# Beginner DCC question



## pleiku (Jan 11, 2016)

First of all I want to thank everyone for sharing their experience and knowledge. I've spent a lot of time reading various threads and I've learned a ton. I started building my first HO layout a couple of weeks ago and I would like to know if there is a way to have engines on a DCC layout but not drawing power. I've seen videos of major league layouts with dozens of engines sitting in yards and sidings and wonder how they do it. Or do they have mini-nuclear reactors in their garages?


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## Zug (May 4, 2012)

The amount of power an idle decoder draws in negligible. While it's possible the parked locos are on tracks that can be powered off, that kind of defeats the purpose of DCC. 

Big layouts are generally divided in to sections with their own DCC boosters, topicality 5 Amps each. So it's just a matter of planning and splitting the load on big layouts to separate power districts, but all getting the same commands.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

A 100-watt incandescant light bulb probably draws more power than a fully sound-equipped model RR locomotive.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

Beyond that though, Zug's response is a good one.

If you really want to power down sections, it's a simple matter to isolate it in the wiring and provide a toggle switch to kill it, the way you would with standard analog wiring schemes.

On really large layouts, as Zug mentions, you can divide the layout into isolated sections each powered by an additional expansion booster. These all connect to the same command station, so the entire layout is controlled by one system, but the boosters provide more power, and if properly isolated (DON'T accidentally wire two power districts together - that turns two 5-amp districts into one 10-amp district which is way too much power and has the potential to fry decoders if there's a short circuit) spreads out the power requirements. Still you're not talking a crazy amount of power requirements for even a medium-large size layout. Our club layout runs about a dozen *trains* per session, so something like 30 locos, on a large layout that's powered with just three such boosters. We plan on one or two more as the layout expands, just to keep things spread out, and so that too many engines in one area doesn't tax a single booster, but in terms of how much power the overall layout is drawing from your household, the lighting in the layout room is more, even with fluorescants.


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

My layout was originally DC and has been converted to DCC. For this reason all of the sidings and blocks can be shut down individually with a DPDT switch. Now that I am using DCC there are only a few reasons that I shut down an area of track. First is for passenger trains with lighted cars. Rather than placing a decoder in each car to turn lights on and of I am cheep and just cut the power when the cars are sitting not in use. I have two sound locomotives that MRC designed to never shut up, yes there is no mute function, they just sit and idle kill power, kill sound. I have two kids that are allowed to use the layout with there own trains, I cut power to the Round House where my engines are and my yards so that there is a buffer zone preventing unintended collisions. At their age they are learning and throwing the wrong switch can sent a train into the yard etc, it has happened, learning experience.

If I had to do it again I would place the storage sidings each on a separate switch for the reason of lighted cars and locomotives without mute functions. Also there would be a master switch for each major area, i.e. each main line, yard etc. This multiple master switches also help to locate shorts etc.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I have 9 DCC locomotives. There are 4 lighted passenger cars.
There are 3 lighted cabooses.

The layout is powered by a 1 amp Bachmann EZ controller.

I do not power off the locos when they are idle. I usually light
their headlights also. 

With the above power load in mind, I can run 4 or 5 of the locos
at the same time with no strain on the power supply, it does not
get hot.

Therefore, the question is, why would you want to shut down your
DCC locomotives when they are idle?

Don


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## pleiku (Jan 11, 2016)

*Thanks for everyone's answers*

I was concerned that as my number of engines grows there would be a limit to how much power would be required. But now I've learned!


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

With all DCC systems you can add boosters as you go. You'll find that 5 amps will run a lot of locos.


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