DCC Zoning

[FlattenedQuarter]

My layout is the perimeter of a 14'x16' room with on 54"x72" peninsula. I will have 3 mainlines and several branches and a yard totaling about 330'. I'll be running multiple two loco consists. I'll be only operator. I have NCE 5amp wireless with EB1 circuit breaker. How important are multiple power zones?

thanks

[rrinker]

 As a lone operator? Not very. If you run a turnout and short the layout, you're only affecting yourself. When you have multiple operators and someone shorts, you don't want it making everyone's train stop.

                                        --Randy

 

[selector]

IS there a difference between zones and districts?  I don't know if there is.

To me, if you have three mains, you're soon going to run at least two consists. If you short the layout, would you like everything to stop? If it's all one district, that is what will happen when the main unit detects a short and shuts the whole thing down.

On the other hand, if you'd like to have one train keep running, and just to have to clear the fault, you'll want power districts protected by circuit breakers.  Maybe each main protected so that it stays 'current' in the event of a short anywhere else, or maybe divide the layout in half as a physical whole...?

Something to think about.  There's nothing inherently wrong with either perspective and preference.  It's strictly a person choice.  One will cost more.

[gregc]

FlattenedQuarter

How important are multiple power zones?

aren't some sort of short detection (e.g. bulbs) useful for isolating a short on any size layout?   especially during construction

[richhotrain]

I am a lone wolf operator with a fairly large layout. A double mainline runs around the periphery of the layout. That double mainline is one power district. I also have two significant areas of track work inside the double mainline, a large passenger station and a pretty good size engine servicing facility. Each of those areas is its own power district. That way, if a short occurs inside the large passenger station or the engine servicing facility, trains running on the double mainline will keep on running, unaffected by the short.

In your case, you need to decide whether you want to protect different areas of your layout in the event of a short. That will answer your question, how important are multiple power zones.

Rich

[FlattenedQuarter]

I'm thinking that since two of my mainlines are parallel and will be running in opposite directions it won't hurt to have everything stop in the eventuality of a short. As far as during construction, I've been running my longest (PA)and shortest locomotives (HH660) over all my tracks as I lay it. After I lay 20 or 30 ft I run both locomotives at low med and full throttle over everything I've built to that point and then I add a couple of heavyweight passenger cars and test it with them. Only problem so far was a little clearance issue on one side of a curved bridge I'm building but that was an easy correction.

[riogrande5761]

rrinker

 As a lone operator? Not very. If you run a turnout and short the layout, you're only affecting yourself. When you have multiple operators and someone shorts, you don't want it making everyone's train stop.

                                        --Randy 

Perhaps, but there are other reasons to break up a layout in to power zones or districts - choose your nomenclature.  There may be shorts that are caused by something less obvious and having several districts can help you track down a short by limiting it to part of the layout rather than all.

Here are some comments I received in a discussion elsewhere when researching the best topology for my 12.5x33 layout which has a large staging yard, a main yard with industries and a mainline with 2 passing sidings.  And a branch line.

--

A few thoughts from my experience:

• The number of simultaneously running locomotives is the key.  From your description, I'd start with your single command station.  Then, if you find you start having problems, add another booster.  Design for the booster, but don't buy it until/unless you find you need it.
• Separate your layout into districts using PSX Circuit Breakers, not extra boosters!!  This is the single best thing you can do.  They will protect you from the inrush current of sound decoders and keep-alive capacitors.  Use one for your staging, one for your main yard, and a couple for your main line.  Power them all from your command station.  This makes it simple to add another booster.  If you find you need it, just switch power for one or more of the PSX units to a new booster.
• The cutoff switches are a good idea.  I have them on my roundhouse tracks.  Also, program your sound decoders to go quiet until they are addressed by a throttle.
• Use 14 Gauge wiring for your wiring busses to each of your PSX districts.  You could use 12 Gauge if you want, but I believe 14 Gauge will be sufficient.  It's what I use.  Place a quarter on the tracks as you lay them and make sure the PSX kicks in.  That will tell you if the wiring is heavy enough.

Are the staging yards switched, or powered all the time?  Engine tracks, van and lighted passenger car tracks, same question. There's no single answer to your question.  Are your locos older power hungry Athearn, more modern silent units (less power hungry), or sound units (very power hungry).

I would budget 1/3 ampere per modern silent unit, 1/2 A for older Athearn/P2K, and 2/3 Ampere per sound unit; these are all assuming the unit is at full throttle running upgrade, so I then dial back the total by some amount (1/3?) because they'll not all be at that performance point simultaneously.

For units idling in the yard, I tend to not do that, so I don't have much data.  I guess I'll know soon, as we'll be adding that 'feature' to our one yard shortly.

To me, it sounds like you might need one 5A booster (sounds similar to my old layout).  (is there a drawing available)?  I'd try to locate that physically as far from the command station as possible.  As far as 'districts', that's where you might want to break the layout into more sections.  Use PSX circuit breakers (I use PM42s as I have them, but if you're going to buy them use a solid state device) to feed the separate sections, and put a couple or more sections on each booster.  Down the road, if you find you need more power, you can then move one or more districts to it's own booster.

Remember, from one booster, or the command station, you can run 30' or more in each direction with a properly sized bus wire (not opening that discussion), so one power source can cover a lot of ground.  You might even try powering the whole thing from the DCS to get started, but I'd plan on one or more boosters at the far end of the layout.