I need some suggestions on designing the reversing section wiring for my N-scale version of the town of Dunsmuir Summit taken from the original Sunset Valley (Bruce Chubb).
It is basically a return loop containing a small 5 track holding yard (I added one more siding in the yard). I plan on stopping the trains when I enter the yard sort of like a visible staging yard.
I have two (2) MRC Control Master 20s for controlling the layout. The Control Master 20s have handheld controls with a mainline reversing switch.
I am using common rail throughout the layout (except for the reversing sections), and I have gapped both rails on the whole layout. I just use additional feeders to the common rail. The planned reversing sections are the 5 track holding yard. I have run electrical tests using some old Atlas Controllers and selectors and that does work on controlling the polarity in the reversing sections but I would prefer to use DPDT center/off for controlling the reversing sections and SPDT center/off for the rest of the layout because of the cleaner look.
I have read through Andy Sperandeo’s “Easy Model Railroad Wiring” sections dealing with reversing sections but get confused because his diagrams (for example Fig 5-10 on page 54) shows a switch for mainline and the loop. Do I have to ignore the one on my handheld controller and use a DPDT to switch the mainline polarity to the blocks and another DPDT for the loop direction?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I have a very similar situation in up staging; two concentric balloon tracks.
The first thing to do is sort out two terms:
- Reverse switch. This is the switch on the locomotive controller, and controls which way the locomotive will move in relation to itself without regard to which way it might be facing on the track. For DC, this is a DPDT.
- Direction switch. This switch establishes traffic direction - north versus south, or east versus west, depending on how your railroad defines such things. (Mine is up - toward Tokyo - versus down - away from Tokyo.) This is ONE DPDT for the entire common-rail control system, plus 1 DPDT for each reversing section (herinafter referred to as “balloon track at Dunsmuir.”)
The output of the reversing switch connects to the traffic direction switch. The balloon track switches connect to the power leads of the section adjacent to the ends of the balloon tracks (one side to common rail, the other side to the controlled rail the locomotive will be on when it is either entering or leaving the balloon track.) This only works correctly if the train stops in the balloon track while switches are being thrown - which is the way Bruce Chubb’s Dunsmuir and my down staging were meant to be operated.
What confused you in Andy Sperandeo’s book was the absence of the reverse switch in the description you cited. The direction switch is set once, when the train receives clearance, and remains untouched until the train enters a reversing section (or terminates without entering a reversing section.) Using Bruce Chubb’s names, you could set the switch to run from Fillmore to Dunsmuir, then switch industries enroute using the reverse switch on your hand throttle to control locomotive direction. Once the train ties up at Dunsmuir it ceases to exist. If the cab receives a new clearance to run Dunsmuir-Fillmore (whether with the same locomotive or a different one,) both the
Thanks. Between your help and a quick chat with Andy Sperandeo at MR Magazine, the problem has been solved.