DCC wiring

for the Sodumb & Gamorra lumber Co.

last updated: 24 february

Even before we started building the layout we had to think about the way DCC should be used. A model railway exhibition is not the most stable environment to operate trains. And every time a short occurs the entire layout will get down, making error seeking a hell (try some troubleshooting with 30 model railroaders looking over your shoulder!)

Aldough it is possible to pass the DCC signal by rail (no cables under the layout) I think this is academical. Every joint or turnout is a possible 'noise' transmitter, slightly twisting the signal or weakening it. That's why I decided for a backbone DCC infrastructure. We also needed a constant 16V AC to feed our static smoke generators, animation motors and to power the static decoders that drive the Tortoise turnout motors. So the backbone consists of 4 wires made from heavy stripped installation cable. For the connection between the modules we used heavy duty telephone plugs. Let's have a closer look to a module:

In the back on one side there is a telephone jack connected to the backbone. On the other side there is a 1 foot flexible cable with a telephone connector. The four cables are stripped to make soldering on connections easy.

Between the 'multi connector' in the center and the backbone I installed a normal 12V car backlight lamp (tip from Allan Gartner; see our links page). When a short occurs (somewere in the module) the current will turn the lamp on. This has three advantages:

1. It will wake up the off-duty crew members behind the layout (Hey, Leo! You have a short!!
2. The module that glows in the dark is the one with the short!
3. All other modules stay in operation!

I have to admit:

Most of our shorts during exhibitions come from neglecting the direction of our turnouts! (Driving into the turnout with the points in the wrong direction)

Next:

• Connecting Tortoise Switch motors to DCC
• Animation with DCC