I’ve been having some electrical issues with an HO layout and older track I purchased off of ebay. Or at least I thought it was the track. I’ve thouroughly cleaned the track and lightly sanded each brass contact at the ends of the powerlock track.
Problem: In a simple loop (both big and small) the trains/track works fantastic! However, when I add turnouts and make the track turn back into itself, the train slows to a painful crawl or doesn’t work at all. Could this be a result of using a DC Transformer? Please excuse my ignorance, but I don’t even know the different between DC and AC. Is AC a newer type?
For instance, if I were to switch to an AC transformer, would I have the same issue as now with the trackout turning back into itself?
I’ve determined this track out to be the problem as I can disconnect the track AFTER the trackout and the train instantaneously regains it’s normal operating speed.
OK, you are making a several mistakes here, by making a REVERSE LOOP, where the train exits going the opposite direction from where it came, you are creating a short circuit. The rails are electrically no different than simple wires. If you follow the rails through a reverse loop, you will see that you just connected opposing wires directly, no different than touching bare wires together. In two rail track there is a way to wire the reverse loop with it’s own seperate direction control switch, so while the train is in the reverse loop, you can change the direction (polarity) of the rest of the layout, so the train will go the proper direction when leaving the reverse loop, BTW this is EXACTLY why Lionel went to 3-Rail track back in 1906, with 3 rail track the center (HOT) rail is ALWAYS the center rail, even through reverse loops and WYEs.
Problem #2 DO NOT connect an AC transformer to HO trains (unless you are running Marklin trains) you can damage a locomotive that way. Actually AC has been used for a lot longer in model trains than DC (with the exception of the turn of the century battery operated trains of the late 1800’s-early 1900’s) Lionel and other 3 rail trains have been using AC power since about 1906.As well as American Flyer’s Scale trains after World War 2, they also are designed to run on AC power.
AC, is Alternating Current, like in the wall outlets in your house, EXCEPT the voltage is reduced from 110-120 volts to a safer level usually about 16-20 volts for the trains.
DC, is Direct Current like from a battery, and is what Most HO, N, G and Z scale trains run on (again with some Marklins being among the few exceptions)
When you remove the turn out, you are removing the reverse loop and so breaking the short circuit, now your train will run fine again.
Problem #3 This Forum is for REAL Trains, and your question w
As the others have said, when working with two rail track anytime the train can reverse directions it means one rail is connected to the other rail resulting in a short circuit.
No, A short circuit is a short circuit regardless of the type of electric power.
No, people get confused here because the Lionel three rail track uses AC. This is just a coincidence. What makes that work is the third rail. Regardless of how you connect the track the center rail is always in the center!
Problem #3 This Forum is for REAL Trains, and your question would be much better asked in the MODEL RAILROADER Forum. If you had Lione or American Flyer trains, then You would want to go to the CLASSIC TOY TRAINS Forum.
Huh, “this forum is for REAL trains”. I always thought a REAL train was something I waited for at a crossing on my way home. Didn’t realize some folks have basements big enough to run those baby’s in them.
No Kenfolk, maybe we were replying at the same time, see my post right above yours, this thread has been moved by a moderator to a forum more appropriate to the topic, it WAS started in the CLASSIC TRAINS forum, which DOES discuss REAL trains, I knew where I was when I posted that reply.
You can use a reverse loop, it’s just you have to put insulated connecters between the tracks so the loop is isolated from the rest of the layout, and wire up a DPDT toggle switch to reverse the polarity of the track. BTW depending on your layout, you may need to use insulated connectors even if you don’t have a reverse loop, depending on the type of turnouts you’re using.
There’s several books available on model RR wiring covering the basics, check out the LHS (local hobby shop) and they can help you.
I believe the below links will help visualize reverse loops. Save the sites you like in your Favorites under Reverse loops. You will have the links for someone else some day. Don’t ever depend on the History in IE. You might inadvertently clear the History. A lot of clueless depend on the History in IE or any other browser.
Here is your problem. When you ad a reverse loop what you are doing is making the track want current through both rails(look at a wiring book from any publisher, that should explain fully.). The engine cant choose between them because it is very hard to put the output in something with current. AC current is what most household appliances are on. Here is how it works. The current in AC goes back and forth and back and forth. So if you were to slow down time it would look like someone is turning the lights on and off and on and off. Now take that someone and replace him with a squirrel who has been pumped full of coffee and soda. Now the lights are turning on and off so fast we cant see them.