My first layout since I was a kid

[skinner75]

Hi all,

I've just started my first layout, well second if you include when I was a nipper!

It's nothing fancy, just a 4'x2' baseboard on which to set a 00 Inglenook, or shunting puzzle. I'm using it as a test bed for my first foray into DCC.

Track is Peco code 100, with electrofrog points. I've one of Tam Valley's dual frog juicers to hook the two points upto.

Currently have the track wired up to the dcc bus, and the loco can run to the end of all sidings & across the points at a crawl without stalling, so I'm happy with that.

I'm using the NCE Power Cab for my controller, and find it easy enough to get the hang of.

I picked up an 8 pack of bachmann 12t vans to use in the shunting puzzle. I tried popping out the tension lock couplers on them, and fitting kadee #19 couplers in their place, but they appear to sit a tad too low. Looking on the kadee site, they recommend #5 couplers for bachmann branchline wagons, so I've ordered some of them to try out instead. The #19 coupler appears to be at the correct height when fitted to a MM141, which is the loco I plan to use.

I'm waiting on some on/off/on toggle switches for remote point control. I have peco point motors, the pl10e, to fit under the baseboard. On that, can I ask for some info on point motors and dcc? The point motors says to use a 16v supply, so is this seperate from the dcc bus then? I have access to plenty of used laptop power supplies - can they be used for powering point motors?

 

Anyway, heres a link to my flickr page with pictures of progress so far, which I'll update as I go along

 

[Dave]

That's a good start, the NCE Powercab is a great controller. Laptop power supplies are ideal, try get as high an amp rating as possible and a voltage up around 16 to 20. This way you won't need a capacitor discharge unit.

 

Have you thought of making your boards to fit in with the system myself and Eoin are building? This way you can bring them along to join them up with ours. Here's the thread on it http://irishrailwaymodelling.com/showthread.php/2465-Modular-OO-Layouts

[skinner75]

Cool, I'll take a look at the old supplies and see what the beefiest is & use that.

As for joining up my board, I'll decline, as this is really just a test of the various skills more than anything else. That, and I don't drive a car, so transporting it by motorbike would be a no-no! ;-)

[heirflick]

looking good - best of luck with it!

[skinner75]

After a bit of research, I've ordered a 'DCC Concepts ADS2 Solenoid Point Motor Accessory Decoder'. Looks like it gives the option of either DCC control or toggle switch control. Can be powered off the DCC bus too, or from a seperate power supply. It can only handle two points, but that's all I require so will do the trick nicely.

[skinner75]

Found a load of big power supplies for laptop docking stations due to be sent off for recycling in work - 19.5V / 11.8A, so I'll grab one of these to use on the layout

[Dave]

Found a load of big power supplies for laptop docking stations due to be sent off for recycling in work - 19.5V / 11.8A, so I'll grab one of these to use on the layout

 

Excellent, at almost 12 amps it will be ample for point motors.

[skinner75]

I opened up the power supply I got, and snipped off the existing power cord coming from the psu, leaving about an inch on the two wires coming from the board. I then got a 'kettle lead', and cut off the plug, and joined the live & neutral wires to the corresponding ones in the psu. This leaves me with a male kettle lead connector at the end. I will attach a female kettle lead connector to the baseboard, with the two point motors and toggle switches joined to the other end. This will allow me a quick but solid connection for hooking up power to the point motors.

Before doing all the above, I opened up the psu block and tested it. I offered up wiring from an unmounted point motor, just to see if it would activate the solenoid, to the power output points on the psu - it did. The point motor sheet lists 16v AC as the power source, but the psu I'm using is 19.5v DC as mentioned earlier.

I then fitted both point motors under the baseboard, after making sure they were spot on so as the throw bar could travel freely & switch the points above. That was a bit fiddly, but got done in the end. I have the peco wiring looms attached to the point motors just waiting to be joined up. I'll pick up the female/male kettle lead tomorrow in work, and that'll allow me finish off the electrical side of the layout.

Next on my list is to find something I can mount the NCE Power Cab power connector board, and the two toggle switches into.