Help in converting Atlas N-18 layout to DCC

[Anonymous]

Hello,
I built almost 80% of Atlas N-18 Layout and I would like to convert it to DCC. I am going with Digitrax Zephyr. I am new to this hobby, I do not know much about it and the more I read the more I am confused. There are tons of wires hanging underneath the table and I do not know what to do with them for DCC. So I really do need you kind step by step help.
Thanks from the bottom of my heart and wish you all the best for the Holydays.
Mo:-)

[Anonymous]

Hi,

It's always a little disappointing when ones question drops off the front page without any answers! However, before trying to answer, I have some more questions, the answers to which will determine how (I think) you should proceed:

Quote - "There are tons of wires hanging underneath the table and I do not know what to do with them for DCC."

Questions:

1. As you also said you'd "80% built it", I presume you put those wires in? How far 'in' are they? ie, do you have the Cab control switches etc in place, or are they just hanging there?

2. Do you know where all your insulating joiners are in the track? Can these be (easily?) replaced with regular connectors? It sounds like you followed some instructions to split the track into blocks for DC control, and all the wires for all those blocks are hanging in space? [I did have a quick look at Atlas' site, and presume you're talking about the 'N scale Gulf Summit Lines...' layout?]

3. How 'fixed' is the track - Can you (easily?) get to the 'top end' of the wires to which you refer?

Relax! - Wiring DCC is a piece of cake compared to DC - We're going to be taking wires out, or at least 'abandoning them in place' depending on answers to the above... Furthermore, if you've wired this sucker for DC control, you're going to be in heaven with DCC, and a lot less confused!

I'll try and check back later,

Ian

[Anonymous]

Hello lan "fast_janb",
Thank you so much for taking time and your kind help. Let me answer your questions:
1. I think I am not done 80%, because the wires still hanging and I do not have any Cab control switches etc in place.
2. Yes I know where all the insulating joiners are. A friend of mine told me that there is no need to remove them! Yes it is the Gulf Summit Lines...
3. Tracks are glued to the roadbed.
You can view my progress on this web site: http://www.pbase.com/moshken/mos_train

Thanks again for being so kind and so considerate:-)

[Adelie]

Your friend told you right on the insulating joiners. While they will probably become useless because the blocks on both sides of them will be wired to the same bus (maybe not, depending on what you are trying to accomplish), they cause no harm being there. In fact, they may come in handy down the road if you get involved in things like signaling.

If the mess of wires is just track feeders, most of them are going to get wired directly to the DCC bus. However, the plan has a few spots that create reversing loops. Those blocks will need to be wired through an auto-reversing module of some sort (Digitrax AR1 or similar) or through a toggle switch for manual reversing.

Here's the way I would approach this: Print out the plan, and highlight the "inside" rail in red (or some color) and the "outside" rail in black (or some other color). For example, figure out the normal direction of traffic, and make the right side one color and the left another. If you have a piece of track that joins an inside rail on one end and an outside rail on the other, you'll need some sort of reversing mechanism (autoreverser, toggle switch, etc.). Those who are black or red on both ends can get wired to the appropriate side of the bus. I use black and red because I use black and red wire on the bus.

The problem with reversing loops is that the wheels of a locomotive will bridge the insulated joiner (and thus the gap) between the rails on either side of the gap who have opposite polarity, creating a short. An autoreverser senses that before the command station detects the short and shuts down, and automatically reverses the polarity of the connected block. So, you only want one block (not both) on the autoreverser, or they will both reverse polarity and keep the short going.

It is simpler than it sounds, and even simpler to resolve.