.................................. Return to Sumner's Home Page....
Return to N Scale RR Main Menu........ Return to DCC++ Menu
=========================================
..............Previous Page...........…Return to TrackManager Menu...............Next Page If There Is One
=========================================
.....……..….--- TrackManager 8 Power Districts --- Pt. 1 ---
DCC-EX has a feature that you can use called TrackManager. It allows you to change the track outputs from the DCC-EX command station to a number of DCC & DC options at any time. This allows one to run all DCC, all DC or a combination at the same time using the same throttle.
Valid Modes are:
DCC modes: MAIN, MAIN_INV, MAIN_AUTO, PROG, NONE
DC modes: DC, DC-INV, DCX, NONE (DC_INV is DC with reverse polarity -- if your engine is going the opposite way the throttle is set for you can use it and forward on the throttle will be forward for the engine).
Much more info on TrackManager and how it works on the DCC-EX website ( HERE ).
The base DIY command station or the CBS1 ready to run command station have 2 track outputs stock. They can be changed to any combination of DCC and DC as noted above. With the CSB1 command station you can add a plugin board, 8874, which gives one 2 more track outputs for a total of 4 track outputs. These can be wired to 4 or more districts and each can be either DC of DCC at the same time. If you have more than 4 districts then you could control which ones were connected to which command station track output with electrical switches. If you stay with 4 you can change between the options on the fly with an Android phone throttle running EngineDriver. Don’t have an Android phone? Get a used one or a cheap new one….you don’t need a phone plan to use the app.
If one builds the DIY command station you can have a total of 4 motor shields with it. Each motor shield has 2 track outputs so 4 of them gives you 8 track outputs (power districts). This is what I’ll be building on the following pages. As noted you need one motor shield on the base command station configuration to give you 2 track out puts. You are also going to want a WiFI shield on top of the motor shield so that you phone or commercial throttle can connect directly to the command station. The CSB1 has Wifi built in and it is only about $15 to add it to the DIY build so I’d for sure do it even though there are other options on how to connect to the command station.
One might get away with adding a second motor shield to the top of the first one and the WiFi shield on top of it but adding more is iffy. Two motor shield would give you 4 track outputs and if that is enough you might try it. I wanted 8 so that I could replace the Tam Valley boosters and circuit breakers that are used with my 8 power districts. They work great but I’m not able to take advantage of what TrackManager has to offer. I have a lot of DC locos I probably will never convert to DCC and this new configuration will allow me to run them about anywhere on the layout. Also the expense is a lot less as I’ll have a DCC command station and TrackManager running in 8 districts for under $200 total.
I bought the Elegoo Mega 2560 clone (command station) off of Amazon (I’m in the US) and the motors shields and breakout boards from China. The breakout boards will make it possible to make the wire connections need without having to solder directly to the Mega or the Motor Shields.
So…. On to the build……
One can find the breakout boards other places besides direct from China. There are a number of warnings that they come with a number of the pins on the bottom that plug into the mega all bent up. They weren’t wrong. I spent about 15 minutes getting the bent ones straight and the board plugged into the top of the mega. Take you time and work slowly at doing this. Once the board is plugged in you shouldn’t have to remove it (more on that later). The WiFi shield I had plugs into the top of the breakout board. Make sure you are plugging it in the correct place directly above where it would plug into the mega if the board wasn’t there.
.
.
.
.
.
.
….. continued on the next page.....
=========================================
…………………………..Next Page If There Is One
