Looks good. I heard an adage

Looks good. I heard an adage for staging once......figure what you will need and add 50%. 

Simplicity vs. Flexibility

 A big trade off with a staging scheme is simplicity versus flexibility.  The owner needs flexibility to restage, handle overflows, etc.  The operators need simplicty so they can locate and navigate the staging.  Every branch and switch into staging is an opportunity that somebody will take the wrong turn and end up in the wrong place.

I personally would find it confusing if trains in Colorado (the west end) were in the same track as a train from St Louis (the east end).

Will the operators really be able to check their car cards against the consist for train in N scale on the inside track of a lower level staging yard?

I assume the yards in the upper left and lower right yards are the ready yards?

Ita also appears you do left hand running.

Sorry but I can't help you

I use an NCE Pro 5 amp system with PSX circuit breakers & PSX-AR reversers on my layout.  I have used Digitrax on several friends' layouts but I really don't know much about troubleshooting those systems. However, just from your explanation it sounds like you may have crossed or shorted some wires when you installed the PM42.

I would suggest asking your question in the "Discussion Forums" and I'm sure that someone will be able to help you.  If not, you could always call Digitrax for technical help.

Staging

Dave, Thanks for your comments & questions.  I'll answer in reverse order.

Yes, the layout was designed for left hand running. The two small yards (just before each helix) are the ready yards.  That is where the next trains will be positioned according to the sequence list.  For the 20 tracks in the center, I would prefer to have one side for those in the east & one for the west but I'm not sure that it can be done due to the longer length of some of the passenger/freight trains.  Testing would sort this out so it may work out.  I do not envision having any operators switching cars in staging for the time being as the trains will be set up by myself for each of the four blocks ahead of time.  The majority of the switching/interchange for both passenger & freight will be done within Union Station. 

There will also be a limited amount of switching for trains operating on the main level of the peninsula and up to the third level where there is a visible staging yard at Elizabeth City (Tulsa). I also need to label industries on the layout & decide whether to use car cards (I have used Shenware in the past) for freight ops or to use the car cards or to use a switchlist form generated by either JMRI ops or a Mac program called Switchlist.  Lots to do when I get around to it.....John

Check phasing..

Make sure you're phasing the power blocks the same (red to RH rail, black to LH rail for example.) Switch that around and you'll bump into a short or the train will stall/die across the block section.

Staging

 While I understand the get ready, get set , go plan (staging, ready track, helix), have you considered the relationship between the time the operators will spend in staging yards and helixes compared to the time the operators spend on the visible layout?  Could there be a need for a shuttle operator/mole that moves trains from the staging to the ready tracks and inbound to staging?  One "trained" person could fully utilize the options you have built into staging.

Absolutely!!

On my last layout, I did not have any staging tracks so this time I made sure that I had plenty of them.

Staging

Dave,

Thanks for your comments & questions. Yes, it does take several minutes to come up either of the helixes (or is it helices) which is why I have a sequence rather than a pure time schedule.  Most of my friends are HO modelers & older than I so staging is on me.  I still have some testing to do to see how my concept works.  The real focus of my layout is the passenger trains & for the most part other than some switching & interchange at Union Station, they will stay together as they ended up in staging (although I might change out a car or two while there before the next 6 hour block). 

I have not fully thought through the freight trains just yet.  Two fast freights, the ATSF GFX (reefers) & LSX (stock) are unit trains and will stay together.  Technically, there isn't an eastbound equivalent for the GFX so it may just appear, drop off a couple of cars in Union Station (and maybe pick-up a couple) and then just go back to staging for its next appearance. There will be one local freight that runs from Union Station around the peninsula & up the branch line to the top of the peninsula.  That will be the only freight that might have some significant level of switching (yet to be determined).

John