alloboard The following is my upgraded layout: VIDEO0310zpsb1049b0b.mp4.html This is my BDL168 and PM42:
The following is my upgraded layout: VIDEO0310zpsb1049b0b.mp4.html
This is my BDL168 and PM42:
Save yourself a lot of future frustration. Label everything.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
May I add..............
Get yourself a piece of 1/4 inch plywood or masonite - perhaps 1x2 or 1x3 feet - and mount your electronics on that, and as previously suggested, label everything.
I would also use color coded wires as practical.
In my opinion, you are in a "self defeating mode" by having your trackage and electronics set up on the floor. You are wasting time and effort and bringing only frustration upon yourself.
Of course I understand the lure of fancy electronics and the fire to get trains up and running........... but putting it all unmounted and on the floor is just an exercise in futility.
Enough said.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Indeed. Normal plastic bubble wrap and bags is an even greater static generator then the bare carpet, and the anti-static type of palstic (often a pink color) is actually somewhat conductive, so you wouldn;t want to lay the boards on any of that stuff. A small panel off some wood material, or even a piece of that white sleving material, like seen on my mounting shelf or my test track, is the way to go. There's not much danger of fire with the relatively low power of everything, but all those board did not come cheap and to have one fry from static or a wire accidently falling onto one of them would not be good.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
In addition to the electrical mess, no way that track is going to stay together for long, the joiners are going to flex and lose tension.
Jim
He has already been given lots of good advice and he doesn't seem to want to listen. It's sad but he will probably have to learn from his mistakes.
Joe
I will label everything and use color coded wiring. Your wiring looks nice and organized.
I'm willing to get my layout off the floor but, I will need my layout on the table to have a turnaround, which may not fit within that space. I will definitely get all of those electronics off the floor.
Alloboard:
Why not take the time now to think of a re-design of your layout or part of it so that your table(s) will fit into the space you have? All of us have built layouts and then made major changes to allow for better running or to better utilize the space we have. Your most important consideration is to get it up off the floor on to a stable base so that your work will yield the results you want not frustration.
Good suggestion. I'm currently thinking of a re-design.
The above image is my drawn image and the illustrated diagram from page 6 of the Digitrax BDL168. The black rectangles are the double gapped insulators. Based on the map if this section of my layout equal to one PM42 section assuming 4 detection sections will go to it, where would you suggest for me to put the four detection sections because the turnouts, the long lengths of the tracks, and the multiple lanes makes the wiring a little puzzling to me. Everything else is working out perfectly thanks to everyone's help in this forum.
ALLOBOARD,
No offence to You, or anything,bad to say,,, But in my own opinion,,, you are trying to build a tremendous,house, without a foundation, even if you did want to build some sort of table,in that room,you would have to remove,everything that you have done so far,in order to do so,,, Good Luck,,,
Cheers,
Frank
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Where's their Kia Soul?
rrinker Where's their Kia Soul? --Randy
Ask and ye shall receive
I like the ''toaster'' one.... LOL...
The moderators could be merciful and lock this thread.
Meanwhile, alloboard needs to do five things:
1. Get the layout up off the floor.
2. Get some on site expert advice and assistance in completing the wiring.
3. Learn the proper wiring techniques and the function of each electronic component.
4. Simplify the entire process and quit trying to build an ultra-sophisticated electronic complex.
5. Learn to communicate more effectively on this forum and establish better dialog.
Rich
Alton Junction
And to be back on topic, the answer to the question is once again, "it depends". Some people isolate the area around a turnout, to have an interlocking defined so that it can lock out the turnout when occupied. Or the entire area around a crossover. And then one or more blocks in the track connecting two of these interlocking areas - it depends on the length of the track and the train lengths that will be run. If the section of track is only 1 1/2 train lengths, it's kind of silly to divide it into more 2 detection blocks. Stub end parking sidings are not usually detected, unless you intend on trying fully automated operations - then they need to be detected.
It's a lot of wires - no way around it. Effectively 16 times the wiring, as each section of the BDL168 runs out to the layout for multiple feeder drops to each detected section. You will end up with a LOT more feeders and a lot more gaps cut in the rail. No way around it, it's how detection works.
The image above is an updated version of my layout map with markings and labels and a color code representing the detection sections.
I'm gonna sit back and wait for tstage to comment on this one.
The PM42 must go BEFORE the BDL168. The PM42 cannot connect to the track in the same section as the BDL168.
I think you are in way over your head here.
The input to the PM42 should come from the command station. Each of the 4 outputs of the PM42 should be connected to a power input of the BDL168. Completely eliminate to connection from the command station to the 4 power inputs of the BDL168. Connect the detection segments of the BDL168 to the appropriate segments of the track. DO NOT CONNECT THE PM42 TO THE DETECTION SEGMENTS OF THE TRACK.
richhotrain I'm gonna sit back and wait for tstage to comment on this one. Rich
Not gonna do it, Rich. You can't make me...