normal handle position

Let's have a quick tour down the facia of the modules.  The eastern most switch is SW 5235 with red target showing it to be the east switch of the siding on the main track.  The SP standards called for siding targets to be Red and other secondary switch targets to be Yellow.

SW 5234 & 5233

Switches 5234 and 5233, both in normal positions

The next two switches are to the house track (5234) and the east side of the wye (5233).  Both targets are going to be Yellow.

Facia notes for SW 5234 & 5233

Notice that the handle positions are opposite relating to how the Caboose Industry ground throws work with the stock throw-bar pins.

SW 5232

Facia of Switch 5232, which is the NG ramp pit switch.

The facia diagram shows the stub which is met end-to-end by the NG on a ramp to climb on top of the standard gauge car.

SW 5232 NG ramp pit switch.

Again, secondary switch, SW 5232 is a Yellow target switch.  I still need to do some wiring under this spur.

SW 5230

SW 5230, the west switch of the wye.

The facia has notes for number of spots on each side of the switch and length of the switches' fouling distance in feet.  The SW 5230 is a secondary switch off the siding, so gets a yellow target.  The 5230 hasn't had the throwbar drilled for Caboose Industries ground throw or mounting holes drilled yet.

SW 5229

SW 5229, the short stub track ending at the conveyor loader off the house track

The SW 5229 target is yellow, lever normal to the left.  The 5229 switch isn't finished yet, closure rails and points still lacking.  As I finish Owenyo #3 module, these incomplete switches will be finished up.

SW 5228

SW 5228, west siding switch

The last switch I have shown on the facia is SW 5228, the west siding switch with a red target.  This switch isn't even started yet, but the position is marked on the top of the module.

SW 5227 & 5226

The SW 5227 and 5226 are the next two switches to the west, which are the west house track switch and the switch to the trestle dump pit on the SG.  They will both have yellow targets.

Owenyo historically is pretty clearly meant to be worked from the "West End" off the mainline to Lone Pine.  So getting Owenyo module #3 done and a good switching lead across the doorway will allow me to actually start switching Owenyo, staging an incoming train, do the day's work and then leave again.  It will also push me to finish the switches at the tail of the wye and around Owenyo so I can turn an engine.

Engine Track Power Cutoff Switch

The left (east) curve of the wye, is where the fuel tanks and engine lay-over spot is located.

For context, I want to have a cutout switch on each wye curve so that I can protect running any engine off the end if I have the wye tail module removed.  I will probably also make a blank to cover and provide a bumper to the two curves of the wye.  However, I still want a power switch to cutout the engine storage track.  This will prevent any movement of an engine stored there.  SP Jawbone Branch (Part 31) - Owenyo Modules Wiring.

Engine Spot Cutout Switch

I connected only the south rail to the cutout switch, this was easier as the south rail was already gapped by the heal of the frog at the east side of the wye.  I'll get into my simple reversing circuit at some point when I get back to finishing the wye tail.  While I could get a DCC reversing circuit board, I think this will work just as well and is as simple as throwing the turnout switch that I plan to eventually have installed.

In Closing

Westerfield B-50-2 coming together as SPMW 2257.

I'm still splitting time on the layout between a couple of the freight car projects, such as the pair of resin boxcars SPMW 2257 and SP 32451 which are nearing completion.

However, the next week or so will probably be spent doing a fall cleaning of the shop and my work spaces.  Having the better lighting in the shop has made it more pleasant to be in the shop and doing things.  Hopefully installing some tube-lighting to generally light the room will continue the improvements, but doing so will require more maneuvering space in the human zone.

Jason Hill

Related Articles:

Jawbone Branch Index Page - Links to all my blog posts on my new Jawbone Branch layout.