hi barry and thanks,   I like the idea of the first plan the top line   red  and bottom green running 2 trains also the yellow section  …   its getting the nerve to do it  lol  my electrics  knowledge stinks   cheers bob    ..    

Bob

Here is the basic wiring schematic for cab control and an isolated section.

Have a practice with a few bits of track first - its easier to see in the flesh sometimes and you can trace where the power is going.  I have ignored the 16vAC or 240v power in connections to the controller here.



Note that the red and black wires from the DPDT switch central connections go to the feed and return for the track.  The red wires for the isolating section go to the feed side only.

If you want some help, let me know and I will flesh out the whole schematic and stick in the post to the West Country.

Happy wiring!!

Barry

I think you know what I am going to say   lol    I will pay for the postage   I can then take the plan  it to the work shed cheers bob .…. 

Hello Bob and Barry,
Without trying to create an issue, and having now seen the diagram and thinking of possible operations, I feel that the blocks can be cut down to 6 switches.

My own design was on the following premises

1)  Bob has professed to not being terribly confident wiring wise -  using common rail saves half the wiring and make fault finding easier
2)  Bob has either two controllers or a gaugemaster which allows for common rail use
3)  The control panel will have a little more room to work around.

The single pole switch (preferably centre off) could also then be a block on/block off if it is only a case of one engine in steam.  

Bob, I can understand the trepidation you have - I have similar trepidation to restoring parts of my own layout, let alone adding extra signals etc for a variety of reasons - however it is your railway and up to you to decide the way you want to go!

Cheers

Trevor

hi all I dont want to upset anyone on here , everyone of you have help me in the past , trevor you help more then anyone on here all I am after is a easy way of wiring this layout my grandson and I wanted two trains but now I think 1 train with isolate side track to maybe park one up  and get another on the layout as well ….. again thank all for the help  bob 

Hi Bob,
I do not want to upset anyone here either -  nor would I try to dictate my way or the highway.  I am pleased that  both Paul and Barry were prepared to have a go at helping you with Paul drawing (pardon the pun) on the lessons with his layout which he picked up on very quickly!  None of us are forever so that passing of knowledge is important to me but not quite so much even that as the willingness to impart it.

However there are more ways to skin the proverbial cat with regards to wiring. Barry did make a suggestion which I could reduce the wiring involved so I will make another post with that modification in mind using his diagram. Ultimately you have to go with what you are comfortable with doing - as I say - it is YOUR railway!

Drawing to follow!

Cheers

Trevor

Cheers

Trevor

Good idea Trevor - its easier to solder to a switch terminal than it is to the track!!

Barry

I have my plan so now down to me and hope I can do my first cab control thanks for the drawings and help… this is what I like about this forum  ….  you get great help  .. I will keep you posted    cheers bob :doublethumb

hi  well I done it, lol   my first  cab control  but my grandson nor I can get on with it   so I will try something more easier for him  like I said maybe isolation sections thanks for all the help about how to do cab control   ….. picture below 

  

How old is the grandson?
One of my mates has a grandson that has just turned 4 and can uncouple Kadee with the little uncoupling rod & drive DCC trains after selecting the loco without any problems. He even knows the turnouts & the panels for same and watches for the signals.

If he's like me Sol, he could be well into his 70's and still struggle with electrics ……………………………

Red to red
Black to black
Blue to bits ………………………

well we had another go at it today and we both like it now,  :doublethumb it works great , took a little while to get used to the switches but he did it and now he wants to keep it….  so now down to the best part for me starting the scenery  like to thank barry and xdford for there help … cheers bob

YEA!!   :Happy :Happy :Happy

lol cheers Barry ..  THANKS FOR THE DRAWING  :cheers

Good to hear Bob - looking forward to seeing the scenics which you very adept at … I'll be looking for tips as my scenics start shortly once I've weathered the ballast, fixed the platforms to the baseboard and mounted the scratch built road bridge and road which I am actually pretty proud of as a first attempt.
cheers
Paul

Hi Trevor, Bob, Barry and Ron.  With the endless possibilities on a DC Layout, I am sitting here reading this thread and thinking “ why on earth, apart from the sound, did I bother with DCC ? Maybe, just maybe, I will have another go at a DC layout, if only to give my Pugs a run out. But once I have finished my three DCC planks.     Best wishes Kevin 

Hello Kevin,
Why not just have a switch that you can select either DC or DCC?  If you don't mind a one engine in steam running session, all your planks could be so converted and easily so!  Having said that, could you fit an N scale decoder to a pug? OK you won't have sound but do you need it?

If you need a wiring diagram, let me know but I would think it fairly straight forward,

Cheers

Trevor

Hi Trevor.  Thank you for your reply. I have enough fears about converting one of my OO Gauge Pugs , let alone N scale. The way my Planks are wired for DCC, when I want to run a DC Loco I hook two wires onto the bus, but with Electrofrog points and a bus, does that not change pure DC wiring??? . Besides that I have found an online L&Y Pug conversion with fantastic DCC sound, but cannot find how to get in touch with the “builder “ ?    Best wishes Kevin 

Hello Kevin,
What I was inferring is that the smaller N scale decoders could fit into the space available as long as the current was not an issue.  I have a Caledonian Pug which elder daughter sent as a birthday present from England when she lived there. The current draw on the Mabuchi style motor should be OK but I have a Canon motor - in fact I have a few which I will one day fit to the pug to make it a smoother runner at the low end. 

Personally, I have no intention of going DCC but two locos I have bought in recent times have chips in them and I did have two chips from Hattons which worked very well with straight DC - they ran very smoothly at the club - but did not seem like my throttles much so I have the chips spare for now!

Check the current draw of the Pug and see if it is in the range of the Chip. There should be enough room but maybe not for a speaker!

Cheers

Trevor