That's always a best practice and not just because of programming getting scrambled in a short.
One, accessory decoders draw power that would otherwise run your trains (although it takes a LOT of Tortoises to make an impact)
Two, if the reason for the short ir runnign into a misaligned turnout, if the track power is dead then you can't operate the turnout to clear the short. With a seperate accessory booster, the power to the turnout motor is still live so you can flip the switch you forgot and be on your way.
It seems really convenient to just grab track power for everythign since it's always there - but a DCC booster costs more than a simple power supply so it is best to not pull all your structure lighting power from the DCC rails.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Also when using switch-it's or any other track powered decoder consider installing a cheap booster and running them on their own buss. I've had a couple lose their programming during a track short. Installing the booster fixed the issue since the booster isolates the switch-it buss.
I used the booster made by tam valley.
http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/products/dccpower.html
It can be used as a track booster as well but I just use it for the switch buss.
Springfield PA
Yep, that is what I did. It is working the way I want it to, just didn't want to redo wiring. Thanks for the replies.
Randy is correct. I've installed several of these. You would think there'd be a 50-50 chance of getting that correct the first time, but somehow it turns out wrong more than right. Easiest thing is to just swap the motor leads at the decoder. Besides, much faster to do that swap than hunt up the instructions to find a CV to accomplish the same thing.
Unfortuinatley it appears from the manual that there is no such setting. You'll have to flip flop the wires to the motor terminals.
I have read the NCE Switch It instructions numerous times and cannot find what I am looking for. Due to all the wiring I have running to the switch, the push buttons and LEDs, I hate to change the wiring to make the change I need. when I select the accessory (switch) on the controler, it offers me 1 for normal and 2 for rev. Unfortunately, when I select 2, I get alignment for the main or straight through route and vice versa for 1. Is there a CV that I can change to change the setting so selecting 1 will give me straight through?