DCC & power routing switches.

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hi,

I’m in the beginning stages of a small layout and I’m thinking of going with DCC.

Since my switches are power routing, I sometimes have problems running my trains
unless certain switches are thrown in a certain direction, or one/all of the trains will stop.
I understand that I would have to devide my layout into sections, to avoid polarity problems.

My question:
Will I still have the same problems with DCC? Switches have to be thrown a certain way to allow uninterrupted operation?
Since DCC is AC and not DC, I am hoping that switch direction won’t matter any more.
Am I expecting too much from DCC, or will I be able to just run my trains across my layout with no concern on how power ist routed by the switches?

I really appreciate your help!

Kyle.

2

Kyle,
I am faced with the same dilemma. DCC will not cure any short circuits caused by power routing turnouts. If anything, DCC is more sensitive to brief shorts caused by metal wheels even touching the back sides of the switch points.
You have to cut gaps anywhere a power routing switch meets another PR switch, frog-to-frog as in your crossovers. The best advice is to cut these gaps as close to the frog as possible and use additional feeders “downstream” of the frog.
See wiringfordcc.com and read the switch wiring section…
Ed

3

Hello Kyle,

All you really need for DCC is what’s been known as 'two-rail wiring" since nearly the dawn of model railroading. My book, “Easy Model Railroad Wiring,” covers two-rail wiring thoroughly, and also has a chapter on command control that deals with DCC layout wiring. The book is available in most hobby stores and online at the shopping section of this Web site.

Best wishes,

Andy

4

Hi Ed,
I finally figured out how to avoid the short circuits, thanks to this great article:

http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/000/123musuj.asp
(many thanks to the author!)

For anyone having problems with short circuits due to power routing turnouts,
here’s the simple answer:

Insolate the frog end of the TO! Either one or both of the legs.
Make sure that power gets to a TO only through the point end - not the frog end.

As this might be obvious to many here, it took me some research to figure this out.

So, whenever all train operation stops after throwing a particular TO, that TO’s
legs must be insolated. One or both of them. That will stop the short.
You might have to install additional feeders to the parts of the track, that don’t receive power anymore due to insolating those TO’s.

I hope this helps.

Kyle.