I am new to the hobby, I presently have a DC basic oval with 2 turnouts for an inner oval. I seem to have problems with having to play around with the swtiches in order tfor the train not to fault. I anticipate upgraiding the layout to DCC and have a track desing that I made in CAD. It will have double tracks 2 crossovers and a few turnouts. Advise on how to power both rails and same issue with the switching. Appreciate it.
Although I’m no expert, I really think you should decide sooner than later if you are going to make it a DCC layout.
That decision can have some effect on how to wire the switches.
I do know i am switching as got nec controller and using 4 dcc locos. I was going to stick to the kato dc controller for the switches as looks way eaiser. To much in the dcc thing hard to remember all functions for what. Ideas?
Not sure if this is the place to post but would like to show the designed layout for opinion.
i don’t understand what the problem is. what do you be by “fault”?
Sorry meant trips the contoller. Dead track
Can you post a picture or a drawing of the layout? What brand and type of turnouts are you using?
Simon
Yeah, a layout drawing or diagram would help a lot,
especially if you are planning to upgrade the layout to DCC and have a double track mainline with crossovers.
Rich
if the command-station/booster detects a short, and there’s just one booster, the entire layout is without power, not just a section of dead track
does this occur after wiring the track? are all tracks wired consistentely? if black/red wires used, is the black (or red) wire always wired to the interior rail?
does it occur when a loco runs across a turnout? does it occur when a loco runs across the diverging rails that may be connected to another turnout? what type of turnout?
deleted
When you say “having to play around with the switches”, what is it that you are doing “for the train not to fault”?
Rich
I have attached 2 pics. One is the Kato CAD layout that I want to set up for DCC. The other is the basic oval with 2 turnouts that I am using DC just to get used to things before upgrading
I have attached 2 pics. One is the Kato CAD layout that I want to set up for DCC. The other is the basic oval with 2 turnouts that I am using DC just to get used to things before upgrading
Thanks for posting the picture. I see no return loops, so the design should be easy to convert to DCC if you stay away from turnouts that have powered frogs (e.g., Peco electro frog). You can use these, but they need to be adapted. Otherwise, your layout should be pretty much plug and play.
You say that you get shorts. I see that you have a DCC system. Is there a short without anything running? If so, you need to double-check your wires.
If there is a short when you switch a turnout, then it is the wiring.
Is it when you run locomotives? Is there a specific area causing a short with a locomotive, like a turnout?
Simon
1 Like
please try to answer these questions.
thanks for the pictures, but they show nothing unusual
1 Like
Yeah, I am wondering if one pair of wires is reversed. It would help to use a multimeter to detect a polarity mismatch.
Rich
Yeah, the answers to those questions are critical toward finding the cause.
Rich
Right now I am running it on a Kato DC system. The short happens at the turn outs if I don’t have the switch combination correct. The wiring is OK I have one power track piece and that controls the track and the turnouts with the attached switch controllers. Hope I am explaining this better
Joe
There is only one DC powerpack/controller. I have one piece of Kato power track already prewired and plugged into the controller which also has the switches used for turnout. The entire layout shuts down as the controller defaults This only happens when I switch the turnout to go onto the smaller loop. See the actual temp pic I sent you. I thank you
Joe
Its running on a Kato DC system right now. I tend on converting to DCC, just the controller is laying on the but not hooked up. There is one power track, prewired that goes to the controller which also power the switches. Only happens when I switch to the inner loop