Does anyone know of an easy way to deaden sidings for parking analog & DCC tains? Are there simple switches for doing this? I understand that by parking an analog train it will idle and may burn out the motor. I'm using 2 Bachmann On30s, one analog (no DCC) the other DCC. I'll probably get an EZ Command Center.
If you use turnouts that only provide power in the direction they are thrown. Or you can insulate the siding directly after the turnout and use an Atlas selector switch to provide power. (did you see that I had "sinning" instead of "siding"
Let me add to what ABC said. If you use power routing turnouts that only provide power in the direction they are thrown. Or you can gap one rail and run a jumper wire with an off on switch from the hot rail to the siding.
to add to what both previous posts have said, if your switches use a solenoid type (twin coil) switch motor, you can wire an atlas snap relay to do this disconnect of the siding every time you throw the switch for the mainline. the instructions and diagrams for this are included with the snap relay.
To add yet another idea, if you like quiet, slow motion switch action, you can throw the turnout with a Tortoise machine and use the contacts to switch the siding. The main line can be left powered all the time.
Jim
Thanks for all the info. Question now is, who sells power-routed turnouts?
peco sells them under the name electrofrog.
If you can't find power-routing turnouts and can't deal with turnout contacts, the other simple solution is to go to Radio Shack and get a simple on-off toggle switch. Cut a gap in one rail beyond the clearance point of the switch, then wire the toggle switch around the gap.