I have a 3' x 7' layout with a double track mainline, and a double crossover at the front side. I have the track glued down and started to hook up the wiring. I have 15 volts DC at the cab control, but when I hook the wires from the track to the cab control, I am getting a dead short which is tripping the breaker on the cab control. I tried a 2nd cab control, same result. The layout is out of an atlas track plan book, and is wired according to their schematic, including the insulated rail joiners. What have I or am I, doing wrong - I am lost at this point.
I have done this, and it drove me bonkers trying to find it. Have you inadvertently reversed a feeder wire? I have the following schemeatic on my layout: Red wire: ALWAYS the rail closest to you Black or blue wire: ALWAYS the opposite rail. I managed to switch a feeder in a crossover, and it took 15 min to fix, but 3 hours to track down... It didn't trip a breaker, but my Tech II power pack self-protected itself, and would not operate till I found/corrected the short. That sounds like your problem. The double crosover: is it a bunch of turnouts ganged together, with a crossing track int he middle, or is it a double-slip turnout? Electro-frog, or insulated frog?
Sounds like a polarity issuse for sure, disconect oneof the cabs and se if it works? You may have opposite polarities between both loops?
I am now thinking I may have left out an insulated rail joiner going to the 2nd loop - could this be the problem? I have 4 atlas switches, #6, acting as the crossover - one switch going from the outer loop to the inner has an insulated joiner - the other switch going to the 2nd loop, I believe has just the metal joiners - wondering if this is the problem?
