I’m in the process of building my basement dream HO layout. I’m a very seasoned modeler (40 Years)but have never used DCC so I’m not very up on how to wire it up. I’m going to use Digitraxx Zephyr and will probably expand on it later down the road. I’m going to have 2 reversing loops one at each end of the standard gauge as well as a turntable and a Wye at one end of the narrow gauge with a turn table at the other. Along with a number of turn outs by Shinohara in both gauges I dont have a clue on how to go about designing this thing. I know I will probably need an extra booster as my track footage is fairly long. I would also like to have analog meters for display and switch machines. Is there a book, person or anything to help or give ideas on where to start my design process?
Digitrax Big book of DCC, also Digitrax has many video trutorials.
http://www.digitrax.com/products/digitrax-big-book-dcc/big-book/
The length of your track has no effect on the amount of power required. The amount and type of locos are the important factor. My Zephyer can handle at least five sound locos at a time, maybe more but I haven’t tried more, and I have about 325 feet of track. Adding a booster is a personal choice, but not a requirement. The reversing sections, regardless of type, loop, wye or turntable will require special wiring, and units are available that will automatically reverse the section for you. Other than that is is rather simple. Run a buss of 14 or 12 ga. wire and run feeders, about 20 ga. up to the track every 6 feet or so. It can be debated how often to run the feeders, some say every section of track should have a feeder to insure good power distribution, others will go longer between feeders. I’m no DCC sxpert by any means but I found it a pretty straight forward system to install.
Doug
I built a smaller layout last year, DCC, and liked MR’s “The DCC Guide” as a good overall book for DCC basics.
Welcome aboard! [#welcome]
DCC wiring is much simpler than DC. You don’t need blocks, because you run the trains, not the tracks. And, as was mentioned, there are gadgets to handle reverse loops automatically, as well as any turntables that don’t have reversing circuits built in.
Although you don’t have to provide separate blocks, it’s still a good idea to break your layout up into electrically-isolated sections. This is done to provide better fault isolation when you have a short. My layout is broken into 5 sections. Three are protected by circuit breakers, while two are run on auto-reverse units that also function as breakers. It was also mentioned above that you don’t need a booster based on layout size alone, at least not for any but the largest home layouts. However, if your layout requires long bus wire runs from the base power station, a booster might be necessary. If you provide proper sectional isolation to begin with, then it’s easy to add a booster later on if you discover you need it.
Lots of good information here: http://atsf93.qstation.org/Wiring.pdf
here: http://www.dccconcepts.com/index_files/dcclayoutwiringwire.htm
somewhere in here: http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/magazine/mrh-2011-12-dec/dcc_impulses
and a video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw1jHqF_MqY
First don’t make it any harder than it has to be. Reading some instructions seem to like to make things out to be more complicated than they are.
The reversing loops, wyes, and turntable are going to be the same as they were in DC except that instead of using DPDT switches for them one will use a DCC automatic reverser.
Likewise the hot frog turnouts have to be gapped just like they did in DC. Nothing new there. Electricity is still electricity be its wave form be DC, AC, or DCC.
Whether or not you need a booster will be determine by the number of locomotives, lighted passenger trains etc. Not the length of track.
If you post a diagram of your layout I am certain several of us would help.
Thank you very much. I feel like a new-be asking these question but for 40 years I’ve modeled all DC. I’m grateful for the input
That is a great idea to post a diagram of the layout. I have access to all kinds of software here at work such as auto cad and so on (High end architectural wood working firm) I can find something to post a good rendition of my layout. Thank you very much again. If you have a better idea how to post I’m all ears.
Bryan
Wiring a DCC layout is EXACTLY the same as wiring a DC layout, except you can omit the block gaps and switches.
The only “blocks” you need are for reversing tracks, which are wired EXACTLY like DC (you can even substitute an automatic reverser unit in place of the DPDT switch you would use for DC) or if you want to break a large layout into sections to install a breaker incase of shorts. I have major sections with their own breaker. broke my 12x 23 layout into about 4 sections, each has a breaker.
Bryan/Taylor67:
Essentially you Can wire a layout with just two wires with DCC.
You Will need to insert a auto-reverser for the reversing sections, available form the DCC controller manufacturers.
You can run as many locos as the power drain {amps} your DCC system allows.
A booster allows you to run more locos.
DCC is as simple as that, essentially.
NOW the disclaimers:
1} you will want to run a set of buss wires from the DCC controller with which to feed feeder wires to the layout about every 3-6 feet of track to insure continuity of signal to your locos.
2}your auto reverser will need be wired as per the auto reverser’s directions.
3} your switches can be wired for DCC operation!
4} sections with “circuit breakers” is a good idea in case of shorts so as to not fry your DCC system.
5} you Can have 6 locos drawing 1/2 amp each on a Digitrax Zephyr XTRA {which puts out 3 amps.} If your locos draw 1 amp each, you can only run 3. Simple calculations will tell you how many you can run wiht your system. A booster allows you to run more locos!
there are lots of books on the subject including a primer here:
http://www.tonystrains.com/tonystips/dccprimer/index.htm
http://www.tonystrains.com/tonystips.htm
Have FUN! DCC is far easier than you think!
Once you go DCC you won’t go back.
[8-|]
Digitrax sells the AR1 auto polarity reverse for one loop/wye etc. A better route would be to use the Digitrax PM42 Quad Power Manager. It will handle up to 4 auto reverse sections. It’s less money to go that way.
Dennis
If you solder all your rail joints, then you only need feeders every 10 to 15 feet. If you don’t solder all your joints, then you’ll need a feeder for every rail section. Do not rely on rail joiners for the electrical connection.
I’m going to respectfully disagree on that. It’s OK from a “connectivity” standpoint, but nickel-silver is not as good a conductor as copper. So, you’re going to lose more power in the rails than you will in the track bus beneath the layout. Even with soldered rail joints, I’d still go with 6 feet as the minimum distance between feeders.
I agree with Jay about feeder spacing but not about soldering all joiners. I used Walthers/Shinohara Code 83 flex and turnouts throughout and only soldered joiners on curves. The W/S joiners fit very tightly (much more so than Atlas joiners); I also treated each rail end with No-Ox before joining. Voltage on the rails throughout the layout is uniform (DCC at about 14.6 volts).
Don’t make more work for yourself than necessary. If your joiners start to lose electrical continuity, you can always solder them or add feeders later.
My layout has been operational for almost a year and so far, so good. The room has a stable environment, so that certainly helps.
Dante
Here is another good link for some easy non technical reading:
I have a fairly large layout and I use a 5 amp NCE PH-Pro system. I do not need an additional booster, and I would bet that you wouldn’t use an additional booster either.
There are a lot of good books on DCC and other issues, but you could wind up spending all of your time reading instead of building the layout.
Your first objective is to design the layout you want, then worry about such things as the required electronics and wiring techniques.
I always find this forum to be the best source of advice, so I spend very little time reading books.
Rich
I have the track plan down pat, And it’s true the more you read the confusing its concerning wiring turnouts and blocks. From what I read I need feeds and gaps on every rail of a Shinohara turnout. I’m ready to lay sub-road bed, roadbed and track this weekend. I have yet to get the Zephyr but can lay track any way. I would love a diagram or something before I start laying track. Lots of info to look at. Thanks everyone.
That is simply not true. You only need a gap on the two rails coming off the frog, and that is only if there is a feeder wire somewhere along that rail. If the two tracks coming off the turnout are stub end with no feeders on them no gaps are required.