I’ve got a medium sized layout (18’ x 12’), that I want to add detection to (with the Digitrax BDL168) and I have to break the layout into blocks (cutting the one rail). And I’m kinda clueless about where to locate the blocks. Does anyone have a suggestion as to where to start. I’m eventually going to add signalling and the Winlok software as well for full automation. Any information would be fantastic !
Start by figuring out where your automation software would NEED to know if there was a train present or not. Usually the same locations of the standard DC control blocks would be a good place to start. The smaller the blocks the finer control of the trains will be possible. Also since you are going this route, make certain all the mobile decoders for the locomotives have transponding. Then the computer won’t just know there is a train in the block but can also know the identity of the decoder (locomotive).
I am assuming that there is currently only one power block on the layout. Our club layout got into trouble because with purchased the BDL168 units not realizing that all the sections they were to detect had to be on the same “power” supply.