I have a 5’ x 9’ layout using Atlas TrueTrack. One set of feeders provides power to the entire layout and works fine. I want to add an old Atlas turntable that I used on an old DC layout. How do I wire it for DCC? Can I use the old Atlas Controller that was used for DC? How do I wire this?
Wire it up exactly as you would for a DC layout. Use a separate 12 V DC power supply to run the turntable motor. Use regular DCC current from the main line buss for the turntable track. Use the Atlas controller just as you did before. No other electronics are needed. Mine works fine.
I’ve heard that if you pass 180 degrees that the track loses power for a split second and you have to reset the lights and you have to start the sound sequence over. Is this true?
At some point in the rotation the turntable does flip the track polarity. I don’t have sound, but my lights just flicker for a moment and come back on. I don’t think it should be any different than crossing into a reverse loop and back the other side.
How old is your turntable? I had one from the 1960’s. I was able to get it running again, but the indexing was 30 degrees, not 15 like the modern ones, so that left a gap and I wouldn’t be able to get to the center stall of the roundhouse. Eventually, I got tired of nudging the motor to keep it running, so I replaced that, too.
A turntable, wye and reversing loop all have the same wiring requirements for DCC.
You will need a way to reverse the polarity to avoid a shortcircuit. MRC or Digitrax (and others) make autoreversers which will do this automatically for you.
Y’know, I thought so too, but the post above made me think about it. If you only have a single lead into the turntable, why do you need the reverser? The Atlas turntable automatically flips the polarity as the turntable rotates. Even with multiple leads, you can position the turntable so that any reversing done by your track configuration is handled by the “A” or “B” polarity marked on the turntable. This may not be true for any complex arrangement you could come up with, but it will always be possible for a 2-lead configuration.
The Atlas TT automatically changes the polarity when you turn it. I have one and have had no problems with sound equipped engines. I can see where there might be a shorting problem as it passes the polarity switch area, but making the ‘gap’ bigger so that it does a complete break should resolve the problem of a booster shutdown. The no power gap should be short enough that the big capacitors in the QSI sound engines should carry it over the gap…
Jim Bernier
Jim - do you have your Atlas turntable wired to a reverser, or not?
Mine is NOT wired to any reverser - 2 wires from the track bus…
Jim Bernier