Greetings, all.
I've just completed phase I of my DC layout wiring, meaning that the blocks and turnouts are wired. (Not yet done is the turntable.) And I've got some trouble that I need help with...
Walthers DCC-Friendly turnouts and how to wire them. I got these, since they are universally recommended over the old ones, and since someday this layout may get rewired as DCC (who knows...). Some of the turnouts work fine -- those with wiring attached to track adjoining all three "ends". But others have dead spots.
I had thought that with the wiring cross-connections on the bottom of the turnout I could get away with having power coming in on one of the three tracks and getting distributed to all the others. Apparently this is not so.
My main question:
Do I need to run track power to each part of the turnout?
This is a pain as all the track is down (though not permanently), but I will do this additional wiring if I must.
Also - I read here: http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches_walthers.htm
that one should not use common rail. Yikes! I have used a common rail everywhere. And yet, the turnouts with power all around work fine... Or does this just spell trouble if the layout ever got converted to DCC?
So - two concerns above. The most important one, however, is the matter of having to add more power leads to get power to all three parts of the turnout... is this necessary?
All advice appreciated!
I've just completed phase I of my DC layout wiring, meaning that the blocks and turnouts are wired. (Not yet done is the turntable.) And I've got some trouble that I need help with...
Walthers DCC-Friendly turnouts and how to wire them. I got these, since they are universally recommended over the old ones, and since someday this layout may get rewired as DCC (who knows...). Some of the turnouts work fine -- those with wiring attached to track adjoining all three "ends". But others have dead spots.
I had thought that with the wiring cross-connections on the bottom of the turnout I could get away with having power coming in on one of the three tracks and getting distributed to all the others. Apparently this is not so.
My main question:
Do I need to run track power to each part of the turnout?
This is a pain as all the track is down (though not permanently), but I will do this additional wiring if I must.
Also - I read here: http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches_walthers.htm
that one should not use common rail. Yikes! I have used a common rail everywhere. And yet, the turnouts with power all around work fine... Or does this just spell trouble if the layout ever got converted to DCC?
So - two concerns above. The most important one, however, is the matter of having to add more power leads to get power to all three parts of the turnout... is this necessary?
All advice appreciated!