Power dilema...hmmmm

[RF&Prr]

 Hello,

 Looking for suggestions on HO layout power setup.  Breakdown is as follows:

 2 operators running maybe 2-3 trains of 1 two 3 engines ea. (all sound equip.),   Layout room is 14 x 32 ft, two levels (along the walls connected by helixes) with yards and industries on both levels.  Running NCE PH system, with all DCC tortoise switch control (84 switches)

So, do I run one 5A Command station for both levels (all trackage) and one 5A booster for all accessories  OR do I run one 5A Command station for level one - all trackage and accessories and one 5A booster for level two - all trackage and accessories?

 Yes, I know about the issue of short circuits using the same power for both engine and accessories.  I am not concerned with this, I am posting this as my concern is more along the lines of "cost in wiring".  Run wire run lengths from level one to level two pushes me to using 10 - 12 GA wire, and a lot of it.

 RF&PRR

 

[rrinker]

 WHo says you have to run the power bus under each deck? If you run it along the middle of the rear supports the same bus can feed voth the upper and lower desk without using insanely long feeders - unless your decks are several feet apart. Locate the booster in the linear middle of all this and run bus lines out to each side. Use #12 wire for the bus. And don;t be tempted by the price to buy the small spools. Bite the bullet and buy the large ones - the price per foot for the wire is a fraction that of using the small spools. Usually at HD the 500' spool is only 2x the cost of the 100' spool, not 5x.

 If you are going to have accessory decoders to operate turnouts, definitely use at least one circuit breaker for the track power, so if a train shorts the rail there will still be power to operate the turnouts. #1 cause of a short is approaching a turnout the wrong way, which is easily corrected - but not if the power is interrupted to both the track AND the switch motor. 84 of them though might need their own power supply anyway, like the one Tam Valley sells, a small uncomplicated booster designed specifically to power accessory decoders. The circuit breaker is still needed - a booster like that simply connects to the track power of the primary booster/command station to get the DCC signals, so if the main booster shuts down, so does the add on one. A second NCE booster wouldn;t have this problem, but the Tam Valley booster + a circuit breaker is far less expensive than a second PB-105.

                                                     --Randy