Made the decision! Changing my layout from DC to DCC. Looked at most of the posts and searched the Google but there are a few things still not clear.
Can I leave my block insulators in place or do I need to change them out for rail joiners?
I have a double track loop with 2 reversing loops. Can I feed everything off the same bus wires? I know I need an auto reverser on the reverse loops.
How about turnouts? Mine re insulfrog can I keep them. Decoder now have capacitors to prevent the stalling.
Gary
Insulators may remain, just be sure that boths sides of the IJ are powered ftrom the same feeder.
Turnouts... If they work do nothing, if the do not work hard wire all tracks and put the frog on a switch. The Tortoise can do this for ewe.
the DC LION
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
gdelmoroHow about turnouts? Mine re insulfrog can I keep them. Decoder now have capacitors to prevent the stalling.
I don't have insulfrogs but would comment that slight pickup interruptions can be more noticeable with DCC. So rather clean track is important, on my layout, to avoid the first problem arising of sound hiccups, especially at a couple of spots with a few locos. I chose to "gleam" my track (a process that involves burnishing the rails one time to minimize micro scratches that accumulate dirt), plus a polishing, and I also use a couple of track cleaning car types (one routinely and one every 2-3 months).
When you say that decoders now have capacitors to prevent problems, I'd say that some come with them and many do not. Adding one (such as Keep Alive or Current Keeper) can be easy or a bit tougher depending on how the add-on capacitors are connected to a particular decoder (plus the room for the add-on in the loco). I have powered frogs so my frog crossing issues are minimized, so I have only a few of my locos that tended to act up too easily at a few other spots on my layout (like a triple crossing that could be smoother). I can't say how many of your locos would need capacitors with the insulforgs. If an 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 (depending on any tender pickup arrangement), probably. But if a 6-axle diesel, with clean track and wheels, probably not often needed. (Some insulfrog DCC operators might shed some light on this.) So you may not need many capacitor add-ons.
Do you plan to convert locos yourself to DCC and sound? It may seem intimidating but with some reading and some trials it can be a relatively easy learning curve. Some locos have a handy plug for a decoder but some of those may not have provision (room) for a speaker install (e.g., without putting it in the cab or milling the weight to create some room). I have really enjoyed converting many UP diesels to DCC and sound that may not be available as new releases but that I can find as new in box or slightly used on EBay. It's currently my favorite kind of project (procrastinating on completing the scenery).
An aside, if you get into locos to add a decoder, it's a great idea to take the opportunity to change out any bulbs (which burn out) to LEDs (which should last your lifetime).
Good luck with the endeavor.
Oh, you may have found some great DCC info sources already but the first one that comes to mind for me is Allan Gartner's:
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/wirefordcc_toc.htm
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Another rookie question; I have a double mainline which is essentilly a figure 8 except that they cross at different levels and not at grade. Off the main are two reverse loops and two yards. From what I have seen the best practice is to run the power bus arround the layout and run feeder wires to the track. As I understand it it is desirable to twist the buss wires and keep teh feeders as short as possible. The problem is in order to connect several feeders from the auto reverse switch modules to the bus there may be several feeds linger than 2feet and to connect the yards there may be some 2 1/2 - 3ft. Is this ok? Can I connect additional 14ga wire to the buss to make a buss extension (so to speak) and fees yards and reverse loop modules off the extensions?
Yes. Feed the input of the autoreverser from the booster. The output of the autoreverser would go to some #14 bus wires running under the reversing section, to which you can connect any number of feeders adn still keep them short.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
How about circuit breakers? I think I read where one MR fed a breaker from the main bus and three extensions out the other end that track feeder wires connected to.
Since no one answered I will take a stab at your question.
Circuit breakers and auto reversers may not play well together, depending on how they are wired. The circuit breaker should not directly power the auto reverser.
If you are going to power three "extensions" with one circuit breaker then it really is only one power district and a short in any extension brings everything to a stop.
If you are using a NCE Powercab, without a booster not all circuit breakers work with that system, including the NCE EB1
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley