Hi!
This is one of those questions that I'm 99.9 percent sure of the answer, but as I'm a relative newbie to DCC, I thought I would ask the experts...........
I'm hooking in toggles (DPST) for 4 areas (staging, loco facilities) of the layout to shut off power. I ASSUME I only need to run one of the wires thru the toggle. BUT, being its DCC, is there any reason or benefit to run both wires thru the toggle?
Thank you!
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Works either way, same as DC.
--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 used DPDT's because I wanted both rails cut off (not really necessary). But I also was thinking of using DC in those areas as I have many DC loco's that I may want to run, but as it turned out I never have. I also gapped both rails.
Thanks for the answers!
I assumed just running one wire thru the toggle would be fine, but just had to ask to be certain. By the way, I installed DPST toggles as they were readily available - as opposed to SPST toggles.
Ha, the other day I underscored the need for the shut off switch. I "parked" a BLI 2-10-2 in the engine house and went on to run other locos. Out of the corner of my eye I saw it creeping to the end of track (bumpers not yet installed) and found I left it on speed step 2. Gotta be careful about that!
Happens at the modular club shows a lot - since not everyone is allowed to use a DT throttle. It also means some locos don;t get freed up even if they don't creep - the operator THINKS they turned the UT4 all the way to stop but they didn't, so since the loco is not at speed step 0 the slot doesn't free up. We've tried telling people to to not only tuen the knob all the way down but to ALSO put the direction toggle in the middle brake position, but they don't always do this. I liek to set my locos up so they can creep from tie to tie at speed step 1 or 2, but not everyone has done this - withotu adjustments some locos need step 15-20 to even begin to move, so no oen notices when oen of those is left parked with the speed on anything but 0. Might cause the motor to get warm though! At least if it's visibly moving you know you didn't properly stop it. We did leave in the old DC track power toggles for the end we use as a staging yard though - so no one grabs someone elses's train by mistake. Rule is when you park your train to allow someone else a chance to run, you turn off the power toggle on the track you parked in.
It's only necessary to shut off one rail. But, I would recommend doing both rails. This requires gapping both rails, too, and that's one of the reason's I think it's a good idea.
What you're describing, main line, yard, staging, engine service, etc., is a logical way to divide your layout into separate zones. The next logical step is to run each zone through its own circuit breaker. In some cases, this is a bit of a luxury, but having retrofitted breakers to my layout I found it more valuable than I'd thought it would be. By wiring up both rails now, and providing a full pair of bus wires to each zone, you will greatly simplify the task of adding breakers later on if you choose to do it.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Ahhaaaa! That's exactly what I did - you guys taught me well.
The layout has 8 power districts, each with its own circuit breaker. Four of those will be alloted a toggle shut off switch - passenger staging, freight staging, diesel service, and steam service.
Also, all buss wires are 14awg, and feeders are 18/20 awg, every 3-4 feet (no exceptions).
See, old dogs can learn new tricks!
Hard for me to comprehend actually NOT using DPDT and turning off both rails - evern way back I NEVER used common rail on my DC layouts, I ALWAYS gapped both rails. Switchign to DCC, complete non-issue. Gap both rails, start new feeds from the next section of the circuit breaker. Nothign new to learn or 'unlearn' - Even though some of my layouts were build from Atlas track plan books, I never followed their wiring - I always reasoned it out that if relying on the rail joiners was bad, why would I hook one side of my circuit to the layout in only 1 place, whereas the other side had the equivalent of multiple feeds? Benefit of playing with wires, batteries, and lights as a 'toy' I guess - the importance of a complete circuit was drilled into my head from those early experiments.
One issue I've never had on any layout of mine was trains stopping due to poor power feeds.