PrairieKnight
Active Member
I have read articles and viewed videos that suggest the power should be cut to the "engine track" on a layout while the layout is powered up and one or two locomotives are working on the layout and the rest are sitting idle on powered track. Here is a photo of the track (s) where engines sit while one or at the most two locomotives are moving on the layout:
Sorry about the poor quality of the photo. The two tracks I am thinking about isolating are the ones on either side of the two fuel tanks on the left middle portion of the photo. Currently, I power up the layout and turn off the sound to the four locomotives that will be idle during a particular operating session. Does this practice harm the DCC components on the four Walther's Proto locomotives that sit unused?
While I do not think isolating the two tracks would be hard..... I have no idea how to wire in a toggle switch that would isolate the two tracks. I am using the NCE Power Cab system. In other words, I would need the book "Isolating engine tracks for dummies" to do this. Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Sorry about the poor quality of the photo. The two tracks I am thinking about isolating are the ones on either side of the two fuel tanks on the left middle portion of the photo. Currently, I power up the layout and turn off the sound to the four locomotives that will be idle during a particular operating session. Does this practice harm the DCC components on the four Walther's Proto locomotives that sit unused?
While I do not think isolating the two tracks would be hard..... I have no idea how to wire in a toggle switch that would isolate the two tracks. I am using the NCE Power Cab system. In other words, I would need the book "Isolating engine tracks for dummies" to do this. Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated.