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ajaxusa

New Member
Hello all. I have a huge request for all of you, but first a story;

MANY moons ago, when I was a 9th grader, I met a few buddies at high school here on Long Island. So after school we all went to one of the guys houses. There in his basement (his personal war room), I saw my first N scale train set. He had the Atlas layout, I think it was called the Scenic and relaxed. I LOVED IT! I would hope to go back to his place all the time and play with his trains, pre DCC days.

So, I was inspired to make my own. So I started saving up money to buy parts for my train set. I chose the Atlas lay out that is today known as N-11016, Atlantic Long Haul Lines. I bit of a challenge being I was a kid and a noob. But alas, At such a young age and with no job and a single working mom, I ran out of money with only the tracks (no switches or ANYTHING else). I put the bag of tracks (almost $200 worth) in my closet and hoped to be able to finish.

Then started the college search AND the amazing world of girls....N scale what?!?! hehehe. So many years later, I was married. Over 14 years had passed since my original purchase. While getting my things from my mother's home and packing to move into my new house with my new wife, I found the bag! BINGO. I had the money, the space and time to do this.

So, I bought the materials for the table, I bought all the rest of the items I needed including a starter train set and a GP-40 from Atlas and set off to build. I decided to change up the layout to the simpler N-11012.
So there I was, I had the tracks on the table, some mods to the layout and I was good to go, but as always, SNAG! I found out about this website (I cant remember my old call sign). I found the world of DCC. So, I bought the atlas commander and an MRC reverse loop controller and then hit a brick wall when I was totally confused with the wiring part. Im not a total idiot, I was into building computers and am in construction (super), so I am able to learn and build stuff, but for some reason, I was a bit confused with the DCC.

A super nice guy named Dave Koch took on the great task of helping me. He asked around and other members sounded off to help me convert the old Atlas layout to DCC. I even bought a SD-50 loco that was DCC out of the box to use. But all the time it took me to get to this point, a numbers of years had passed and long and behold a new business and a new child later, the hobby took a back seat to kids, remodelling the house, and adding two more kids. So the layout sat in the basement, covered by a sheet of poly (and as i found out, footprints when my workers thought it a plain work table and walked all over it to do work, jerks!).

So, my kids now 4.5, 1.5 and newborn, were watching Sprout when Thomas the train came on. BINGO! I took the oportunity to see if they liked trains, and wouldnt you know it, they do! SO, daddy went to Home Depot, bought new, better lumber and is ready to build a new table to accpet my original laynout!

I pulled out all my books and am about to start with the layout as soon as the table is built. BUT, I have hit that wall again with the layout and DCC. I am 100% for DCC, so dont talk me out of it, but I do need help with where to add the rail separators (the little clear plastic joiners). Also where to put the rev. loop controllers. How to set up the bus for the rails, the wires for the switch controllers (I want to do that old school with the atlass supplied swtiches).

I pretty much need a tutor and a guide through all of this. BUT as soon as it clicks and i "get it" I will not bother as much. i hope you all enjoyed my story and can help me out.

Thank you so much.
Bill
 
Welcome aboard, Bill. Many of us have gone through the stop and start routine with model railroading so your story is a familiar one.

You need to add the plastic joiners to sections of track where the reverse loop begins and ends. I can't tell you exactly where unless I can see your track plan. The wiring is simple for a reverse loop controller like the Digitrax AR-1. Just drop two wires to the power bus and solder two wires from the controller (or module, to use the more correct term) to the tracks anywhere inside the reverse loop.

For switch machines, the best thing to do is pick up a trainset type powerpack cheap off e-bay if you don't already have one. Run a separate bus from the 18 volt AC accesories terminal around the layout so it passes below each switch machine. One wire will be common and the other will be positive. It's then just a matter of connecting the positive and common to the switch controller. If you're using Atlas swith machine contollers, you only need to connect one set of wires and then conect each controller together with the metal tabs at the end of each controller to feed power to all the controllers. The easiest and neatest way to do this is run your bus wire to a terminal block and run the wire to the controllers from the terminal block.
 


View attachment 15673 - wish i could get my hands on a bigger image.

Here is the layout I have selected. Is it possible to use the clear joiners exactly how the original DC layout shows and have it work for DCC? That is my question. I am working of a classic Atlas book. It is OLD. I just ordered the same book (Atlas book #7) but updated hoping it has some updated stuff to help me.

I plan on using 1 of 2 DC power packs to power my switches and snap together switchers. That leaves me with one extra, maybe for all my house and signal/rr xing items.

Is the power pack that comes with the Atlas commander duo package enough to power this layout (4x8) or do I need to purchase one more?

That's it for starters. thanks again, and thanks for the re-welcome.

BTW, does anyone know what has happened to Dave Koch? Its been atleast 6 years since I had heard from him last via email.
 
Welcome to the forum Bill! My story is similar to yours, so I know exactly where your coming from. Afraid I can't answer your question about Dave Koch though...
 
ajaxusa said:
View attachment 15673 - wish i could get my hands on a bigger image.

Here is the layout I have selected. Is it possible to use the clear joiners exactly how the original DC layout shows and have it work for DCC? That is my question. I am working of a classic Atlas book. It is OLD. I just ordered the same book (Atlas book #7) but updated hoping it has some updated stuff to help me.

I plan on using 1 of 2 DC power packs to power my switches and snap together switchers. That leaves me with one extra, maybe for all my house and signal/rr xing items.

Is the power pack that comes with the Atlas commander duo package enough to power this layout (4x8) or do I need to purchase one more?

That's it for starters. thanks again, and thanks for the re-welcome.

BTW, does anyone know what has happened to Dave Koch? Its been atleast 6 years since I had heard from him last via email.
Click to expand...

I forget what Issue of Great Model Railroads it's in but, This guy has done that layout using the Pennsy theme! He changed a few things around and it looks to be a nice layout!
 
View attachment 15675


you know, I have really wanted to do N-109 (11018) Gulf Summit Lines, but always thought it was a bit complicated. The more I look at it, the cooler it is, and its smaller at 4x6, rather than 4x8. The wife would like the less space.

I noticed that there seems to be only one reverse loop. How many rev loop controlers do I need, is it just 1 or 2? The more I think about it and look at the book, the more I like the N109 as it gives me more to do with scenery and also track on a smaller layout. What you guys think?
 
Welcome to the forum Bill. I am new at all of this and I can only say that these guys are a welth of info. See you on a thread somewhere.
 
Bill, Atlas track plans are made to sell track, not to give you a functional railroad. That is way too much track for a 4x8, let alone a 4x6. The one reverse loop I see serves no purpose and can be ripped out. Atlas is also notorious for planning layouts with impossible grades, so they can sell more Atlas bridges. That layout looks like it has grades of at least 4%, maybe more.

Take a look at the track plan at http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/plan-7.htm for a comparison. Lots more operations, more room for scenery, no reverse loops, and easy to expand. There are more track plans at that web site and several others. Just search for N scale track plans in goolgle. I think you'll grow to hate the layout in the drawing and spend a lot of money on track and switches you don't need.
 
can anyone tell me if I need to install all the plastic rail joiners shown in the atlas directions of the N-11018, the oposit of the common rail even for DCC layouts?

My confusion is here. Do I need to make the same seperations and power blocks for DCC as in NON-DCC. from what I can understand, in DCC, the Rail is ALWAYS powered and at a set amount of power continously. SO, I would translate that as a NO, I do not need all the seperations other than the reverse loops.

BUT, how about if I wan to run a non DCC loco on the layout. Then I would have to have the proper blocks and seperations so that the non-dcc loco would run correctly, yes?

I think I need a drink.....
 


Bill, you've got it basically correct. The only time you need isolated track is if you have a reverse loop or you wnt to use spur as a programming track. Forget the Atlas directions except for reverse loops. You don't need to have block sections.

You can only run one DC engine by itself (more in a consist with other DCC engines with some systems) so it's a lot of work to go through installing blocks and isolated sections for just one engine. It a lot cheaper and less troublesome to just install a decoder in the DC engine. Also remember that DC engines really don't like the faux DC power they receive from AC tracks. Running them occasionally is fine. Running them enough to need power blocks and isolated sections will eventually burn up the motor.
 
Thats great news. So to confirm, I need to still add the plastic rail joiners where the rev. loops are and also where I decide to use my programing track. I also need 1 rev loop controller at that one rev loop.

Do i need a rev loop controller for the program track? I dont think so, but just want to ask.

Do I need a rev loop controller if I add a turn table somewhere? If so, do the 2 rev loop controllers talk to each other? I am just concerned about a glitch if they somehow have a conflict with one another. Just checking as I have no experience with these items.

One final question (for today); Where do I attach rev loop controller too, the main rail or a bus? Do I need to keep the rev loop contoller away a certain distance from the power supplying rail joiners? AND, should I go heavy with power supplying rail joiners? phew.....all done.

I want to thank all you guys btw, as I am sure this can get exhausting to answer this stuff all the time.
 
moving this to Wiring and DCC to keep it in check....Ill start a new one there. THANKS guys, you ahve been most kind.
 
Hi Pardner, your local hobby shop should have a book on installing DCC, saw it today while in there getting supplies for my own layout. It will guide you right along, and the guys here are super at help
 
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