Yes. Buss wire = 2 wires, one for each rail. You will need to install insulated rail joiners (gaps) in both rail to electrically separate the two power districts from each other. If you have a loop of

End of each. Placing them close to the booster defeats the purpose of the snubber. The goal is to install them at the far end furthest tack bus wire wise away from the booster. What is the

Nick With the built decoder in the SMAIL the pins 1 and 8 connector do not have the same function as 1 and 8 on the basic tortoise and my suggestion does not apply. While there is DC inside

The Walthers system uses servo motors that operate differently from a Tortoise. Servos use the three wire connection – common, power and control wires respectively. They are incompatible with

It would probably help if I clarified further. I did also purchase the Walthers distribution block 942-111, which I originally thought was DC only until last night when I realized is has 8 pins for

Yes, basic green machine with the built-in decoder (I believe referred to as SMAIL). No DC involved at all, I power these from the track bus so the Power Cab/JMRI/WI Throttle can throw them.

How about simply programming the decoder so that the function outputs are non-directional? I do it with my deciders. Craig Zeni Cary, NC Despatched from my infernal Android

DUH !! I knew that! Don't know what I was thinking. Obviously I wasn't. Thanks Monty

The white and yellow can just be tied together. That will leave the lights on controlled on/off by F0. However the current capacity will be still limited by the decoder. max

Nick The suggestion (at least the one I made) did not involve track power at all – just putting the Leds in series with the DC power to the tortoise. To be clear by tortoise do you mean the

Please excuse my lack of sophistication re DCC wiring. I am new to this blog -- thanks for letting me join -- and have found the wiring instructions in the related web site invaluable. I am in the

The net result of running one of the track feeds to pin 1 of the 942-121 and back out of pin 3 to the #8 pin on the Tortoise was both LEDs showing yellow and the push button having no effect

Monty, I don't think you want to use the headlight (white wire) and rear light (yellow) for your yard and roundhouse lights. These are tied to the forward and reverse direction of the locomotive.

I am using an older NCE decoder to run my Bowser turntable motor as it allowed me to control speed. I put a max output cap voltage to the motor for realistic turntable rotation speed. I was playing

I am thinking about using a decoder I pirated out of a Bachmann 2-8-0 to power turntable and to power roundhouse and yard lights. Thinking I can use the orange and gray wires to power the turntable

If you are OK with using these just for indicators, try disconnecting the wire presently going to either pin 1 or pin 8 of the tortoise and connecting it instead to pin 1 of the 942-121 , then

I scanned the materials on the site but either it isn't covered or I'm too dense to interpret what I'm reading and apply it as needed. NCE system using five Tortoise machines with the built-in

Also known as "Music Wire" .  "Do it Best" hardware affiliates have the best prices I have seen and have free shipping to their affiliates. Best Regards, Ken Harstine

Hi: Sorry: They also have music wire: https://www.mcmaster.com/8908K34 Carl.

Not likely, note that this is "softened" What is needed is steel wire - and music has some "spring" to it.