Actually a room sized DCC layout can be as simple as two wires. I constructed a 25' x 50' shelf layout around the walls of my basement (previous HO scale layout). I had a two wire 12ga buss runing under the layout with jumper wires from the buss about every 6 to 10 feet. I used a Digitrax Chief. I had my yard isolated electrically with a Digitrax DB150 booster for the yard. I started the layout with two MRC20 and used three 12 ga (common wire) buss. I used DPDT toggle switches for block control. When I converted to DCC I pulled one of the buss wires and removed the toggle switches.
If you are happy with DC, good for you. I was very pleased with the operation of my MRC DC power packs, but I found that DCC offered a lot more.
Thre are a lot of plug and play DCC decoders and DC locomotives with a built in DCC plug so converting to DCC is simple. I have heard the argument of the cost to convert 50 locos to DCC. I have a lot of locos and only about a dozen have DCC decoders. When I had my DC layout I didn't run that many locomotives anyway.
I see a lot of posts on DCC forums with modelers spending a lot of time trying to program with a DT400. I never got into that because DecoderPro is so easy to use.
I have only recently got into sound....and WOW!!! My first sound locomotive was a gift from my wife. I have since installed some sound decoders on my own and they work great.
Again, if DC mets your needs great, but take a look at what DCC has to offer. Try it, you may like it.
Jim, Modeling the Kansas City Southern Lines in HO scale.
MILW-RODRI've decided to go with N scale which shot the possibility of sound out the window and once again brought up the discussion of DC or DCC. The layout (undetermined size right now) will be big enough to use walk around throttles, but will only have at most 2 trains running running through the same scene. 1. Is there a good source for pre-made DC walk around throttles that will work with my Railpower 1400 (non-pulse control) DC power pack?
I've decided to go with N scale which shot the possibility of sound out the window and once again brought up the discussion of DC or DCC. The layout (undetermined size right now) will be big enough to use walk around throttles, but will only have at most 2 trains running running through the same scene.
1. Is there a good source for pre-made DC walk around throttles that will work with my Railpower 1400 (non-pulse control) DC power pack?
The earlier posts in the thread gave you some ideas for pre-made throttles. Reading your question again, I sense that you think that wiring a walk-around throttle to your Railpower 1400 will give you a second throttle to control a second train.
The response is not so simple. If your walk-around throttle can use an AC input, AND you do NOT use common rail wiring, the walk-around throttle can be powered from the Railpower AC terminals. This assumes the Railpower puts out enough power to run 2 trains simultaneously - probably true for single-headed trains in N scale. A rating of 12VA should be enough as long as you are not doubleheading.
Your walk-around cannot hook to the Railpower DC terminals because those are controlled by the Railpower knob and direction switch.
2. How would I wire the track/power pack for walk around throttle control?
Without the walk around throttle, you are just wiring the DC output of the Railpower to the track - one wire to each rail. With 2 throttles (walk around or fixed), the track is broken into electrically isolated sections called blocks. Each block has a toggle switch that selects which throttle controls a particular block. Any of the wiring books I suggested earlier will discuss this in more detail.
The NMRA has some online guides to help with wiring at http://www.nmra.com/beginner/wiring.html and http://www.nmra.com/beginner/extended.html. The books I mentioned take things a little slower and more completely. But if these links are good enough, you can save the cost of a book.
The NMRA wiring used in the extended layout example only insulates 1 rail and the block toggle switch only connects to one rail (called common rail wiring). If you hook your walk around throttle to your Railpower AC terminals instead of a separate transformer, you will need to insulate both rails and have six terminals on a DPDT toggle instead of 3 on an SPDT toggle. You cannot use common rail wiring if both throttles are powered by the same transformer.
And FWIW, ignore all the blather about DCC until you are ready to make the move. Your Railpower will do just fine to start, and you can add a walkaround for 2 train operation - just like you were thinking. Since I operate solo 98% of the time, and already have sufficient DC equipment, I feel no need to spend $$ on changing to DCC at present. My trains have other priorities for my limited hobby budget.
hope this helps and makes sense
Fred W
sorry fred didn't mean to mislead you there. i knew a walk around throttle was just that, a throttle, i didn't mean to make it sound like i thought it would be used as a seperate throttle for a multiple trains. thats why i asked about block control, i know with dc and running multi trains you have to use block control and i do beleive a different power pack. after looking at my modeling concepts a little more i could possibly run double headers but not two seperate trains so i don't even think i will need block control.
it was a just trying to use what i had to make cheaper costs, but i sort of forgot that the zephry can use a power pack as second stationary throttle. i think i will wait till i have a track plan done to see which way to go, it should give me a better idea. my hand is still healing so i haven't been able to do much with it yet besides re-read back issues of MR. i'm starting to learn to use the caps button though for capalizing, sure makes it easier than having to try and hold downt he shift button and type.