When I originally built my layout I intended on eventually going DCC. One of the things that prevented me from doing it initally was cost. Another was lack of knowledge about DCC. The third was that the majority of the locomotives that I need for my chosen prototype take a substantial amount of work, to include milling frames, to install decoders in. I started off with two small trainset powerpacks as a temporary expedient until I decided what to do for a control system.. I decided to wire my layout up so that it would be "DCC Ready" when I did decide to purchase a DCC system. I isolated all turnouts and provided power and ground feeders to each of them and to every section of continuous track between turnouts. All continuous track between turnouts was soldered to provide good electrical contact. I used Skotch-Lok connectors to connect the feeders to my main busses. When I wired it up I had four blocks and two reversing circuits for my wyes. I used Atlas Controllers and Selectors and figured that if I got a DCC system I could connect it up and throw all the switches one way. I then stumbled across a deal on two MegaTech X6000 power supplies, new in the box, for $70. I hooked them up and had two outstanding controllers with walkarounds for dual cab control. More info is here: http://www.megatech.com/images_5.0/product_reviews/MegaX6000.pdf I really like these. I normally operate alone and I only have 4 locomotives that will accept drop in decoders. I figure that I have way to much to do to get my layout into the operational shape that I want to worry about trying to install decoders in all of my locomotives at this point. I am really satisfied with my controllers and I do not see a need to switch over to DCC right now. Now that I have gotten my layout to the point of working out my operations, I find that my blocking scheme is inadequate to fully support my operational scheme. I feel that I need to reblock my layout. I still want to make it "DCC Ready" though. I figure that one day I probably will go DCC, I just don't feel that now is the time to do it. What I am interested in is blocking the layout to allow 2 trains to work simultaneously and give the maximum amount of flexibilty while doing so. My layout currently looks like this. In an operating session there are four trains that come onto the layout from staging. All trains from staging enter the layout through the wye on the lower right. One track will represent Monticello, Arkansas and will hold the AD&N local. It will be the first train on to the layout and will come in to the A/D track, which is the green curve between Pond Yard and the Mainline, drop the train and the power will head to the barn. AD&N switchers will break down the train. The MoPac 785 will come in and work the interchange at Front Yard and then leave as 786 and head back to the MoPac yard at MeGehee, Arkansas/staging. The A&LM Gator will come in and work the interchange at Front Yard and head back to the A&LM Yard at Monroe, Louisiana/staging. The Rock 777 will come in and work the interchange at Front Yard and then leave as 778 and head back to the Rock Island Yard at Tinsman, Arkansas/staging. Meanwhile the AD&N switcher has been working the whole time and has built the next AD&N local to go to Monticello. Arkansas. The crew comes on, hooks to their train and The AD&N local exits to Monticello, Arkansas/staging. All four roads interchange at Front Yard on the layout. AD&N switchers work Pond Yard, which is the AD&N's home yard. Only AD&N switchers work the mills or the pulpwood yard. AD&N switchers leave cars at Front Yard for interchange with the three foreign roads. They also pickup the setouts that the foreign roads leave at Front Yard for the AD&N and the mills. Foreign power only works on the Mainline and making setouts and pickups at Front Yard. While the road trains come onto the layout in sequence, at least one AD&N switcher will be switching the mills and working Pond Yard. Between road trains, two AD&N switchers can work. All tracks except the two legs of the wye at the bottom right of the layout and staging are within AD&N yard limits. Operations are ran from a sequential timetable for the road trains. This is the sequence of an actual day as it occured on the prototype. I do not currenlty employ a fast clock. I need to get better at ops before I worry about the clock. An operational day ends when the AD&N local leaves and all other cars have been switched to their proper location at the mills. Car Cards and Waybills are used to control car forwarding. The staging yard is connected like this: How would you block the layout to facilitate operations? I am not talking about electrical considerations. Those have been addressed and my layout works fine in that sense. Al Silverstein gave me good advice and even drew me a diagram on how to wire up my layout. What do you take into consideration when thinking of seperating a layout into blocks for operations? I have an idea on how I want to do it, but I thought I would ask for suggestions before I disconnect the busses. [ 05. January 2005, 18:06: Message edited by: Tad ]
Ypu seem tp be in need of more separations. As an example... The green area that ispart of the oval should be separate from, your yard area. this way a train can wait there while a train is entering or leaving the yard. You probably need to make more area's like that where trains can sit in the hole or run without interfering with another train. Judging by the density of your track plan you will probably be making lots of control blocks.
This is what I came up with. There are 24 blocks. The blocks are wired through 6 Atlas Selectors. The blocks controlled by each selector are indicated by color. Each individual block is labeled. I split each of the shop tracks into isolated blocks so that locomotives could be parked on each one. The Shop Lead, Shop Wye, Runaround and Piggyback can each be used as pockets so that engines can sit in the hole. The Main is split into 4 blocks so that Front Yard and the Mill Loop can be accessed without tying up the whole Main. The Mill Tracks, Pile Yard, and Chem Tracks are seperated so that each side could be worked simultaneously. Cut Off can be used as an addition to the Yard Lead to drill a long cut or be isolated as a holding track. The Staging Yard is connected to Mainline 3. Each track in the Staging Yard is isolated and power is controlled through Atlas Connectors. I know that there are a lot of blocks, but I think I have a reason for each of them. Comments, suggestions and feedback would be appreciated.
Actually your layout is so track intensive that I think you should consider adding more blocks. Are you using atlas or Peco switches? Peco has the power routing switches that allow you to use less blocks if you plan it right. As an example of where you could use more blocks look at your engine shed. How do you expect an engine to sit in the engine shed if it isn't in a separate block? How many engines do you have? Are you sure you aren't interested in DCC?
Geeky, This is the prototype that my layout design was based on, it's pretty track intensive, too. Each color represents 4 blocks that are controlled by one Selector. If you look at the legend on the left bottom you will see a listing of the Selectors and the blocks they control. Each Atlas Selector contains 4 SPDT switches with a center off position and controls 4 blocks. There are 6 Selectors which control 4 blocks each for a total of 24 blocks. There weren't enough colors to show each block individually. The Engine Shed is Block 1 on Selector 2. The Engine Shed can be turned off by placing the Selector switch in the center or it can be powered by Cab A or Cab B. I have mostly Atlas switches with a few Pecos. In a normal operating session 10 - 11 engines are used. 2 each for 4 road trains that enter from staging and 2 - 3 AD&N switchers working the yards and the mills. Currently my version of the AD&N has 3 GP28s, 3 SW1200s, and an SW900. I also have 2 locomotives for each of the trains from staging. The A&LM, the MP, and the Rock locals. I own 40 locomotives total and I would like for at least 13 to be on the layout. All 7 of my home road engines and the 6 for the foreign trains. I'm interested in DCC, but frankly I just don't have the money to invest in it at this time. I do have wire and I want to operate my layout. I appreciate you taking the time to look at and comment on my plan.
Cool prototype you got there. Now about those blocks- 1. Any place you want to stop a train, and with that much track it will be hard not to want to get a gagillion engines, you need a block. It is easy enough to isolate a section of track with a cut off disc on a dremel tool. Maybe you can set up to use the blocks you have now and then see as you go where you may need more blocks. 2. There is a problem with sections of track that reverse the direction of a train. Wyes and returns loops. they require a different atlas switch. I think they call it a controller. The wye on the blue track section is set up as a dead short. Your power pack will shut off or simply short out if you try running it the way you have it set up. 3. You can also subdivide blocks into little blocks and use a smaller atlas unit that is for single engine control. 4. There is a small Atlas booklet with a blue cover. It is for HO scale but it has great examples of how to use their wiring gear. It also has layouts broken into blocks with wiring diagrams that should give you a better idea of how to break things down. I would advise buying that and really getting to know it well. 5. You may want to add up how much money you will end up spending on switches and accessories for wiring. A small starter system like the bachman DCC system may be the way to go for getting your layout running. But you will still have to watch out for wyes as they will short out DCC too.
As I stated above, my layout is running. It is currently wired and everything works. Both wyes are isolated and wired with Atlas Controllers. I have both the Atlas and Andy Sperandeo's wiring books. All turnouts are isolated and have 18 gauge power feeders soldered on the points end. All track sections between the turnouts and beyond the turnouts are soldered and have 18 gauge power feeders soldered to them. There are 14 gauge buss wires connected to the feeders with Scotch-Lok suitcase connectors. I have all of the Controllers, Selectors and Connectors on hand from a large box of odds and ends that I bought cheap. I have two large spools of wire. I have a huge box of suitcase connectors. The only additional investment required to reblock my layout is time. Once again, I was not asking for electrical help. My layout is wired and running currently. Everything works. The layout is divided into blocks currently. The problem is that the blocking scheme does not support my operational scheme now that I have been running the layout and working out my operations. My question was not mechanical or electrical. I can handle that part. All the track is laid and wired. Everything works. My question was a planning question related to making the layout more flexible to support operations. This are recent pictures of my layout: And the staging yard.
Thanks. Maybe I wasn't clear on what I was asking for. I asked for advice, but not electrical advice. Right now the layout is blocked with 4 simple blocks on one Selector. Shop, yard, main, mill loop and mills. It works fine and I can run two trains at the same time. I like to run trains, but my main interest is in operations. That is why I went through the long description of the operations that I want to perform on my layout. When I started to operate the layout, I saw how the simple blocking limited how I could operate the layout. The layout works fine mechanically/electrically, but not as well for operations. Not the way that I want to be able to do them. I want to be able to replicate a typical operational day on the AD&N. I need to change the way the layout is blocked so that it works better operationally. I want to make the blocking scheme support the operating scheme. I wanted some other people to look at my operational scheme and my blocks and see if I could get some advice on on whether or not folks thought that the reblocking scheme that I proposed would make the operations better on my layout. If it doesn't or if someone sees how to make it betteroperationally, I would love to hear their comments, suggestions, or criticisms.
