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Reply to "How do You Wire your Layout?"

Originally Posted by PJB:
Bob Ogage and everyone else who says they star pattern wire exactly per Barry's book - I'm no electrician so can you be more specific? First, MTH and Barry both recommend only one power drop per track block and only one terminal block per TIU channel. Is this how you are actually wiring? If so, then you must have one control panel with each TIU chennel connected to one terminal block that is somewhere else under the layout? And the terminal block is sort of centrally located? Even if you confirm this, for those who have Atlas switches - myriad people say to ensure all three legs are powered. Without tinkering with the switch wiring itself, I don't see how you can have one and only one power drop in a given track block to satisfy DCS starpattern and yet have all three switch legs powered. I suppose the one power drop per block for DCS could power one switch leg and then the other two switch legs could have power drops that connect to an independent power source that doesn't run through terminal block and TIU? Peter

I haven't started building yet, but yes, I am planning on mounting MTH terminal blocks in central locations and then feeding track blocks from there. Was thinking of starting with 2 channels and adding on from there as I add to the layout, TIU powered separately with a Z-500 I have from an MTH set.

 

As for the Atlas turnouts, I was planning on using jumpers to connect the switch legs. I'm going to have 2 loops connected by turnouts and the loops will be isolated from each other. Was also going to ask here before finalizing my setup. I have quite a bit of track and the OGR wire & a bunch of other stuff, but no turnouts. Probably won't be purchasing any turnouts until next month, so I have not had a turnout to really examine yet. 

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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