Rotary switch

[glsummers]

I am in the process of building Walthers roundhouse and would like to use a rotary switch to control the tracks power. I have DeMar Electronics cat. and there are several types of rotary switches. They have several and all have a AMP Current rating. I was wandering which one I should use because I am using DCC? I was told I need a double pole for this. I also need at least 17 positions and they are rated at 9 Amp current rating on contacts. I am not sure exactly all that means. I just need some of your input. Thanks. Merry Christmas. Larry

[hobo]

Let's start at the begining. 

You are building a RoundHouse. Are you going to use a Turntable to route the engines to the stalls?  If not how are you going to route the engines to the stalls?

If you add a Turntable to your layout there would be no need for a rotary switch.  You would power the rails leading to and from the truntable and use the turntables drive control to route the engines to the desired track.

You are already running DCC so you could handle multiple engines in the yard/roundhouse without the need to create 'blocks' to isolate the sections of track.

As for the rotary switch itself.  You should not need more then 2 AMPs to run HO trains.  If you do then your DCC decoders would overheat.  Of course there would be nothing wrong with using a switch that has a higher AMPerage rating.  Although the higher the rating the bigger the switch.

A double pole switch will control two sets of contacts so it would control two curcuits at one time.

I'm sure that someone else on the Forum has more experience with DCC and using turntables that provide more info.  I use my turntable with DC and a series of single pole switches to select a segment of track to control.

Russell

[glsummers]

Hobo,
Yes, I am using Walthers 90' turntable. I was looking for a way to turn of the tracks in the roundhouse without having to use a lot of toggles or push button switches. On the rotary switch you just have to turn to the number on the switch that matches the track. I think that is what I am trying to do. Thanks