Epimetheus
Member
I'm getting the track prepared for DCC and need a little clarification. There is some balance between one continuous track and dividing it into many blocks to manage short circuits. Any help is appreciated.
This is a moderate sized HO layout, 13x13 ft with two complex switching puzzles and no more than 4 locos actually moving at any given time. No reversing loops or wyes. Right now the track is pinned in place after the try-and-fit-it stage. Before I fasten it down, I could use insulated rail joiners everywhere or leave whole patches continuous.
Yeah, I know, DCC does not require block control. Then about the 3rd page of any DCC primer shows the track electrically isolated in many places to manage short circuits. "But that's not a block", you say, "It's a Power District!". OK, I agree. I still gotta cut the track and run two jumpers and a DPDT switch into the non-block.
The programming track I understand the isolation. Does it make sense to put that on a separate board, the test track?
Thanks muchly,
Doug
This is a moderate sized HO layout, 13x13 ft with two complex switching puzzles and no more than 4 locos actually moving at any given time. No reversing loops or wyes. Right now the track is pinned in place after the try-and-fit-it stage. Before I fasten it down, I could use insulated rail joiners everywhere or leave whole patches continuous.
Yeah, I know, DCC does not require block control. Then about the 3rd page of any DCC primer shows the track electrically isolated in many places to manage short circuits. "But that's not a block", you say, "It's a Power District!". OK, I agree. I still gotta cut the track and run two jumpers and a DPDT switch into the non-block.
The programming track I understand the isolation. Does it make sense to put that on a separate board, the test track?
Thanks muchly,
Doug
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