Well I posted the paragraphs below but forgot to ask one simple thing. It seems like starting out in DCC might avoid all the wiring concerns I have, but doesn’t DCC mean I can’t use any of my non DCC locomotives?
Hello, does anyone have an idea for or a link to a supplier of a type of male to female electrical connnector that could be used to connect multi-wire sets of turnout wires and accessory wires?
I am building a small modular layout that incorporates 3 “slabs”. By necessity these will sit flat on a carpeted floor. I plan to run the wires to a separate controller/accessory panel through grooves routered shallowly in the slabs of 1" particle board (medite) which are covered with metal panels on the underside of the slabs.
But I also will have 2 more smaller slabs modules to form yards and sidings. These are detachable as needed.
Somewhere there must be a supplier of multi-wire couplings (like telephone jacks or lan computer jacks, but heavier duty) and wiring (…preferrably coiled and flexible) heavy enough for use with HO accessories. That way, I image jacking in only 2-3 “bundles” to power up all 3 slabs of the layout, and unjacking these for storage of the smaller pieces. Then running other ends of the bundles to the controller and accessory switches.
Did I make sense?
Thanks for any ideas sent my way. Don’t know where to begin looking on the internet for such things…local shops’ electronics/computer gear would be too lightweight.
They are very similar to the power connectors inside your PC. They handle 22-18ga wire.
DCC:
I believe most of the DCC systems allow for one NON-DCC Locomotive to run on the tracks along side the DCC locomotives. However some very basic decoders cost under $20.
I have Digitrax and I run three DC engines. There are two limitations.
I can only run them one at a time.
They have to sit on dead track when not being run.
It also should be mentioned that they won’t run as well, but some older engines are not easy to change to DCC and still won’t run as well as the new engines.
Depending on your budget, you can always mount some inexpensive SPST relays under each module and have those relays control your turnouts. Then all you would have to do is control power to the relays, which would be much much lower current than the mainline turnout coil power. Additionally, by use of diodes, you can control two SPST relays with only two wires, thus lowering your overall pinout of the jacks between modules. Instead of two SPST relays and diodes, you could use a SPDT momentary relay, but they are harder to find. Heck, instead of relays, you could use cheaper/quieter NPN switching transistors but they have a lower current rating (600mA) so you would have to double or triple up… but they are so small who cares?!
I think by using a two step control method (aka, the toggle switch you manipulate controls the relay that controls the turnout coil) instead of the direct control method (aka, the toggle switch you manipulate controls the turnout coil) you are going to be able to drastically reduce your pinout on your connectors. If you do take this approach then it is completely feasible to have only two connectors per module: Power and Control. Since Control will be low current, that opens the door to just about any inexpensive computer type connector you want to use: DB15, DB25, Centronics, etc.
To avoid the annoying soldering involved with these type connectors, just get an ‘extension’ cable of the type that you want. For example, get an older 3’ or 6’
