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DC 'STATIC' Locos placed on a DCC Layout


Millardski
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If I have elderly DC locomotives that I would like to place in sidings as STATIC models on a DCC layout, can anyone tell me (a complete electrical novice) whether they will be safe to just sit there (dressing the scene) or will they cause shorts on the system. If they will cause problems, then what actions should I take to prevent such issues?

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Leaving DC locomotives on a DCC layout won't cause a short, but is not recommended and will ultimately damage the locomotive.

 

The motor in a DC locomotive responds to a voltage difference such that if the voltage in one rail is greater than the other then it will move in one direction and if it's less then it will move in the opposite direction.  This is the fundamental way in which DC control works.  The problem is that the DCC signal is effectively an alternating current so a DC motor on a DCC layout would try to move forwards and then backwards 50 times a second.  In reality, the locomotive would sit motionless and the motor would simply buzz until its ultimately destroyed.

 

That therefore means that you have the two choices above - either remove / disconnect the motor or create an isolated section in the siding which is not powered (ie an isolating section as you'd have on a DC layout to stable a locomotive that you don't want to move).  The choice is yours.

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I have a few own my layout and as suggested above I have removed the motors as a fail safe method. The beauty of doing it this way is you can still use them on double headers or in true to life fashion, drag then round the loco depot with the shed pilot.

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Absolutely great, just what I needed - confirmation of what I sort of assumed. I'm modelling a 'Heritage' railway and these locos will be mainly parked in sidings alongside a loco shed. The rail tops in one of the sidings will be painted rust colour, but I also wanted my DCC loco's/shunters able to slip into the unpainted end of some of the sidings, so I didn't want to isolate the whole siding (although I guess I could just isolate one end of the siding). The locos I am dressing the sidings with are rather old locos that belonged to my late father and will be heavily weathered, but you've confirmed that I need to disconnect/remove the motors. If once that's done, there's no fear of me shorting the whole DCC system, I'll be happy with the result. Thank you for your excellent advice - I just knew the combined expertise of RMweb modellers would put me on the right track. 

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You won't short out the DCC system. You can run (and stop) a DC loco on a DCC system, but as above leaving it sat still for a long time will cause damage. As you've mentioned, painting the rails will have the same effect as disconnecting the motors. So long as current can't flow, it's fine. Alternatively, a thin strip of masking tape the width of the rail top and painted the same rust colour would work and be easier to remove should you wish to re-energise. Saves messing about disconnecting wires. If you want to check whether the rust paint is enough to isolate them, just park a DCC loco there with lights switched on and see what happens. If it stops, no current, so safe.

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Excellent suggestion from JDW. I have a quantity of very narrow tape from my old days of using Letraset in the office, which will sit on the rail tops, can be painted a rust colour and sit under the wheels of these old locos.

As you say, this tape, or just the paint, can be tested by parking the DCC locos with their lights on and if I change my mind in the future, can remove the tape and/or paint. Thank You again.

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6 minutes ago, Millardski said:

Excellent suggestion from JDW. I have a quantity of very narrow tape from my old days of using Letraset in the office, which will sit on the rail tops, can be painted a rust colour and sit under the wheels of these old locos.

As you say, this tape, or just the paint, can be tested by parking the DCC locos with their lights on and if I change my mind in the future, can remove the tape and/or paint. Thank You again.

 

How about making section gaps in the rails and turning power off via switches fed from the DCC?

 

 

Edited by newbryford
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8 hours ago, Millardski said:

Excellent suggestion from JDW. I have a quantity of very narrow tape from my old days of using Letraset in the office, which will sit on the rail tops, can be painted a rust colour and sit under the wheels of these old locos.

As you say, this tape, or just the paint, can be tested by parking the DCC locos with their lights on and if I change my mind in the future, can remove the tape and/or paint. Thank You again.


May I suggest you don’t do this. 
Apart from it sounding like a convoluted Heath Robinson faff, there’s a simpler and straightforward, not to mention safer alternative option, as suggested above, i.e. isolate both the rails and either leave them electrically dead, or fit a switch (or switches) to preserve the ability to power the rails at a later date.

 

If parking the dead locos there is a permanent or long term thing, then for safety reasons, personally I would would use a plug and socket arrangement rather than fitting switches, to prevent any accidental application of DCC power to the dead sidings.


 

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