Where to begin track blocks

Switches are the easiest and most used spot.

Most of mine start at a turnout using the natural break in the rails. I also use Ross turnouts. Not sure though how the Ross ready switches are wired up. When I built mine. These weren’t an option.

Switches.  For conventional operation, you put breaks, at the ends of sections where you plan to operate trains.  Power is sent to each electrically isolated section (block) either manually or automatically to allow controlled operation of individual trains.

Sounds like you are planning on running DCS?  For that I don't have a clue.  I guess you can call the wiring drops, "blocks".  Although I suspect DCS was based on being able to convert a conventional Block operated layout without having to start over.

Keep in mind Barry's DCS recommendation of 10 to 12 track joints per block. I put the drops midway, and have had no DCS problems.

Thank you all for your input. I will put the breaks at switches, except for my very long (for me) mainline runs.

I have Barry's books and will remember his advice - though in 10 feet I will only have 3 gargraves track sections in parts of the layout. When I finally hook up DCS, I am concerned about the DCS signal if I have almost 30 feet of track in a block.

Are my concerns overblown?

I have 2 blocks that total about 100 feet in trackage. One TIU channel easily handles it. I’ve been running DCS since it was introduced. Not with initial success. My trackwork had been completed for about 10 years. But after some tweaking it works very well. My layout is good size and was wired with buss wiring with a feeder wire in every 3 foot section of Gargraves as well as every leg of every turnout. The buss tends to follow right under the mainline. So it’s a very short feeder to the buss. Way over wired if you follow the rules of DCS. Yet it works flawlessly. My final area uses the home run wiring and that worked out well.
Use a good quality wire with solid connections. Your TIU has 4 channels. Make use of all of them so that your not overloading a channel with to much trackage. Most important of all. Test and Test again your track signal as you build. Don’t settle for good enough. A 10 is attainable. It just may take some time to figure out.

@SouthCoastRocco posted:

I have Barry's books and will remember his advice - though in 10 feet I will only have 3 gargraves track sections in parts of the layout. When I finally hook up DCS, I am concerned about the DCS signal if I have almost 30 feet of track in a block.

Are my concerns overblown?

No problem with blocks with fewer joints, just keep the number of blocks per channel in the 10 to 12 limit.

Thanks, Gentlemen. Time to practice my soldering before I hook anything up.