ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
This section of the specifications has been modified to conform to the requirements
of the Digital Command Control system that has been installed and put into
operation on our club's layout.
Track Wiring:
Main Buss Wiring:
Each module will have three pairs of buss wires. Each set of buss wires shall
consist of one colored lead and one black lead. These shall be 12 gage stranded
wire and shall be used in the following combinations:
1. Track One: Red/Black
2. Track Two: Blue/black
3. Track Three: Yellow/Black
Each of the three main tracks shall be equipped with separate power leads. These wires will terminate in a male "Jones" plug (2-wire polarized) at the viewers right and a female "Jones" plug at the viewers left. These plugs will be color-coded red for track 1, yellow for track 2, and blue for track 3. The club has colored tape for color-coding the plugs. This color-coding will correspond with the color of the wire used for each track buss.
The colored lead to the outer rail (viewer's side) of each track shall be connected to pin #1 of each Jones plug. The black lead to the inner rail of each track shall be connected to pin #2 of each Jones plug. These leads shall extend 12" below the frame of the module to accommodate connection to the adjoining modules.
These buss wires should be located directly under the track that they correspond to.
Drop Leads:
Drop leads are the wires that connect each rail of the track to the main
track buss wire. These shall be made of 18-gage solid wire. These drop leads
will be color-coded as follows, red wire for the outer (viewers side) rail
and connecting to the colored buss wire (red, blue, yellow) and white wire
for the inner rail connecting to the black wire of each buss. These drop leads
shall be placed within 2"of each end of each track, and additional drop
leads shall be placed as required. These wires should be kept as short as
possible, without putting any strain on the main buss wires, to prevent them
from being snagged when the modules are moved.
Insulating Gaps:
Gaps must be cut in the rails to assure that there is no electrical connection between the different "power districts". Each of the main tracks is a separate power district; therefore any crossovers must have gaps cut in BOTH rails. Also, due to the nature of the DCC and the construction of the turnouts available to us, the "common" rails, the two rails that meet at the "frog" must both be gapped on the opposite side of the frog from the points. This should be done about 1/2" to 1 "from the frog. Additionally, special track configurations such as reversing loops and "Y's" will require gaps as well. Because of these gaps, additional drop leads may be required.
Please contact a member of the wiring committee or other club member familiar with the wiring for information concerning these gaps and where they need to be placed.
PM42 Wiring:
On certain modules, those that have large numbers or turnouts and sidings, it might become necessary to isolate those tracks from the rest of the layout to prevent shorts on that module from interrupting the run session. This is done with a PM42. The exact method of wiring these devices is detailed in the instructions that come with the PM42, but there are a few notes that concern the club.
The wiring from the booster (or in our case, the buss wiring) to the PM42 should be done with the same color-coded wire as the buss you are drawing from. If the wiring to the tracks must span more than one module (table), then the same specifications as the main buss wiring apply to this wiring.
The PM42 requires a separate 12 Volt power supply to power its onboard electronics. This must be supplied by the module owner and approved by the club
Additional DCC and Accessory:
Wiring: LocoNet Wiring:
See Last 2 Pages for Details:
Booster Ground Wire:
Each module shall have a single 12-gage stranded wire color-coded green and terminated with single male Automotive type plug on the viewer’s right and a single female automotive type plug on the viewers left. This wire should run parallel to the buss wiring and be located toward the rear of the modules and extend 12" below the module framework on each side. This will be used to connect DCC devices such as the PM42 to the booster ground.
12-Volt Accessory Wiring:
Each module shall have a pair of 12-gage stranded wires, one orange and one
white, which arc terminated with a dual male Automotive plug on the viewers
right and a dual female Automotive type plug on the viewers left. These plugs
are polarized with the orange wire on the square side of the plug and the
white wire on the angled side of the plug. These wires should be run parallel
to the buss wiring and should be located toward the rear of the modules. They
can be run in the same location as the booster ground wire for added simplicity.
120-Volt Wiring:
Each module shall be equipped with two duplex outlets in surface mounted boxes. The boxes shall be connected to a duplex outlet on the end to the viewers left and a male plug on the viewer's right, which extends 12" below the framework. This plug must be of the pre-molded type found on extension cords. All 120-Volt wiring shall be three wire ground, 14-gage minimum and shall meet the National Electrical Code. 120-Volt wiring may be subject to inspection by local officials (Fire Marshall), and improper wiring will cause the removal of the module from the layout.
Items Available Through the Club
To insure uniformity in the wiring for the club, the following is a list of
the items that must be purchased through the club. These items are bought
in bulk by the club and sold to the club members for what it costs us to buy
them and have them shipped in. The club does not make a profit on these items.
Wire:
12-gage wire in the following colors:
• Red
• Blue
• Yellow
• Black
• Orange
• Green
• White
18-gage wire in the following colors:
• Red
• White
Plugs and connectors:
Jones plug-male and female ends sold as a set (P302-CCT & S302-CCT).
Single Automotive type plugs. Male and female ends.
Dual Automotive type plugs. Male and female ends.
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE:
THINGS TO CHECK BEFORE A MEET;
1. BE SURE THAT YOUR MODULE MEETS CURRENT SPECIFICATIONS.
2. HAVE ALL FLANGEWAYS CLEAR OF BALLAST AND TURNOUTS WORKING PROPERLY.
3. CHECK WHEEL GAUGE AND COUPLERS. TRY YOUR ENGINES AND LONG CARS TO BE SURE
EVERYTHING OPERATES AND THAT YOU HAVE PROPER CLEARANCES. NEW MODULES SHOULD
BE TESTED WITH THE LAYOUT PRIOR TO BEING SHOWN AT A MEET.
4. SCENERY SHOULD BE COMPLETE TO A POINT THAT VIEWERS WILL NOT FEEL THAT THERE
IS SOMETHING MISSING.
THINGS TO TAKE ALONG:
1. TWO "C" CLAMPS, FOUR PIECES OF CONNECTING TRACKS (BRIDGE PIECES).
2. ANY TOOLS NEEDED FOR ASSEMBLY OR LAST MINUTE REPAIRS.
3. THROTTLES.
4. HEADSETS
LAYOUT SECURITY:
1. DO NOT LEAVE ENGINES OR OTHER EXPENSIVE ITEMS ON THE LAYOUT OVERNIGHT,
OR WITHIN EASY REACH DURING A SHOW IF YOU CANNOT WATCH THEM.
2. KEEP A WATCHFUL EYE OUT FOR OTHER MEMBERS PROPERTY IF POSSIBLE.
3. KEEP YOUR POSSESIONS IN A SECURE PLACE DURING LAYOUT TAREDOWN TO AVOID
THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING THEM DURING THE CONFUSION.
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