Hello,
I'm planning to use Kato Unitrack for my layout, with a couple sections of flextrack. I'm using a Digitrax Zephyr Express system. I'm not sure how to properly wire the track in a way that ensures that current will get to all sections of track. I've had that problem in the past, I can't be sure whether it was corrosion on the rails or something else. Here's the track plan:
https://www.imagevenue.com/ME12YZN5
A couple of things to consider:
I'd prefer for there to be blocks so I can isolate a problem, shut down an idling loco, etc.
The siding on the lower-right is somewhere to expand the layout from.
Switches will he hand-thrown.
There may be up to three trains operating at once during an ops session: a yard switcher, dock switcher, and mainline train.
Also, what thickness of cork roadbed would work for the flextrack sections? I assume that the Unitrack uses Code 83. If I'm wrong, please let me know so I can avoid mistakes.
Thanks,
Victoria
The wiring depends a bit on which switches you use. Kato No.6 switches (both manual and remote) come from the factory as power-routing. You can make an adjustment under the turnout - moving a screw from one hole to another - that makes it non-power-routing. That usually works best, and also allows you to use the turnout as a spring switch. I believe the two No.4 turnouts (the electric matches the 21-5/8" curved track, and the manual matches the 19-1/4") are only power routing.
Unitrack has black plastic connectors for isolating track into blocks. You can use Atlas code 83 clear plastic joiners too. However Kato Unitrack uses narrow-profile code 83 track. It's quite a bit narrower than Atlas or Walthers code 83, so you may need a touch of like Walthers Goo or some other glue to keep the Atlas plastic joiners in place.
wjstix The wiring depends a bit on which switches you use. Kato No.6 switches (both manual and remote) come from the factory as power-routing. You can make an adjustment under the turnout - moving a screw from one hole to another - that makes it non-power-routing. That usually works best, and also allows you to use the turnout as a spring switch. I believe the two No.4 turnouts (the electric matches the 21-5/8" curved track, and the manual matches the 19-1/4") are only power routing. Unitrack has black plastic connectors for isolating track into blocks. You can use Atlas code 83 clear plastic joiners too. However Kato Unitrack uses narrow-profile code 83 track. It's quite a bit narrower than Atlas or Walthers code 83, so you may need a touch of like Walthers Goo or some other glue to keep the Atlas plastic joiners in place.
There are two specific things that I'm having trouble with:
1. How to attach wires to the rails of the Unitrack
2. How to route wires from the DCC power pack to each block. I'm thinking of using two-position toggles for the sections, mounted to a control panel. Do I use electrical switches and if so, what type?
Pennsy_I11. How to attach wires to the rails of the Unitrack
You can either use the Kato "Straight Track Feeder" which is a 9-3/4" straight track with two wires attached underneath that come out on one side, or their rail joiners that are similarly wired up.
Pennsy_I12. How to route wires from the DCC power pack to each block. I'm thinking of using two-position toggles for the sections, mounted to a control panel. Do I use electrical switches and if so, what type?
This part works just like any other layout - setting up electrically isolated track blocks, hooking them up to toggles if you want etc. There's nothing different from a layout using any other type of track.
The manual #4 can be made non-power routing simply by changing a screw. I just did one.
CN Charlie
Making the track plan visible:
I know near-to-nothing of DCC, so I am a bit confused as to why you would want toggle switches on the blocks. I thought not needing these things was one of the advantages of the DCC systems.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
There can be advantages to having blocks in DCC. The OP mentions wanting to be able to turn the power off to a block with an engine sitting idling, or to help isolate problems (like short circuits). It can also be usefull if you plan on using current detection for signalling, or of course for reverse loops.
OP wrote: "There are two specific things that I'm having trouble with: 1. How to attach wires to the rails of the Unitrack"
I used the Kato 24-818 Terminal Unijoiners, with wiring routed up from underneath the table.
Some tips on doing it this way:
If you're going to use the preconfigured Kato wiring leads (I did), you need to cut through the little "band" (at the end the joiners are on), and then "pull apart" the two wires, so that you have about 2-3 inches of lead where the wires are separated and hanging free.
The reason for doing this... in the future you break apart the track sections, you won't pull the wires out of the joiners themselves when doing so (found this out by experience).
Don't drill the hole for the wires directly under the rail joint. Instead, put it a couple of inches away from the joint in either direction.
Also, if you buy a "Airsoft Tamiya Adapter Plug Pin Wire Removal Tool (Type: Small Tamiya) ID: 26956 (Tool-EV002-S)", you can "punch out" the wires on the connector, run them through the hole in the table, and re-connect underneath. Here's what the tool looks like:
https://www.evike.com/products/26956/
The layout plan posted above doesn't need many feeds. I would use the Kato 3 way extension cords (part 24-827), and single extension cords (part 24-825) if needed.
SeeYou190 Making the track plan visible: I know near-to-nothing of DCC, so I am a bit confused as to why you would want toggle switches on the blocks. I thought not needing these things was one of the advantages of the DCC systems. -Kevin
I'm used to using toggle switches from when I was in a club, so perhaps that's why.
My layout started out as DC, but when I wired it, I gapped both rails, and ran feeders to each block, anticipating the move to DCC.
Each block has a switch to turn it off. I like that feature, as I have a lot of locos run on address 03. I'm a lone opertor, it works fine for me.
Mike.
My You Tube
Based on the trackplan image . . . with a little planning and judicious use of the power-routing features of Kato turnouts, you could easily break the plan into six or eight 'power districts'. At a minimum, you could easily park trains and engines on sidings or spurs and then kill power to that one track section without interfering with operations elsewhere.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
I don't know much about this.
I can understand putting in blocks to isolate sections to find shorts. I'm not sure why that couldn't be done as the layout is being built and taken care of without the work putting in blocks.
The second thing is I don't understand is the idling locomotive. Is the problem the power it takes even though it's not running? The sound can be turned off with one button. Does the engine sitting there use that much power that it is a problem?
Sorry if these are elementary questions. I'm still fairly new to this.
York1 John
To me, it makes the most sense for a roundhouse with a turntable, or hidden staging - places where you either can't immediately see the train or something could happen if the train would move unnoticed. Say a roundhouse stall - you fat finger the address and pick a loco in a stall instead of the one sitting on the siding in front of you and run it into the turntable pit. Or, a hidden staging - so you don't even see the wrong train moving, shoving all the cars to the floor or just knocking itself plus the next train all over the place.
Otherwise, as a 100% DCC operator, I don't see much point in isolating sidings like I did back in the DC days. Some say for troubleshooting, but frankly I've not had any issues with random shorts requiring me to isolate sections to figure them out, across two layouts I've built with DCC.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I run DCC and isolated my engine service area so that I don't have to listen to a bunch of sound locos everytime I fire up the layout. Yes you can hit f8 to turn off the sound of an individual engine but that gets tedious. Far easier to just push a toggle switch. Also it makes progamming on the main easier and 'safer'.
What decoders? Both my Soundtraxx and MRC decoders keep their locos silent until I start them up and can be set to remain silent until they move. 10 locos on a tiny layout like mine would be deafening. The Soundtraxx will silence themselves after so-many seconds after they stop moving -- reduce speed to zero and shut off all functions. Not a peep out of any of them when the layoud powers up.
-- Chuck
CNCharlie I run DCC and isolated my engine service area so that I don't have to listen to a bunch of sound locos everytime I fire up the layout. Yes you can hit f8 to turn off the sound of an individual engine but that gets tedious. Far easier to just push a toggle switch. Also it makes progamming on the main easier and 'safer'. CN Charlie
Not all of them behave the same way. I have one leftover that's not a Loksound - an old Atlas Trainmaster with QSI. That one starts making noise the instant track power comes on. The Loksounds all come up silent until I hit F8 to start them up.