I went into a thread with pretty much this same title thinking it was about how you use your programing track, when it’s not being used for programing. So, I thought I’d ask the question the other way it can be interpreted.
When my programing track isn’t being used for programing (98% of the time) it is the track that reefers are spotted at, next to my packing plant. It is in a very convenient location, near my Digitrax Zephyr command station. It’s a simple matter of moving the reefers spotted there and putting the loco I want to program their instead, program the loco, remove and slide the reefers back into position.
What does your programing track get used for when not being used for programing?
Nothing. My programming track comes off the low level staging yard lead and runs to the workbench. It’s set up with a 4-pole double throw toggle that switches the end of the track between program and main and a also switches an 18" safety section between the main and dead.
Mine is, like yours, at the end of a stub siding. Its use has not been determined at this time. I use a switcher to pull any rolling stock out of the way and drive the loco to be programmed onto the siding. I prefer not to physically place it on the track.
My program track is the middle track (routinely used) going into the engine area, between the crossings and the mainline that is outside the frame. I have a center-off DPDT switch on the control panel that is OPER / OFF / PROG. This arrangement is open to debate, as there is concern that if (if I recall correctly) one runs a loco wheel across the isolation point when in Ops mode, but the DPDT in Prog setting, that the Ops current can flow back to the booster’s program output and fry it. Some references recommend an isolation track on each side of the program track section but I did not do that (unaware at the time). But I have a 5A NCE PowerPro and they responded I’d be ok for that specific system (and I’m pretty sure I’ve “tested” it when moving a loco into the program track and in Ops mode but the program track DPDT left in PROG setting). The Tony’s Trains guru said I should avoid it (out of conservatism) but I relied on the NCE advice and/or am taking a risk.
Bigger danger would be a loco bridging the gap while programming - resulting in the program track commands being sent to every loco on the track.
The frying the connection with NCE is pretty much impossible since it cannot program and supply track power at the same time. Digitrax, you can have trains running on the main while programming on the programming track.
The NCE hammerhead turns off the power to the whole layout when in prog mode. I noticed this when listening to a steamer on a siding idling. When in prog mode, the sound stopped, when I exit prog, the sound began anew. Therefore, I feel safe with only a DPDT switch.
Is this really the biggest danger? What happens when you bridge the gap while running. I presume that this can backfeed the programming side of the command station. Would this be a problem, or is there some sort of electrical check valve? (assuming no DPDT toggle)
Knowing where the spur ends and the programing track begins, is important and I make sure my locos are all the way on the programing track before I begin any programing and it is easy enough to be sure where the break is. In my case, because my programing track is located on a section of the layout which has power routing, it would be even more difficult to have an accident.
Several people have said they have bridged and not fried the system, though I suppose it is possible - the outputs are not meant to take current fed into them, so sure, it can happen. I see it more likely that you would have the toggle in the run position, drive the loco on, but have a couple of wheels over the gap, then throw the switch to program. With NCE, when you select a program track mode, it shuts off the main power, so there wouldn;t be any backfeed, but the wheels hanging over, any program command would be sent to all the rails - and program track programming is a broadcast, so it will program every loco that sees the signal.
I’m not advocating a drive on program track. I haven’t had one on any layout I’ve built since I went DCC. I have my seperate program/test track witht he PR3 and Lokprogrammer that I use, mainly just to set an address. The only real adjustments after that are maybe setting start voltage and momentum, and if a sound decoder, volumes, which I all do using programming on the main.
Using a 4PDT switch and a completely dead section between the main and program stud makes a drive on program track that’s foolproof enough to require some actual effort to get the main and program connections to short together. Just a single gap and simple DPDT, that’s asking for it. A PowerCab, using an AutoSwitch, makes it pretty much impossible to accidently program all locos, and a PowerCab, since it only has one power output, physically can’t connect main track power to the program track connections. Ditto Digitrax DB150, only one set of connections, so there’s nothing to accidently connect together that can cause problems. And NCE’s AutoSwitch works with it as well, so you can set up a program track that doesn’t program every loco left on the rails.
I have my program track as one track off the turntable. It’s non powered so I do have to push the engine on to it . I use jmri quite extensively so i often have trains running while I’m programming.
Mine is a gapped “spur/transfer track” that sends & recieves cars from the outside world. I use Digitrax, and have closed the gap several times, no problems were experienced.
Since I wanted to be close to my Digitrax Zephyr command station for programing, the proximity of the program track to the Zephyr was paramount. Had I considered my inability to always get the loco completely on the programing track a problem, I guess I would have designed it differently
My programming track is used as a parking place for my MOW equipment when not being used to program locos. That equipment is just a scenic element. That track is electrically isolated from the rest of the layout. When I program the locos, I place them on the track. The track is right at the front of the layout and right above the power station.
My programming track doubles as the siding that goes to Burns Coal and Oil. Like others, I have a DPDT toggle (center off) to switch between Program and Run on that track. I’ve got a Lenz system, which also shuts off the main while in Program mode.
Mine is on a spur to the MOW equipment which I never actually run so there is no reason to throw that turnout. I hadn’t thought of the possibility of the wheels of a piece of MOW equipment bridging the gap to the layout so I may add a second gap, just to be on the safe side.
