# Powering off tracks



## txdyna65 (Aug 17, 2012)

I want to be able to turn off tracks at my turntable where locomotives sit in the roundhouse and outside the roundhouse when they arent in use. Im assuming I need a DPDT switch but I dont know how to wire this. This will be DCC, using a NCE 5 amp Power cab. Can someone point me to a diagram of how to wire this please.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

You don't need a complicated switch like a DPDT...unless...you want to reverse polarity. A simpler SPST is what you need...toggle on, toggle off.


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## txdyna65 (Aug 17, 2012)

Ok, but how do I wire this? I have feeders going to all the tracks coming off the turntable. I assume I need a switch for each track, but how to wire it is what I need.


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## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

pick one rail on each roundhouse track and put an SPST switch between the rail and the bus.


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## txdyna65 (Aug 17, 2012)

Greg, so the feeder wire from one rail goes to the switch and not the bus and a wire from the switch goes to the bus?


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## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

yes. effectively, cut the wire between the bus and rail and connect them thru an SPST switch.

of course you want the switches on a panel. So probably one wire from the bus to all the switches and new wires between each switch and corresponding roundhouse track rail


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## txdyna65 (Aug 17, 2012)

Ok I got ya, does it matter which side of the switch the bus or feeder wires are on?
EX: bus wire goes to the On side and the feeder goes to the load side, or vice versa.


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## gregc (Apr 25, 2015)

no
there should be no markings (e.g. on, load) on an SPST switch terminal switch


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## txdyna65 (Aug 17, 2012)

Ok thanks Greg appreciate it.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

If, for example you bring the A bus rail to the switches then you need to go to the A rail from the switches. The B bus rail would go directly to the B rails. It might be wise to use two colored pencils to draw the A rail and B rail on your layout. It will also point out where you have reverser problems and the A rail will meet up with a B rail and you will need a reverser somewhere to correct the mismatch.


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## timlange3 (Jan 16, 2013)

And if you want to cut off power to a group of tracks with one switch, then go from the bus to the switch, to the tracks you want grouped.


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