Ok was looking at the new layout control system from Wathers. I just added a new yard and was considering this but have questions as to rather if it would work for what I was thinking of (I generally use ground throws) A few questions for those that have used it- was looking through the instructions but didn't really cover these from what I found
1. I used a hollow core door for the yard so I imagine depth might be a problem.
2. I have both DC and DCC (powercab without the booster)- I select between the two systems with a dpdt switch with center off. I assume this would mean it would have to be powered only by the power supply with no DCC option to throw it with the accessory control when on DCC right?
3. Is it possible to have more than one control point for a switch? I would like to have a control on either side of my peninsula. (This is not absolutely necessary though.)
4. Switches are already mounted- I hope I don't need to yank the up to install.
Thanks for any help Jim
Depth shouldn't be a problem, I used servos on my last layout through a combination of 1/4" plywood, 2 layers of 2" thick foam, and cork roadbed. If you have your track on cork on top of a hollow core door, you have lef thickness than I did.
You could run DCC power to JUST the controllers, bypassing the DPDT layout power toggle, and always run the turnouts on DCC, it would be a pain to use accessory control on the handheld (it is anyway, IMO) but you still have the local buttons. There's no physical connection between the turnout controllers and the rails, so there is no issue having the toggle switch set to DC, running DC trains, and running the controllers on DCC power.
I think it allows for multiple sets of buttons per turnout, but check the instructions, you can read them all on the Walthers site before you buy anything.
Installing with the turnouts already mounted is possible, you just need to be VERY careful not to drill through them. You can drill a small pilot hole (might need to get a couple of long drill bits, to get through the layers down to the bottom of the layout) and then carefully drill the bigger hole up from the bottom, if you measure accurately you can either get a stop collar for the drill or wrap a piece of tape around the bit to mark how far in you need to go to just touch the top surface. All doable without wrecking anything but it requires a careful touch and working carefully, it's FAR easier if you mark the throwbar location, remove the turnout, and drill away.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinker Depth shouldn't be a problem, I used servos on my last layout through a combination of 1/4" plywood, 2 layers of 2" thick foam, and cork roadbed. If you have your track on cork on top of a hollow core door, you have lef thickness than I did. You could run DCC power to JUST the controllers, bypassing the DPDT layout power toggle, and always run the turnouts on DCC, it would be a pain to use accessory control on the handheld (it is anyway, IMO) but you still have the local buttons. There's no physical connection between the turnout controllers and the rails, so there is no issue having the toggle switch set to DC, running DC trains, and running the controllers on DCC power. I think it allows for multiple sets of buttons per turnout, but check the instructions, you can read them all on the Walthers site before you buy anything. Installing with the turnouts already mounted is possible, you just need to be VERY careful not to drill through them. You can drill a small pilot hole (might need to get a couple of long drill bits, to get through the layers down to the bottom of the layout) and then carefully drill the bigger hole up from the bottom, if you measure accurately you can either get a stop collar for the drill or wrap a piece of tape around the bit to mark how far in you need to go to just touch the top surface. All doable without wrecking anything but it requires a careful touch and working carefully, it's FAR easier if you mark the throwbar location, remove the turnout, and drill away. --Randy
That answers a lot. I assume the existing acuator wire is long enough then or will it need to be replaced- the specs on the walthers info were a little vague. I have already drilled the larger holes for the actuator rods so that seems to be the major issue They show two side holes being drilled through the throwbars from the top (I guess to align it) those of course were not done I guess that was more my concern. Since the powercab doesn't have accessory terminals it would have to be tied into the cab buss but the instructions sounded like that was a no-no. Jim
It would tie in to the track bus - just BEFORE your DC/DCC selector switch. There's not a lot of extra power available on a PowerCab, so it probably would be best to just runt he whole thing off an old DC power pack instead, and use just the buttons to operate turnouts, regardless of which power source is going to the track, but if you want to be able to use the DCC control of the turnouts then it has to be connected to the track bus to get the DCC signals.
rrinker It would tie in to the track bus - just BEFORE your DC/DCC selector switch. There's not a lot of extra power available on a PowerCab, so it probably would be best to just runt he whole thing off an old DC power pack instead, and use just the buttons to operate turnouts, regardless of which power source is going to the track, but if you want to be able to use the DCC control of the turnouts then it has to be connected to the track bus to get the DCC signals. --Randy
Right. that is what if figured- However it looks like there may be an issue with doing so if there is a short. There is no auxillary output on the power cab so it looks like that might be an issue. The caution that they give is below. I may just use their power supply or run a line from the DC pack.
track circuit shorts
Yes, there always is that chance, if there is a track short there will be no power to the turnouts. On a larger layout with a larger power source, like maybe adding the SB5 to your PowerCab, you would have circuit breakers dividing the layout into power districts so a short only cuts off the power where the short is, everything else remains powered up.
I would just power them from a different power supply and use the buttons. It's always seeme awkward at best to me to (and pretty much all DCC systems are the same in this regard) switch to "accessory" mode, key in the address of the turnout you want to flip, and hit the button to aling it, then go back to "train running" mode. So while I have had accessory decoders hooked up to control turnouts, it was to create a control panel in JMRI. 99.9% of the time I just used the fascia buttons instead.