Wiring expertise required

[Suzie]

Well, if using dead frogs with built in power routing (such as Insulfrog) and DC then this diagram will make the wiring jolly simple. Not suitable at all for DCC, but that should not be an issue. Operation is clearly not as flexible as in the original specification, but it will probably suit most people who can't get the hang of a full cab control control panel.

middyoocracked DC.jpg (55.05 KiB) Viewed 1561 times

Red feed is for the inner circuit, orange feed is for the outer circuit, and black feeds are the common return (controllers must be suitable for common return wiring). There is just one insulated joiner in the outer rail of the inner circuit.

Both points of the crossover must be operated together, and when the crossover is activated the outer controller will control the inner circuit as far as the hidden sidings leaving the inner controller to operate the left side of the inner circuit and the two hidden sidings.

There are a few places that you could place the insulated joiner depending on how much of the inner circuit you want to control with each controller when the crossover is active.

Clearly reliability will be down to how good the points are at making good contact since they will be doing all the power routing.

Suzie x

[barney121e]

Well, if using dead frogs with built in power routing (such as Insulfrog) and DC then this diagram will make the wiring jolly simple. Not suitable at all for DCC, but that should not be an issue. Operation is clearly not as flexible as in the original specification, but it will probably suit most people who can't get the hang of a full cab control control panel.

middyoocracked DC.jpg

Red feed is for the inner circuit, orange feed is for the outer circuit, and black feeds are the common return (controllers must be suitable for common return wiring). There is just one insulated joiner in the outer rail of the inner circuit.

Both points of the crossover must be operated together, and when the crossover is activated the outer controller will control the inner circuit as far as the hidden sidings leaving the inner controller to operate the left side of the inner circuit and the two hidden sidings.

There are a few places that you could place the insulated joiner depending on how much of the inner circuit you want to control with each controller when the crossover is active.

Clearly reliability will be down to how good the points are at making good contact since they will be doing all the power routing.

Suzie x

Thanks Suzie

Thanks for that. I have had a lightbulb moment which might help me going forward.

I did look into DCC but the cost of £60 to convert each loco makes it a bit prohibitive. If i was buying newer models then DCC would definitely be the way to go but when they are 5 times the cost of a good second hand model it is probably too much.

I think my struggles with the electrics is all down to my understanding . The original early posts with the proposed track sections, i never thought of something called cab control. Honestly i still don't understand it but have found a site that explains it more in laymans terms so will give it a read and work from there.

If the above works, it may well suit my needs. I need to have a quick think as to how exactly i want this plan, or my other one, to be run.

Thanks for everyone's input though, has been extremely useful.