Model Railroading > How should a DC layout be wired?

I have a project/layout that needs the simplicity of DC control. Pardon the ignorance here about how to set that up, but I've been doing DCC for a long time and don't remember how a DC layout is wired. My existing 4 x 8 layout has bus wires running the length of it, and both track power and lights (LED's and bulbs) drop down to connect to it. Everything works smoothly with DCC.

With DC power, do track power and accessory (lighting and etc.) power need to be separate? I have attached a photo of the back of transformer, which shows track DC, AC accessory, and fixed DC power.

I'm just looking for the essential explanation of what should power what, and how wiring needs to be done to fit that.

Separately, this transformer is interesting. It was one of my great finds at Zientek's in Chicago, where you can hope to find something used but workable as a deal. When I opened up the tattered box, I found two repair slips from 1978 and 1981! This thing was fixed years before I was born! That certainly made me worry when I plugged it in, but it did work. (Here is hoping it continues too.)

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First of all, wrap the wire ends tight and tin them with solder so there are no whiskers to touch nearby terminals.

Track power terminals are controlled by the rehostat to run the trains. Accessories is AC to control switches and building lights. This will be a separate pair of wires.

fbe Wrote:
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> Track power terminals are controlled by the
> rehostat to run the trains. Accessories is AC to
> control switches and building lights. This will be
> a separate pair of wires.

So if I have main wire running around the layout where:

1.both leads to segments of track drop in
2. accessories like lights connect

I need to seperate the two, right? Because a low throttle would not turn on the lights on the layout?

Also, when I plugged in the "Fixed DC" power to the track/layout it made my 12V bulbs brighter than DCC and cut out my LED bulbs. I realize that may have been a mistake to plug in to those leads, but I am wondering if when I plug in to AC there is a risk it gives too high of a voltage for the lights.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/17 18:47 by inCHI.

I have one of the same power packs. Have had it from around the days of your repair slips. I think it was new old stock when I got it from the hobby shop in the Connecticut city where I grew up. Mine still works but its transformer has become pretty loud. Don't quite have the heart to leave it out for the scrap guys!

Forget the Fixed DC terminals. If you hook them to the track wires you will have any trains on the main running full speed in one direction. Fixed DC is just another power supply for accessories like lights or animation.

The AC accessories is for remote switch machines and lights. It will never have a track connection.

So each pair of terminals will have its own pair of independent wires. There is no need to use the fixed DC unless scenery and buildings get complex.

You can set the track voltage maximum with the knob on the left, then adjust the speed of the trains with the "throttle" knob to the right. Track power is nominally 12V DC, variable.  These were built in the era when open-frame Pitmann motors and the first of the micro-motors and can motors shared the rails.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/17 22:37 by grahamline.

FWIW, I have one of these that dates to my years in Junior High School (circa 1972).  It works fine, and is the power of choice for the around-the-tree Christmas layout.  The pulse power feature is cool for getting old, open-frame critters like Blue Box Athearn units to start at low speed.  Great for switching, but do NOT operate continuously with pulse power on, it will overheat the motors.  I'm not sure of the electical engineering on that, but just a note that you will damage motors if you use that too much.

Thanks for all the advice, I'll have to try to put the new wiring into practice. I just realized that I guess I need to un-DCC my switches. I might only do the one on my loop mainline that matters, because that sounds tedious.