The next building phase was laying track, cabling to interconnect the panels, building controllers, and wiring track, train power, and controllers.

Track laying was an iterative, rather time consuming, process. We started by roughly implementing the layout design to confirm we had the needed track pieces, the layout would, indeed, fit on the platform, and to identify track cuts for panel breaks.

The panel breaks dictated a lot of custom cut track sections. To minimize the number rail joins, wheel noise over the rail joins, and to make it easier to have perfectly straight track runs we constructed straight track segments with 36" track pieces, cutting as required by the track diagram.

Tracks were cut with an abrasive cutoff saw using a simple fixture to hold the track and rails firmly. Rail ends were finished on a bench belt sander and cleaned up with a rotary wire brush.

When all track cuts had been made we had the track positioned to match the design track-section-by-track-section, with track joins aligned with panel breaks.

The next step was to insulate one outside rail in all 234 feet of track and to configure the isolated track blocks with nylon pins in appropriate isolated outside rails and center rails. We got real good at isolating outside rails.

The next step was to accurately position the track. The dimensioned engineering drawing proved quite useful. Panel edges were used to locate the top (in the drawing) track, install it, and then it was used as a reference for locating the remaining track.

We recognized that rail connections at panel breaks would deteriorate with setup activity and could not be relied on for good electrical connections. Each track section on a panel would need its own track common, center rail power, and isolated outside rail connections. For full panel-length track sections, there would be an electrical connection to each rail near the ends of each track section, so six wire connections to each track section. There are short track blocks following each track switch, requiring one connection to each rail.

All track common (the outside rail that was not isolated) connections were with white stranded #16 AWG wire. Center rail power connections were with #16 AWG stranded wire. Isolated outside rail connections are #22 AWG stranded wire. Different color wire was used for different track blocks on a panel, with the same color for corresponding center rail and isolated outside rail connections. There are over 250, practically invisible, wire connections to track rails.

A track section was first located temporarily and held in place with wires, like those to right, forced into the Homasote. The rails were marked for wire connection locations and the panel marked for holes for the wires to pass through. Small holes were drilled in the Homasote top to just accommodate the track wire.

Connections are made with a 1/4 inch male quick-disconnect terminal forced into the tubular rail seam from underneath. The quick- disconnect terminals are secure and provide a good electrical contact, but can be removed should a track section need some work.

A thin blade screwdriver, sharpened a little, is used to open the rail seam a bit. The slip-joint pliers have been modified with a hole drilled in the end. The pliers hold the terminal shank and help insert the terminal into the rail seam without it folding over.

The screwdriver is then removed. The terminal is quite secure in the rail.

The track section was then returned to the platform with attached wires fed down through the holes made. The track was then attached to the platform with one-inch, #4, pan-head sheet metal screws.

To keep our exactly-positioned track from shifting as it was being secured we punched a pilot hole for the screw using the tool to right. The drill chuck holds a 2 1/2 inch piece of 1/16 inch piano wire, sharpened to a point. A locating sleeve slides on the wire. The end of the locating sleeve is placed in a hole in the metal track tie to accurately center the pilot hole with the hole in the tie. The tool is held vertical and square to the platform, and the sharp wire is pushed through the Homasote. The sheet metal screw is then started in the pilot hole. The screws seem to hold better in the Homasote with this punched hole than with a drilled hole.

We wanted straight runs of track to be PERFECTLY straight. A simple jig was used to provide a taut string as a straight line reference. The wood blocks have grooves that fit snugly over the O-Gauge rails. The screws hook onto a metal track tie and retain the block on the track as long as tension is kept in the string.

The pair of blocks are positioned at the ends of a long straight track run and the string of one block pulled taut and tied off on the screws on the top surface. The taut string provides a sight reference for positioning the track.

The technique worked well; check out the track runs in the picture to right -- perfectly straight!

With all the track laid we tested the track by pushing cars over all the track to find any problems. Pre-war, post-war, and modern cars with "fast angle" wheels were used in the test.

We had to run some trains, so all the center rail and track common wires were tied together and powered. We made up trains using most types of postwar engines and a few prewar and modern engines. Everything from plastic 2-4-2's to a 773 Hudson, and #60 trolleys to F3 ABAs and GG-1s. And a RailKing Challenger.

All the trains ran GREAT!

Now we we ready to start the wiring process.

The wiring for the automated, block control layout was developed using a wire list. All connections among track, controllers, relays, and the train power bus were identified and listed. The wire list shows each connection with: From, To, Wire Color, and Description. All the builders had to do was run a wire, make the connections, check it off the list, and go to the next wire. There were over 700 lines in the wire list.

Building the layout with eight panels had a convenience benefit when it came time to do the wiring: under layout wiring could be done with the panel held vertical and at a convenient height. No need to wire and solder laying on the floor. The picture to right shows a panel braced on a sawhorse with a shelf to hold tools and supplies. Even a place for a coffee cup. Good thing ... there was a lot of time spent wiring.

The panels started with wires connected to track rails hanging all over. About a foot of the track wires was coiled and tied up near the pass-through holes just in case a track section ever needed to be lifted off the platform.

A "track common" bus consisting of a bare #10 AWG copper wire was run conveniently near track wires. The white wires connected to the track outside rail were soldered to this bus wire.

Other track wires were routed neatly using cable clamps and nylon cable ties, along trusses, to the wall forming the wiring well. Separate bundles of center rail wires and isolated outside rail wires were collected and passed via drilled holes into the wiring well. Later, they will be connected to the controllers.

Connections for "constant voltage" and track switch motors were also made and wires run into the wiring well.

Train power, accessory power, and controller power had to be distributed to all eight panels. Train power had to be connected across adjacent panels when track blocks spanned a panel break. These were distributed in two runs, each to four panels. The left (in the drawing) side of the layout is considered the "operator" side. The power center is located there. One power run originates on the "operator" side and proceeds through the top four panels; the other through the bottom four panels.

Track power and train power interconnects were with #14 AWG stranded building wire. Accessory and controller power used #16 AWG hook up wire.

To make constructing these cables easier a common wiring harness was designed and setup on a wiring board on a bench. All wires were shaped and run with all connector pins, terminals, and barrier strips attached. The wire harness was then formed with nylon cable ties.

Bussed power from the wiring harness connected to pass-through barrier strips into the wiring well. Selected power runs are connected to the barrier strip in the under-panel area and "passed-through" to the wiring well where connections to controllers and relays are made.

The wiring harness was placed in the layout panel, connections to pass- through barrier strips made, and the harness secured with cable clamps and cable ties.

Connections to adjacent panels are through .093 Molex connectors. Shell and pin genders were varied so only the correct connector matings could be made. Later, colored electrical tape was used to provide an easy sight reference for mating connector pairs.

Controllers also needed to send signals telling adjacent panels, for example, that a train was in a track block. Such signals had to be passed from one panel to another. Controllers in a given panel needed to communicate with controllers in both adjacent panels and, sometimes, to controllers in panels further away than adjacent panels.

Inter-controller signaling was accomplished with the simple expedient of using a 25 wire computer cable with a male connector on one end and a female connector on the other end. A paddle circuit board was made. The cable was cut in half, the cut ends connected to the paddle board, and the connector ends arranged so they could be connected at panel breaks. Connections for a controller are made to the paddle board.

While all this wiring was going on we were also building the controllers. One controller manages the trains for up to six track blocks. Conveniently, each panel has about six track blocks. Each panel received one controller, with three additional controllers needed for automatic track switching.

The controllers use support boards with relays to turn track power on and off or select track power for a block. Another support board operates track switches.

We setup a mini production line to turn out the controllers and support boards.

Controllers and support boards were then installed in the wiring wells of each panel and wired.

When the last line of the wire list was checked off, wiring was completed. We celebrated!

With the controllers installed and wiring completed were ready to thoroughly test the K 'n G Railplex.