Is the right side or right power pick-up always used as the forward (positive if you want to call it that) position? Thanks in advance
Jim: I am not sure if there is any convention for that. Venturing into the world of electrons again... the froward and reverse is determined by track polarity. Most layout have a convention for that, but the engines themselves are always the same, regardless of forward or reverse. Forward and reverse are relative and are sometimes called "this way" or "that way."
I realize that the track polarity determines the direction but on the engine which side picks up the positive and which pick up the negative in realationship to the front of the engine. I'm thinking that the right side picks up the positive and the left - negative or do I have these reversed? Jim
I'm sure there is a convention, otherwise some locos would run in opposite directions. But I have DCC now so can't easily check for you. However, the term 'front' is ambiguous. The convention would be "positive power is applied on the right hand rail when facing the direction of travel". So if you picked up (eg) an AC4400 that was running 'forwards' and put it back down the other way round it would run 'backwards' but in the same direction on the track. Maybe I'm making it worse .
