Hi,
? My "best practice" is to isolate all 3 legs of the turnouts (double gaps) and
then power the turnout and the tracks feeding off of it using separate power
bus and feeders.
? The 'approaches' to the turnouts has been extended to the clearance
points by soldering on short sections of track to the two diverging legs
before the double gaps.
? Whether or not those 3 track buses are tied together below the layout
depends upon whether or not there is a power district change (different
DCC circuit breakers?).
? All my track power bus is done with 14 gauge wire (works well with the DCC
Specialties circuit breakers) and I use 22 gauge feeders up to the track.? Ye.? s,
my track bus is all twisted using regular 14 gauge house wire.
? But my feeders are not twisted.? This allows me to go back and add occupancy
detection if/where needed.? Including occupancy of the turnouts separate
from the rest of the track.
? The frogs of my turnouts are powered thru the tortoise contacts.? My
turnouts are all Peco.
? My plan is to use LCC for occupancy - in staging but not for the visible
layout.? LCC will also be used to determine if there is a train on a turnout
and prevent it from being thrown under the train.? Not 100% fool proof
since, at this time, I do not intend to put resistor wheelsets under all my
cars.
? YMMV - this is "fussy (takes more time), but works and is worth it" ... for me.?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? - Jim in the PNW
Jim Betz