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Dcc Electric Turnout Hookup question

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  • Member since
    January 2008
  • 34 posts
Dcc Electric Turnout Hookup question
Posted by Trainman11 on Tuesday, February 26, 2008 5:16 PM
I have a New DCC system. Does anyone know how to hookup the electricial turnouts. I don't have any idea on how to do it. I would like to hookup 3 turnouts in series. I am using the bachmann electical turnouts. Thank you all for any help.
  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:12 PM

You need stationary decoders to run turnouts.  Several different manufacturers make them.  Since they are on the "track side" of a DCC system, they should all be compatable with your DCC system.

Each of these stationary decoders should come with wiring diagrams.  Then you can control your turnouts from your DCC throttle unit.

You may find, however, that this is an expensive and overly complicated way to run turnouts.  I personally prefer a control panel on the side of the layout, with "traditional" toggle switches to control turnouts, mounted on a schematic track plan so that I can tell where each turnout is.  I still run my trains from a hand-held DCC throttle, but for me it's just easier to flip a toggle switch than to remember the address of every turnout, punch it in to the throttle, activate the turnout, and then go through another key sequence to regain control of the train.  But, that's my choice, and it works well with my layout.  Yours may be different, and as we always like to say, it's your railroad.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Overland Park, KS
  • 343 posts
Posted by dadret on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 6:33 AM
I agree.  When I built my new DCC layout I looked into controlling the turnouts from the throttle but it just seemed too expensive and complicated for the value received.  If you do want to do it, however, its probably a good idea to use stationary decoders from the same manufacturer as your DCC system-eliminates a lot of potential probelms.  Each decoder comes with pretty detailed wiring diagrams.

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