My new track plan

[NKP-Nscale]

This is my track plan. I need help on where to wire for DCC I plan on using MRC Prodigy Express. Why some ask It has all I need. Any way please help me with this as I don't have the money to make mistakes.
Thank you Nate.

 

[speent]

Run a 2-wire track bus roughly paralell to the mainline, then attach feeder wires at least every 6 feet between the track bus and the track.

 

[NZRMac]

You won't need a seperate booster, mayby just isolate the yard area from the rest of the layout incase you have a short somewhere, makes it so much easier to find. You could do what Joe Fugate sugests with the auto light bulbs.

As Brent said just a bus under the line and feeders up.

Ken.

 

[NKP-Nscale]

Thanks guys the bus and feeder wiring makes sense. but do I cut the rails every 6 feet. My yard has main lines in it for the future should I cut them from the rest of the yard? I saw something, a video I think, on the light bulbs, but where do they go and how do you wire them? Do they go on one wire like a fuse? Do they on every feeder?
Thanks Nate

 

[rhoward]

Thanks guys the bus and feeder wiring makes sense. but do I cut the rails every 6 feet. My yard has main lines in it for the future should I cut them from the rest of the yard? I saw something, a video I think, on the light bulbs, but where do they go and how do you wire them? Do they go on one wire like a fuse? Do they on every feeder?
Thanks Nate

Hi NKP! Your track plan looks good. There is no need to cut (isolate) the rail every six feet. Only where you want to have a new block should you cut the rail (do both rails). Do drop feeders to the rails every 6 feet or so. The only thing I would suggest is that you may want to operate the yard on a seperate block to keep the mainline from going down in case of a short. Alan Gartners website is a wealth of info on DCC wiring (including the light bulb trick). http://www.wiringfordcc.com/

 

[NZRMac]

Thanks guys the bus and feeder wiring makes sense. but do I cut the rails every 6 feet. My yard has main lines in it for the future should I cut them from the rest of the yard? I saw something, a video I think, on the light bulbs, but where do they go and how do you wire them? Do they go on one wire like a fuse? Do they on every feeder?
Thanks Nate

The light bulb goes in one wire like a fuse, it's probably not really necessary just a thought I had.

Ken.

 

[NKP-Nscale]

Thanks for the help guys. I dont have a N-scale club in Indianapolis that seems to want new members. There is a great Ho club. It is to far to drive for a famley guy. The Prodigy Express has a 4 wire plug 2 are for the maine tracks and 2 are for the program track can I use a spur in my yard for the program track and normal use? Does any body have bad things to say on the Prodigy Express.

Thanks Nate!

 

[NZRMac]

A spur is an ideal programme track, isolate a section from the main then wire in a 3PDT switch. A dead section is a good idea for short circuit protection betwwen programme and main outputs.

Ken.

 

[NKP-Nscale]

Thanks Ken
I will set mine this way as well. I dont plan on controling the lay out from the Dcc system I will have a panel to control my turn outs my signals will be wired to the switch machines.

Thanks Nate!