DC Operation with two dog bones???

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hello Everyone,

I am putting together a “2-dogbone” DC operation, and am curious if anyone knows; is there a way to hook it together where I can run “both” of the dog bones “together” without causing shorts in my electric setup?

2

Pick up the Atlas or Kalmbach book on DC wiring.

After understanding what is required, you should investigate DCC; it will be a lot less work, and about the same cost.

3

Actually its not that hard to wire and will cost less then the average DCC set,decoders,extra throttles,power booster if needed etc.

4

With a dog bone that shouldn’t even be an issue. Do perhaps you mean a loop-to-loop rather than a dogbone?

When you say run them together do you mean joining the parallel tracks of the dogbone? If so, the answer is no without special wiring, but how would that be different in a “2-dogbone” from a regular dogbone.

Backing up to an even more basic question, perhaps you could explain what you mean by a “2-dogbone.”

5

Hello Nfmisso,

Thanks for your reply. I am trying to put this together with two old dc sets, versus going dcc right now, mainly due to $$ restraints, and also due to the fact it is only going to be two loops, in the shapes of dogbones, but at one point I wanted to try and hook them together so I could make it “one” long loop if I want to run it that way. Thanks again, railroadinmedic.

6

Hello Texas Zepher,

Thanks for your reply. I am trying to put this together with two old dc sets, versus going dcc right now, mainly due to $$ restraints. It is basically going to be two loops, in the shapes of “dogbones”, but at one point I wanted to try and hook them together so I could make it “one” long loop if I want to run it that way. Basically I have an “L” section going around my wall, and one “dogbone” is on one wall, and the other going the other way on the other wall, and at one point where they meet parallel, I want to hook both of them together with a “turnout” and make a “long loop”. I want to be able to run both trains independently, then also run one or both of them the whole loop, if possible? Thanks again, railroadinmedic.

7

Hello Brakie,

Thanks for your input. I am going to have to try this and I am guessing when I do it I will find out then how the polarity is going to work as well as just basic electronics. I am trying to push the limits of two dc sets, hoping to get two sets working as one. Thanks again for your help, railroadinmedic.

8

If I had some sort of visual on what you mean by 2 dogbones, then I (we) could better assist.

If you mean something like 2 dogbones, one inside the other, arranged so that there are 4 tracks in the center, then yes, you could wire them to run in parallel, and use crossovers to run the train from one to the other. However, you could not run a crossover from one track to the other on the inner 2 tracks, unless you wire it up as a reversing section. Otherwise, a short would be created.

If you mean 2 dogbones, arranged side-by-side, or end-to-end, you could also connect them and wire them to run in parallel.

If you mean some other arrangement, you could, in all likelyhood, connect and wire them so you could run trains from one to the other. If this is the case, a visual would be very helpful. Some of us here could also advise if there would be a short (by creating a reversing section), and advise on a solution.

Don’t shy away from reversing sections just because it would result in a short. That’s what insulating rail joiners, feeders, and toggle switches are for.

Brad

9

You responded as I was typing.

I understand you’ll have 2 dogbones, more or less end-to-end. There’s no reason you can’t connect them end to end. I would use insulating joiners somewhere in that connection, and wire them as 2 separate lines. Use one of the feeds off one loop, wire it to a DPDT, having your controller for your first line on one side, and the other controller on the other side. Then you can switch control from one to the other as needed. Basically, one controller would run everything when you’re running as one big loop.

Brad

10

Hello twcenterprises,

It is basically going to be two loops, in the shapes of “dogbones”, but at one point I wanted to try and hook them together so I could make it “one” long loop, if I want to run it that way.

Basically I have an “L” section going around my wall, and one “dogbone” is on one wall, and the other going the other way on the other wall, and at one point where they meet parallel, I want to hook both of them together with a “turnout” and make a “long loop”, so to speak. I want to be able to run both trains independently, then also run one or both of them the whole loop, if possible? Thanks for your help, I will try and send a visual if there is a way to do that on the forum here, or an email address (I can scan in a pic or drawing if it would help), thanks again, carl

11

Ok, gotcha for the most part…as you can tell I am a novice at this, my first real attempt at a real model railroad (Other than laying it on the floor when I was a kid…which was like, oh lets say 35 yrs ago), LOL, but am working on it nonetheless.

So, now please clarify a couple of things for me. First of all, what is insulating joiners?

Also, what is wiring it to a DPDT?

Thanks again Brad,

Carl

12

A 2 cab DC block control is all you’re actually trying to do. All you need to figure is the power supplies. There shouldn’t be any reversing blocks involved.

Block control is nothing more than switching the power from the cab and routing to the blocked sections the train is running in and into. Just have to remember to turn off the blocks behind you.

There are many books on wiring for this basic contol system.

13

Thanks Bob, looks like I have some reading to do. Carl

14

My layout is basically a loop plus a dogbone, and I wanted to do exactly what you’re wanting. I included a double crossover that allows trains to traverse both loops without traveling on the same stretch of track twice. Here’s the plan:

15

Hello Mononguy63,

Thanks for the input, I am getting a lot of good input back from everyone, yours helps a lot. Thanks, railroadinmedic.

Building CF&W.

16

Hello again Mononguy63,

I just was looking at your layout again, and just wanted to say I think it is an awesome layout, being that you can reverse your direction at any time just by switching tracks at some time.

Unfortunately my plan is a “Shelf type”, moreless, but I still have some options. Once I get the electric concerns worked out first, then I will be able to look at more ways to change directions and add other options.

Thanks again, Railroadinmedic-Carl

Building CF&W

17

Thanks for the kind words, Carl. My principal goal was to set it up so that I could either let two trains go and sit back and be a railfan, or treat both ends of the yard as separate destinations and operate it as a single-line point-to-point. It’s about 90% wired at present, but construction has been halted - certain financial realities may force me to soon tear it down and move it to a new basement.

There’s lots of smart experienced modelers on this forum. Read up and learn from their experiences, but ultimately you gotta dive in and do it yourself.

Jim

18

Thanks to everyone for your help and assistance with my situation. As you all can see I am new to the world of Modelrailroading, but am loving it.

Once again, thanks to you all.

Carl, “Building Caney Fork & Western- CF&W” (Rock Island TN spur)