CP Zenith X-Overs And Switch Heaters

The rewiring project has reached CP Zenith X-Overs. This is at the heart of the tear-it-all-out-and-do-it-over segment, and in addition to installing new DCC bus wiring and stationary decoders, I've been sprucing up the ballast and trackside details in this area. The ballast is close to 30 years old in this part of the layout. It was Woodland Scenics, which is made from ground walnut shells. Over the years, it's discolored, shrunk, and cracked.

I now prefer Arizona Rock and Mineral ballast, which is real stone and is much easier to apply. I added a layer of the new ballast over the old. I also upgraded the trackside details, including CTC type switch machines (cosmetic, the Tortoises are under the roadbed) and switch heaters. Switch heaters are among my favorite details. Below is a shot of CP Zenith X-Overs with the work in progress:

And with new ballast, switch machines, and switch heaters installed:

These switch heaters are from Details West. I think the product is at least 20 years old and not quite up to what might be done these days -- I found an installation manual for the prototype on the web while I was working on this and discovered the documentation with the kit isn't very helpful. In fact, I think this kit actually mixes two separate kinds of prototype together. I note a guy on Shapeways has a better version model, but it's N scale.

Over the years I've photographed switch heaters whenever I have the chance, but they aren't used in my part of the country. Below is one that's close to the Details West model, at Fairlane, MN on the former Missabe Road now CN:

Here's one of a different type on the CP/METRA at Bensenville, IL. Both the heater and the switch machine are newer prototypes than available HO models -- the N modelers have things better on Shapeways.

My order is in for the next phase of rewiring/DCC stationary decoder conversion.