Ok all you wiring gurus ! How do I , with a existing running Dcc wired layout start to convert my wiring to accommodate block detection ? I have decided eventually I want my signaling system to work more prototypical with blocks ,but I know it will take me some time to learn what I have to do . I can start now but need to know what my first step should be to get blocks started. What is first?
How do I change the wiring into a block even though I don't want/need "block occupancy" or "train detection"
Detection generally only needs one rail gapped (but of course you need both rails gapped between sections powered by different boosters). So, you need to determine where your detection sections will be, and gap the rail. So far, no difference other than extra cuts in the rails, but everythign should still run as it did.
Next would be to provide a 'sub bus' for each of the sections of gapped rail. It may be easier to simply cut the existing bus at locations corresponding to the gaps, and run a new continuous line for that side of the bus. You need at least one and generally more than one feeder to each gapped section of track.
Now thing stop, because you have no connection to one side of the track. You make ONE connection from the continuous bus to each sub-bus, that goes through the occupancy detector.
This is why I like the transformer type detectors, no voltage loss and much easier to connect up, vs having to run strings of heavy wire back to a centralized detector. The sensors just have that connector wire looped through them and now that block is detected. Thin wire connects the transformer sensors to the actual detection circuit.
If instead you were installing say a Digitrax BDL168, you'd make those cuts in the bus wire, then run a heavy bus wire size line back from each of those sub-bus sections to the BDL168 board.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Oops . I mentioned block detection in above post,
i don't wish to have train or block detection wired in the layout ,
i just want to know how I wire in the blocks to accommodate signalling
sorry for the confusion
Well then there are no blocks or wiring. You cna use IR detectors to trigger signals, otherwise about all you can do it set the signal aspect with contacts on your switch machines. I guess I don;t understnad what you mean by "wire in the blocks" since there is no block wiring if you aren't using detection.
Thanks Randy,
no mate I'm sorry I confused the issue
I am just learning all this wiring stuff and I think I am the one who doesn't understand, I'm thinking more along the lines of block wiring because I have a big layout and having it wired in blocks will help me trouble shoot any problems that may arise .
I really appreciate the time you took to reply to me , again sorry for being misleading
So if I wire blocks does each block need a booster for it? Is that right?
I believe that current detection is the better of the detection methods and use it on my layout and my T-Trak modules. You have to decide how long your blocks will be and you have to gap one rail at each end of the block. The block should only have one track feeder from the buss to the gapped rail with the feeder wire passed through the pickup coil. A couple of pages back there is a topic Signals for my layout which someone was nice enough to post my circuits that I drew up. There's one for a modular layout and one for a regular layout. NCE current detectors are used and they run about $11-$12 per. They can be used to operate the Atlas system since they work with both DCC as well as DC or they can work with the circuits I made up. They operate the signals but can also show block occupancy in the future if you decide to add a model board.
No, you do not need a booster for every block. What you might want to do for a large layout is break the layout up into blocks and use circuit breakers, like the PSX line from Tony's, to power each block. In this case you will gap both rails, and all the feeders to a given block will go to one of the breaker outputs. That way if you get a short in one section, all the others will continue to run. The block designed used for that may not, and often does not, coincide with what blocks make sense for signalling. Power district blocks like that, you want to divide the layout up more based on how many trains are in a given area at a time. You may have a large section of the layout that is only ever occupied by one train - probably can be all one power district block for short circuit protection purposes. Or you may have a concentrated yard area where 3 lcoos are woking, switching the yard and industries, and it might make sense to make the yard tracks one power district and the surrounding industry tracks another.
Try having a look at this link:
http://waynes-trains.com/site/Signals/Model-Railroad-Signaling.html
Some basic info and how to get started.
EDIT:
If you are just looking for some lights to change as the train passes the signal, the Signal Animator is a simple system. The signal times out and and turns back to green after a set amount of time. If the train stops in the block, the signal still times out back to green. Not a true signal system, but it looks nice.
http://www.logicrailtech.com/index.htm
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.