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Have I created a reverse loop?
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Yes. Best way to tell is by following the rails. Lable one side black and the other red. Now keep them flowing thru that turnout in front of your controller. Straight thru the turnout goes thru the crossover back down around to another turnout. That is yhe problem that is causing a short. The crossover came from the other turnout but has a different polarity.
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Plus, you can only go into the reverse loop one way, you will have to back all the thru the reverse loop to get going the other way again! If you're DCC then there is an easy automated fix, if not, there is a bit of wiring and switches to mess with. First ask your self whether you want the loop, it is nice to get trains going in both directions.
Yes you have a reverse loop. That is a very clever layout but it presents an electric obstacle for you when using traditional DC control. Too bad, because that would be a fun layout.
Let me see if I can find a folded oval layout I dreamed up a while ago.
Let me see if I can find a folded oval layout I dreamed up a while ago.
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So, am I correct in assuming, with the way I currently have things wired.... anytime I create a layout where the train can leave the station going to the left and by hook and crook, I end up coming back to the station from the same direction I left, then I have created a reverse loop. Is that a correct "rule" I can go by unless I make some modifications? If that's the case, then I can live with that.
It might be fun to see what I can come up with those limitations. Maybe see if I can devise a layout where it will be as interesting going one direction as it is the other. Then, I can just pick up the locomotive and turn it around, manually.
I've yet to address spur lines (correct term?), the ones that go out and terminate with a bumper. I've got to get past this electrical ignorance before things will begin to come together for me.... but, I'm pretty persistent. Thanks for hangin' with me.
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You need to get this book. This is my copy from eons ago. I still refer to it from time to time. CRS syndrome here. It will explain just about every question you’ve asked across all your posts. Terms and nomenclature too.
While the cover art may change from one printing to the next, the title, wording and book number will be the same.
![Sleeve Font Advertising Pattern Denim]()
While the cover art may change from one printing to the next, the title, wording and book number will be the same.
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I'm going to need all the help I can get, and this looks like a good source of info. Thanks for the tip.
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A very interesting design. It makes me half dizzy trying to follow the possibilities.
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You can tell it's a reverse loop because it must come back to the same 'enabling' turnout, but this time moving in the opposite direction. If you take the arc of track at lower left, and move it all back into the middle, and make it meet at that leftmost turnout, you have accomplished the same thing, and you'll probably understand that this would be the traditional folded loop. By crossing over at the diamond, you haven't changed anything except the longer path.
BTW, as the camera seems to show it at extreme right, you have that nice curved inner turnback. It's probably about 3/4" too close to the tangent running north/south past it. Whatever you're currently running along there to test is not showing it, but later a large locomotive or car of some kind will make contact with whatever is on that tangent at the same time. If you'll only have one train less than maybe 20 cars, it won't matter because nothing will be moving past itself there.
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Yes. But I would add to that. The best rule of finding reverse loops is either designate each rail above a color and go thru your track and see if it ever meets a different color. Or you can take q train and you have your right and left wheels going around layout see if the wheel ever goes to tge other side. For instance on your layout the middle turnout goes two ways if you take tge turn you come ti another turnout on tge left side where it would meet up with the track that is coming from the middle turnout. If you had two trains at the middle turnout they could have a head on collision at the left side turnout, which tells me that there is a reverse loop there.
It's a very interesting track plan you have in post 11 but you may not be able
to build it using Bachmann track.
Problem comes with all the crossings.
Using sectional track it might be impossible to get the two tracks to line up with the crossing.
Sectional track is fixed lengths so getting that many crossings to line up will be difficult.
The four on the bottom might be OK but the ones on the top don't have much wiggle room.
Really need some track planning software for a plan this complex.
I don't see a reverse loop in this plan.
I think I would start with a much simpler plan till you get your feet wet and some experience.
Something like JeffHurl laid out, some wiggle room between the crossings.
mesenteria mentions tangent track, just RR term for straight track.
Keep at it, your still learning but having fun, you'll get it pretty soon
Magic
to build it using Bachmann track.
Problem comes with all the crossings.
Using sectional track it might be impossible to get the two tracks to line up with the crossing.
Sectional track is fixed lengths so getting that many crossings to line up will be difficult.
The four on the bottom might be OK but the ones on the top don't have much wiggle room.
Really need some track planning software for a plan this complex.
I don't see a reverse loop in this plan.
I think I would start with a much simpler plan till you get your feet wet and some experience.
Something like JeffHurl laid out, some wiggle room between the crossings.
mesenteria mentions tangent track, just RR term for straight track.
Keep at it, your still learning but having fun, you'll get it pretty soon
Magic
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Yes, that's a reverse loop in the original post.
It's going to require that you insulate BOTH rails at the entry and exit points.
How you control things depends on whether you'll be using DC or dcc.
TIP: that "outside curve" on the right?
It's "too close" to the reverse loop. Just doesn't look quite right.
Add a little straight track to "move it to the right" a little.
Or...a wider radius curve will move "the apex" to the right.
It's going to require that you insulate BOTH rails at the entry and exit points.
How you control things depends on whether you'll be using DC or dcc.
TIP: that "outside curve" on the right?
It's "too close" to the reverse loop. Just doesn't look quite right.
Add a little straight track to "move it to the right" a little.
Or...a wider radius curve will move "the apex" to the right.
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Yep, I'm aware of the two tracks being far too close together, but I was just experimenting with different layouts. I'm just experimenting - trying to see what will work and what won't. There's a heck of a lot more to this layout business than I first anticipated.
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