I'm getting ready to set up the feeder wires to my track from my bus wires.  I'm considering using some Radio Shack terminal blocks to make it easier.  So let me see if I got it correct.  I need one terminal block for one side of the track and another for the other side.  Run a line from the bus, hook it to one end of one block, use a jumper to distribute that power to the rest of the screws on that side......and run feeder wires from the other side to the track.  Is that correct, if I've been abale to describe it well enough?

 

I just tried to install two Atlas remote snap switch control boxes.  I installed the first at the end of two other switch contols.  The end of the original switch control has power coming from it but the new controls don't accept the power for some reason.  I tried both controls and both were faulty.  I had an extra control box, installed it the same way with no problems.
I'm guessing I must be doing something incorrect with the new Atlas switch controls as neither on works.
Any ideas?

I just received my Bachman GP9 loco.  The box says "DCC-equipped locomotive" as well as "DCC on board".  I ran it briefly with the DCC code they all come with, then changed the code to its number board number on a program track.  I ran it briefly to make sure it would operate under the new code.  I was doing some switching with another DCC loco as well as a non-DCC loco.  After I had everything set to move the new GP9, it had no power, no lights, nothing.  All other locos were running normally.
I put it on the program track, the correct code was read from the loco....still no power on the layout track.  I changed the DCC code several times and still no power.
I found it strange that, attached to the new loco in the box, was a small five pin circuit board.  There were no directions for its use.  If it helps, the item number of the loco is 62802.
I really hate to return the loco if it is something I might be overlooking.  I am knew to DCC but have had no problems so far with my other DCC loco.
My system is run by a Digitrax Zephyr.
Any suggestions?   

Today I thought I'd try to wire up one of the many turnouts on my experimental layout that I'm using to familiarize myself with the aspects of dcc operations.  My system is powered by a Digitrax Zephyr controller.  Apparantley I'm not as familiar as I thought.
I connected the switch control and the side turnout motor correctly.  To power the switch control, I ran feeds to the bus wire powering the track.  The turnout didn't work.  Thinking it might have had a bad motor, I wired to another switch, it didn't work.  I checked power with a multimeter and power was getting to the turnouts.
Finally, I took an old dc controller I had, connected the switch control to the AC outlet on it and the turnouts worked.
My guess, and please tell me if I'm incorrect is that there was not enough power from the bus wire to run the turnouts.  I measured the power, based on the Digitrax instructions on measuring track voltage and got 6.9 volts on one track and 6.5 volts on the other which according to Digitrax means a track voltage of 13.4 volts.  I'm assuming, and I know that is disasterous, that the same voltage is probably cruising through the bus wire.  Maybe none of that measuring means anything in powering the turnout but I thought it would explain what I did.
I had hoped that I could power the switches using the Digitrax without an added power supply.
Am I doing something wrong? 

I am doing alot of investigating before designing and building my first dcc layout.  However, I am not confident with my knowledge of the bus wire.  For my purposes, I've decided that 14 or 16 AWG wire would be adequate for the bus wire.
My question is this: am I correct that the bus wire should NOT form a loop nor should the track itself form a powered loop.  My understanding is that somewhere the track connectors should be plastic to stop the power from being in a loop. 
I am waiting on my Digitrax Zephyr controller to arrive so I am not sure of the connections to be made at the controller itself but, I want to make sure I understand the bus wiring from there.  How to I wire from the controller to the bus making sure a loop isn't created.
I know some other questions will arise as I proceed and want to thank board members in advance for all your help.

Being new to the world of DCC, I sometimes get easily confused.  I am currently considering  a few Bachmann "DCC ready" locomotives.  I am assuming, although that's not good, that the term means it is wired, with a plug, to accept a decoder.  Is that correct?
Secondly, how do I know what decoders are compatable with a given locomotive?
Thanks for any help offered.