Need to ask a DCC question

[Badhorse79]

Need a lil DCC help!  I was wondering since this is my first layout with power do I need to insulate sidings and blocks or do I just insulate reversing loops and of course the program track? Thanks for any info

[fireball451]

Really depends on how big your layout is and if its broke down into districts.
Reverse loops and program track is always insulated.
Each district would be isolated.
On the program track, i wire  it to a double pole center off toggle switch.
Any sidings you want to isolate or kill could be done with on off switches.
Large layouts usually need to be broke down into districts on separate power shields.
If you are going to have a section with alot of switching such as  a yard where there is a potential for alot of shorts.
You may wish to separate it from the rest of the layout to keep it from shutting the whole thing down if there is a sbort.
Really depends on the size of the layout and how much potential activity that could take place at a given time.
Hope some of thbis makes sense with such a short answer!

[Badhorse79]

Yeah actually it answered my question I know I was gonna have to separate the main and the branch just to make it simpler but I wasn't sure about blocks as you mentioned is that due to the power supply? 

[Badhorse79]

Oh thanks too by the way

[fireball451]

Many systems short at 5 amps.
Power shields are used to keep the system from shorting out.
The powershield handles the short.
Usually at a lower amperage. ex 3 amps.
It saves "wear and tear" on the system itself.
Using a separate powershield on each district will allow one district to shut down incase of an overload or short.
The rest of the layout continues to operate.
Use of powershields can reduce risk of damage to wheels and track.
Shorts create archs that can damage wheels by making craters in them over time.
A prolong short that doesnt trip the given amperage can melt a truck assembly.
(mostly in higher amp system).
My clubs old setup had a NCE PowerPro 5 amp.
Each main was one its own powershield and the yard was on a reverser powershield.
Now the  club layout has been broken down into more districts with boosters too.

[Badhorse79]

Cool thanks that make tons of scense thanks hopefully I can have all the track laid by this time next month still have a bit to go thanks again for helping

[thpbears]

Yes Badhorse fireball knows his dcc. He will be helping me wire my new layout once it is started. He just don't know it yet.