# DCC for the first timer help



## usmiladim (Dec 14, 2020)

Thinking about going DCC somewhere down the road and was wondering from the experts how hard or easy it would be to doing wiring on this layout ( photo attached) Could someone possibly draw on this photo on where you would put the power points?

Thank you and Merry Christmas 🎄


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Apologies for the delay in answering your question.

From your photo, it appears you have a very large
oval layout. If your trains run smoothly now without
slowing or pausing anywhere on it, you would
simply unhook the track power wires from your DC
power pack and connect them to the output
of your new DCC controller. It's that simple.

However, it is generally accepted that you should have drops from
the track to the DCC controller bus every 6 feet or so 

It is also important to keep the rail heads and the loco wheels
clean for best electrical conductivity. 

A word of caution....DCC tracks are AC. Do NOT permit
a non DCC loco to sit on the live track. It will be damaged.

Don


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## usmiladim (Dec 14, 2020)

DonR said:


> Apologies for the delay in answering your question.
> 
> From your photo, it appears you have a very large
> oval layout. If your trains run smoothly now without
> ...


Thank you Don and Merry Christmas 🎄


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## usmiladim (Dec 14, 2020)

DonR said:


> Apologies for the delay in answering your question.
> 
> From your photo, it appears you have a very large
> oval layout. If your trains run smoothly now without
> ...


Don, I sent you a message.


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

As long as your locos are DCC, DCC is easier than analog DC to run a layout with...
If you have a small to medium large DCC layout all you need is 2 wires from the panel DCC requires, to the track..
As long as you've connected track sections (flex, sectional, hand laid) correctly to one another that's all you'll need. 
You will need to know how to wire-up reverse loops, wyes, and turntables. That's the same no matter what control system you have..


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## usmiladim (Dec 14, 2020)

telltale said:


> As long as your locos are DCC, DCC is easier than analog DC to run a layout with...
> If you have a small to medium large DCC layout all you need is 2 wires from the panel DCC requires, to the track..
> As long as you've connected track sections (flex, sectional, hand laid) correctly to one another that's all you'll need.
> You will need to know how to wire-up reverse loops, wyes, and turntables. That's the same no matter what control system you have..


Thank you and Merry Christmas 🎄🎁


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Addendum: 
Be extra careful when buying DCC locos !! If ad does not state 'Sound' the low price is likely due to loco having no sound decoder nor a speaker...It'll run silently only... 
For sound, ad will be: 'DCC/Sound on Board' (or similar) and though highest priced, the work has been done for you including $25-ish decoder and $10-ish speaker installed. And adding these yourself later is huge hurdle, especially finding and mounting/wiring in a speaker.... 

Happy tidings in the new year 🛤🌄


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## usmiladim (Dec 14, 2020)

telltale said:


> Addendum:
> Be extra careful when buying DCC locos !! If ad does not state 'Sound' the low price is likely due to loco having no sound decoder nor a speaker...It'll run silently only...
> For sound, ad will be: 'DCC/Sound on Board' (or similar) and though highest priced, the work has been done for you including $25-ish decoder and $10-ish speaker installed. And adding these yourself later is huge hurdle, especially finding and mounting/wiring in a speaker....
> 
> Happy tidings in the new year 🛤🌄


Thank you Sir. Merry Christmas 🎄🎁


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

If I may add to this, although not an expert by any means, upgrading to DCC on a new layout I'm building. It appears you have Kato track (I saw the controller) and assuming you have the #6 turnouts for the sidings. I'd put a power feed (I'm using the joiner feeds) on both sides of the main line, be sure of proper polarity even with DCC, and also a feed on each siding so that all track has power. The #6 turnouts are power routing


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## LJClark (Jun 26, 2017)

Wooky_Choo_Bacca said:


> If I may add to this, although not an expert by any means, upgrading to DCC on a new layout I'm building. It appears you have Kato track (I saw the controller) and assuming you have the #6 turnouts for the sidings. I'd put a power feed (I'm using the joiner feeds) on both sides of the main line, be sure of proper polarity even with DCC, and also a feed on each siding so that all track has power. The #6 turnouts are power routing


Even on the little 2' x 4' "training" layout I'm doing, with six Kato turnouts (2 x #6 and 4 x #4), I ended up with four power leads -- and that was _after _configuring the #4 turnouts for non-power routing.


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## usmiladim (Dec 14, 2020)

Wooky_Choo_Bacca said:


> If I may add to this, although not an expert by any means, upgrading to DCC on a new layout I'm building. It appears you have Kato track (I saw the controller) and assuming you have the #6 turnouts for the sidings. I'd put a power feed (I'm using the joiner feeds) on both sides of the main line, be sure of proper polarity even with DCC, and also a feed on each siding so that all track has power. The #6 turnouts are power routing


Would you by chance have a picture of that layout please?

Thanks


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

usmiladim said:


> Would you by chance have a picture of that layout please?
> 
> Thanks


I have the diagram that I came up with using Anyrail, I don't have the power feeds marked in as of yet. I've got a problem I'm trying to work out with the track, the DCC controller is saying "track fault" and I have to find and figure what I did wrong Also the sidings on the far right and the siding to the grey building in center are not there yet, have to get more turnouts


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## usmiladim (Dec 14, 2020)

Wooky_Choo_Bacca said:


> I have the diagram that I came up with using Anyrail, I don't have the power feeds marked in as of yet. I've got a problem I'm trying to work out with the track, the DCC controller is saying "track fault" and I have to find and figure what I did wrong Also the sidings on the far right and the siding to the grey building in center are not there yet, have to get more turnouts
> View attachment 551731


Thank you


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## usmiladim (Dec 14, 2020)

usmiladim said:


> Thank you


I don’t think my 35 tank cars with two locomotives would make it around those tight curves without uncoupling, but it’s a nice layout.


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

Other than the new double track, I'm using the track from my former layout and the tighter of the two sizes of curves came with the Silver Streak Train set. They are also the smallest recommended curve for the Streak. I ran it for a year and added two SD70ACe's and had no uncouples with the only derails were from me bumping them over


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## usmiladim (Dec 14, 2020)

Wooky_Choo_Bacca said:


> Other than the new double track, I'm using the track from my former layout and the tighter of the two sizes of curves came with the Silver Streak Train set. They are also the smallest recommended curve for the Streak. I ran it for a year and added two SD70ACe's and had no uncouples with the only derails were from me bumping them over


Good to know my friend.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Looks like your track fault is the double crossover. That creates a reversing loop in your track, unless you created isolated sections and autoreverser to deal with it.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

CT....sure glad to have you back...

But, I gotta disagree...don't think the double crossover is the 'track fault'...it's being used in the way
for which it's designed...to be able to move from one paralell track to another and without creating
any 'reverse loop'.

The problem is probably a 'reversed' track drop somewhere in the new section. Hope you used
color coded wires. That would make chasing this problem easier.

Don


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

Where does he have a double crossover ?? I don't see it in his picture


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

DonR said:


> CT....sure glad to have you back...
> 
> But, I gotta disagree...don't think the double crossover is the 'track fault'...it's being used in the way
> for which it's designed...to be able to move from one paralell track to another and without creating
> ...


You're right about the double crossover -- I think I must have followed the wrong track at some point when I was tracing it.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Wooky_Choo_Bacca said:


> Where does he have a double crossover ?? I don't see it in his picture


He doesn't you do. And you have a track fault....

Assuming you don't have a reversing loop (and, on revisiting, I don't think you do), then misaligned power feeds is the next thing to check.


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

No, as it turned out the track fault was a turnout. I took it's bottom cover off and using Kapton tape I insulated the coil actuator feed wires (almost can't see em) and taped them in place, problem solved


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## LJClark (Jun 26, 2017)

Wooky_Choo_Bacca said:


> View attachment 551839


So those four little square tabs with the dimples...Are they connected to the rails and frog, and that's how the power gets routed from the little PC board?

(The first time I popped the bottom plate off one of those #6 turnouts, I wasn't paying much attention. And I didn't get it back together correctly the first time.)


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

Yeah and the T shaped gizmo is what changes the electric on the track whether you throw it or a toggle throws it, like I said the TEENIE tiny wires hooked to the coil and to the board are what operates the turnout


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