Hi all,
I'm building a small 009 layout for my father. It's Peco 009 track with electrofrog points.
Having successfully wired Brookline, with Cobalts etc. for DCC, with this track plan I'm stumped.
1. It needs to be pure DC, with the ability to have a couple of loco's on it at all times.
2. Only one loco needs to be controlled at any one time.
3. All turnout operation is by H.O.G. (Hand of God).
I don't have the foggiest idea how to wire it for DC.
Please help, I'm against a deadline for this one.
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/123/5604-020622194756.jpeg) (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=123203)
Wire it the same as you would for DCC, following the usual rules about feeding power into the toe end of point formations and using isolating joiners after electrofrog V rails where there is power to the rail beyond. If you want to be able to "park" a loco in a particular section then fit a simple on-off switch in the power feed to that section of rail (only one rail needs to be switchable)
As a bare minimum all you need is one track feed and one isolating joiner on the main line just after the sidings point, *but* this requires that both points for the passing loops on the right must always be set to the same route, plus you're relying on point blade contact to feed the sidings
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/123/5885-020622201509.jpeg) (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=123205)
Taking things a bit further, I'd probably add feeds to the passing loops - with one rail switched on each loop if you want to be able to stop a train in one loop while something runs through the other. I'd add some more feeds to the sidings, but noting that this still relies on the points to isolate a loco in the siding.
Notice more IRJs in use now due to the electrofrog points and avoidance of back-feeding power into the frog.
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/123/5885-020622203105.jpeg) (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=123206)
Think about the train movements you'll wish to do on the layout? For example if you wanted to bring a train into the siding then use another loco to draw the stock back out you'd probably want to add isolating gaps (one rail) and switched feeds for the last few inches of siding.
Quote from: ntpntpntp on June 02, 2022, 08:32:52 PM
Taking things a bit further, I'd probably add feeds to the passing loops - with one rail switched on each loop if you want to be able to stop a train in one loop while something runs through the other. I'd add some more feeds to the sidings, but noting that this still relies on the points to isolate a loco in the siding.
Notice more IRJs in use now due to the electrofrog points and avoidance of back-feeding power into the frog.
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/123/5885-020622203105.jpeg) (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=123206)
Forgive the slow response. I've been thunking.
Okay, so I think I get it.
On your second version, the more comprehensive one, would I be correct in saying that only one loco at any one time could be in the sidings 'tree' at any one time?
I fully understand the switched feed on the two outside passing loops, I get that. I am struggling a little getting my head round the sidings set up.
:-[
Quote from: emjaybee
On your second version, the more comprehensive one, would I be correct in saying that only one loco at any one time could be in the sidings 'tree' at any one time?
You can isolate a loco in a siding by setting the point against it, and thus run another loco into one of the other sidings. The way I've done it with the additional siding feeds, one of the three "twigs" is always going to be live depending on the point settings so you can store two locos. If you revert to the earlier plan which totally relies on point blades for switching the siding power then you can store three locos when the point from the main line is set against the sidings.
When I say "blade contact", you can of course enhance this with an auxiliary switch to power the point frog which would be better, but you'd need either a point motor or a wire-in-tube manual mechanism with the changeover switch as the "lever".
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/65/5885-250518231112.jpeg)
Quote from: ntpntpntp
You can isolate* a loco in a siding by setting the point against it, and thus run another loco into one of the other sidings.
* Technically with an Electrofrog point it's not isolated but both rails are the same polarity therefore no voltage across the motor.
In this illustration notice that the blades and frog of the Electrofrog point are all the same polarity, hence the isolating gap before the rail beyond the frog
if that rail has its own power feed. For a simple dead-end siding, leaving out that isolating gap just means the entire rail carries the polarity of the frog.
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/86/5885-280120191239.jpeg)
Michael,
I personally would have switched isolation on all of the Sidings, so you are not relying on the points.
@ntpntpntp (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=5885) @Nbodger (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=8543)
Thank you for your inputs. I think I've got it, just need to pull my finger out and get the thing done. I built the baseboard on Thursday.
:thankyousign: