Ed, at this stage the layout is neither DC or DCC as no wiring has been installed yet. The layout will be DCC.
The turnouts are insulfrogs. Clearly I have some issue with opposing turnouts. I will study the link, thank you.
Hi basementdweller,
I'm assuming that you are using Electrofrog turnouts and I suspect that your frogs are not isolated. Study the link that Ed provided to see the proper arrangements:
https://www.dccguy.com/?p=6313
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
basementdwellerBefore I start uninstalling all my track...
Did you use any gaps to isolate track sections?
Don't remove any track but think about isolating smaller sections of trackwork with gaps carefully cut in one or both rails (you don't mention DCC so if you have DC you can cut one gap in one rail and rely on the other rail as the common) or if using DCC you would isolate both rails to make a "power district" that can have a dedicated circuit breaker protecting each area of trackwork.
Back to those Peco turnouts. Are they a power-routing (Electrofrog) configuration? If so you need to have a rail gap anywhere there is a common rail between two frogs and all feeders have to come from the point side of the turnout.
basementdwellerI checked several uninstalled turnouts with the jumper wires and none created a short circuit when checked.
Quite true, with the turnout sitting by itself. If you place them in a configuration such as in a passing siding where the frogs are joined together by a length of rail, then throw one turnout you will cause your short.
What changed since the last time you powered-up the layout? Are you sure you have feeder wires configured to feed the proper rail? As I was building my layout I placed small stick-on dots (Avery removable stickers) every few feet to designate rail A or B (N or S, whatever designation you want to use).
If you have DC are you going to have block control? You will need isolated rail for that so you will have to have rail gaps anyway. This will help isolate smaller sections of track electrically to make troubleshooting easier.
Good Luck, Ed
Building a new layout. All track and turnouts are installed and all rail connectors were soldered. At this point no bus wire or feeders have been installed yet.
All Peco turnouts have jumper wires on underside to improve reliability, nothing new for me doing this.
This evening I powered the track just to do test run, well I have a short circuit. i checked no tools etc were laying across the rails. None found. vacuumed the tracks in case of debris.
my layout has no continious loop, just two independent RR's with an interchange. I disconnected the interchange track so now I have two independent railroads and both have their own short circuit. So clearly I have some type of track arrangement that is causing an issue. I see no reverse loop, double checked and still don't see one.
I checked several uninstalled turnouts with the jumper wires and none created a short circuit when checked.
Before I start uninstalling all my track I was wondering if there is something else I am overlooking? I plan to disconnect the track leading into the yard and see if I end up with three independent areas each with their own short circuit.
Thanks for any assistance.