I'm a NCat - NTRAKer

Just as a help to fellow NCat'ers,  I'll offer a few observations to this 3 module project:

KISS - 'Keep It Simple Stupid' was surely NOT followed when the modules wound up with a total of 13 overhead connections were need at module ends. This was the one area that had perplexed my preparation for the convention, as I hadn't perfected it as I packed the modules for the convention.  It worked out well that I had left long pieces of overhead for experimenting in techniques, as I just did a twist or two of the adjuring overhead wires and then tied them off to a pole for tension.

KISS again was a factor as I hadn't yet mastered the technique for handling switches either, and with a total of  20 overhead covered switches it was amazing that most convention guests didn't comment on that the trains just followed a simple loop with all the switching options available.

During test running  the minimum radius I had used was going to side track a large part of my current rooster of several  KATO EF15s. The 9 3/4" radius used in some sections for the turns just wouldn't allow reliable operation.    In the hours before the convention, I was modifying a pair of KATO EF75s to add some resources to my motive power corral.

The last thing I'd like to share is a reverse episode of "KISS". I was quite taken by a photo of a N Scale Milwaukee Bi-Polar under what appeared to operational wire were the builder had decided NOT to use a hanger/ear to mount the overhead. What a concept, to speed up the pole assembly process. It had worked well with my testing of techniques to join wire segments but I hadn't really confirmed it continuous running reliability till the setup at the convention.  This became the major problem to getting my single loop to operate reliably.  If the problem is not obvious the issue is the horizontal support must be perfectly parallel to the track or the pans will pick the support and HANG the engine literally. It took a bit of tweaking but the trains were running reliably enough that I could step away from the modules and leave a train running.  If the alignment problem wasn't enough this did have one other impact. I had converted three of the KATO  little yellow pocket line switches to pans and their lack of weight caused them to not be able to handle the uneven tension at the junction points and they hung themselves.

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NCat - NTRAKer