NEONS LAYOUT
SET-UP INFORMATION
Updated 7/20/2011
I.
General
Information
A. For each show there will be someone assigned to the
position of NEONS Layout Coordinator.
This individual will be responsible to see that all the tasks identified
in this document are completed and completed properly.
B. If you are assigned or volunteer for a specific task,
let the coordinator know when you have completed it. If you don’t understand what you are supposed
to do, ask for help. Don’t guess. It takes less time to explain how to do it
right the first time than it does to indentify and fix a problem later. If for some reason you are unable to complete
the task, it is important that you let the coordinator know that the task is
incomplete and to identify what is done and what remains to be done.
C. To function smoothly, set-up requires a crew of one
man for each 5 modules in the layout and takes about 12 minutes times the
number of modules in the layout. For
example, a 20-module layout needs at least a 4-man crew and will take about 4
hours to set-up. A 35-module layout
needs at least a 7-man crew and will take about 7 hours to complete.
D. Tools and Supplies.
We have two tool boxes, Red and Black.
They are stored in the blue cabinets on the shelf above the clamp
box. All other tools and supplies are in
the supply cabinet. Please return all
tools and unused supplies to their proper storage place when you are through
with them.
E. If you accidentally break or damage something or find
something that is broken or damaged, inform the coordinator so it can be fixed
before the show if it is critical or before the next show if it isn’t critical.
F. Fearless Leader and Razor each have a key to the
supply cabinet. It will be locked when
the layout is not operating.
G. There is a red loose-leafed binder in the supply
cabinet that has everything you need to know in it, including: simplified layout diagram, detailed layout
diagram, skirting plan, LocoNet cable plan, travel check list, truck pack
diagram, cabinet pack diagram, truck loading suggestions, layout set-up information,
layout teardown information, layout operating information, DCC startup procedure,
etc.
H. PACE YOURSELF.
DO NOT OVER-DO. TAKE BREAKS WHEN
NEEDED. STAY HYDRATED. WORK SAFELY.
DO NOT LIFT MORE THAN YOU SAFELY CAN.
II. Unpacking
A. Unlock the Supply Cabinet.
B. Modules in cabinets
1. Remove only those modules that will be used in the
layout.
2. SAFETY FIRST!
As modules are removed from cabinets, watch out for legs that may have
become unlatched. If they have become
unlatched, the legs will drop once pulled from the cabinet slot and can pinch
fingers.
3. Lay the module on its back, open the legs and latch
the leg braces to the frame w/ cinch pins run THROUGH the hole in the bolt. Un-strap all wires that are bound with Velcro
straps. DO NOT CUT ANY TIE WRAPS. They are for permanent lacing of under-module
wires. Adjust all leg leveling screws so
they only extend 1” below the bottom of the leg. If a leg bolt is missing, there are spare
bolts and T-nuts in the bottom drawer of the supply cabinet. Replace any missing ones now!
4. Set the module on its legs.
5. If Beucher Farm and/or Skeet Shoot are to be used on
the spine, remove the three screws at the back of the skyboards and lower the
skyboards.
C. Modules with end caps.
If a power screwdriver/drill is not available, there is a ratchet set
with a ½” socket in the red tool box.
1. Lay the module on its back. If the module has integral legs, open the legs
and latch the leg braces to the frame w/ cinch pins run THROUGH the hole in the
bolt. If it has bolt on legs, bolt them
on hand tight. Un-strap all wires that
are bound with Velcro straps. DO NOT CUT
ANY TIE WRAPS. They are for permanent
lacing of under-module wires. Adjust all
leg leveling screws so they only extend 1” below the bottom of the leg. If a leg bolt is missing, there are spare
bolts and T-nuts in the bottom drawer of the supply cabinet. Replace any missing ones now!
2. Set the module on its legs.
3. Remove end caps.
If the bolt does not unscrew, check to see if it is held in place by a
wing nut rather than a T-Nut. Store the
bolts in the yellow bolt box. (top drawer of supply cabinet.)
III. Positioning
A. Move all cabinets that will not remain inside the
layout out of the way.
B. Move all cabinets, tables and chairs that will remain
inside the layout to a central position. (The supply cabinet and one blue
cabinet stay in the infield)
C. Starting at a critical and marked position, (usually
at a spine connection) position the modules snuggly against each other
according to the layout plan. Use marks
on floor or tape measure to confirm alignment and that straight runs are not
creeping toward or away from aisles.
D. Leave appropriately sized gaps for clamp-on modules.
E. Get 4” C-clamps from blue cabinets and place two on
the floor below each module interface.
IV. Leveling
A. Before leveling of the entire layout (not just the
NEONS loop) find the highest point on the floor. Leveling should begin there, with the module
at that point (the key module) having its leg bolts screwed completely in. Long levels and torpedo levels are in the
bottom drawer of the supply cabinet.
B. If the
C. Quick clamp leveling technique: Align tracks (both height and offset) and
clamp new module to leveled module using torpedo level to check front to back
position. Adjust leg bolts on other end
using 24” level. Go back and lower leg
bolts on clamped end. Repeat for next
module.
D. When the two crews meet, make minor adjustments as
required if the modules at the meet are not level with each other.
E. Gateway module – Hand turn the leveling bolts until
they touch the floor. Then use a ratchet
wrench (3/4” socket) to lower the leveling bolts as necessary.
F. Shake out the layout.
Gather as many volunteers as possible, placing them about every 6’ along
the inside and outside of a section of the layout. In unison, momentarily lift the modules just
enough for the legs to come off the floor, and then set the section back down. Repeat this action all around the loop. This will remove any kinks. NOTE:
If shims have been used, the leveling bolts must be positioned back on
the shims.
G. After the shake out is complete, level and attach the
cantilevered yard ladder and stub modules to Eddie Wye and clamp on the blue
and purple yards to Holy Wholly Holey.
Each of these yards has alignment dowels and a power cord that must be
plugged in.
V. Electrical
A. While leveling is progressing, the layout coordinator
will bag and tag the bus wires that are to be left unconnected and will place signs
where insulated joiner tracks are to be inserted. The bags, No Plug tags and Insulated tags are
in the top drawer of the supply cabinet in a baggie box.
B. Plug all power poles together and Daisy chain all
power strips. At the spine block
break(s) plug the red bus power poles into the blue bus power poles (black to
red). Leave the Yellow bus unconnected. If there are modules in the loop that have Cinch-Jones
connectors, there are both male and female adapters in a small brown box in the
bottom left bin of the supply cabinet.
Note that the Gateway and the modules immediately to either side of it
have a special hookup. If you don’t know
how it’s done, ask for help. DO NOT
IGNORE IT AND MOVE ON, LEAVING THOSE MODULES DISCONNECTED!
C. The 110V AC power Daisy chain should make a complete
loop under the modules. 110V power does
not go out under the spine modules. If
there are modules without a power strip or extension cord attached, get a
jumper cord from the bottom bin of the supply cabinet and fill in the gap. Place a piece of masking tape on the back of
the skyboard of the module without a power strip noting that a power strip
needs to be permanently installed.
D. Power Boxes
1. Clamp the Master Control Box and the three power boxes
to the layout at the designated areas.
The bottom of the boxes should be ¼” or more below the bottom of the
module so the boxes’ bottom doors can open freely.
2. Hook up the Master Control Box.
a. Open bottom door.
Un-strap the wall wart cord, pull the wall wart from the Velcro
attachment and plug it in to a power strip.
b. Set the old Aristo power supply on the floor and plug
it into a power strip. Attach the power pigtail and plug into the MCB pigtail
(flat power pole connecters). Attach a
ground wire from the power supply to the green terminal strip at the back right
corner of the Master Control box.
3. Hook up the three power boxes (red, yellow and blue)
a. Open bottom doors.
Un-strap the two wall wart cords, pull the wall warts from the Velcro
attachment and plug them in to a power strip.
Plug the Red, Yellow and Blue feed wires into the bus lines between the
nearest two modules. Be aware of
polarity, plugging red power pole to red power pole and black power pole to
black power pole for each line. Let the
power supply pig-tail hang to the floor.
Close bottom doors.
b. Set the three Digitrax power supply boxes on the floor.
Attach each power cord and plug it into
a power strip. Attach power pigtails and
plug into power box pigtail (flat power pole connecters). Attach the ground wire from each power supply
to the green terminal strip at the back right corner of the corresponding power
box.
c. Install the six Aristo-Craft antennae and plug in
banana plugs.
4. Run a green ground wire to connect the Master Control
Box and all three power boxes and tie them in to the green terminal strips identified
in 2 & 3 above.
5. Green ground wires will also have to be run to
Digitrax boosters in the adjacent loops.
6. LEAVE EVERYTHING TURNED OFF UNTIL IT IS TIME TO POWER
UP AND TEST THE SYSTEM.
E. Install Joiner Tracks.
The joiner track box is in the top drawer of the supply cabinet. Track connection tools are in the small red
box in the same drawer. Extra joiners
are in a small, transparent pink box that will be in either the joiner track
box or the red box.
1. General discussion of joiner tracks. There are several types of joiner tracks in
the joiner track box.
a. All are ballasted with either light (main line) or
dark (branch line) colored ballast. Put
light joiners on tracks with light ballast (Red and Yellow Lines) and dark
joiners on tracks with dark ballast (Blue and rear sidings/switching tracks.).
b. There are also special joiner tracks that have “INSULATED”
written on the bottom, a white stripe on a center tie and a white dot on each
end tie. These are to be used ONLY WHERE
INSULATED signs have been laid out.
c. There are 20 special joiners that are unballasted and
painted brown that are for use on the cantilevered yard.
d. Where the six yards connect to the main modules, use
re-railer joiner tracks.
e. There are also 2 special curved joiner tracks for the
junction curves, three code 55 joiners for
2. All joiner tracks are measured and color coded on the
back. Red = x-short, orange = short,
yellow = medium, green = long and blue = x-long. There are three gap gauges in the joiner
track box that can be used to indicate what length joiner will fit best at each
gap. This gauge is fairly accurate, but
not absolute, since each color code covers a 1/8” range of joiner track
lengths. Joiner tracks should slide into
place freely without touching the module rails, but with a very minimal gap
between the rails.
3. All modules should have rail joiners at the end of all
tracks. Sometimes the rail joiners are
missing and sometimes they have been used for so long that they no longer fit
snugly and therefore do not provide good electrical contact. If you notice any like this while installing
joiner tracks, replace the worn out or missing rail joiner.
4. When all joiner tracks have been installed, walk the
entire loop checking to see that there are no gaps where joiner tracks were
overlooked. Also check to see if any
rail joiners have accidently been slid below the rail instead of around the
rail causing a bump in the track. Do
this by running your finger across all connections in both directions to see if
they are smooth. Check all thee main
lines and all sidings. Check for joiners
that are too tight, causing kinks or bowing in the track and check for joiners
that have too much gap. Replace as
necessary, paying attention to ballast color, regular or insulated, etc. Check to see that insulated joiner tracks
were installed where directed and only where directed. Pick up any spare joiner tracks and rail
joiners that were left lying around and put them in the joiner box along with
the box of rail joiners. Return the
joiner track box to the supply cabinet.
Return the INSULATED signs to the baggie box in the supply cabinet top
drawer.
5. LASTLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY…. Clean all tracks with a bright boy and wipe
down with a clean, soft cloth. BE AWARE
AND VERY CAREFUL TO AVOID DAMAGING SCENERY WHILE CLEANING TRACKS!
F. LocoNet Cables.
LocoNet cables are stored in a box on the bottom shelf of the supply
cabinet. LocoNet cables are color coded
green or orange. DO NOT USE THE
1. Mount and clamp the
2. Connect the UP-5 at the bottom of the
3. Using the creeper chair, Daisy-chain all other UP-5s
and power boxes in the NEONS loop. DO NOT
MAKE A COMPLETE
4. Offset loops will connect to our LocoNet at the 4-way
splitter under the junction modules.
G. Main Power. Run
a heavy duty extension cord from the facility power source to the closest
module. Tape all exposed portions of the
extension cord down with duct tape.
Break the daisy-chained 110V AC loop and plug the male end into the
extension cord. Check to see that the four
power supplies are turned off. Make a
LOUD ANNOUNCEMENT that you are going hot, and then plug the extension cord into
the facility power source. Plug something
with a light on it into the power strip at the end of the 110V chain. If there is no power, first check to see that
the facility power source is active, then work your way around the daisy chain,
checking to see that all power strips are turned on and plugged in.
H. On the supply cabinet shelf above the top drawer are
several old MRC throttles. Place one
under each junction and tie the aux outputs to the 22g red/white wire pair that
is tucked up under each junction module.
When power is on, check to see that these throttles are properly
operating the powered turnouts on those two modules.
VI. Stanchions.
There are 27 stanchion poles and 28 stanchion bases located in the two
blue cabinets.
A. Pull all the bases and screw in all the poles. Place the stanchions around the layout as per
the diagram, 2’ from the modules. Place
two stanchions at the Gateway, 2’ apart.
B. The ski rope will be one continuous piece around the
layout. Unreel a few feet of rope and
slide 27 T-tops onto the rope, and then knot the end of the rope.
C. Start at our last module on one spine. Drop the 1st T-top into that
stanchion pole. Un-spool the rope to the
next stanchion, sliding the T-tops down the rope as you go and keeping some
tension on the rope. Continue to
un-spool rope, sliding and inserting T-tops as you go. When you reach the next spine and/or the
Gateway, tape the rope to the bottom of that pole and duct tape the rope to the
ground, under the spine and to the other side (or tape a 2’ section to the
ground in front of the Gateway), then come up the next pole, drop a T-top and
continue on. NOTE: Remove excess slack from the rope before
taping it down. At the last pole, drop
the rope dispenser over the pole and knot the rope at the T-top after removing
slack from the rope.
VII.
Skirting. All sections of skirting have their length
labeled on each end at the top, back side.
There will be a skirting plan in the red book that tells you which
sections of skirting go in which skirting block.
A. Push pins are in the top drawer of the supply cabinet
(front left). Homosote plugs are located
approximately every two feet around the layout.
Stretch the skirting snuggly from pin to pin. Velcro each piece of skirting to the
next. If the skirting’s length label is
showing after installation, you have the skirting on backwards!
B. There will be four break points for skirting
runs:
1. There is one special piece of skirting that fits
2. As you get to the Gateway, there are pieces of Velcro
attached to the module inside the gate, under the lid. Attach the skirting and work in each
direction from the Gateway.
3. If planning is done correctly there should be 1’-3’ of
extra skirting for each block. Double
the extra fabric under the pins.
4. Attach Module Sign Boards using the skirting push
pins.
VIII.
Power up NEONS
loop. Each loop in a multi-loop layout
will initially power up and operate independently. Once the DCC systems on all loops are running
independently and properly, the Digitrax consolidation of the
A. Make sure the LocoNet cables to the offset loop(s) are
disconnected from the 4-way splitters under the junction modules.
B. Fire up and test Digitrax DCC system.
1. Flip all toggle switches on all power boxes to DCC.
2. Make sure each Command Station/Booster has the left
toggle switch set to “N Scale” (center position) and the right toggle switch
set to “Run” (top position).
3. Turn on power supply to the Master Command Station. Then turn on the other three power supplies. The Master Command Station must always be
turned on first! If the power light on
the Command Station /Booster does not come on, use a DT400 throttle to turn on
track power. If it still doesn’t come
on, check the fuses in the power box.
Replacement fuses are in a plastic jar in the bottom drawer of the
supply cabinet.
4. The Digitrax system will talk to you with beeps and
flashing lights.
a. All PM42’s should have the green light on and the four
red lights off. If a red light is on,
there is a short on that line. 1st
light = red line, 2nd light = yellow line, 3rd light =
blue line, 4th light =green line.
i.
If red light
appears, check power feeds from power box to bus lines. Are they plugged in properly? Red power pole should be plugged to red power
pole, and black to black.
ii.
Check to make
sure that bus wires are not plugged together at block breaks and that insulated
joiners are in place at block breaks.
iii.
Punt!
b. Check Digitrax book for interpretation of beeps.
5. Follow phase check and soft switch check instruction
in red book.
a. If a phase problem exists, change one LocoNet cable
between the two out-of-phase devices from a green cable to an orange
cable. Repeat the test. When completed, reset the speed of address 00
to zero and then dispatch address 00 from the system.
b. Once the phase check is successfully completed set
OPSW #20 to closed to disable the use of address 00.
6. Test to see that the
7. Test all tracks in all blocks with coin shorting
test. When coin is placed on the track,
the PM 42 in that block will beep and the red light for that line will
light. When the coin is removed, the
system should reset.
8. Place a test engine on the layout and test Red, Yellow
and Blue lines in all blocks.
C. Fire up and test Aristo-Craft analog throttles.
1. Make sure GOOD batteries are installed in the
Aristo-Craft throttles.
2. Flip yellow and blue toggle switches on all power
boxes to analog.
3. Turn on the six Aristo-Craft receivers. (Switch at the back of each receiver.) Check to see that each receiver is set on the
correct frequency and channel. The
instruction book is in the box with the throttles. If the receivers do not power up, check the
fuses at the power box pigtail. If there
is no power to the track, check the fuse at the back of the receiver and the
fuse in the Power Box under the receiver.
Place a test engine on each block of the yellow and blue lines to
confirm that that all is working properly.
Make sure that the three yellow line blocks are running clockwise and
the three blue line blocks are running counter-clockwise.
D. Activate
1. CONFIRM THAT ALL CS/BOOSTERS IN OTHER LOOPS HAVE RAIL
A TO FRONT RAILS AND RAIL B TO BACK RAILS OF ALL DCC TRACKS. If not, they must make that correction before
proceeding.
2. Make sure all CS/Boosters in all loops are connected
to each other with a ground wire. Plug
inter-loop LocoNet cables back in under junction modules.
3. Unplug the MASTER COMMAND STATION from the LocoNet. Plug throttle into LocoNet. Set right hand toggle switch on all CS/Boosters
to center (OP) position, convert all other Command Stations to boosters by
toggling OPSW #02 to “closed”. Return
the right toggle switch on all units back to the top (Run) position.
4. Plug throttle into MASTER COMMAND STATION, toggle the
right hand switch to the center (OP) position and set soft switches as per
instructions in the red book. Do not
disable Analog running option until after the phase check is completed Return the right hand toggle switch to top
(Run) position
5. Turn off all power.
Plug MASTER COMMAND STATION into LocoNet. Power up MASTER COMMAND STATION. Power up all other DCC equipment and perform
phase check. Correct out-of-phase units
by replacing one LocoNet cable between the o-o-p units with a “normal” (orange)
LocoNet cable.
6. Plug throttle into MASTER COMMAND STATION and disable
Analog running.
IX. . Final Preparations
A. Police the area.
1. Return all equipment, tools, etc to their proper place
in the supply cabinet or the blue cabinets.
2. Stow all corner end caps under their appropriate corner. Stow all other end caps on a supported shelf
of the module cabinets. Relocate the
module cabinets to the pre-assigned temporary storage area for the run of the
show. Store them with the back sides out
so anything on the shelves will not be seen.
3. Locate and acquire a trash can and move it to the
layout infield
4. Stack 4-wheeled dollies and store under a 6’ module.
5. Store coolers at end of a work table.
6. Store creeper chair under Eddie Wye.
B. Place begging jars, signs and NEONS info sheets on Red
and Green modules. Place Running schedule
sign-up sheet on cantilevered yard.
C. Attach black vinyl NEONS sign to back of supply
cabinet.
D. Check to see that Hello/Goodbye signs on the red and
green 2’ers are facing the right direction.
E. Set up NEONS wooden herald.
F. Using masking tape, tape Aristo-Craft channel
designation signs on the backs of the skyboard around the loop.
G. Using binder clips from the binder clip box in the top
drawer of the supply cabinet, attach the laminated block break signs to the
back of the skyboards and the two sets of info signs (“Can you Find?”, “How
long is the train?” and “How fast is the train going?”) to the front of the
skyboards at various places around the layout.
Note: One “Can you find” sign
should be near Og’s Farm and one near
H. There is a wall wart sitting on the left side shelf of
Gateway that powers the train warning signals.
Plug the wall wart into a power strip and flip the three-position switch
(battery / off / 110) on the controller to 110.
Test the signal by breaking the photocell path with your hand.
I.
Place diorama
cars on layout. Coal hoppers at Willya
B. Mine, oil tankers at Cushing Hub, Texas Flyer at Union Depot, box cars at
Frisco Freight House, etc. The diorama
car box is either in the top drawer of the supply cabinet or with Fearless
Leader.