Test Track For Workbench

At the club, I have a workbench and test track with rollers to test rolling stock. I have found that if the bench transformer and the main layout transformer are on the same household circuit, the Legacy base will talk to the engine on the workbench without a connection to the outside rails. I will check tomorrow and see if the same is true with the DCS-MTH system.

choochoopaul posted:

At the club, I have a workbench and test track with rollers to test rolling stock. I have found that if the bench transformer and the main layout transformer are on the same household circuit, the Legacy base will talk to the engine on the workbench without a connection to the outside rails. I will check tomorrow and see if the same is true with the DCS-MTH system.

Cool. Thanks. The bench and my layout are both in the basement and will be near each other but I don't know if they will be on the same circuit. 

Well, you can't use a CW-80 for the test track as it is not compatible with the DCS signal. Send an email to Marty Fitzhenry or gunrunnerjohn and ask about their configuration. emails are in their profiles.

Good idea for the test track and bench. The trains do need maintenance.

Connecting to the layout setup, like ChooChooPaul suggested,  will save you money to get going. I would suggest that having a duplicate setup to isolate the bench and have known good equipment and signal is the ideal configuration.

Work out a wiring scheme to run the test track like a separate line off of the layout with a simple center rail on-off switch. The common is common for all. both outside rails should be common. This will take care of TMCC/Legacy. The center rail is DCS. So, running a wire less than 15 feet long from the layout would be ok.

I would still look for another transformer for the bench to test conventional engines, accessories and such. A Z-1000 perhaps.

Good luck and talk to those guys. They have repaired and tested many engines and pieces of equipment. Listen to their experience.

Moonman posted:

Well, you can't use a CW-80 for the test track as it is not compatible with the DCS signal. Send an email to Marty Fitzhenry or gunrunnerjohn and ask about their configuration. emails are in their profiles.

Good idea for the test track and bench. The trains do need maintenance.

Connecting to the layout setup, like ChooChooPaul suggested,  will save you money to get going. I would suggest that having a duplicate setup to isolate the bench and have known good equipment and signal is the ideal configuration.

Work out a wiring scheme to run the test track like a separate line off of the layout with a simple center rail on-off switch. The common is common for all. both outside rails should be common. This will take care of TMCC/Legacy. The center rail is DCS. So, running a wire less than 15 feet long from the layout would be ok.

I would still look for another transformer for the bench to test conventional engines, accessories and such. A Z-1000 perhaps.

Good luck and talk to those guys. They have repaired and tested many engines and pieces of equipment. Listen to their experience.

Good idea thanks for the advice. I have a bunch of old CW80s sitting around doing nothing so I firgured I'd use one. I guess I can't do that. Darn. @gunrunnerjohn @Marty Fitzhenry what do yours guys bench track look like and how it is powered? 

My test bench has a TIU and an old TMCC BASE and CAB1.  It all works fine, but I don't mind having both remotes.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

My test bench has a TIU and an old TMCC BASE and CAB1.  It all works fine, but I don't mind having both remotes.

Cool. What power supply? I guess I can't use a CW80 with a TIU, I thought it was only a problem with conventional. Guess not. 

I use a Z-1000 and I run it through a 2A circuit breaker.  I figure nothing that I'm typically doing on the workbench should trip that breaker, and it gives better protection.  I could use just the Z-1000 brick, but I choose to have the controller for variable voltage.  I sometimes jumper the TIU to work with a DC bench supply, especially for loading sound and chain files into PS/2 and PS/3 boards.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I use a Z-1000 and I run it through a 2A circuit breaker.  I figure nothing that I'm typically doing on the workbench should trip that breaker, and it gives better protection.  I could use just the Z-1000 brick, but I choose to have the controller for variable voltage.  I sometimes jumper the TIU to work with a DC bench supply, especially for loading sound and chain files into PS/2 and PS/3 boards.

Cool. I'll go that route. Thanks. 

I have a Z-750 (one with 24V output) with a Z-1000 controller that I bought for a workbench but put it aside because I seem to remember there was something about the Z-750 that was not good.  I searched the forum but did not find anything saying the Z-750 had issues other than the chopped sine wave (same as Z-1000) or using the controller with a TIU.  Or maybe it was the Z-500  Can someone re-enlighten me on this?  Thanks.