wiring my layout-help!

[Anonymous]

I am building a modified version of Jim Kelly's Wildcat Central. He laid it out for block control but I am going to go DCC. I was told I could just wire it up and go. Prior to installing the DCC aspect I am using DC just
the get a train up and running so I can check
all the connections and so on.
My question is on avoiding shorts.
I have doubletrack with Walther's #8
at opposite ends for crossover's.
What do I need to do to allow single train
operation? The Walther's are connected together so trains can cross from inner to outer. thanks for the help.
Dane C.

[Anonymous]

The main thing to watch out for is reverse loops, which it sounds like you don't have if the two lines are connected only by the crossovers. So I assume that the two lines are not electrically isolated (with insulated joiners) and you are using 1 power pack.

Better yet, not to be funny, but your best bet would be to buy one of the manuals - Atlas has an excellent book on wiring for less than $10. It gives you all the basics of wiring. It seems to me that if you plan on using dcc then your initial dc wiring should remain simple, i.e. your not creating blocks or anything like that.

[Anonymous]

All of that to say - if you just want to get one train up and running then just wire up your pack to both sides of the rail.

If your layout is really large you might need to add booster wirings to far sections. Again the atlas book would help.

[pgrayless]

Dane,

If I remember correctly, Walthers' turnouts are "live" frog. Therefore, you have to break the rails beyond the frog when building double ended sidings. Otherwise you'll create a short circuit if the turnouts at each end are thrown differently. These breaks would normally be located where you would ahve them for normal DC block control. While reverse loops still require that you cut both rails on each side of the loop, there are several ways to address the polarity reveral automatically (for under $40.00 normally).

The "Wildcat Central" plan doesn't have any reverse loops as I remember, but it does have several places where you'll have to cut the rails to prevent short circuits. Again, pretend that you're cutting the gaps as per DC block control practices and you'll be fine. Then just hook all of the feeders for the inside rail together and attache them to one side of the booster, and repeast this for all of the feeders for the outside rail and attached them to the other side of the booster and you're all set. I normally disconnect by DCC booster and replace it with a normal DC power supply when I am hooking up track. This allos me to use simple polarity checking tools to test for short ciircuits as I go along.

Have fun.

Paul Grayless
[e-mail]