After alot of trial and error (and fun) I finally was able to set up a temporary layout until I can find more time down the road to build a permanent one. This is an N scale track plan based straight off the Kato "Carolina Central" track plan and i've expanded it to fit precisely on a hollow core door. (the future permanent layout?) Now where it really gets fun is the use of an ESU Ecos system and Digitax DCS64 stationary decoders for total switch control. Now all I need is Micro Trains decoupling magnets and this could be totally hands free operation. This setup is inspired by a youtube author named "s pins" who did a video on how to do this. Search his channel and he goes through how he made his own temporary layout, as well as how to set up this arrangement. I went a step further and made the wiring bus completely detachable. Kato power feeders with male/female connections allow me to hook up the power feeding tracks and the DSC64's very easily to the bus. The switches are also using kato connectors to the DCS64s to plug/unplug easily. The whole set up takes about 15 minutes to put together or take down. It helps greatly that I have a table that expands and allows me to do some wiring management through the open spaces. The ESU Ecos works well with the DSC64s and programming was very easy once I got through the learning curve. The biggest issue I got over was realizing that each output on the DCS64 has to be programmed a specific address for the switches. The beginning was messy with switches all going off at once from one throw. In addition, what is so cool about the Ecos is that you can "draw" your track plan on the LCD screen and choose your switch to throw from the track plan. According to the Ecos's internal amp meter, the two DCS64s are drawing about 50-150 Ma at any given time. The Ecos is expensive yes, but it's been fun to learn, full of features, and convenient. I love JMRI and use it at my club, but for a personal set up this has worked very well. Might get a wifi router and make the system wireless next..... Thanks for reading, I thought it'd be great to share.
