Only you John can make a disaster interesting and informative

I always say... I never have problems, just solutions to problems. Well done for finding it John, at least you fixed it. I can understand you’re disappointment at having the issue but hats off...sorted now, well done again. I take it the decoder was and is still ok? Run some trains to make it all worth it mate and thanks for posting, it could happen to us all!! Cheers, Chris

Very helpful! I'm trying to locate a short that has brought my layout to a halt. You definitely reassured me that the process I am using to find it is going in the right direction. I also had a brainstorm while watching that I could employ terminal strips to good effect even though I have a small layout (3 ft. x 6ft 8 inches) with only one power district. I like your straightforward presentation. It really helps to understand what you are showing us.

Thank you John for showing us the "warts and all" of running a model railway. From the highs to the lows, from disaster to elation. I have saved your video because, as you said if I have a similar issue then your recording could help me in my time of need. So thank you for sticking with it and being supportive to the community of model railroad hobbyists. Cheers, Mike

so glad you got everything running it must be very frustrating some times having just a loop has its advantages but is great to see these big layouts with all the tracks look forward to the rebuild all the best al 👍👍👍😀

Hi John - been there myself - it's a pain trying to find where the short actually is. For Blackwood I disconnect the D connectors between each of the four boards and then reconnect one at a time to narrow down the problem to a small area. Sounds as though you've done the same. Main thing is you've resolved the issue. Euan

Thanks for sharing so we can all learn.

Glad you sorted it, Ive still to tidy my wiring, but will do this when all the wiring is complete.

Well done sorting out the problem.....I had a similar problem and it took me a week to find the short on my layout lighting....

My heart bleeds for you John with all that wiring, but so glad you have now sorted it out. To be honest, I wouldn't know where to start if I had as much wiring as you have. As far as electrics are concerned, I am hopeless and that was one reason for keeping my layout wiring pretty simple, with the minimum amount of points and crossovers. I just have three train running tracks, two tram tracks and eventually a separate train branch line, all controlled independently from just three twin track and one single track controller. Cheers Geoff

Well done back from disaster and running again.......i would mark the wires and have a layout on a board paper to check against ,this would make it a bit easier for you in the future .......but again well done we await the next clip ....

Hi John. What a nightmare when you get a short it can sometimes take days to try and sort it. I am glad you seem to have got to the bottom of it, I could almost feel the frustration in your voice this hobby can get you so annoyed with your self at times. I only have a small 00 layout so I have kept it to D.C. but at some stage I hope to change it to D.C.C. that when I will need help from people and there are plenty on you tube. Hope everything goes O.K. for you John. Regards George...

Hi John well done for finding the problem and sorting it out. In a funny way or I'm I mad? when things go wrong i like sorting it out i think that's part of modeling. Yes okay I'm a bit weird but modeling takes all sorts. Again well done and thanks for showing what you did very interesting. Colin

I gave up with frog juicers and my Z21, it seemed sometimes they would work ok, other times the Z21 would see a ‘short’ before the juicer had a chance to switch polarity. Ended up using the point motors to switch and problem was solved.

And I thought the canopies had come off to be sent to me ....... John this is the bit i am most worried about its all that wiring that I'm really worried about really pleased you got it sorted

Hi john, such a shame you this mega problem. Just watched another stream a few days ago and had a problem with shorts on the dcc concepts point controllers, he phoned them and they know sometimes there is a problem with the built in cud drawing too much current when initially charging up. They sent him a special board to fit to slow the rate of charging down and that cured the problem. Hope that helps you.

Hi John- Thanks for the upload and must say that the electrics side of the build is the bit that worries me most , who said DCC is just 2 wires and off you go? !!!! I am thinking of going the terminal connector way and splitting my layout into 3 sections ( 3 mini bus's) therefore if you get a short the can narrow it down to 1 of 3 . Also thinking of using terminal blocks for the droppers with the connection from Hornby or Pecos already connected fishplates so any issue you can easily replace it. I am also thinking of using Cobalt point motors with the Aplha control box might be more expensive but seems more straight forward. I have made some changes to the Track plan and have printed it out in 1 to 1 scale and will shortly upload a video so if you have the time can you have a look and see what you think - Cheers Kevin

That looked a pain in the buttocks. May just switch back to a oval on the living room floor 😮 great videos 👍🏻

Hi John Enjoyed your video Life is not always plain sailing, sometimes it goes wrong! - Have you considered sectors - learnt this from Greg at fishplate films - and found that DCC Concepts do a four sector short module thingy. Could possibly help and identify at least which sector of the layout is causing agg’ I intend to put one in because as you say as the layout gets bigger.... so does the complexity! Thanks trevor

Hi John, Well done for showing this it not always plain sailing is it even on my tiny layout I had one when I bought a point at a train fair and it had a dead short in the frog area and as it was the first time Railmaster had not started on me its very worrying, but as you say just work through the fault is there somewhere. Glad its all running now and looking forward to seeing this transfer section up from fiddle yard. Cheers Robert.

Still get used to blue and brown wiring: an age thing.

Hard work with electrics.

Hi what is the name of the station you have on your layout?

Spaghetti junction ? kiss