Pesky short discovered and eliminated

for the past 4 days, I have been searching down a short causing half the layout to be down. As a result I redesigned my power sections and added 4 new ones (see previous post). While implementing this I also discovered numerous little issues such as the DB105 booster was not correctly wired to layout. I also rerouted numerous bus wires and generally cleaned up and further documented the power zone wiring, while also labeling a lot of things.

Finally found the short in West Pasco.

You see I use Caboose Industries 220S ground throws for industrial spurs and branch lines. These require 3 holes to be drilled close together and the 3 bare wire leads dropped through sub-roadbed then wired to power the frogs. Turns out the middle lead and one of the rail leads were touching and so when the switch was thrown one way it didn't short but did when thrown the other way...sigh..Thought I had looked at that earlier..Grr...must have jiggled it when I was rerouting the light cord underneath Pasco and above Walla Walla. Now all is well. Dropped some other leads down where I double gapped the power zones to ensure reliable track power.

Trains running again. Now time to go celebrate by seeing a movie and taking wife to dinner!!

Short in Pasco Power zone - No Ops session

About a week ago, an occasional gremlin short in Pasco power zone became a full blown gremlin!! I have spent several hours tracking it down and have eliminated most of the easy ones. Still not working. I canceled the June 30 op session...sigh...

I am pretty sure it lives in the common rail wiring. Next week I will begin to disconnect all the leads and rebuild the bus.

My plan will be to add another (3rd) Digitrax PM42 power zone circuit board and subdivide Pasco zone into 4 Zones thus further dividing power zones:

Reversing PM 42:

• Short detection for reversing sections
• Biggs OS to Troutdale OS
• Balloon Track in Portland
• Open

Second PM42 will have

• Portland Yard including Eugene
• Seattle Yard
• West Half of Main
• La Grande and Spokane Yard Staging

New PM42

• Pasco yard
• West Pasco and Walla Walla
• East half of Mainline around Pasco
• Aberdeen and Helix
  

then re-attach leads to separate bus wires. Hope that does it.
I have spare PM 42 and am ordering more TAP 3M connectors from Mouser.
Hope to start work this week.