I am happy to stand corrected by the master.
Richard
Nope, Richard - you´d need them if it were Peco switches. But that would go for DC as well. How do I know? I have built a small N scale layout, using Kato Unitrack, and operated it with DC and DCC.
I think you need to use insulated joiners on the "outbound" ends of the turnout to prevent a short.
I don´t think it really matters, unless you want to leave a sound loco sitting idle in a siding and listen to the sound, while another train is passing. And, of course, the light is off.
Just completed my track work for my new layout, trying Kato HO Unitrack for this one. It appears that the #4 turnouts are power routing with no way to change, but the #6 turnouts give you the option (and are factory set for power routing). I am hooking the layout up to a Digitrax Zephyr, so do I leave them set to power routing? I still struggle with the difference and why it matters for DCC. Any advice is appreciated.