Hello,I had the benchwork for my HO Scale model railroad layout installed today, and have begun laying the track (Kato Unitrack). As I may have mentioned previously, the layout will include sidings, two reversing loops, and a passing siding. I plan on running my trains from a DCC controller attached to a feeder track below the passing siding, but also read that Unitrack feeder tracks should not be directly connected with the diverging tracks of turnouts. I'm wondering, then, if I should place the feeder track farther away from the turnout(s) or if I should place a feeder just before a turnout.
Which turnouts will you be using?
Most Kato HO turnouts can be set for either power-routing or non-power-routing by setting two screws on the bottom.
I believe the only turnouts that CAN'T be changed are the powered #4's with the metal frogs. They are power-routing. I believe they're now a discontinued item.
I think you need to post an image of your track plan for recommendations on where power feeds and insulated joints should go. In the image above, I would put the feeder at the bottom of the pic, beyond the points of the lower switch.
Because of the power-routing "feature" of Kato turnouts, I use their feeder unijoiners. I put a feeder on every segment, after the turnouts.
I use Kato's power extension cords as the 'bus.' A daisy-chain has worked for me.
In the past, I isolated the turnouts with insulating unijoiners. I don't think I'm using them on my current layout.
Kato Unitrack turnouts can be set to be power-routing or non-power-routing by moving the two screws under the turnout. I think some of the older #4s were only power routing, but I believe now all their turnouts come with this feature. Check the card backing of the turnout's packing for more info.
If they're set to non-power-routing, it doesn't matter where you connect up the power; you only need to use insulated joiners to make separate blocks (if you want to).