I posted this here earlier and now I can't find it. For reasons unknown to this author the original post and subsequent responses has been removed. The information I share here is extremely important and will benefit many modelers who have wired their layouts similar to mine. They have a need to know and a right to know this information. The information I shared here is all but nonexistent in the how to books for DCC. Most of it centered around the resistance and overcoming said resistance. The good news as witnessed by SteveH, TerryH. and RickH. (me) is as follows: Start of quote. Title: DCC & DPDT, 22 Gauge Wire, Cab A, Cab B It's Sunday, and it all started out relatively quiet and peaceful. "Big Bear Lake, where the motor boats a putin" lyrics borrowed from Mel Blank. Terry, a mountain man at heart drove the circuitous mountain roads to arrive at Big Bear Lake with his Digitrax, Zephyr, Digital Command Control and a handful of DCC locomotives. The headlines should read, DCC arrives in the Big Bear Mountains, Big Bear Lake, CA. and IT WORKS ON MY LAYOUT! Wow, I could not believe my eyes and ears with what I saw and heard... AND on my layout! What I don't understand is why nothing has been said? Unless I missed it somewhere...well...read on. It's like it's some big secret and we can't tell anybody. Shhh, this will be just between us...ok? OK! Now, before I go and get all excited, like I'm not already. Let me set this up for you. Here's how I installed my electrical system. This may be important to some of you, real important and good news. I use DPDT toggle switches, to route Cab A or Cab B to specific blocks in order to be able to operate more then one train at a time. Old school...for sure but FUN! Keep in mind there is no common wire or common rail...I wouldn't touch that way and means of wiring with a six inch pencil let alone a ten foot pole. In anticipation of the possibility of changing over to DCC, I used a household, 14 gauge wire as a bus line that serves all my control panels...running from both transformers Cab A and Cab B, around to the backside of each control panel. From the bus to the control panel, I use 18 gauge wire to thread all the DPDT's together. All my drop wires are 22 gauge. The feeder wires that run from the DPDT's to the drop wires (as per block) is: Runs less then 2 feet, I use 22 or 20 gauge, anything longer then 2 feet up to 6 feet is 18 gauge wire. All wire joints or splices are soldered. All of the rail joiners are soldered including Kato track sections (be careful you can melt the plastic). One more factor to consider: I heard tell you have to have wire drops in place, every three feet. My wire drops are in the middle of 6 to 9 foot long track blocks. Now let me ask you, is this the way we've been instructed to wire-in DCC? You are so right... NO! Not at all. Did I make that clear enough? Why has this been kept such a secret? Please, feel free to re-read the above as it is important you get this. I figured that once Terry got his unit hooked up it would all be over but the crying. It's what happens next that blows my mind and gave me a freeze over brain fart, all but blowing a brain cork and leaving me... well...numb! Ok, I had to step out and take a nitro...darn angina...won't leave a guy alone when he is having fun. Terry, rails a locomotive in an area where I don't have any wire drops, yet (still under construction), on a block longer then 9 feet from a feeder wire (a future block still connected to an older block as I haven't cut in the gaps...yet). At a point furthest from the feeder wires. The locomotive starts-up with a diesel whine, the pop off valve on the air releases, lights come on dim and then onto high, the whine of the motor picks-up, two short's on the horn and the diesel begins to move...what? What? WHAT? Bell ringing! It continues out and onto the main, around the layout with one...oop's. Steve, now with us as I'm trying to find the short or whatever is wrong. You see, the night before, I had to solder a rail joiner as it had oxidized (nickel silver) and wasn't allowing current through. We can talk more about this issue later. I rechecked the solder joint with a meter and I couldn't find any current...before or after. Steve questioning, I wonder if we have a switch off? I look down at the control panel and with a sheepish grin on my face, flip the toggle switch over to cab B. That did it! Power available. We were off and running. Now get this, GET THIS...WITH ABSOLUTELY NO FURTHER INTERRUPTIONS OR PROBLEMS! Yeehaw! Terry, stood there with an, "I told you so", look on his face and twinkle in his eye. I could of swore, a whole lot of pride! This should be headline news... for all of you out there! IF IT WORKS ON MY LAYOUT...IT SHOULD WORK ON YOURS! Disclaimer: Only...If, your layout is wired, similar to mine. Do you think it's time to make it happen on your layout? End of Quote.
