DCC track isolate or not?

[steven_woodman-dix]

I have a track plan, but it contains six R618 isolation tracks, and as my new layout is to be entirely DCC sound trains, I'm not sure I really need isolation track. This is my first go at DCC so I sent my track plan to Hatton's and they supplied all my track on the track plan .

only when I checked did I realise there were these six isolation tracks.

Do I really need them?

[Rog RJ]

Probably not.  You may need some means of isolating some of the layout if it contains a reverse loop.  We usually use insulating rail joiners (IRJs) for this as a packet of IRJs is considerably less expensive than even one isolating track.

 

Post a copy of your track plan and someone will be able to advise.

[Chrissaf]

See TIP 8 in my TIPs page below regarding how to post an image. It sounds as if the track plan you submitted to Hattons was an Analogue DC one, as usually in DCC you do everything you can to make the whole layout live at all times. As Rog says, reverse loops need isolators, but we need to see your track plan to see if RLs are relevant.

.

TIP: As a newbie poster on the forum, just be aware that the 'Blue Button with the White Arrow' is not a 'Reply to this post' button. If you want to reply to any of the posts, scroll down and write your reply in the reply text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

.

See also – further TIPs on how to get the best user experience from this forum.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/tips-on-using-the-forum/

.