Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by simon1966 In the Digitrax world you have the loconet bus that connects all the Digitrax bits together. In the case of my layout there is a Loconet connection from the Zephyr daisy chained around the layout to other components such as my DB150 (the booster command station module of the SEB configured to be a booster only), UP5 facia panels and my UR90 Infra Red wireless module. My loconet is also connected to my PC via a Locobuffer 2 interface. The loconet wiring is basically a 6 conductor telephone type wire strung under the layout. So I have got 2 power boosters on the layout. The Zephyr and the DB150. Each of these powers a different region of my layout. The Zephyr booster is connected to all the trackage in my yard, the DB150 to all the rest of the layout. Think of each of these sections as being different power districts. They are completely separate from each other by gaps cut into the rail in the yard lead track. So as a locomotive leave my yard it crosses the gap between the section powered by the Zephyr and the section powered by the DB150. To get power to the tracks, I have run a 2 wire heavier guage power bus under the layout each of the power districts and then run thinner feeder wires up and soldered to the tracks. These power buses must be separate from each other. In other words the output from each booster has to go to independent track sections. Hopefully this bit is clear. You can if you want go a step further and break the output from each booster down into smaller isolated sections for short protection and blocks for signalling and loco detection. To answer the other bits of your post. I happen to use Peco Insulfrog turnouts, but there is no reason why you can not use non isolated frogs if appropriate wiring is done. (See the www.wiringfordcc.com web site for more on this). Insuls have worked fine for me and seemed to be easier to install. As mentioned above, my gap between the 2 power district blocks is actually on a straight section of track and not at a turnout. Hope this helps with the understanding a bit. [/quote] Ok I understand what your saying about having seperate sections of your layout powered by two different boosters. Say your Zephyr is your command booster, and that you said powered your rail yard, electric current cutt off from the rest of your layout cause that's what the other booster is for. When your running your DCC engine in your railyard from the main command module, how does it continue to run the engine once it crosses over to the track that is being powered by your other booster?? Since it's a seperate block how can your command controller continue to control the train once it's on the other section that some other booster is now powering??? Are the two connected where your other booster knows it's only to be a powerbooster but still transmits the commands from the main controller through the that 'block' of track for the enine? Do you know what I'm trying to say?? Exactly how big is your layout that requires you to have two seperate 'blocks' anyway?? When I start my layout it's going to be 8X15 feet and a big enough area in the middle for two people to stand in. The trains will go all the way around the two people standing inside, there will be no 'reversing' where the trains do a 180 and come back onto the same track, I will most likely never have more than 10 trains running at one time no matter how big my layout gets due to it will only be my wife and I running it. I will probably have more than one engine per train sometimes, no more than three, but even in that case never more than 10 running at one time even with someone else. I want the system to automate the turnouts, any trackside accessories, I plan for my engines to have lights and sound as well. Will the Zephyr system be enough to handle all that or will I have to plan ahead when laying track to do these 'block' sections to have an additional booster for extra power or do I need a little better system than the Zephyr?? The Zephyr, an extra controller for my wife to run trains, and possibly an extra booster seem to be what I need for how my layout is going to be. I'm good and understand the system in how it works up to the point of adding additional boosters and putting your layout into 'block' sections and how to wire for that. Geez, why does getting started in this hobby seem so high tech?? Is there no "DCC for Dummies" book out there anywhere that explains all the aspect of how to set a system up and expanding it?? To know how to make your trains run, how to make your turnouts work from it, track side accessories, how to wire it all up correctly etc?? I admit I'm a dummy to all this and I need help [xx(]
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag

Update Reply

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Model Railroader Newsletter See all

Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!

Subscriber & Member Login

Edit post

Post Body

Tags (Optional)

Subscriber & Member Login

Users Online

Search the Community