I’m wanting to build an N scale empire on a 32 x 80 door using Kato Unitrack and DCC. I thought this would be much simpler than other options. However, have seen some remarks in DCC articles about “DCC unfriendly” turnouts and some of Kato’s are listed. I don’t quite follow why.
I’m thinking that if you need additional power connections, depending on the layout, then that is no problem. But I was trying to stay away from having to isolate sections with rail insulators, etc. Seems like this should be easy considering the Japanese supposedly set these up using this track and tear it down the same day.
Can anyone explain why the turnouts would be “DCC unfriendly”.
Thanks,
Owner and soon to be operator of the BarclaySierra Railroad…The BS line!
…Jim
The main issue comes when both point rails take ont he polarity of whichever stock rail the points are thrown against - hard to explain without drawing a picture maybe, but depending on which way you line the switch, one of the point rails will touch one of the stock rails, and one iwll not. In a power routing non-DCC friendly turnout, the throwbar is not insulated and both point rails as well as both closure rails take the same polarity. This leads to several spots on the turnout where rails of opposite polarity could be momentarily connected by metal car wheels. Under DC power, this is not even noticeable, it’s a VERY short duration short circuit. However, DCC power protection is MUCh faster acting, and such things often cause the booster’s short protection to trip, disrupting not only your train crossing this switch, but everyone else’s too.
If evryething - the turnout, the wheels on your rolling stock - are completely up to spec, this isn’t as common a problem as some make it out to be. And it can be corrected, so you cna continue to use your favorite brand of track, even if out of the box it is not ‘dcc friendly’. See http://www.wireingfordcc.com under the section on switches.
–Randy
Correct link: (there was a typo in the above)
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches.htm
[#oops]
I’m just glad it came out as a link, this board software is not nearly as friendly as phpBB so I just type the code in by hand.
Umm…as far as I know, all Unitrack is DCC compatable, at least according to Kato.
from their website:
http://www.katousa.com/