This discussion helped me so much I had to register. I have no clue about DCC but for DC operation you just need make two gaps in the Kato double crossover and you're good to go any way you please and in any direction. No shorts unless you screw up the polarity and then run a train over it. And here's the test run:
Regarding the simple balloon loop at the top of the OP, I would not bother with an autoreverse. I have one of these balloons and a DPDT switches rail polarity on the balloon as well as powering the frog and throwing the turnout. If I forget to throw the turnout (shame on me) then there will be a short before the train derails. Tortoise contacts would do the same.
I agree. An autoreverser detects a problem (a short-circuit) and corrects it, I would prefer if possible to prevent the problem to begin with. Besides, you have to throw the turnout anyway, it just makes since to have whatever mechanism it is you use to throw the turn also flip the reverse loop phase.
