Greetings all, I've designed a layout for my new home and would like input on ensuring I'm not missing anything electrically. This is my first attempt at a yard and the largest layout I've ever completed in DCC. Overall dimensions are 113" x 60". Since I'm military I expect to move every few years and have broken the board into 3 sections (A,B,C). I've identified everywhere that I think I need feeders (red dots). I tried to ensure there was a feeder on each main line in each block and the points of each turnout. Also, I have an NCE PowerCab, anyone believe I'll need a booster for this size layout? Possibly running a switcher, 2 engines on the mains, and 1 waiting in the yard. Also, if anyone has a good resource for learning how to do signal lights, etc., please let me know. I'd love to try and add some signal lights to this layout that change based on turnout direction. Cheers!
Dale, what kind of track are you using? For DCC, a good rule of thumb, with flex track, is to have feeders about every three feet. The distance between points 2&3, 6&7 and 9 & 10 is much longer than that. You might also want to pull your yard feeders closer to their centers on each section. IF you are using Unitrack, give serious consideration to feeders for each piece of track. How are you joining the sections together, particularly the track? The yard tracks on Section B could use feeders as well. And your PowerCab is more than sufficient
Hi Rick! Yes, I'm using flex track and Peco turnouts. I'll add some between those sections you mentioned. Something more like this?
missed your other question. Currently the boards just screwed together with small flat brackets underneath. Planning on having track cuts that line up with the board sections and trying to align the turnouts to meet that end. All electrical will have disconnects at the board cuts as well. Putting a wiring terminal block under each section as well for all the feeders. I'm thinking I'll need 17 frog juicer ports and not sure how many blocks to create for the NCE CP6 short detectors.
Dale, you may want to take a hint from the Ntrak guys and put rerailer sections or short sectional track pieces across the joints. It is very difficult to transport items with no impact or friction at the edge of the item as I'm sure you know if you've made any moves. The most fragile part of your modules is the track, so if you keep the rail away from the edges during shipment buy using removable 5" sections it will eliminate a lot of cursing when you unload at the end of your move. Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk
Karl, I have several Atlas #2532 rerailers I was planning on using. Is your suggestion is to put them on each side of the table split so when the boards are all together it's 2 back-to-back rerailers, 1 on each side of the split? Or have a piece that spans the crack to pack separately? I think you are saying the later....makes sense!
Dale, In Ntrak we use a standard for our removable sections, but that isn't needed in your case. You aren't connecting with other modules besides your own. Just measure the length of the sectional track pieces, divide that by two, then set the flex track back that distance from the joint between your modules. If the sectional track is 6 " long, your setback is 3 " either side of the joint. Only one length of sectional track is needed to bridge the joint. This prevents buckling at the joint. If you don’t like the look of side by side rerailers you can do something like what I did on my previous layout. I laid the road bed across the joints with no glue where the sectional track would bridge the joint. Then I laid the sectional track in place over the joint. After the glue was set I cut through the road bed flush with the ends of the sectional track. I then removed that section of track and roadbed. I used it to cut out a very thin sheet of styrene to match the bottom of the roadbed. I glued this to the roadbed to protect the thin edges of the cork. Finally I put them back in place, shimmed as necessary (sanding the bottom of the roadbed before applying the styrene would have have made this unnecessary) and laid the track on both sides. This made it possible for me to ballast across the joint so it was almost invisible, but still have it come apart when the joint was separated. You could do something similar where you have that complicated trackage over a joint. Just make it a removable section and store it carefully in a box when you have to move. It makes a nice little project for an evening. Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk
