Wiring a DC layout for later upgrade to DCC

Solely down to lack of many. I've got everything I need for DC control by robbing parts from older layouts. I can only really afford, at the moment, to build the new layout. But DCC is definitely something I want - I'm going to the trouble of making a locking frame for realistic operation, so being stuck with DC control is not what I want!

Ronnie

-- Volunteer guard on the Great Central Railway, Loughborough, Leicestershire Visit the world's only double track preserved steam railway!

I am currently constructing a layout where I have taken into account the ability in the wiring to handle both DC and DCC at the same time. DPDT centre off toggle switches for all sections (turned out to be lots of them!), turnouts (once built) yes, need to have crossing (frog) switching by the motor (or alternative switching mechanism). The wiring has two sets of inputs, so that I can have one DC controlled and the other DCC. No common returns at all (all returns have to be unique to each section!). But for those locos that are near if not impossible to convert to DCC, I will still be able to run them in conjunction with the DCC ones. The only thing to be careful of is when setting up a route for a train, that I don't have any accidents trying to run DC onto DCC and vice-versa. No way round that other than me being careful.

Ian J.

When upgrading to DCC. simply leave all the section switches in the "on" position!! DC or DCC, I would always go for wiring the frogs via the point mechanism - in our case - Tortoise motors. I'm just in the process of building a club DCC layout, but have also included two sections on a short siding where non-DCC stock can quite happily be stabled without it buzzing away on the DCC AC signal.

Cheers, Mick

I've been reliably informed that you shouldn't have live frogs with DCC because that stops you from driving your locos the wrong way through turnouts and derailing them on the points!

Regards, Greg.P.

Usually, they manage to "short-out" the DCC before they derail!!

Mick

Drive them faster! :-)

Gregory Procter schrieb:

The How-to with turnouts using DCC and live frog is described here:

Christian

Apologies, Christian, my comment should have included a ';-)' (In fact, all my postings unless specified sould have the ;-)

More seriously, it concerns me that DCC should drive the design of model turnouts away from the optimum electrical/mechanical and scale prototypical design.

Regards, Greg.P.

In English, try here for everything you need to know about wiring for DCC:

In message , Gregory Procter writes

turnouts away from the

Most model points/switches/turnouts are not scale models of the prototype.

turnouts away from the

I'm only concerned with the best of the proprietry bunch! Feel free to demand that Peco and Hornby make all Set-Track turnouts DCC friendly!

Regards, Greg.P.

In message , Gregory Procter writes

In that case, it is fair to say that none of them is a scale model of the prototype.

Sure, but I don't want them looking even less like the prototype!

There is no reason why DC can't be combined with a locking frame to provide prototypical operations. I have interlocked my signals with my cab selection on my cab selected DC layout. It's not mechanically interlocked, but it could be done. The alternative DC block control method (separate power controller per block) also can be combined with mechanical interlocked systems to provide prototypical operations.