So before xmas I decided to tear down the old layout and start a new with an added room and a new plan. I have the track laid and the track feeders soldered in. I have the following to reinstall with no experience other what I struggled through back in 2006 when I hooked everything up successfully on the old layout. I;m modelling HO scale.
This is what I have SCF8 Super Chief 5 amp
1 AHD-PS2 two controls, two power districts , I think its called a power shield
2 OGAR auto Reverser s
a bunch of Cir-800-6000 Tortoise switch machines
2 Hares ver 1 , these slide onto the tortoise switch machines
bunch of DS64 Stationary Docoders for the tortoise switch machines
I’m sorry but I really don’t recall much if I had to put gaps in the tracks for the hares or autoreverses or what, really confused here.
I do recall though in the lower staging yard the Y turnout would auto throw when a train approached it , there was also a reverse loop down there as well as a reverse loop up on the main level that I must have had the second autoreverser connected to.
Can you’s DCC guru’s help me to get over these hurtles so I can move on please? I also attached the track plan and the components to hopefully help in identification as I bought these in 2006, perhaps it will help.
I’m an NCE user, so not much help with the Digitrax stuff. You can probably go to their website and go to their product info page and search for the product name/number and get manuals, set-up instructions, etc from there.
The one thing I can help with is in the very first pic, the PTB100. That’s a Soundtraxx programming track booster to use when programming sound decoders. It boosts the programming track power just enough to program sound decoders, but not enough to fry things if a short is detected. More info here: http://www.soundtraxx.com/access/ptb100.php
Thanks Mike, funney I didn’t even realize the soundtraxx ptb100 was part of the pics, really is the least of my issues but I did save the link.
Kind of wondering if the versions of these components documentation is even available now its been so long and what I see on there sites is all new to me.
Most mfgs do a pretty good job of maintaining documentation for older stuff available online. This helps folks on the used market, those who’ve lost their manuals, or - like me – have saved them someplace “safe” and thus can’t find them right now.[D)]
Thanks Mike , I too beleive I have the documents put away in such a safe place that only the dust bunnies get to read them [:S].
I found a documentation online now for the powershield and it appears each side of the power sheild receives booster power from a single input on the Power shield and the powershield then has two outputs , one to each district.
On the other hand for the reversers I’m really baffled just where to cut gaps in the rails for each of the two loops.
Also I soldered in all the drop feeders about every 3-4 feet and started in one room thinking I would keep it organized by keeping red wires on inside of tracks and black on outside rails starting from room on right but things were going so well that before I new it I was in the next room over and red on inside became red on ouside for a bit anyway, so a bit terrified to connect any buss wires up to these dropped.
Photo 9 appears to be a PSX-4, also known as a Power Shield. (All PSX breaker types are know as Power Shields) The PSX-4 is actually four circuit breakers on one board. The line down the middle divides the board into two parts, each with two breakers. So each half of the board has to have a set of input wires. Each side of the board will have two outputs, giving you four outputs total. This is from Tony’s Train Exchange and you should be able to download the documentation for it.
Here is a link that has some very basic DCC information and also has a couple of links to more advanced information that you can look at later. Part four has information and diagrams about reversing loops etc.
Thanks Elmer I appreciate the help and link. Funny I had thought it was a 2 power district component. The more I read the more I realize how much things have changed since I bought and installed all these since 2006.
I’m starting to understand a bit more although I still am struggling with where to gap the rails for the OG-AR reverser as well I’m starting to thing that because I’m using Peco Insulfrog turnouts that being an insulated from may also be the same as a gap in the rail. Does this sound correct?
If the system is a SCF8, it’s an 8 amp system. The large white base unit, which model is it? DCS100 or DCS200? DCS200 is the 8 amp version and you’ll need an 8 amp capbale power supply to run it properly. DCS100 is the 5 amp version.
The last 4 pictures are all of a PowerShield 4, which is 4 circuit breakers on one big board. The yellow jumper wires apprea to be connecting all the inputs together. Expecially if you have the 8 amp DCS200, you’ll definitely want to use these. Not only do they reduce the short circuit limit to something less than 8 amps, they also will keep a derilment on one section of the layout from shutting down the whole thing. You need to gap both rails in logical locations (determined by how trains run on your layout) and then all feeders to that section connect to one and only one of the PowerShield outputs.
The two above that are the OG-AR autoreversers. The next two up is the Hare. First pic is the Soundtraxx PTB-100 for the program track.
Instructions for all of these are available on Tony’s Train Exchange web site.
No - Insulafrog is NOT the same as there being a gap in the rail. There’s a gap in the Insulfrog - on either side of the actual switch frog. But power passes from the point side right through to both diverging routes. You need to use insulated joiners or cut gaps with a Dremel to make the actual rail gaps needed to isolate a reverse loop or power district for the circuit breakers.
Thanks Randy for the information, I’ve always struggled with this stuff.
The Super chief is actually a DCS 200 5amp, Back when I bought it I had wondered why I was sent the DCS200 when I had asked for a 5 amp system but near as I could tell back then it is a 8 amp system with a 5 amp power supply. and is capeable of being an 8 amp command station.
My first power supply went south and I got this one which I beleive is a 5amp power supply
Would the section of track that is isolated for the reversing section need to be as long as the longest train I plan to run? As well where would be the best place to put the insulated track sections in the two reversing loops on the plan? This seems to be the biggest issue right now.
PS I’m still reading but giving as much info as is asked as I go.
Thanks
Lynn
That power supply is good for 10 amps. So it will work fine. You might want to put an 8 amp breaker or slow blow fuse between it and the DCS200 to protect against a fault in the DCS200 itself, but otherwise this is ok.
If you use cars with metal wheels, lighted passenger cars, or lighted cabooses, then you willw ant the reversing section to be at least as long as your longest train. Sort of self-enfornces on a typical baloon loop sort of thing, the entire train must be within the loop before the locos exit it or the train will run into itself. For other arrangements, like a wye in an engine terminal, the isolated section needs only be as big as the longest loco consist it will handle. The key is that the autoreverse can only make one change at a time - so when you enter the reverse section, it will set the polarity for that path. When you exit the reversing section, it needs to flip the polarity the opposite way. It can’t do both - which would be the case if a lighted car or loco crosses the gaps at the entrance of the reversing section at the same time another loco or car is exiting it.
Thanks Randy I didn’t realize the power supply was a 10 amp, I guess because I had already had layout up and running with the Power shield connected I just didn’t realize the increase in amps and I would imagine that the 10 amp ppower supply would be giving 2.5 amps to each of the 4 power districts in the power shield if 4 districts were setup or what appears to be in the way the wires are connected to the powershield right now being only two of the 4 districts being used on the powershield or max of the dcs200’s 4 amp each to the two districts of the powershields present wired configuration.Boy that was a mouthfull.
What you say for the train length reversed isolated section makes scence. I do have metal wheeled cars but nothing no liting.
I attached my plan with where I think would be a good distance of gaps from each other in each reverse section marked with red lines. Tried to make the gaps on the straight points of the rail for the plastic joiners. Is it ok to be withing 12 inches of the turnout or does it make a differnce?
Was also wondering if the trains engine is entering an isolated reverse section and the say last few cars finish entering does the metal wheels not do anything to the gaps its closing as it enters? Same for when the cars are crossingthe turnout while the engine has already entered into the reverse section ?
Randy you had also mentioned an 8 amp breaker or slow blow fuse, is this just a simple inline fuse and where would it connect to? Between one of the power supply leads that attach to the dcs200 perhaps?
Thanks
Lynn
Yes, the 8 amp breaker or fuse would go between the power supply and the power in terminal on the DCS200.
Using the 10 amp power supply won;t give you 10 amps total, the DCS200 can only put out 8 amps, so that’s what you have to the rails. That doesn;t mean you have to set the PSX to 2 amps for each of the 4 sections, , the default is 3.5 amps and that is pretty reasonable for HO trains. That doesn;t mean you now magically have 4x 3.5 amps, you still only have 8 amps total available.
Amps are not “pushed” into the load, amps are drawn by the load. Using an 8 amp booster doesn’t ‘push’ 8 amps into every train running, it means that the sum total of all your running trains can draw up to 8 amps. This is the bit of basic electricity that most people don’t get.
If I understand your red marks, you are setting up relatively short reversing sections. Though that will work, suggest you consider making the whole right section past its turnout a reversing section, with gaps just past the frog in the straight and diverging routes. Similarly, the whole left section can be a reversing section (area), with two sets of gaps just past the first turnout (into the reverse section). Then the middle is a non-reversing “mainline” section. Power the two reversing sections (subdistricts) via the OG-ARs. Note that if more than one loco (train) is in a reversing section and a train comes in or goes out such that the OG-AR reverses its polarity output, the various locos are not affected; i.e., another loco in the area that is happily going, say, forward will happily continue to go forward when the OG-AR polarity needs to change as the instruction to the loco remains “go forward, no matter the changing polarity”.
Just suggesting that 3 large subdistricts may be all you need, two reversing and one not. Other legs can float within a reversing subdistrict.
Thanks Paul for the suggestion. I figure I have about 8 feet in both reversing sections maybe more in the left room. I’ll try this setup for now and if I find I need more I guess I can just cut a couple more gaps and route the drop leads to the OG-AR. I was thinking to make the entire loop on the right a reversing section but at the same time I didn’t want to loose the function of the passing track on the left side of the loop. I suppose this will take some experimenting.
Either way I’m happy to say I got the districts seperated between the two rooms and although th ebuss wire is just strung out from room to room I did do a bit of experimenting and got an engine to go, didn;t do a quarter test but that will come once I route the buss wires properly. Not sure if I’m going to drill holes this time or get some plastic holders.
Next step will be to test out the OG-ARs and then the Hares, thinking the Hares will be the most complex to setup.
Hi guys I’m back with another question with wiring up the DCCSpecialties Hare. I have the autoreversers hooked up and everything is working fine in both rooms of the layout . i also have one room on one power district and the other part of the layout on the another power district. My next step is getting automated switches at the reverve loop junctions but also I would like to ask is it possible and how to make several tortoise switch machine switches open to a specific route and have the Hare control this? As you can see on the layout plan ( I only have the one half of the layout marked up) I have Gaps marked out in red for trigger rails to make the Hare connected to switch 1. So what I would like to have happen is a couple scenerios 1 when train bridges gap entering from left of switch 1 it triggers the rail open to continue onto the reversesection and come around to the bridge Gap at switch 4 and when Gap is bridged I want it to trigger the number 1 switch ( with the Hare) to not only throw switch 1 to open but at the same time throw open switch 3 and 2 so train has a clear path.
Scenerio 2 would be gap bridged coming from left of switch 1 and open rail to continue through switch 2 , 5 , 6 and 4.
Is this a tall order ? and can it be accomplished.
I have ds64’ stationary decoders for controling the tortoise switch machines if that helps in the mix at all.
Thanks
Lynn
Ok erhaps I was asking too much so please let me reiterate.
If the Hare is setup on its own on the meeting switchto either reverse loop can the tortoise switch machines some how be manipulated from the hare positions to make the switches go in a certain position ie open or close? For instance if the switch which has the hare attached to it be wired off that hare to the next or any other tortoise so that its switch can be thrown?
if these turnouts were in a yard ladder, i believe switch machines such as Tortoise can be daisey chained in such a way that selecting a particular turnout position can also select a route through all turnouts leading up to it. But I do not believe this will work in your case for the track near Jeffry’s Point.
I believe you may need a Diode Matrix where there are momentary switches for each end of a route leading through a series of turnouts, and selecting 2 momentary switches will set the turnouts for the route.
