DCC hardward behind McKinley Railway
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- Опубліковано 30 лип 2024
- The DCC hardware used control the layout. We describe the use of boosters, power management, occupancy detection, point (switch)control, signal management all connected over LocoNet. Part two of four in a series of videos describing McKinley Railway.
www.mckinleyrailway.com
www.digitrax.com
www.cmlelectronics.com
Our pleasure. Our goal was to share the knowledge we gained from so many helpful friends and colleagues.
Thank you for your kind comments. The PM42s could be easier to wire. I'll see what I can do about getting a video put up there..
Regards
David
Just what I was looking for, a clear beginning to understanding what DCC does- and how complicated it is
i never heard someone explain it so well, me being learning disable could understand what u said. u must be a teacher.
Hi Skip, I'm not a teacher but your kind comments are great. We many friends who make sure that the message is kept simple and to the point. Glad you liked it.
You don't need a separate booster. The PM42 works as follows: If you have a short circuit one output zone of track, the PM42 protects the booster and up to three other zones of track from cutting out too. So on McKinley Railway we have one PM42 with four zones in a terminus station. If an operator causes a short-circuit in the sidings, the main station areas and engine shed are wired to different zones and are theefore protected and keep working because they are on separate output zones.
Probably the best quality video on dcc on youtube. Thank You Sir, I am certain grateful for your time.
Excellent job of explaining how these function and operate ,thank you so much for the help in understanding what I'lll need to purchase for my layout.
Very nice simple explanation of blocks and signalling!
Great video! Very professional commentary (the guy should work for BBC...or maybe he does...), and the graphics, closeups, SFX made this a joy to watch, which I've done twice now.
lovely explanation David
Very good overview & explanation...
Sweet .. thanks for sharing and keep up the great work
Very good video... I've subscribed to learn more.. Thanks and have a great weekend!
Hi Charles, I did wire up the Transponding devices to the BDL168s and spend a considerable time testing them. They were not reliable enough for computer control. I would get false reports of engines being in one block when in fact it was in another. The standard BDL168 using occupancy detection works fine for computer control.
David
I suggest you ask Digitrax directly. However, if I understand your question correctly, the PM42 does not provide any track power itself. It simply acts as a multi-circuit breaker between the track and the Booster/Command Station. If you break one side of track power on either side of the PM42, the locos (and their sound) will stop instantaneously. That in essence is the job of a PM42 - To protect the models and the command station by breaking power as soon as it detects a fault.
have been studying your videos and found them most helpful and clear--I am using the same digitrax equipment (apart from the pm42) and am about to connect a bdl168 to my layout--i am wondering about the final connection from the bdl168 to the zephyr booster---which wires connect to " rail A " terminal and which to " rail b" --is it just one wire to each terminal?
This has a very nineties vibe and I kinda like it.
If you want reliable computer control, you to need a lot more wiring irrespective of what control system you use. The extra effort (and wiring) was worth it for me.
@c0mputerc4m It's a switch. The lights show if the point is positioned straight or diverges.
I suggest you ask Digitrax. However, I believe the trains will stop as soon as a you remove one side of the track power. The PM42 acts as a multi-section circuit-breaker. It doesn't provide track power itself. The LocoNet connection is purely for special feedback messages from the PM42.
Very informative. Thanks for sharing.
zon
Hello David I've looked wiring vids to help. I haven't found one yet that helps, maybe you know. I have a HO scale RR and use a prodigy express DCC and I use it on my carpet RR. I run two big boys and would like to know if I can put another connector re-railer at the far end of the track (Total length of the track is 25 feet.) so it can get power. My question is; If I use another powered re-railer and make sure the polarity is the same, will it effect the command signals to the locomotive?
Let me clarify. What powers the lights showing whether the turnouts are thrown or closed?
Thanks
So what is the purpose exactly to have a separate booster for the pm42?
Thanks again
very nice
thank you
Hi Dave. Planning my layout and have loved your videos on McKinley which have helped enormously. Can you tell me if you have used two or three occupancy sensors per block as per TrainController's ideal set up, or just one (and relied on profiling the locos carefully)? Also, have you got occupancy sensors on your groups of points (even though not part of a block)? Many thanks.
Hello Hugh, We used two sensors on McKinley for uni-directional blocks and three for bi-directional blocks to safeguard stopping positions, but you can get away with one. The newer versions of TrainController have got much better at with the addition of virtual stop indicators (please check if its in Silver as I use Gold). These virtual sensors work a treat if your locomotives are well profiled, but sound and high-speed are the two bugbears. With respect to pointwork, we have occupancy sensors on groups of points to allow TC to safely release the pathways. i.e. a single fan of points has just one sensor for the whole group, but a cross-over between two running lines will have two sensors to ensure trains can operate in either direction. Hope that helps. Regards, David
David Townend
David, thanks for this response which is very helpful
All the versions of TC now seem to support virtual shifted stop markers. However as far as I can see only Gold supports occupation sensors on points (unless I'm missing something). Still considering which version is appropriate for my layout. Re you comments on speed and sound being bugbears, can you explain further? Many thanks. Hugh
Hi. What unit powers the lights on your switch boards? The DS54 or the BDL168?
Thanks very much, that will save me £200 on stuff that doesnt work. But thanks and keep making these good videos.
cheers
Hi,
Do you use the transbonding add-ons with the BDL168's. Im trying to plan my layout for computer control using digitrax, However digitrax dont offer a complete, simple video (like yours) and it is quite confussing trying to work out what i need.
cheers,
Charles A
Hi. This is marquardtbre on our club account. Just another question. If you leave the pm42 plugged in and on, while connected to the track, and you essentially unplug one side of the output to track from the DCS200 and cut off the DCC signal to the engine(s), will the engines not run and be off. As in not run away and not have sound on? Or will the signal be transmitted through loconet? And is it safe? The reason I ask is because our layout has to be able to run on a coin operation system.
Great video. I chose a more rudimentary (non-PC) route and build custom relay boards for signaling system, red/green only. I have now installed a PM42 but the entire layout still shuts down on occasion (50% of time) before allowing non-shorted blocks to continue.
What I mean is your video shows a very "clean" picture of shorting one section and the other just continues. When I short one section, the command station will still shut down and then all but the shorted block will clear until that block is not shorted any longer. Does yours do this or is it always just the shorted block that stops?
Hi Kurt, Apologies for the late reply, On McKinley the PM42s protect the boosters which never get shut down. It would be a disaster if that happened. You can play with the current trigger levels for the PM42. OpSw01 and OpSw02 should be thrown for 3 amps. Try setting OpSw09 to Closed. that takes the trip current down to 1.5 Amps. If the command station still shuts down, then you might have a problem with your wiring.
Hi. You should make an instructional video on the PM42's. I'm trying to wire them up, but i'm kinda confused....
Also your layout is very nice
Overkill
Very useful and interesting, many thanks. Dunno if you care after all this time, but you might want to correct the spelling mistake on the video title on UA-cam (hardward -> hardware) !
Thanks for the tip! I'll pay more attention next time.
I'm jealous, I want it.
Where can we get schematics...
What schematics would you like.
Bloody hell...
As soon as you put the coin on the track my computer screen went off
That might be co-incidence. The computer screen is not linked to track power.
McKinley Railway the computer screen did not entirely went off it just went to sleep
So, whoever said, "DCC uses only two wires", was clearly wrong; very wrong!
DCC - NOT MADE TO MEET BR LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS !!!
What an expensive nightmare !!! Digitrax equipment is NOT designed for British Signalling so will NOT operate British signalling (mechanical or colour light) correctly, it's intended for simple American "ABS Block Signalling" !!!
I have full BR "Track Circuit Block" 3 aspect signalling & interlocking as well as BR AWS on my huge 87ft x 25ft 4 track mainline exhibition layout. That all works EXACTLY as per the BR signalling regulation & the most complex thing needed is a load of cheap relays. And requires half the wiring you seem to need for that idiotic DCC nonsense. And my equipment costs roughly 12% of the equivalent DCC equipment.
My system is known as TCC (Track Circuit Block operation), and only needs standard 12v DC as expensive "Chips" are replaced by far cheaper (& more reliable) relays.