Switch Motor project done - sort of - for now

I just finished installing 16 new switch motors under the layout - below Craig on the N scale layout. And thanks to my old construction hard hat, no injuries to the old noggin.  Just a sore neck.  That leaves only 43 to do over the next year or so. Six at a time. About all I can stand.

I know that the wiring looks like spaghetti (it is!) and a real electrician would blanch at it.  But I have a system of color coded wires so it is not so confusing.  Back and white feed the motors from the controller, green and red are track power leads, and the black are wires powering the switch frogs. The motor switches the polarity to the frog depending on the direction of the switch. This means NO dead track or track that depends on switch blades to make contact.  Big improvement and worth the effort.

All switch motors are controlled by the NCE DCC system, through NCE SwithIt2 boards.  Each board runs eight switches. So on the hand held DCC controller, I input switch #59 and it turns the switch.  No toggle switch and I can turn all switches sitting down running the trains from one spot.  Easy piezzy.  Would have been WAY easier if I had just used these new motors rather than recycling the old ones - OK - will not mention this again.

The switch motor (green box) that is hanging down from the wood supports is a work around. The space under the motor mounting block did not leave enough room for the new motor to clear the wood frame. So I made a longer throw rod and screwed the motor to the frame.  Done. 

 I do love the way the switches perform now at Craig. Makes it more fun. 

Now - on to house #2 on the S scale layout.  It is the Kocomo House from Wild West Structures.  Neat kit.  I will blip my progress which I am sure will be interrupted by other projects and repairs.