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I am looking for a good block occupancy detection option for the two reverse loops on my layout. My control station is a Z21 and I am running one Z21 10819 block detector unit that can detect 16 blocks or sections of track. My reverse loops are controlled by two PSX-ARs, which I like very much...

Name the best tool you have for building or maintaining you railroad. I will start with my #1, the CMX Track Cleaning Car. Before getting this track cleaner I could never keep my track clean and my locos stalled out on the dirty track. I had a hard time cleaning the track in my tunnels and...

I know nothing about air brushing, but want to learn. I have two old Athearn Blue Box Locos that I have converted over to DCC and want to make them Great Northern Locos so they need to be repainted. I am also planning to build out a little town on my layout so all of the buildings will need to...

I have made some concrete parking lots and grade crossings from drywall joint compound on my layout and am struggling to get the color correct. I bought some Woodland Scenics Liquid Pigment: Concrete C1217 thinking that would do the trick, but the color is way on the green side. I know...

I am putting in some proper bridging on my layout and need to install bridge track. The Peco Code 83 track on my layout won't work on the curved Micro Engineering bridging as it is too "springy" and will distort the curve of the bridge. I need a type of track that will not tend to spring back...

I just finished my mini control panel for the turnouts on my layout. It has a track schematic that is color coded. The turnouts are controlled by mini momentary button switches that are connected to the Digitrax input pins. The turnout positions are indicated by bi-color 3mm LEDs. The LEDs...

OK, I am not an electrical guy. Ohms, watts, whatever.:confused: I want to power my control panel bi directional (red and green) LEDs from my Tortoise power wires so that when the polarity of the machines changes the lights will turn from red to green and vice versa. The voltage going to...

I am setting up 4 Digitrax DS64 on my layout to run a bunch of Tortoise switch machines. I want to power them from an external power supply, not from the track. Digitrax sells PS14 power supplies for this purpose that are rated at 14 volts at 300ma. The literature says that you can only use...

Hello, I am mocking up a Walthers 130' turn table, and a Walthers six stall modern roundhouse. I am asking for placement ideas on my layout for these structures as well as suggestions on what other support structures I might add to the immediate area. This is a transition layout so I need...

I am trying to decide on which option to go with. What are the pros and cons of each? Walthers Proto F7AB or Athean Genesis F7AB Having never had either or any like units I would appreciate input from those of you who have. Either seem to be a very good option. Not much of a price...

Hi all, I am experiencing a slight voltage drop when my locos enter a reversing section on my layout. I notice it because my loco's slightly slow down when they enter the reverse loop and slightly speed up when exiting it. Is this normal? I have two reverse loops with identical PSX-AR units...

Anyone with experience connecting a Z21 to rrcirkits loco buffer USB? I purchased a Loco Buffer USB, and a SSB gateway, and I am having trouble connecting to my Z21 unit. I have been able to connect my computer with the JRMI software to the Z21 through the wireless radio on the computer via...

Hi everyone, I am back into developing the layout after taking the summer and most of the fall off. I ordered some goodies from rrcirkits.com, a loco buffer USB, an SSB gateway, a couple of Fan out boards, and a couple of motormen to drive my tortoise powered turnouts. The laptop is now...

Hi all, I purchased and installed two PSX-AR auto reverse unit on my layout controlled with my Z21. They worked great...... until I installed the PSX-1 circuit breaker on the layout. With the PSX-1 installed the locos pause entering or exiting the reversing sections or stall altogether as the...

I have been waiting for about a month for my new DCC operating system a Z21 (black) controller for my layout. It finally came this week. I am very impressed with it. Setting up the app on my i pad, and programming two of my converted DC to DCC locos was simple to do. I was running trains in...

I have a Mantua 2-8-2 Mikido and tender with the Santa Fe lettering. I like the loco as it is a good runner, but it needs paint, a re-power that will allow DCC running, and Vanderbilt style tender as I want to convert it over to a Great Northern locomotive. Here is what it looks like now...

I have an Atlas Code 83 60 degree crossing on my layout and I have noticed that flanges of the wheels on many of my freight cars bottom out while going through the crossing causing the cars to bump up and down. Almost all of the wheels are of the plastic variety. Should I modify the crossing...

I have two very strong running DC locos that I want to convert to DCC. They both have fly wheels, and all wheel pickups. Picks below. I want to retain their ability to run at very slow speeds. Sound would be a bonus, but I don't want to spend $100.00 each to do it. What would be the best...

I have just installed an Atlas Inso-Frog 30 degree crossing on my layout and it causes my 4 axle locos to momentarily lose power as they cross over it. Is there a fix for this? Or would replacing the Atlas unit with a Walthers unit do the trick? I looked for an electro-frog crossing but...

This question has to do with the software TrainController. I was watching some videos on TrainController and the presenter mentioned that one of the occupancy block rules is that turnouts and crossings should never be part of an occupancy block. Since I have a 30 degree crossing in my layout...