I am planning on having 4 controllers, one for the fiddle yard, one for the roundy roundy and two for the "high level" which has terminus and goods yard at one end and carriage sidings and shed/MPD at the other; that is the basic allocation, so if I'm involved in shunting the yard I can still have something running round and round, at a push I could also be moving carriages between the terminus and carriage sidings. The fiddle yard is "up" the terminus is "down"

However, when I want to send a train from fiddle yard to Terminus  (or vice versa) I want to be able to use the controller at the "destination" for the complete run; I plan to use 2 pole 6 way rotary switches to achieve this; switch positions would select "off", "the local controller" (1 or 2 on the high level) or next section of track "up" or "down"; So to drive from fiddle yard (Up) to terminus (down)  via roundy, terminus is set to local controller 1, roundy to its next section "down" (= terminus), fiddle to its next section down (=roundy) if I wanted to keep circling the roundy after leaving the fiddle yard  I would set the roundy switch to local, meanwhile preparing a train in the terminus, moving ECS from the sidings to platform, and loco from shed on the local controller(s), when ready to depart, stop the roundy train in one of the loops and isolate, set roundy and terminus switches to "next up" and drive train from terminus to fiddle on the fiddle controller.

As it stands the most switch positions I need will be 5 on the high level, and 4 on roundy and fiddle, so room for expansion.

OK I know I could do it all with DCC, however chipping 20+ locos and buying a DCC controller plus the learning curve is not viable at my age and on a pension.

Hi Mike,

Looks like you've got your work cut out. I wouldn't let age rule DCC out. The learning curve isn't too bad, if I can get trains programmed and running ……. Anyone can.

The cost however is different admittedly. Deep pockets I'm afraid but the ability to be able to control your trains anywhere is worth it.

DC may just take a little longer to get the control right but I suppose it's just all part of it. I'm sure you'll get there.

Toto

I've done it before Tom, on a BIG loft layout, 7 controllers, 3 control positions, cabling like a knitted spaghetti bird's nest; but it worked.

Doing wire in tube and some point motors is where the real fun will start!

Hi Mike,

Rather you than me. Are your baseboards hinged for easy wiring access ? Otherwise you could be in for some discomfort.

Get the pictures going once you get started with it all. I'll look forward to seeing an expert at work.;-)

Cheers

Toto

Mike, in my DC days, I too had many controllers, mainly at each station & by using linking track sections, one could drive a train from end to the other under one controller.
The cab control & linking process allowed me to have 4 stations & up to 6 operators - all worked well.

I guess the main advantage I now find with DCC is the ease of having from one to 4 trains on the move in my main station without the need for cab & section switches - DCC is certainly a boon when a lot of shunting is being carried out at the same time by 2 or more locs on the move.

Tom, my baseboards are 2" thick celotex foam covered with cork tiles, the high level is 2 sheets thick so need a hole through both, quite a bit of my wiring will run in channels cut into the surface, easily covered when doing the scenery. This shot (taken in early construction/planning "seeing if it will all fit") will give an idea of the foam height, making a hole through it is very easy, a screwdriver will poke through almost like a knife through butter. Once a cable is pushed down through a hole it is a simple matter to reach under and bring it to the front edge of the layout where it will be terminated at a tag strip and labelled, e.g. GS1 = Goods siding 1 P1 = platform 1, SH1 = shed road 1, UP1/Dn1 = up and down roads on the double track sections and similar cryptic references.



I use mostly 6 way phone cable, 1 hole for up to 3 cables, surface  channels from the top of the hole to the tracks, colour code each cable  at intervals, - having worked and taught electronics for over 45 years  the resistance colour code is engraved in my mind, 3 bands of colour  first 2 are digits 0-9, third is the multiplier/number of zeroes; and  that can code from 0.01 up to 99,000,000,000 so I shouldn't run out of  numbers (although I've never seen any resistors coded with more than 6  zeroes after 2 digits). I practice I'm unlikely to need anywhere near 99  six way cables for any of my 3 control areas (fiddle yard, roundy  roundy and high level terminus and yard) so I can use the 3rd colour  band to identify the control area.

At this stage of the proceedings I can easily experiment where and how to split up sections within each area.

Well I've connected dozens of bits of wire between tracks and switches, surprisingly some of it works, less surprising is that there are a few problems, the most annoying problems are the scissors and double slips, on the scissors I can get the locos to run straight, but stall half way across when trying to take any crossing moves. Ive downloaded the Peco pages and think I've got it as per the diagrams, it just refuses to behave.

I'm reminded of a favourite  RAF saying " if  ya can't take the joke, ya should'n'a joined!"

I bought two scissors sets when I was building Olpharts Crossing, Mike.

I never got them to run through anyhow except straight across.

Somewhere there's a photo of the two sets cut in half with my Wiss snips, before I threw them in the bin.

I can dig it out if you like. 

A$200 in the toilet. 

Don't tell me that, I'm just setting up a double slip on my Llandyfriog Junction plank!
I too have followed the peco wiring for DC. It's not connected yet but when it is I'll let you know how I get on.
cheers
Marty

The good news is that my scissors weren't Peco, Marty. 

Nor were they N scale.  :cool:
After I'd tried and failed, the lads told me that scissors aren't very prototypical, anyway. 

I knew I had it somewhere . . .

Yew! I remember that… 
OK, fingers crossed that Peco N gauge double slips are far easier than those scissors. FAR, far easier. :roll:
cheers
Marty

scissors aren't very prototypical, anyway.

http://www.signalbox.org/diagrams.php?id=98


How's that for a nightmare? Two scissors and a Double slip plus at least a dozen "ordinary" points, and this was not including about 16 roads of carriage sidings

Double slip sorted, now running OK; the scissors however is still giving grief, I can run an 0-6-0T on the cross route at high speed but run slower it stalls in the part way over, set for straight, no problem.:roll:

I used to have a problem with a cross over on my old layout, although it was OO it may apply to N, I discovered that as the loco did a kind of shuffle as it went through the two points the rear of one of the wheels with pick ups was touching the other switch rail and causing a short, if that makes any sense, I have confused myself now :???:.

Pete. 

SORTED now crosses both ways, I hadn't isolated a section further away and a point was causing a short which disappeared when the point was changed from straight to turn or when the switch position was set to isolate. Now got the carriage sidings and MPD to do, have to isolate them and wire them up.


Once that is all sorted then a few more wires in tubes for points and some point motors for the more remote points. Also add some single rail breaks with diodes and push button switches at the ends of sidings, platforms etc.

After all that I'll have to tidy up the coloured spaghetti knitted birds nest AKA wiring.

Bravo… I'll holler if I have trouble with my double slip!

Marty

When you've done with yours Mike, if you fancy a short (pun intended;-)) break in France ……………………………..:roll::roll:

Mine's "OO" so twice the size of yours so should be a doddle for you …………:cheers

Recent progress pics


Lotsa wires in toobs


Control panel so far, still have turntable and MPD to do on upper level, then the low level circuit, and a separate panel for the fiddle yard. The hook at top right is for holding the panel up so I can get at the wiring, there is a large cable tie fixed to the panel, I slip the end over the hook, crude but effective!



I'll get there eventually!

Hi Mike, its coming along a treat! nice to see your AGW controllers, my missus used to work at AGW and made the controllers the factory is still going but they don,t make toys for us anymore, shame that.

Pete.