Multiple controllers

[station master]

Afternoon gents, just a random question, can you use two different systems on the same layout??

[yelrow]

hi, if you mean, DC, and DCC, yes, but its complicated, you need to be able to switch. Someone, far cleverer than i will tell you how. If you mean can you have different makes on DC, then yes, i have 6 different manufacturers.

[Rog (RJ)]

You must only ever have one DCC system connected to the layout. Many DCC systems allow extra handsets to be connected to the system for use by more than one operator or connection at the far side of the layout for example.

Edit
PS. You could have a second DCC system controlling points and accessories as long as there is no connection between the 2 systems.

[yelrow]

I have an elite, with 2 Select Walkabouts, for example.

[teedoubleudee]

I've got three on mine but they are not interconnected.

[darkscot]

I have three controllers, but only one is powered up at any one time.

A geriatric Gaugemaster handheld I use for running DC locos to test track or check an eBay purchase before fitting a decoder.
A Bachmann EZ Command for DCC, which is my main controller.
A SPROG II which I use for programming & fine tuning decoders.

[Jsa274]

I have two controllers wired up to my DC layout.

I have wired them in such a way that they can control any of four electrically isolated track circuits simultaneously.

This is achieved using a single pole double throw centre off switch for each track circuit. The centre position is ‘off’, left = controller 1, right = controller 2.

I have (badly) annotated an RS components data sheet, see attached. You have two input wires - one from each controller - and one output wire to the positive rail of the track.



For the return wire, each track circuit has its own return which splits off to connect the two controllers so the circuit will be complete irrespective of the switch position. If you want to do it properly, you could get a double pole switch so the return wire would run through the switch too, however this means a lot more wires to run.

The main benefits are the reduction of the number of controllers if your layout has many separate track circuits. It also allows selection of more than one circuit simultaneously so you can (using my layout as an example) run one train from a TMD siding, through the inner loop, and onto the outer loop in one control move.

The drawback is it limits the number of trains you can run simultaneously. For my layout two is as much as you can get away with anyway.

Not sure if anyone else has used this method and can describe it more succinctly than this!

[Walkingthedog]

It's called Cab Control Jsa. I had four controllers on my OO layout and could run any part of the layout with any controller.
I now have two controllers on my O gauge layout and can do the same.

[Brian]

As the OP (Station master) posted their question in the DCC (Digital) section of the forum, I'm guessing they are referring to DCC only?? Unfortunately they have not been back to update the forum.

If DCC, then the answer is No you can only ever have one DCC system connected to the rails or DCC Bus pair. You can on some DCC systems add "Secondary" controllers to the master but these do not connect to the rails or DCC bus pair of wires directly - they connect to the master DCC system usually via dedicated data cables.

You MUST NEVER allow a DCC system to connect to a DC controller, one or both system will fail terminally!

[station master]

Thanks all for your input, my initial idea was to use my Powercab for two lines and then my elink for another two, these would both be powered from the single bus line. All running DCC only.

But reading from this could i do the following

Run all locos on the main lines via Powercab
Use Elink to run programming and test track

All fed from the same power bus line?