I have two tracks that will run to the engine house.
I’m currently wiring them so I can shut the power off to each track and I have a question since layout wiring is new to me.
Can I use a DPDT switch so that I can power tracks sets individually as I need them? And how do I wire those six leads on the switch?
Doug:
Since you only need to break one lead from the power supply, you can use a SPDP Center Off switch. That means Single Pole, Double Throw, with three positions. With the switch in the center position, both tracks are not powered. You can substitute a DPDT, Center off switch, but you will only use three of the poles.
First, be certain the ‘same’ rail is insulated in each of the tracks. Then only three leads to connect: One ‘outside’ lead goes to the insulated rail of one track, the other ‘outside’ lead goes to the insulated rail of the second track. The ‘center’ lead goes to (actually ‘comes from’) the power supply.
Hope this helps.
Happy RRing,
Jerry
What Jerry says will work fine. I like to have as many options as possible, so I would use one SPST (Single Pole Single Throw) switch for each track. They have two terminals. Wire them individually across the insulated gap in one rail. If you like you can cheat and only have one wire coming from one rail in the mainline track and tie that wire to the same terminal on both switches. Then one wore from the other terminal on each switch (two wires) to the insulated rail on each siding.