Need Input on DCS Wiring Diagram

Mike,

Looks good.  You will have to cut the plugs off the PH180s to wire direct to the TIU.  There are adapter wires but they are not needed.

I would connect all the yard tracks to the inner loop channel, this would make it easy to run conventional in the yard.  One PH180 should handle one mainline and the yard tracks.

I would buy a bunch of TVS 1.5KE36Ca and add one at the connection to each terminal block (TB1 and TB2) and one at each track connection. They are cheap and add additional protection for high end electronics.  These can be found on Mouser's and Digikey's web sites.

Just my thoughts.

Hey Mike!  Good to hear from you here, as I have only been keeping up with your pooch in FB.

I think Ron has good advice.  

I agree with CapPilot above. I also have my yard tracks connected just as he describes. The Digi-Key part numbers for the TVS diodes are listed here if you need them.

If you use the two spare variable channels set to fixed, you could get the yard track power from them. Just jump the inputs threw the switches. When you switch it on, the output of the tiu would then send the watchdog and the engines would not start up.

Also, I believe the TIU channels have the TVS protection when you go thru the TIU.

Engineer-Joe posted:

If you use the two spare variable channels set to fixed, you could get the yard track power from them. Just jump the inputs threw the switches. When you switch it on, the output of the tiu would then send the watchdog and the engines would not start up.

Also, I believe the TIU channels have the TVS protection when you go thru the TIU.

Joe, He is using the Variable tracks for main loop to run conventional too.

Looks good.  You do not have to set the Var to fixed, you can just scroll up to the voltage you want.  That way if a command engine was on loop 1 and conventional on 2 and you wanted it to get on loop one to get to a yard as example, you could just scroll loop 1 down in voltage to 12-14, so that the conventional engine is move manageable, etc....  G

I thought he might have it hooked up that way. It was so tiny of a picture, I couldn't tell.

You will need to power the TIU since you are not using the Fixed1 input channel. TIU's are powered through voltage applied to the Fixed1 input channel or by adding an external power supply (explained in Barry's book).

Thank you everyone for your input.  From your feedback, it seems like I am on the right path.  Sorry the picture was small.  

John, I will be powering the TIU with a Z500 (assuming that is enough?) into the Aux input. 

To clarify my diagram:

- Two Lionel PH180s, one powering one variable channel of the TIU, each.  

- One MTH Z500 powering the TIU through the Aux input.  

- The outputs will run into two terminal blocks, one for each loop (each loop divided into 4 blocks).  

- The inner loop will also power the yard tracks (Thanks Ron/CAPPILOT) each with a SPST toggle to kill power when not in use.

- One AIU to control 9 or 10 switches which will be wired in parallel so that I can use either the DCS remote or switch controls my own control panel.  These           switches will be powered by a Lionel KW.

Can I use a small transformer from old HO stuff for the lighting of the layout?