Wiring a Roundhouse With DCS

Put in a toggle switch for each track and just connect them to a DCS feed from the terminal block or TIU. It'll work fine. We only turn on a track when an engine is being moved in or out. The turntable can be on all the time. We also put momentary pushbutton switches on the tracks approaching the turntable to prevent accidentally running into the pit (found that out the hard way).

I use a 12 pole rotary switch.

Saves panel space in a big way.

As Matt says the TT track can be hot full time.

Rod

Rod,

I've read several times here on the forum about using a rotary switch for this application.  Do you have the model number of the one you use?

Thanks.

Ron

Ron;

Sorry for the delay getting back to you.

A good rotary switch is Mallory #31112J.

It is a single pole 12 position switch rated at 3 amps @ 18 VAC.

I use a total of 3 on my layout; two for yard sidings and one for TT tracks.

Never any trouble with them and they seem to handle the DCS signal just fine.

Rod

I agree with Matt.  It's handy to be able to power on multiple tracks to charge loco batteries.  I have the turntable, lead tracks, and house tracks each toggled.  No problems.

Rob,

Thanks.  I like the rotary switch idea.  Besides, all my DCS engines now have the battery replacement plus I'm not sure my basement ventilation system can handle multiple steam engines smoking at once.

Ron

Ron;

Agreed.

My premise on the rotary switch idea was that you would be very unlikely to need more than one turntable track or yard track powered at the same time.

I bought my switches years ago at a local electronic supply house.

You could do a google search and see what comes up. I don't know who supplies them these days.

Rod

Ron, you do not have to have the locos started up in order to charge the battery on the track, so smoke is not an issue.

Do what Rod did.  I have a 40 track turntable with perfect DCS signal.  Buss wire all the grounds and do the rotary switch method.  I used two double stack rotary switches.  One stack on each switch for track power and the second stack for LED panel lighting to show what track has power to it.  Perfect DCS signal.

Thank you all, off to find the Mallory rotary sw and Marty, liked the LED idea to show the powered track. 

Can you power up the tracks using an AIU?

After having a couple of locomotives creep off the turntable during turning I installed an on/off switch for the turntable track.  End of problem.

How about a source for Mallory  Rotary Switches Looking for at least a 12 -15 with two sections like Marty used.  Checked EBay not there. Web search ????

Yes, the on/off switch is a must.  You will see it on the far right side of my panel.

Where did you guys get turntables? I've wanted one but didn't know where to get one.

The cheapest used to be Bowser; that's what I bought in 1992.  There are several mfrs who sponsor the Forum; see top of page.

They can also be home-built.

I have a Millhouse River TT and I love it. It's not cheap by any means but I saved up for it for a year and I am very glad I did. I believe the Ross Turntable (which I hear is also a good unit) costs around the same price. AAA Precision Turntables make an excellent TT but costs even more than Ross and Millhouse River. There are also at least two other people that I have seen at York who make turntables but I can't remember their names. One is a professional layout installer. I've seen him in the Orange Hall.

If one just wants a TT to just sit there and look pretty then get the cheapest one you can find but if you instead want to actually use it as the prototype used it than it is well worth the expense for any of the companies I mentioned above. IMHO, of course.

I agree with Hudson.  I know the issues I've had with mine, and I observed the ones Ross had at York, that worked superbly, continuously with a loco on them, rotating and never missing a beat.  Of course, when I bought the Bowser, my pockets were on the lean side.

Here is a simplified drawing I did that includes the toggle switches.  I wired mine like this, and it works great with DCS.

http://www.korbermodels.com/up...ck_power_diagram.pdf

Turntables
Ross Custom Switches
Millhouse River Studio
AAA Precision Turntables
Drive parts for a fabricated TT.
Diamond Scale
Click on the underlined phrase to link to the specific websites.
An older Diamond Scale operating.  Click on the image, lower left triangle, to access a video.