Parking

[philws]

You can add a small turntable, Because the only hot track is the one the table is set to. I run DC and DCC and park my extra loco around my turntable.

[jward]

it is not possible to park an entire train on a turntable radial track like the original poster said he wanted to do. that is why he specified killing power to a particular dead end siding.

[guslcp]

it is not possible to park an entire train on a turntable radial track like the original poster said he wanted to do. that is why he specified killing power to a particular dead end siding.

PHILWS' comment is complementary to the subject at hand...I  have ON/OFF sidings for parking rolling stock and entire consists, and all turntable storage tracks can also be turned off for engine storage.

Gus

[Jerrys HO]

Trackman ED took AGSB's great advice and ran with it, no need to help him anymore unless your bored like me  .
And yes kdgrant the siding has to be isolated if you wish to have no power to the engine but you can still park the engine in a siding not insulated on DCC but there is still power going to the engine. I prefer a dead siding as not to have the draw from the controller.

Jerry

[kdgrant6]

I now see the advantage of what this thread discusses and would like to do it on an expansion I'm working on, but I'm still confused (though not as much as I was earlier, as a reader of my replies to this post can easily see).

Here's my problem: if I follow these directions, I can run a DCC locomotive out of the part of the layout controlled by my Bachmann EZ Controller.  It moves onto an isolated section of track powered by another source.  The locomotive still responds to the command of the EZ controller because . . . because why?

Does the fact that it receives electricity, even though it's from another power pack, keep it operating as it was when it left the Bachmann power block--and "by keep it operating" I mean bell ringing, light on, etc.? 

But what about speed?  How would I stop it if the EZ controller isn't controlling that part of track because of the insulated joiners?

After it is finished sleeping, how does flipping the switch allow me to take control again even though the engine is on another power block?

[Jerrys HO]

kdgrant6,
There is no other power pack needed to power the siding and I would not advise it.
All that needs to be done is to isolate the siding from the main tracking and use a toggle switch. To do this I usually isolate with insulated joiners right where the siding separates from the turnout and solder two wires from the rail to a feeder coming from the existing controller and splice the toggle switch into one of the feeder wires to that section allowing you to kill power to the rail thus causing the siding to go dead after the loco enters and you turn the toggle off.
If you pick up one of the books that  is for basic wiring for model  railroads it will help you understand this and others.

[kdgrant6]

Thanks, Jerry.

Is this Kalmbach book one you'd recommend?

Wiring Your Toy Train Layout, Second Edition
Peter Riddle
Item #10-8405

Or is there another one?

[kdgrant6]

Amazon reviews on the Riddle book say that even though the gook is a classic, all the examples are O scale.

This one by Mike Polsgrove is more recent and directly addresses DCC systems, which I have.

Basic DCC Wiring for Your Model Railroad: A Beginner's Guide to Decoders, DCC Systems, and Layout Wiring Paperback – April 1, 2011

Would it be better?

[kdgrant6]

Thanks, Jerry.

Where does this feeder come from on a Bachmann EZ Controller?

[Jerrys HO]

If you do not have a bus under your layout with feeders dropping to it (advise doing this if your layout stretches beyond a 4x8), you can easily splice into the red wire from your controller to the power terminal of your track.

[Len]

Thanks, Jerry.

Is this Kalmbach book one you'd recommend?

Wiring Your Toy Train Layout, Second Edition
Peter Riddle
Item #10-8405

Or is there another one?

Any Kalmbach book with "Toy Train" in the title relates to 3-rail O-gauge, like the Williams by Bachmann cars and locos.

Kalmbach books on DCC can be found here: https://kalmbachhobbystore.com/model%20trains/books?filter.series=f4a5e77d9eaa482aab3098d97a241766

Basic Wiring here: https://kalmbachhobbystore.com/model-trains/books/12491__Wiring-Your-Model-Railroad

Len

[Jerrys HO]

Thanks for posting the links Len, my brain is still asleep as I missed the two posts of the OP before the one asking where the feeder come's from.
There is also unlimited information on the web about this, not just in books.

[guslcp]

I now see the advantage of what this thread discusses and would like to do it on an expansion I'm working on, but I'm still confused (though not as much as I was earlier, as a reader of my replies to this post can easily see).

Here's my problem: if I follow these directions, I can run a DCC locomotive out of the part of the layout controlled by my Bachmann EZ Controller.  It moves onto an isolated section of track powered by another source.  The locomotive still responds to the command of the EZ controller because . . . because why?

Does the fact that it receives electricity, even though it's from another power pack, keep it operating as it was when it left the Bachmann power block--and "by keep it operating" I mean bell ringing, light on, etc.? 

But what about speed?  How would I stop it if the EZ controller isn't controlling that part of track because of the insulated joiners?

After it is finished sleeping, how does flipping the switch allow me to take control again even though the engine is on another power block?

You don't say what your "other power source" is.  There is a cardinal rule in DCC which states that there can only be one command station controlling a layout, whether it be  a small shelf layout or a large club layout.  Multiple command stations will soon lead to disaster...

Gus

[Len]

Thanks for posting the links Len, my brain is still asleep as I missed the two posts of the OP before the one asking where the feeder come's from.
There is also unlimited information on the web about this, not just in books.

Yep. But it's easier to make notes in the margin of a book you can carry to the layout than in the corner of a PC screen.

Len

[kdgrant6]

guslcp commetns:

You don't say what your "other power source" is.  There is a cardinal rule in DCC which states that there can only be one command station controlling a layout, whether it be  a small shelf layout or a large club layout.  Multiple command stations will soon lead to disaster...

I use only a Bachmann EZ Controller.