I'm using a MRC TECH 6 SOUND CONTROLLER on my layout. And have one locomotive with sound and another with out. And since the MRC can run both. Is there a way to hook up some kind of switches on my layout so i can run both. One locomotive at a time. But have both on the layout? Maybe put some kind of switch at the places i marked on the picture i posted? If so can any tell me how to do it? Thanks very much for any info
And im using bachmann EZ track
wilso44512,
the MRC Tech 6 controller is not a DCC controller, but a DC controller, which allows you to adjust the sound in your DC operated sound locos. So you are running your layout on DC and not DCC.
All you need to "park" your loco while you are running the other one is a section of track where you can cut the power, without disconnecting the track. For this, you need to gap one rail, and connect the power via a switch - just like in the following diagram:
The Tech 6 is already kind of both. It does the switching, in standard mode it's a DC power pack, in 'Dual' mode it drives a DCC loco on address 3. It's really DCC, just hugely limited.
You really do NOT want to run both at the same time. Accidently running across the gaps can damage a lot of gear - the decoder in the DCC loco, the DCC system, potentially even the Tech 6. Either stick with the Tech 6 method - layout is DC or DCC, but never both, or do the equivalent and feed the layout through a DPDT center off toggle switch, one way connects a DCC system, the other way connects a DC power pack, nevr the two should meet.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Is only one side of the track have power? And do you know of what parts i would need? Sorry for the questions. but im a noob about this? Do you know of a tutorial about it?
Any book on "basic model railroad wiring" will have this info. Basically he's talking about creating a block - a section of track that you can turn the power on or off to using an electrical switch.
For example I have an enginehouse on my layout that has insulated rail joiners across both rails. The wires from the isolated enginehouse tracks goes to an on-off switch, which is connected to my track power (in my case a DCC system). I can turn the switch "off" and the engines in the enginehouse aren't getting any power, but the rest of the layout is and can be operated normally.
I chose to use insulated rail joiners to "gap" both rails, but you can do the same thing by just gapping one rail. When you turn the power off to the one rail, current can't go thru the engine's motor so they become "dead" until you turn the switch back to "on".
The NMRA is a great resource and you may want to join. Here is a link to some basics on wiring.
http://www.nmra.org/beginner/basicplan.html
There are other areas on this site that are helpful, just look around.
Richard
Thanks every one. i will be doing a lot of reading. to make sure i get it right. On bachman ez track is there a way to determine. what side of the track is + and -?
wilson44512 Thanks every one. i will be doing a lot of reading. to make sure i get it right. On bachman ez track is there a way to determine. what side of the track is + and -?
Yes there is, you determine that when you wire your layout.
Get yourself a multimeter and learn how to use it.
There are many, many links on thee Internet on how to wire a layout.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
I,m using a Bachmann E-Z Track Straight Terminal Rerailer with Wire
I have a multimeter. and thanks for the advice to learn how to use.
In HO DC operation the + rail is always the righthand rail in the forward directon.
Hope this is the right stuff.
Will this switch work. and can i solder the wire to the switch. they didnt have little connectors to fit?
if you get the add on hand control http://www.modelrectifier.com/search/product-view.asp?ID=8269 ,,, you can run up to 6 dcc trains . At least from what I've read, it seems right, they list for $100 but you can find them $50 to $60 all day long.
I was thinking on getting the mrc blackbox setup for workbench and side project layout type stuff
nice to have all those functions, my main layout doesn't go that high so i miss out on some of the goofy little things those newer locos will do with 28 functions
wilson44512 Hope this is the right stuff. Will this switch work. and can i solder the wire to the switch. they didnt have little connectors to fit?
Yeah, you got the right stuff from radio Shack.
You can solder the wire directly to the terminals on the toggle switch. You don't need any special connectors.
Another good Radio Shack purchase the next time you are there is the Desoldering Braid. It is a flat copper band that comes in a roll and is highly useful if you need to remove solder from a terminal connection. You place the copper braid over the connected and apply heat from the soldering iron to remove the solder which, in turn, is absorbed by the braid.
Alton Junction
I isolated the tracks. and it works great. now i just need to build something to cover up the wires.
wilson44512 I isolated the tracks. and it works great. now i just need to build something to cover up the wires.
That would be called ballast.
Really? Wow. No way
You seem to have doen a neat job of soldering the wire to the rail - if you keep it neat and clen, you can do it ont he inside, and drill a hole down against the inside fo the rail, effectively hiding the wire. Just keep up the neat solder work and it won't be a problem with the wheel flanges.
rrinker You seem to have doen a neat job of soldering the wire to the rail - if you keep it neat and clen, you can do it ont he inside, and drill a hole down against the inside fo the rail, effectively hiding the wire. Just keep up the neat solder work and it won't be a problem with the wheel flanges. --Randy
I agree with Randy. Even if you solder the wire to the outside of the rail, you can do a better job of camouflaging the wire.
For one thing, use thinner gauge wire. Second, if you use solid wire instead of stranded, the whole soldered area will be less noticeable.
Yes to thinner wire. WIth sufficient feeders, and keeping them short, any voltage drop that there might be would be undetected. My feeders are #22 solid wire sold as alarm wire. There are less than a foot long before they attach to heavier wire, so even if I could somehow stack multiple locos on top of one feeder and all rail joiners and all other feeders were to fail, there would be only a tiny voltage drop. Same thing at the toggle switch end, if the switch is too small to sodle ron heavy wire, a short piece of smaller wire connected to the switch to keep things neat can then connect to a larger wire for the bulk of the run to the track area. The wires can be soldered together, or, especially at the control panel side, you can use terminal strips to really keep things neat, and also make it easier to build - you cna wire up the toggles sitting comfortably at the workbench, then attach the wires to teh screw terminals on the strips as you physically install the switch in the control panel. Or even remove the entire control panel back tot eh workbench, wire it all up, then atach the layout power wires to the screw terminals. Just don;t forget to label things, just ebcause you rememebr how you did it today, doesn't mean you will tomorrow, or next year, when you go to add on a new track section, or change somethign around.
A good start. All of us were at that point at sometime.
Ken G Price My N-Scale Layout
Digitrax Super Empire Builder Radio System. South Valley Texas Railroad. SVTRR
N-Scale out west. 1996-1998 or so! UP, SP, Missouri Pacific, C&NW.