MTH DCS and Fastrack turnouts

According to Barry's book, I should use auxiliary power for the turnouts so that the DCS signal does not have to travel through the turnouts circuitry. Any thoughts?

Yes, what I said!  

Yes, aux power for switches its the best way to go.

shackdaddybass,

   Barry's advise is great especially if you are only running DCS, however with the addition of Legacy and Command Control FT Switches, there is no need to wire the AIU

or run FT CC switches from Aux power any more.  Build your DCS/Legacy controlled layout in blocks as Barry explains in his DCS O Gauge Companion Book, using the 12 track join discipline.  You can run as many as 99 switches off track power in this manner, controlling all switches from the Cab2 of your Legacy.  It took me a long time to invest in the Legacy system to add to my DCS layout, I am now grateful that I expanded my DCS layout with the Legacy system.  The low voltage FT CC switches run off track power, are incredible & almost bullet proof.  A combined DCS/Legacy layout, especially if you own FasTrack is definitely the way to go.

PCRR/Dave  

Thanks for all the great info.  I'll have to look into the Legacy side of things.  So great to get my questions answered so promptly-keeps me moving forward and that makes my 8 year old quite happy!

If you want to run the FT switches off track power in the DCS environment, a useful change is to replace the track power jumper on each switch with a 22uh choke.  This will avoid any interference with the DCS signal from the switch electronics.

Guns,

   So far I have not even had to do that, and everything works perfectly.  I do however run my Legacy on the oppisite outside rail from the DCS, don't know if this makes any difference in reality, or not.  I just set up in this manner, as I added Legacy to my DCS layout.

PCRR/Dave

I don't think the rails make any difference for Legacy. I have Legacy tied into all the commons at my TIU outputs and it also works really well here. I don't have any Fastrack CC switches though, using Atlas track & switches.

Dave,

I do however run my Legacy on the oppisite outside rail from the DCS, don't know if this makes any difference in reality, or not.

It shouldn't matter, since train wheels short the two rails together.

Barry,

   Roger that.

PCRR/Dave

Not only train wheels, but look under every full sized piece of Fastrack.  Unless you've removed them, they're jumpered together with the metal straps.

Guns,

   You are absolutely correct, I forgot about that.

PCRR/Dave