Building a DCC Programming Plank

DCC Programming Plank

As a side project whilst trying to finish off my TT:120 Minories layout, I decided to build a DCC programming plank for my N gauge locomotives which I'd started to collect. It needn't be very big, as I wanted to have it permanently connected to my desktop PC so I could program using JMRI. I also wanted to try out the British Finescale Code 40 track whilst doing this as such short lengths were relatively undaunting, never having built any of my own track before.

 

In another post, I described how I built a small baseboard out of foamboard and shortly after, how I built a British Finescale turnout kit and flex track. All that was missing was the DCC gubbins... 

 

Some months before, I bought a bulk job listing off eBay from Rails of Sheffield. It included a few different things:

• PiSprog board and enclosures
• Various power supplies
• Sprog IIv4 and power supply
• Peco track cleaner 

I have a weakness for eBay listings like this, where I can figure them out and get several end products out of one purchase.

Naturally the Sprog IIv4 would be perfect for my DCC plank. I then picked up a cheap Raspberry Pi3 and Android phone (I went for a Samsung Xcover 4 for less than £10!) and after an afternoon fiddling - I then had a full DCC command system using JMRI, with a 4.3amp power supply and control via either computer (using a VPN for remote access) or using the free EngineDriver app. I intend to use this in a future DCC layout so for now it's packed away but ready to use.

I digress. For my plank layout, I also wanted to try out wire in tube control for the point I'd built. I ordered a kit with some brass tubing and piano wire but this didn't turn out to be suitable. In the end I bent a bit of the wire and glued it through a mini slide SPDT switch. This was then wired to switch the frog polarity.

The track was layed on some spare cork, with some foam added at the end of each siding to protect against any accidents.

Whilst I may finish the layout with ballast and scenery in the future, for the time being it's now serving it's purpose as a programming track.