Need Advice: DCC Address scheme

Back after a long hiatus. Started my layout in 2009 and it has sat, unfinished, for years. I'm able to get back at it again.

Before I start programming everything, I'd like some suggestions on address ranges for your DCC decoders. When I start looking at some of the accessories, some of them use special addresses and i want to avoid conflicts and make sure I use an addressing scheme that is 1) easy to use and 2) allows for a little expansion.

For example, I'm guessing I wouldn't want to have anything permanently assigned to anything in the 1 to 10 range. Certainly not address three. I've done some searching on this forum and other forums and I didn't find a thread with such suggestions. If there is one, feel free to slap my wrist and link me to it.

I use a Digitrax Chief setup. 5' x 10' layout (no plans to expand beyond that)
Not relevant, but I've got a Locobuffer-USB and I'm just starting to use JMRI
I'm still laying track and my tortoises, so now is the time to figure out the scheme I want.
I address my locos with their road numbers (usually four digits, but some use fewer)
I want to be able to set up consists (but I'm assuming those will get addressed by the four digit road numbers)
I'll be using DS64's for Tortoise control. I'll need at least one Route to control a double crossover.
Walthers Turntable
Other accessories? I don't have any now, but I might add some small LED lights for structures. I thought I might just use toggle switches on a fascia mounted display panel, but I'm guessing I might want to be able to control them across DCC at some point. I do have the locobuffer USB and I imagine once I start using JMRI more, this will be something I'll add.

So, given all of that, would there be a generally recommended scheme to follow? Start all DS64 outputs (for switch machines) at 50, or 100, or whatever? Start all other stationary decoders at X number? I'd like to do it once rather than get full into it and realize, whups, I should have thought about this better.

Thanks,
Hammers

 

I think you are confusing accessory decoder addresses with locomotive addresses. They are not the same.

I have switches using DS64's from address 1 to 28 on my outdoor layout... there is no conflict with locomotive addresses with the same numbers. Addressing accessory/stationary decoders is a different DCC command from addressing a locomotive.

All of your consists are effectively short addresses, so use long addresses for your locomotives.

No conflicts at all.

Greg

 

Greg and Rick, thanks for your replies. Now that I don't have to worry about conflicts with my locomotives things are more clear in my head.
I guess maybe I'll leave 10-20 open for my stationary decoders (DS64's, turntable, etc) and then I'll use 21 and above for switches and routes (I think I need two addresses for each route; one closed and one thrown).
If I understand correctly, each DS64 needs a "board ID", which I assume that just means the address of the stationary decoder itself. I don't know the default board ID out of the box. And then by default, out of the box, the outputs are addressed 1,2,3,4.
I downloaded Loconet Checker last night, but haven't had a chance to try it out. It looks like using that might make things easier.... at least to read in a default DS64 and see what values are there.
http://homepage.hispeed.ch/trachsler/

 

I never paid attention to the board ID, apparently you only need it for inputs, I just use them for turnouts, so no DS-64 ID is needed.

Greg

 

Yeah, I guess I had been doing too much reading and not enough doing. For Board ID, I had based my question around this:
http://www.digitrax.com/tsd/KB805/ds64-setting-board-id-for-additional-ds64s/
So, I guess it's not a true stationary decoder address. They all come from the factory with Board ID 1. I have a pair of DS64s, but I've never put them both on the Loconet at once. Maybe one auto adjusts to 2. Either way, easy enough to change one and it looks like its not the same as a stationary decoder address. Different bucket.