DCC -Why Not
Entry posted by GRC
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Wiring and Electrics - The Plan
My S&DJR layouts have all been DCC to date and see no reason now to build using DC. I've had some mixed success with Hornby Railmaster software on Sturminster Halt but that's more to do with the running of the Loco's and the track work than the software. DCC Cobalt motors have worked well but not been happy using the Gaugemaster DCC30 Controllers, Will use here Integrated Cobalt motors/controllers on this layout but also include manual switching to a mimic panel. The mimic panel potentially mounted over the fiddle yard or at the back, Needs to moveable though as this wouldn't work at home where the layout is operated from the front. Some complexity around the isolation, WSNG line 3 could be DC or DCC but needs to be switch-able if I want to bring a train on or off the scenic part of the module. Line 4 isn't used by WSNG but other modular layouts do so this will be configured the same way. Assume at this point a 2 way switch of some type (No Isolation, From WSNG Module, Isolated with DCC power.
Key Points
Wiring
I use the same conventions on all my layouts for ease of remembering so the same here
Main Track DCC Power Red and Black
Point Motor Wiring Yellow and Orange
Switched power from Points to Frogs Purple
AC power Blue and Grey
Test Track Pink and Green
The Execution
Some of the work went to plan and some not. I Soldered the dropper wire for all the feeds to the bottom of the track on the workbench once I have some idea of the size of the track or for the smaller pieces once they have been cut to size and not fitted. I typically cut away the end of the sleeper on each side a few away from each other and where possible prepare the tracks so the droppers go through the rail reasonably close to the other rails. This helps to keep the underneath reasonably tidy. I tin both ends of the dropper before joining to the rail. I may trim the dropper once fitted but this makes it easier to fir through the holes. Once the track is fitted with droppers it is fitted on the layout.
For the scenic sections on the points I use the switched feeds from the point motors to feed the frog and then cut the rails a few sleepers into the point and then solder the final fixed piece to the stock rails so the actual moving parts of the point are not dependant on making electrical contact with the stock Rails ( Anyone not sure on this please ask but plenty of articles on this about) One mistake I made was not checking I had made the cuts deep enough with the Dremmel, took me ages to work out what I had done wrong. Next time I'll test all the points for continuity before fixing.
I made the decision after writing the plan to not use a Mimic panel but rely on the Hornby Railmaster for the panel and to have Individual point controllers on each point reducing the amount of wiring considerably. Will have to see how this works in practice but up to now it seems to be ok. I've used the individual Cobalt controllers on each point or one between pairs where feasible. The picture below shows one of the boards and you can just see the connectors tucked up in clips out of the way
The actual layout wiring was very simple, Red and Black droppers on each section of track all fed into Chocolate blocks and star wired back to the controller distribution on. I haven't done the cross board connector yet for the main boards but may add the AC feeds (Blue and Grey for me) onto that when I'm ready. I''ve retained the orange and Yellow here for the Point Motors to Point Controllers but have compromised and used the same colour for the WNSG Board wiring as I had it.
The more complex areas were the West Sussex boards and particularly Tracks 3 and 4. What I've done in words is to isolate the ends of tracks 3 and 4 so they are fed by the next door modules track or connectors and connect these ends back to a DPDT switch on the south board next to the controllers. The Centre position of the 6 pin DPDT feeds back to the tracks for the length of the layout and then the other pair are connected to the main DCC supply. Therefore tracks 3 and 4 can be fed from the other modules, or fed by the DCC on the layout. I may introduce another switch in the DCC supply to have an alternative DC supply in the future. In this picture you can see both boards and how the wiring and point motors endup in big clusters for the fiddle yards. Next time I do a fiddle yard I may spread the points out a little more as I ended up having to cut down a couple of the point motors to get them to fit correctly.
For the Board connectors I've used the WSNG standard 12 way RS components Plugs and sockets, Not cheap but very robust and significantly easier to solder up that a D type of any size. I've shown below the Connector overview and the detailed wiring in the connectors below
Yet to do the wiring diagam in a soft version the isolating sections but may get to that in due course
Couple of taster shots for you all, One of the RailMaster screen showing the Crawley Yard Mimic diagram and how the layout looks in the railway room. At home its operated from the end but for exhibiting from the rear so the PC and controller can be realigned to face the correct way for the operator.
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