Table of contents
Table of contents
- Expanding the Fusion Node Bus Hub
- 1. Expansion Without New Wiring Rules
- 2. Local Expansion: Adding More Cards in One Place
- 3. Distributed Expansion: Placing Hubs Near the Layout
- 4. Modular Layouts and Portable Installations
- 5. Long-Distance Connections and Repeaters
- 6. Small Layouts and Large Layouts Work the Same Way
- Why This Matters
Expanding the Fusion Node Bus Hub
How LCC Fusion scales cleanly from a single scene to a large, distributed layout.
Layouts evolve.
A single turnout becomes two. One block becomes many. Signals multiply. Logic grows.
LCC Fusion is designed with this reality in mind. Expansion is expected—not treated as a special case.
The Fusion Node Bus Hub allows layouts to grow without changing how anything is wired.
1. Expansion Without New Wiring Rules
The most important principle of Fusion expansion is simple:
Adding capability adds cards, not wiring complexity.
No matter how large the layout becomes:
- cards still plug into hubs
- devices still connect via network cables
- hubs still connect the same way
The wiring method never changes.
2. Local Expansion: Adding More Cards in One Place
When a single hub runs out of card slots, expansion is immediate and straightforward.
Snapping Hubs Together
If a 6-card Fusion Node Bus Hub fills up:
Place another hub next to it and connect them directly.
You now have room for more cards.
There are:
- no additional wires
- no configuration changes
- no addressing concerns
The hubs function as one larger backplane.
This approach is ideal for:
- yards
- interlockings
- signal-heavy areas
- centralized electronics drawers
3. Distributed Expansion: Placing Hubs Near the Layout
Many layouts benefit from distributing electronics closer to the devices they control.
Fusion supports this naturally.
Instead of long wiring runs:
- place a Fusion Node Bus Hub near each scene
- connect hubs together using one CAT6 cable
- keep device wiring short and local
Typical Use Cases
- one hub under a siding
- one hub under a town
- one hub under a yard throat
Each hub controls nearby devices and links back to the system with a single cable.
This reduces:
- wire length
- clutter under the layout
- troubleshooting time
4. Modular Layouts and Portable Installations
Distributed hubs are especially effective for:
- modular club layouts
- portable show layouts
- layouts assembled and disassembled repeatedly
Each module can carry its own hub and electronics. Modules connect together using a single network cable.
This makes setup, teardown, and transport fast and reliable.
5. Long-Distance Connections and Repeaters
As layouts grow larger, hubs may need to be separated by longer distances.
Fusion supports this using a Node Bus Repeater.
The repeater:
- maintains reliable CAN communication
- allows longer cable runs between hubs
- requires no configuration
From the user’s perspective, it simply extends the reach of the system.
6. Small Layouts and Large Layouts Work the Same Way
A small Fusion system might consist of:
- one hub
- one Node Card
- a few I/O cards
A large Fusion system might include:
- many hubs
- dozens of cards
- distributed control points
In both cases:
- wiring looks the same
- expansion follows the same pattern
- the learning curve does not increase
Fusion scales in size, not in difficulty.
Why This Matters
Many automation systems become harder to manage as they grow. Fusion was designed to avoid that trap entirely.
By allowing hubs to expand locally and across the layout, Fusion ensures that:
- early design choices never limit growth
- layouts evolve without rewiring
- modular layouts remain practical
- complexity stays under control
Expansion becomes routine, not intimidating.