Ok, I dont have a layout, have just been reading up on all of this to get an idea of how it works...for dcc. I understand what a power bus is and that there are feederlines that run from it to the rail throughout the lay out. My question is, say for the NCE procab controller system. What do you connect the bus line to, the power station. Are there connectors on there for that? also as far as accessories, do you run another bus for them separately and feed the accessories off of that line:? Sorry for the questions but just wanted to make sure I was following..
KGB
KGB,
1) Yes, the power buss connects to the booster (power station), although in some cases there are power managers (sort of like power splitters) and/or circuit breakers, and/or auto-reversers inserted somewhere along the line. As an example, one device capable of all three of those functions is the Digitrax PM42.
2) Yes, the booster has provisions for connecting the buss wires to it.
3) It depends on the accessories (eg, stationary decoders vs. structure lighting). Some accessories can/must be connected to a DCC buss in some way, and others usually aren't.
HTH, Steve
The North Coast Engineering web site has all the information you need to know about their products, including all of the user manuals that can be downloaded.
Other DCC manufacturers such as Digitrax, Lenz, and CVP Products have similar documentation on their web sites.
http://www.ncedcc.com
http://www.digitrax.com
http://www.lenzusa.com
http://www.cvpusa.com
Research at these various sites can help you decide which system will fit your needs. And there are others, such as MRC, Bachmann, ESU, etc.