As I wire up, I have been dividing the track into DCC zones. Each zone has a circuit breaker and the basic design is twofold –
- to isolate areas under human and computer control so that a short circuit in one area does not stop another area working and
- to separate areas of engine density so that, if we have to fit boosters subsequently due to the current draw from engines, we can easily do so. The zone circuit breakers are fed by a common power bus – should a booster be needed, it would replace the breaker.
The idea of doing by operator station is because the most frequent cause of a short will be (we hope) operator error with point setting and so we only want that operator to have to live with the consequences.
The zones are
- Port Dinllaen
- The main MPD
- Port Llynfi Junction and the Pwhelli branch (including the WR MPD) as far as the opening section
- Tan-Y-Graig and the mainline from the opening section to the Trefor Junction
- Nantlle
- The hidden tracks
There are also two places where an auto reverser is needed – on one side of the wye at the entrance to the hidden storage yard and at the start of the Pwhelli branch.
