How to wire mainline crossover track?

Deep Sixx Jul 10, 2001

  1. Deep Sixx

    Deep Sixx E-Mail Bounces

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    I am going to have a double track mainline on my layout. I will require that a train cross over from eastbound to westbound and vice versa from time to time in order to enter branches to access different industries.

    My question is simple. How do I wire this without creating a short circuit? Control will be DCC... probably (99.9% sure) the Altas DCC system due to budget/availability/features.

    Help!

    D6

    [ 09 July 2001: Message edited by: Deep Sixx ]</p>
     
  2. Deep Sixx

    Deep Sixx E-Mail Bounces

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    One more thing... turnouts will be Atlas Custom Line.

    D6
     
  3. ncng

    ncng TrainBoard Member

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    You wire it exactly like you would with regular DC. Install an insulated gap on each rail of the crossover track. I am not familiar with Atlas switches but assuming you aren't using the turnouts for power routing, for powered frogs you also need an isulated gap on the rail after the frog.
     
  4. Deep Sixx

    Deep Sixx E-Mail Bounces

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    <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by ncng:
    You wire it exactly like you would with regular DC. Install an insulated gap on each rail of the crossover track. I am not familiar with Atlas switches but assuming you aren't using the turnouts for power routing, for powered frogs you also need an isulated gap on the rail after the frog.<hr></blockquote>

    That's it? Just insulate that one connection? What happens when the locomotive passes over the connection and the polarity changes? Or is this not an issue with DCC? As I see it, when the polarity changes, the loco will switch directions.

    D6
     
  5. ncng

    ncng TrainBoard Member

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    First of all, one of the nice things about DCC is locomotive direction has nothing, repeat, nothing to do with the polarity of the track. The power on the track is AC. The decoder takes that power and converts it to DC of the correct polarity for the direction you have selected. That is why you can run different locomotives on the same track going in different directions.

    Before I go any further, may I suggest you check out the website http://www.wiringfordcc.com. It will answer a lot of your questions.

    Now, back to the switches. I am making the assumption that the crossover is not part of a reverse loop. If that is not the case then let me know and I will address that later.

    One of the things that makes DCC so great is that wiring is very simplified. You can make it complicated if you want but you don't have to.

    I wish I knew how to insert a drawing but I don't. I tried several times to make a crude drawing but this site keeps stripping out spaces so the drawing ends unrecognizable.
    From your booster you will run two separate busses, Rail A and Rail B. From these busses you run feeders to the track. In the example above Rail A on one track is the same polarity as Rail A on the other track and the same for Rail B.

    The only place you need to worry about polarity is where you might encounter a short. At crossovers it is on both rails of the crossover track and the rail leaving the frog away from the points. This assumes the frog is powered. It is that simple.

    [ 11 July 2001: Message edited by: ncng ]</p>

    [ 11 July 2001: Message edited by: ncng ]</p>

    [ 11 July 2001: Message edited by: ncng ]</p>

    [ 11 July 2001: Message edited by: ncng ]</p>
     
  6. Hunter

    Hunter Profile Locked

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    If you are using the Mark 3 turnouts , you will need to solder a feeder to the rail between the frog and the gap, because the frog is dead, an there is no feeders like in a block, i use DC , but I'm sure you will need to do this with DCC also [​IMG]
     
  7. ChrisDante

    ChrisDante TrainBoard Member

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    Deep sixx, crossovers are treated normally unless you have created a reverse loop. At that point, whether your DCC or DC go to Alan Gartner's webpage or go to TTX-DCC.com Tony's got a neat reverse loop "manager". If you're doing any DCC wiring you need the info that Gartner has, lots of good tricks and tips. I think it's wiringfordcc.com.
    LOL
    e-mail me if you get stuck.
     
  8. Deep Sixx

    Deep Sixx E-Mail Bounces

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    Not sure if my situation is considered a reverse loop or not. Picture this: 2 complete loops, one inside the other, each travelling in a different direction (one clockwise, the other counter-clockwise). I want to transfer a train from the outside loop to the inside loop to enter a siding.

    How can I accomplish this with DCC... is this considered a reverse loop?

    D6
     
  9. ncng

    ncng TrainBoard Member

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    No, it isn't a reverse loop. This applies to DC or DCC.

    You have to forget about tracks having a direction. The trains might have a direction but the track doesn't. To wire the two loops of track with DCC (DC would just be separate blocks)I would identify the inside rail (towards the center of the loop) as rail A. I would identify the rail on the outside of the loops as rail B.

    Tap into the Rail A buss from your command station/booster and run a feed wire to both rail A's.

    Tap into the Rail B buss from your command station/booster and run a feed wire to both rail B's.

    Assuming you installed the insulated rail joiners at the switches as I discribed before, you are ready to run a train.

    Select you locomotive and start running it on one of the loops. While the locomotive is running, throw your crossover turnouts. The locomotive will go though the crossover onto the other loop. There should be no change in speed or direction when it is on the other loop. Be sure to throw the crossover back to non-crossover position or you will have an accident. No you can access your siding.

    That was easy wasn't it. No need for a toggle switch to power a block. No control panel to build.

    I hope that answers your question.
     
  10. Deep Sixx

    Deep Sixx E-Mail Bounces

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    Whoa... that's it?!? This DCC stuff is COOL! It's so simple... way different than the block wiring I used on my last layout years ago.

    Thanks for your help.

    D6
     
  11. ttysontrains

    ttysontrains New Member

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    ok...will this work with regular (std) atlas turnouts?...plastic frog? thx
     
  12. ttysontrains

    ttysontrains New Member

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    i looked on "wiring for DCC"...i only saw info for a dbl xover...not for a single
     
  13. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    I don't think it'll work at all. Yes, the polarity of the track does not determine the train's direction. But the track still has polarity, and a locomotive crossing over from "eastbound" to "westbound" rails will still short the system out.

    But I don't know enough about DCC to talk about reversers. There are newer, better threads on the subject.
     

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