I’m reading Joe Fugate’s excellent clinic about DCC at the moment. I’m planning the location of my programming track. As you can see in my trackplan I have a picture of the Zephyr from Digitrax. I don’t know at the moment if this is the one I’m going to buy. But it seems nice. What do you guys think of the location of my programming track? Is there better locations?
Trackplan source: Model Railroader, 1987 November Issue, The Iron Wood RR by Larry R. Forgard
Location looks good. It is convenient to the Zephyr (or whatever controller you will use) which is key. As part of the layout, you can wire it through a DPDT switch to convert it from progamming to operational track at the flick of a switch.
I have a Zephyr, and I really like it. One caveat - apparently it is somewhat underpowered in programming mode when trying to address BLI sound equipped locos. THis however is apparently rectified by a booster from Tony’s. Of course, if you are not running BLI locos, then there is no problem.
Andrew
I think that it is a good location. I have a work-table under my staging yard and I placed my programming track as a siding off the staging yard. I used the DPDT switch as Andrew mentioned. In addition, I wired a light from t he programming track so that it is lit when I am programming. This occurred after I programmed ALL my locomotives to the same address.
Ken
Excellent choice, EL. Add a rerailer at the ‘bottom’ end (is that a bridge I see?), and you are all set up…once you gap the rails at the end of the turnout.
selector:
Yes it’s a little bridge. Thanks, good answer as always. [:D]
Murphy’s Law strikes again! Must have been fun getting all the loco’s picked up and reprogrammed again. Very good forewarning, if the rest of us are paying attention to the pit falls others have stumbled into.
Will
Location is good. Remember, the programming track doesn’t have to be connected to the layout, can be on the workbench or anywhere.
I thought the DCC spec doesn’t allow reprogramming an address on the main (now there’s a scenario for disaster)?
Or were you using the entire layout as a programming track (oops …)?
Looks like a good location to me. I have a siding that goes right near the edge of the layout which is where I am setting up my programming track.
Again, I have not had ANY problems programming QSI locos with my Zephyr. WITHOUT the Power Pax.
No, you shouldn’t be able to reprogram the address in Ops Mode (not directly - QSI has a way to do it that works quite slick). However, not all systems have a dedicated programmign track output - so if you switch to program mode you will program everything sitting on the layout unless you isolate a section for that purpose. Even with a dedicated program track output and a toggle switch, if you bridge the gaps - everything gets programmed! That’s why some peopel recommend a double insulated section also connected to the toggle. At least as long as your longest locomotive, and it only gets fed from the TRACK side, when the switch is in the Program position, that section is totally dead, and the tail end of the siding is connected to the program track output. That way if you bridge the last gap, there’s still no way for the program commands to reach the rest of the layout (unless you bridge BOTH sets of gaps - but there’s a point where we have to say enough and try not to do REALLY dumb things, too often). The siding I am using for programming has a long curve in it, and the gaps are int he middle of the curve. So if my loco is sitting on the tangent section I KNOW it’s clear. Untl the first time I goof up, anyway.
–Randy
When I got my DCC system and my first engine last Christmas, I set up the programming track on my office desk…two lengths of flex track along the back edge with a barrier to prevent falls to the floor.
And its still there. And there’s always an engine sitting on it. All wierd times of the day I’ll just stop whatever I’m doing and play (I mean, make technical adjustments).
Jim