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Wiring the layout with Peco turnouts

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  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: Rijeka, Croatia (Europe)
  • 192 posts
Wiring the layout with Peco turnouts
Posted by Thommo on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 8:01 AM

Hello, I have started to lay the track on my small DCC HO layout. This is just the part with most turnouts:

As Peco turnouts does not lead current on the turn which is not set, what do you do? Do you solder wires with DCC voltage to every siding and to every spur? Or any other solution?
(I hope it's clear what I want to ask... Whistling [:-^] )

Thanks.

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Colorful Colorado
  • 8,639 posts
Posted by Texas Zepher on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 1:42 PM
 Thommo wrote:
As Peco turnouts does not lead current on the turn which is not set, what do you do? Do you solder wires with DCC voltage to every siding and to every spur? Or any other solution?
If there is some reason to want power on the spur or siding when the turnout is not set to it, then yes one must add another DCC power lead to that siding.  You might note that an additional power feed is really only required on the frog side rail of the spur or siding.
  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: S.E. Adirondacks, NY
  • 3,246 posts
Posted by modelmaker51 on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 1:53 PM
You don't have to, but I don't like relying on the little tab on the point rail for power routing so I wire all tracks directly, including sidings. If I need to turn a track or siding on or off, I cut a gap and feed it separately to a on/off switch..

Jay 

C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1 

Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums 

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: Rijeka, Croatia (Europe)
  • 192 posts
Posted by Thommo on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 5:03 PM

 Texas Zepher wrote:
If there is some reason to want power on the spur or siding when the turnout is not set to it, then yes one must add another DCC power lead to that siding.  You might note that an additional power feed is really only required on the frog side rail of the spur or siding.

If I want DCC loco to have headlights lit, or sound loco to "idleing" on a fueling spur while some other loco is running on mainline - those could be reasons to have DCC power on a siding, even if turnout is not set to it.

BTW, good advice about feed only needed on the frog side, as long as the turnout is not trailing. Thanks!

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