Expert: Frank Edgcombe - 10/26/2006

Question
Hi Frank,
  I have been an HO modeler for many years but cannot solve this problem.  I am wiring the lower level of a new two-level layout. It has one reversing section in which I added an ARD.  I have run the power bus around thelayout- it also has a helix- and have checked the phase several times on the feeder wires which seems to be correct. My Digitrax Zephyr shows constant short and will not run power to the tracks.  I am using DCC friendly Atlas turnouts.  Any idea on how to approach this problem other than cutting each feeder wire to the track and power bus? I also made a bulb and buzzer for detecting shorts and it works too well. could it be in the turnouts?  Many thanks! Ron W.

Answer
Hi!  Ron.  Thanks for your question but unfortunately I have no experience with DCC at all.  You say that the Atlas switches are DCC friendly.  I not sure what that means.  I would suggest isolating them separately one by one and see if the short disappears.  In DC circuitry if one is using turnouts with electronically live , metal frogs one must be careful that the turnout is feed solely from the single end of the switch and the inner rails of the divergent routes are protected by insulators if the tracks lead to other routes as in a loop or crossover.  Other wise you'll get shorts.  I would think the same is true in DCC.  Does your turnouts have electronically connected metal frogs; isolated metal frogs or plastic frogs.  The three instances require different wiring it would seem.  I hope this helps rather than further confusing you.  Frank.