Bad, bad, Bad, Newbie mistake

[Conrail]

It's been a disapointing day for me. I suppose I need to be more patient. I have my entire track laid an spiked down and about 40% of my terrain is even built. Whats the problem you ask? I didn't give it much thought until doing a little reading up on wiring and realized that my track layout is reverse looped!

Here is a basic draw up of my layout.

The track lines shown in black are the upper level of the layout and the incline / decline part of the layout. The blue track lines are the lower (ground level) tracks. As you see I have a problem with the reverse loops. I really don't feel like flipping switches and what not. So, I imagine I'll start ripping apart all the terrain I have already laid out that will be in the way, and start laying a second row of track. Pretty disapointing.

I'm not familiar (obviously) with the different options for running reverse loops but a couple Ive read require you to flip switches which is not what I'm looking for. I wanna be able to sit back and watch the trains roll by. Maybe I'll check into that DCC after all.

 

[zedob]

Circiutron makes this:


http://www.internettrains.com/800-5400.html

I'd call their tech dept first, if there's a number, or ask at the LHS.

 

[Conrail]

Just what I was looking for zedob! :thumb: I actually think I'm going to get the AR-2 model which would allow me to pause the train if I like. You saved the day for me! I was just about to start ripping things apart...like I said..."I suppose I need to be more patient". It's a good thing this happened though. Now, before I go any farther, I'm going to review my plans for the layout and make sure I don't hit anymore hang ups along the way because of lack of planning well. I'm just glad I don't have to tear anything up because it would have been a total loss. My road bed is glued down and the track joints are already soldered. It would have been a mess. Doubt I could have salvaged much. Whew!! Thanks again.

 

[Conrail]

After further research I decided to order the VSC Realroads "Majic Motorman". It's about 120 beans but I figured that it would be well worth it since I don't have to worry about sensors to change the polarity and thus not needing to worry about the placement of the sensor. since. The Majic motorman automatically senses polarity changes in the track and reverses it. It also has inputs for sensors should I decide to add a stop along the way inside the loop. Sounds like a winner to me.

 

[zedob]

I figured there were other's uot there. Circuitron has been around for awhile and I knew they had a pretty good selection of electronics. I saw it in my Walthers cat then did a quick search on the web to get the link for you.

I'm a proponent for revloops. They are a great way to have trains coming and going, but like you said, switching the switch is a turn-off (pun kind of intended ). I always wanted to build a one town shelf layout with revloops on each end. That way, I could consentrate on switching the industries in my town while regulars or through trains would give the impression of a busy mainline. With that timer in the circuit, it would really be nice.

Now, with the all of the features of DCC and the ability to interface with your computer, scheduling of trains would really make it realistic, especially if your reverse loops are reverse "yards". One man operation with computer assistance.

My layout is not DCC, but I think it IS the way to go, just because of the versatility it affords the modeler. The one thing I want DCC for is sound. My layout is not really big enough to take advantage of the 9999 loco addresses or ditch lights for my 2-8-0 oldtimer, but having sound ability without having to buy a totally seperate system is so nice.

Reducing the amount of wiring is an added bonus.

BTW, do you have the link for that other reversing cicuit?

 

[Will_annand]

Zedob, then you would not want to control my layout...
Wired for DC, with 36 switches which control the 36 blocks and also the direction of travel. This way I can have 2 trains going opposite directions on one controller, while the Yard man can maneuver with his own controller, he has only 16 block switches.

NOTE: as soon as I can afford it, I will be replaceing the Bachmann transformer.... I do not like it's "control" over the locomotives.

 

[shortliner]

For info on Reversing loops - go look at http://www.geocities.com/loggingloco1/dctramway/homepage.htm
follow the links that are on there and see how it can be done for very little beanz......and YES!, the first time you see a train negotiate an immovable switch that you know you have soldered solidly together, you'll be just as amazed as I was! DOO-Doo!, DOO-Doo! - DOO-Doo!, DOO-Doo! really wierd feeling!
Shortliner(Jack)away up here in the Highlands :thumb:

 

[Conrail]

BTW, do you have the link for that other reversing cicuit?

I'm not sure which one you wanted but the first one by Circuitron (AR-2) is basically the same as the one you linked me to but has the addition of being able to stop the train once it moves over the opti sensor for a user set ammount of time from 1 second to 1 minute and is carried by internettrains.com. The Majic Motorman the second I spoke of is carried by http://www.realroad.com/products.html
It's a little pricey but it's sound as if though it would be worth the expense. I went with double reverse loops because the upper level of my layout is about 11" above the lower part and I just didn't have enough room to add another incline decline. This way it uses the same incline / decline to go up and down and saved my a bunch of space.

 

[GeorgeHO]

You only have one reverse loop that I see. The left leg of the "Y" in the upper middle of your layout. Just disconnect it, or change the bottom switch of the "y" into a crossover and connect the other end of the track coming from the upper left up with the lower right portion of your middle loop area. Just be careful which way you connect it up, it should be so that a train going counter clockwise on that middle loop goes on a switch that leads back up to the old left leg of the "y".

The only other area that might be a reverse loop is the far upper right which looks like the upper part of the loop almost touches the lower part of that loop. If instead that area is joined by two switches, just remove them and have the lower part of the loop be a seperate track.

I hope my verbiage is understandable...

 

[stuart_canada]

take the purple track with the reverse loop so inside connecting tothe same track over, connect it to the dark track in one of the spots I drew in. hope this pic works.
or learn to wire the reverse loop so that it works for you.

 

[Conrail]

Maybe these pics will help you guys understand my layout a little better. It would be hard to understand the first image I posted unless I was able to make it 3 dimensional. Okay, lets see here...... Pic #1 shows the track layout outlined in colors. The green lines represent the Upper level of the layout and the incline/decline part of the track. There is a red line that covers part of the green and this is where the trestle bridge will be and is part of the first loop which is about 11" above the the lower level (sorry about the pole in the way, imagine it's not there, my basement is small). The purple line represents the lower level of the track and has the second loop in it and another turnout that traverses through the mountain and to the rail yard (Rail yard not pictured) . The second picture shows the track without the lines but with two red dots with green arrows pointing at them where the trestle bridge ties into the track and shows how it spans over the lower level track. I apologize for the mess and I hope it helps you guys better understand how it is laid out. Basically the track has a loop at both ends. One loop is on the ground level the other loop is on the mountain and the rest of the loop will be the trestle bridge. Hope that helps.

 

[Conrail]

I think I pretty much have the wiring figured out. Using Realroads "Majic Motorman" I simply follow the diagram below. Looks simple enough.

 

[Ralph]

I see the advantage of the reverse loops in your plan. They provide a nice long mainline run and a way to have continuous running. Good luck with the Majic motorman. Tell us how it works out.
Ralph

 

[zedob]

Zedob, then you would not want to control my layout...
Wired for DC, with 36 switches which control the 36 blocks and also the direction of travel. This way I can have 2 trains going opposite directions on one controller, while the Yard man can maneuver with his own controller, he has only 16 block switches.

NOTE: as soon as I can afford it, I will be replaceing the Bachmann transformer.... I do not like it's "control" over the locomotives.

Sure I would. I like lots of switches and buttons. It makes anything look that much cooler . I just don't like to wire them.

Nice panel BTW.

 

[stuart_canada]

just follow the directions on how to wire it and your set, maybe 1 hour of wire time and 30 minutes of reading time, always an extra excuse why to run tot he local hobby store to get the books, the switches, and hardware store for the wire, your set.
you can kill an entire saturday doing the shopping, and a sunday afternoon doing the job. I would leave the loop in does make it interesting for running a train.
just remember to make sure any trains you run will fit on the loop before the locomotive runs into them