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    Wiring preferences

    Looking for thoughts/opinions.

    Do you place electronic devices (such as auto reversers, power management, etc) closer to the each track location or do you centralize all of your devices on a single board?

    Example, if I place a BXPAR1 next to the block being protected, I run less power wires and the feeders are shorter (possibly better for detection), but I need to run additional loconet cables.

    I see pros and cons for each approach. Honestly I think its probably half a dozen one way six the other. Was just curious what you do any why?​
    ~Matt

    #2
    I don't have any devices to locate at the moment. But when I start on my loco depot diorama, the motor drive will be from a decoder and the bridge deck powered from an AR1, both of which, along with the motor, will be encased in an electronics box for protection. That way I'll only need 2 wires (DCC bus) into the diorama.

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      #3
      I have LCC nodes to take care of signals and manage a small staging yard. (More to come!) I put the components close to the devices that they control.

      Tim Rumph
      Lancaster, SC

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        #4
        Well, I have quite a few electronic control boards of one kind of another on my layout and the locations are a combination of being centralized and close to what they are controlling. One factor that I consider is their being reasonably accessible.

        DCC:
        (1) DS64 for east end return loop on wall inside the helix.
        (1) DS64 for double crossovers under those turnouts.
        (2) PSX-AR's for the staging yards in a centralized location on the wall under the staging yard.
        (4) PSX-1's for the helix on the wall inside the helix.
        (2) PSX-1's for half the layout under the section of the layout they serve.
        (2) PSX-1's for half the layout under the staging yard that is below the section of the layout they serve.
        (1) PSX-AR for the east end return loop on the wall inside the helix.

        Other electronics:
        (2) Custom yard ladder controls in central cabinet on wall under staging yard.
        (1) Azatrax 8 channel IR control for sensors in yard, helix, and east end return loop in centralized location under staging yard.
        (4) Azatrax single channel IR controls for automatic sequencing in staging yard under staging yard.
        Brad Myers - aka N Scale Brad

        My blogs:

        Home layout - https://palisadecanyonrr.blogspot.com/
        DCC Installs -http://n-scale-dcc.blogspot.com/

        Youtube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfZt71OYhFcl8SIssQywQLw

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          #5
          My railroad consists of an old part (originally common rail wired with two cab setup), and a new part. On the old part of the railroad, I had one cab set up for DCC, and another set up to run conventional (to break in locomotives before DCC installs). That part of the railroad got upgraded over the last two years, with a much smaller section of the railroad still allowing for DC operation. PSX's are at what I will call "terminal areas", one by the town of Bessemer, one for the engine terminal, one for the yard, and one for the entire mainline in the "old room". Toggle switches still allow for killing each "Terminal area", and selecting a DC option (except in the yard and engine terminal).

          On the new part of the railroad ("New Room"), the railroad is DCC only. Every power shield district also has a on/off toggle. These are located on two sides of the layout, under the upper level. There are six power shields, three on each side of the stud wall that supports the island, with one power shield per level. In addition, the yard has a power shield for the A/D, "A" yard, and "B" yard, and the engine terminal. The yard PSX are located in the same location as the other three levels on that side of the stud wall.

          Two additional PSX's are in the new room, one for the west end staging, and one for the helix. The PSX for the helix is on the other side of the stud wall opposite of the yard with the other three level PSX's . The staging yard PSX is located at the separate panel for the west end staging, and every track has it's own on/off toggle.

          I am NOT a fan of the PSX-ARs. I've failed two of my original PXS-AR's that I had in my west end staging loop tracks (two), and I just failed the PSX-AR on the other reversing block in the other room. I replaced them with a toggle switch. I now only have one remaining original PSX-AR located on my turntable in the other room. If that one craps the bed, then it will come out, and get replaced with a toggle switch, which I had prior to the electrical upgrades in the old room.

          Regards,
          Jerry

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            #6
            I'm not a fan of ANY automatic reversing circuit. On my last layout I had a staging yard that had the front track and the back track connected by a reverse loop. Polarity was controlled by a relay controlled by switch machine contacts. When I get to reversing loops on this layout I'm planning on doing the same.

            Originally posted by JerryZ View Post
            ...

            I am NOT a fan of the PSX-ARs. I've failed two of my original PXS-AR's that I had in my west end staging loop tracks (two), and I just failed the PSX-AR on the other reversing block in the other room. I replaced them with a toggle switch. I now only have one remaining original PSX-AR located on my turntable in the other room. If that one craps the bed, then it will come out, and get replaced with a toggle switch, which I had prior to the electrical upgrades in the old room.

            Regards,
            Jerry
            Tim Rumph
            Lancaster, SC

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