Hi all, I've got my roadbed down and am ready to start laying track. Before I do, I need to solve the wiring/technology problems for the reversing sections. It's a two-level layout with an incline to the upper deck. The goal of the lower level was to take any train from either track (A) or (B), be able to turn the whole train around and feed it back out onto the opposite track it came in on. - My lower level has a Southbound track (A) and a Northbound track (B). - Turnouts K, L, M, N allow me to get trains from track A or B into and out of the reversing loop. - The reversing loop (C) has a turnout (D) to the upper deck. - F is a crossover - All my turnouts are Peco code 55 Unifrog - I'm using Digikeijs DR4024 servo controller/polarity switchers on the turnouts, and have a DR5013 autoreverser. I read that it's a good idea to draw the trackplan with two different color pens, and where the opposing colors join are where you need reversing. There's probably more to this, but I've circled the areas I believe are the 'problems'. Lots of info I know; I'd be very grateful for any advice on how to wire this up, what extra equipment if any I may need, & where to use insulated joiners.
Let’s take the easiest one, first: on your upper deck, gap your rails on the loop side of the switch, and hook the entire loop up to an autoreverser. On your lower deck, things get a bit more complicated. The big question is how long are the sections of your inner loop C? If your longest trains will fit within the left and right sides, I would actually make the reversing sections those two outer half circles, and not try to flip the crossover sections. An auto reversing section needs to be able to contain the electrically active portion of any train that is entering it (which includes any cars with metal wheel sets). The key is you don’t want the front end exiting the section while other parts are still entering; the auto reverser will be fighting itself.
Thanks Rick! So on the upper deck, use insulated rail joiners on all 4 rails on the loop side of the switch, right? Sorry, I'm not entirely following the lower deck info, so hopefully these answers make sense: - I do have some trains with lighted cars and metal wheels - My longest trains won't fit between the 'endpoints' of the green lines below. but they will fit within the pink line here: Thank you again
@Taymar Follow Rick's advice. You have to figure out how your longest train is mooving. There is another problem, the k,l turnouts connect a reversed section to b track.
The previous comment was kind of hurried. You can have as reversed the internal crossing ih, gj, but your longest train has to fit in the outer non reversed section too. If your longest train is what you drew, then after exiting the loop, it can't go the JIF, but JIG. If you want to make "eights" your train has to fit in the half of the "eight" FJCI. Draw your longest train, as you already have and then draw where you want it to go. You will discover the conflicts.
You have three reversing loops. E-E on the upper loop. H-I-D-C-J-K-L-H and J-F-G-H-L-J-K-J on the lower level. Because all the switches are so close, with less than a train length between them, there is no "textbook" way to isolate the lower reverse loops so one train will entirely in the reversing section. On the plus side, since the switches are so close, you can effectively only have one train on the C oval at a time. E-E is easy. make the reversing section from the clearance points on both legs of switch E. On the lower level, I would make the center section I-F-H/J-F-G, the reversing section. Since F is a crossing (not a crossover) only one train at a time can be in there. The risk is with metal wheels, that when the train is exiting the reversing section, a car with metal wheels will be entering the reversing section. One solution to that problem is to put a short "dead section", two gaps in each rail between 1/8" and 3/8" apart at the clearance points on each route. The major risk is with engines that have power pick up from one truck only or have poor power pickup.
