In the Railway Modeller booklets on wiring, they talk about common return, both for a single cab control, and for two or more. They have some nice pictures on how to wire with SPDT and DPDT switches, explain electrofrogs and insulfrogs on turnouts and so on. Then I came here and found some heated discussions on how bad common return is, and that locos will stall and stutter, sound will be wrong, and that there would be lots of short circuits. And that got me thinking. I will run my layout on manual (no motor) switching of turnouts, two cab controllers, each with their own power, and DC. Common return should work. It ought to be cheaper, because of less wires and cheaper switches. But maybe there are better ways, without getting into DCC? I don't think the Märklin turnouts for Z are electrofrogs, but I read somewhere that you get better running with electrofrogs. So I have to consider that. The track will be sectioned into five or more sections, and the large station will be heavy with turnouts. I will need a lot of switches to turn between the cabs and to power tracks and turnouts properly. I just don't want to buy the wrong kind. I'm thinking that most will need to be ON-OFF-ON, byt maybe I don't need that everywhere? And the turntable will be without motor, but the power to the tracks should be wired through a rotary switch? Anyway... I could use some input before I ask more specific about the layout, and where to put the isolation cuts and so on.
I understand common rail wiring, but thinking too deeply about about it makes my brain ache, using two power packs, adding insulated joiners on one rail only and retaining continuity on the other rail throughout the entire railroad. It might make sense on a simple pike, but I'm thinking the headaches laying out common rail on your railroad will outweigh any small savings you might realize on toggle switches and wire. Maybe some members here have worked common rail with success and can help you through the process.
I use common rail for my DC outfit, I have over 30 blocks wired thru rotary switches. All I did was use position#1 as off, meaning nothing wired thru that position, #2-10 are for my 9 cabs. The few Pecos switches are electrofrogs, as long as your unsulated joints are correct, it will work just fine, has for me anyway.
