DCS down a long hall, buss or star?

Why not zone wire the layout. A terminal block from one TIU channel at 25' will wire the first 50'. A second block at 75' from another channel will wire the next 50' and a 3rd wire from yet another channel at 125' will wire the next 50'. The TIU can be anywhere with a wire from the output side to the terminal block. One TIU channel per block. Save 1 channel for programming.

The only downside is that it is not suited for conventional running.

I believe it has been suggested that one can establish blocks, separated by insulated joints on the center rail and each fed by a branch from the TIU's output (the "star wiring" technique).

On my test-track loop (about 11' by 17') I have two connections to the TIU, one on each side of the loop, but no blocks. I'll often hit the "start forward" horn key (two blasts) and get two sets of horn blasts. I think this is because as the digital signal travels through both power feeds before hitting the track, one being substantially longer than the other introduces just enough of a delay on the longer leg that the loco receives two commands and behaves accordingly. With shorter blocks having dedicated connections to the TIU, each track segment gets its DCS signals from one direction only.

---PCJ

Tom Tee;

Star wiring is preferred, However;

Buss Wiring DCS has been done successfully by Modular Clubs.

You need to add blocks and either the "magic light bulb" or an Engineered Filter at each power drop to kill all the signal bounce back from track block ends.

The Filter uses no power, the light bulbs use some power each.

Railride;

That is why DCS specifies one power drop per block.

I'd run the common via 10-ga buss as you describe, with, say, 15 blocks (insulated center rail only) each about 10 feet long, fed by 12-ga (longer runs) or 14-ga (shorter runs) running from the TIU output(s).  If you'll also be running conventional, I would run each hot feed through a toggle switch.

Thank you.

Caveat, this is to be a two rail 0 scale DCS and conventional.

I like this one above however does the remote range come into play, I suppose the tiu located in the center might be the best location. track signal shouldn't be a problem but tiu/remote might be?(150 feet?? I know we did the tiu antenna modification  and can get somewhat good tiu / remote communications at  about 75 feet if pointing directly at the tiu.

we have 4 tiu in super to eliminate most range problems, You  kind of walk around the layout following your train in each tiu zone.