I remember reading somewhere that bus wires on separate subblocks should not be allowed to cross (i.e. black over black and red over red). Has anyone else heard similar stories? If true, how much separation should be planned.
RicZ
Years ago when DCC was just getting situated it was recommended that the buss wires should be separated as far apart as you can make it. As more tech savvy individuals became drawn into the fold things have changed considerably. For long runs of buss wires it is better to twist them together to eliminate interference from ambient sources of radio waves. It is well known that cordless phones, key fobs, and even some remote controls can do some weird things sometimes. I have witnessed some strange happenings myself. My friends Digitrax powered layout was wired over 15 years ago and his Toyota's key fob will make whistles blow and bells to turn on when in the area. Once we had our modules set up in a gym with 7 other layouts in close proximity. Our wireless throttles were useless and the base station was picking up cross chatter from another layout. There were runaways and other odd behavior until I unplugged the wireless base station.
Twisting the buss together has been shown to almost eliminate a symptom called ghosting. Ghosting is almost like ringing where a digital signal is bounced back on itself multiple times a millisecond. Only ghosting is from an outside source integrating itself into the digital path.
The cab buss should be separate from the track buss. That is a given. Never bundle the cab buss with the track buss. They can cross but not bundle together.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Yes, this can happen, but I wouldn't lie awake at night worrying about it. If you can't sleep, go ballast some track. Or swap out some plastic couplers for Kadees.
Chance are very good that this would never be a problem on a home layout, because the electronic environment, even with wireless home networks and garage-door openers everywhere, is still pretty benign.
On the other hand, when I'm running my Lenz DCC system, it turns my train room into a cell phone dead zone. At least, that's what I tell my wife....
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.