I splurged and added an oval of Kato Double Track as my outer loop for my 4x8 layout. My question is about polarity and direction. I will have one train running counterclockwise on the outer loop and a train running clockwise on the inner loop, each track with its own dedicated power pack. The outer track will have the white wire on the outside and blue on the inside. The inner track (to run clockwise) will have the white wire on the inside and the blue on the outside. Does this change of polarity affect the DC extension cords and 3-way extension cords I'm going to need to connect to the power pack? Dave
It is simple if you have a dual throttle power pack. Each throttle has a direction switch which is independent of the other. Just hook the power feeds to the separate connections in back for each throttle.
As long as you have two separate loops of track with no crossovers from one to the other you have essentially two loops each controlled by its own power pack. It is the same as having two separate layouts. Add a crossover from one loop to the other however and your problems begin.
Never mind Kato's labeling of the directions on the power pack "Forward" and "Reverse". Think of it as just "Direction". That's how other DC power pack manufacturers label the direction switch.
No, the change in polarity will not effect how the extension cords work. As mentioned, most people think of the power pack switch as physical direction (clockwise - counterclockwise, east - west, etc.) as opposed to locomotive direction (forward - reverse). This is because most people run different trains facing different physical directions on the same track at different times. There is certainly nothing wrong with doing it the way you describe if it seems more reasonable to you. It would only make since to me if you always have the trains on each track facing the same direction for that track.
Weird that they labeled it forward and reverse - turn the engine around and the label will be wrong. On my old DC pack I wired it so that if the loco was on the track nearest the power pack, it went in the direction the switch was thrown.
That's what I do also. I think the NMRA standard is that when positive current " + " is applied to the rightmost rail, the locomotive should move forward, i.e. to the right. I think that's the white wire with Kato packs. As @CSX Robert wrote, Kato's plugs assure this.
@Dave Kerr Thanks for starting this thread. I had not throught about how I would hook up my layiout. 4 Tracks Total 2 Shinkasen running point to point East / West 1 Main Line running counter clockwise in a loop which interchanges with the GandG via backing down, (literally), to the GandG 1 Shortline (The GandG), running East / West So, I need some consistency to keep everything moving smoothly. Further it needs to be tactile. I need to come up with some form of mnemonic to indicate East West and Counter Clockwise. I'm open to suggestions. Up / Down (directional switch position on 'power pack'. Forward / Reverse - Lables on older 'power pack' Fwd / Rev - Lables on newer version 'power pack' East / West - Counterclockwise No wrong answers. Humor welcome Sardonic acceptable Be nice. Have fun Side Note: The layout really does run East West.
I do the opposite, because I park the trains in back, so that's where I put them in motion (and that's when the direction switch is used most). No mnemonic needed.
Dan, I know you meant...to the left. Simple. If you have a loop, inside rail positive - train goes clockwise. Outside rail positive - train goes counterclockwise. Doug
Yes, that's it Doug - you're right, er correct. . I just revised my Employee Rule Book so that all trainmen must carry a Volt Ohm Meter at all times so as to verify track polarity.
I have four controllers. The big one (Railpower 1370) has only a large knob and a two position direction switch with no markings. You guess. The three little ones 3"x4" have much smaller knobs that have OFF in the middle and FORWARD & REVERSE in each direction of twist. All have DC connections and AC connections. I don't know what the AC is for or what reversing AC would do.
Color Flags Pointing in Direction of Travel A friend who knows nothing about model railroading, electricity or really anything of the sort , (but was a Speical Ed' teacher), suggested 'color coding'. Of Course For me On Kato Power Supply. The 'Bat' part of Toggle pointed to Upper Left. To my 'touch' that is 'up'. On the layout Flags or 'signs' with CP Multi Mark will point West / To the Right Wiring will Be: * On Shinkansen Line / Bullet Train: West / To the Right * On Main Line: Counter Clockwise / West / To the Right * On GandG: West / To the Right Side Note: On the Kato Power Supply the 'Bat' pointing to upper left has the 'pointer' toward 'Reverse' or 'Rev'.
I don't know how many times I have connected a power pack, only to have a loco go the opposite direction I expected. Of course, it always ends up being that, even though I meant to connect red to positive and black to negative, I space it out at the last fraction of a second and do the opposite. Same with writing about things (one thing I used to do is write production/test procedures). I have gone back and read old writings and found that I wrote the opposite of what I meant and hope nobody got hopelessly confused by it. Doug
