i am looking to be able to control my 3 by 6 layout with multipule engines, 2 for now. how do i wire a dpdt w/ center off? i know u need 2 power packs for that. i am looking at the tech 4 with the 2 controlers in one. i also read the wireing section at the nmra web sight, is it good to have pulse in ur throttle?
Well... center off double pole is the common method. How new are you to all of this? You may want to start out with Atlas selectors. The Atlas books on layouts have good explanations on how to set them up too. As for how the wiring works It is called double pole because it has two ways you can flip it to create a cicruit. It is called double throw because it has two connectors set up in parralel to each other as you flip the switch. o o o o o o The middle pair of leads would go to your track the upper pair would go to one power pack the lower pair to the other power pack. The direction the switch is flipped determines what power pack is feeding the rails. When it is in the middle position it is off, neither power pack can feed the rails. you will need to either use insulating rail joiners or simply cut the rails with a cut off disc. you will also need to run individual feeder wires to each block. It may seem strange to do so for only two engines , but most of us who have gone DCC would agree that it is worth checking it out from the start. [ 01. November 2004, 22:06: Message edited by: traingeekboy ]
i looked into dcc, but i like fliping the switch better. i used atlas switches, but i want to move on onto toggle switches. i feel more at control with the toggle swiches. and plus i dont want to fry my locos or spend big bucks for the components, and with some locos that need to be milled. if i did go into dcc, if i try to install the decoder, my sodering skills arnt the greatst. a question aboutfeader wires. should i use the solod or multi strand wireing? and what awg "american wire gauge?' i know opperations are easyer with dcc, but i prefer the old method w/ blocks. i also need to fill 2 peoples shoes at the same time "the engineer and the dispacture, untill i find a friend", i like the challange. i also like working with eletrto me, its just more fun to plan a route using swiches then just turning a knob.
Nut, I would suggest using solid wire for your feeders and I would use 18-22 ga wire. They are easier to solder to the tiny rail. Up the gauge to about 14 ga wire for your bus wires. I used stranded wire for the busses becasue it was easy ot thread around the benchwork and it wont break as easily as the solid wire. One of the recent modeling mags has a good article on soldering feeder wires. Can't remeber which one it was. I think it was last month's N Scale Railroading. Eric
