I think Craig and I just said the same thing…
Okay - so with what folks are saying, I think I’m getting close. It really sounds like Jeff and Craig are essentially saying what selector said earlier, no?
Here’s an updated image of that section:
I’ve indicated that the track highlighted in blue is the “problem” track - removing this would solve all the problems, but also make things a bit less interesting on the layout (or so it would seem). I’ve indicated the places that insulating joiners should most likely go, and numbered them according to the list that Jeff provided (which appears to pretty much jive with what selector and Craig had suggested). I’ve run my fingers around the layout for about a half hour now, and I can’t seem to cause a “short” on myself. And looking at this, are we talking 2 reversers or one?
Thanks for all the help guys!
Almost…
Move 2 North 2 tracks, you are just trying to isolate the loop.
Move 3 to the right and down onto the crossover, again, you are trying to isolate the loop.
Depending on the length of things 4 could go on the other side of the spurs, left a couple of feet. That way a loco could work there and not throw the reverser, while another entered the loop from the bottom.
Only one reverser required.
As we all agree to now is that the problem is between the two red dots that ajmott originally thought. That piece of track will produce two different reversing loops.
To solve the problem in the easiest way would be to make that piece of track long enough to hold the longest train. This could be done by moving the turnout at the upper red dot to the right. I don’t think that will make any big diffence in the operation of the layout. This solution will only need to isolate one piece of track in each end.
That’s true, but it really isn’t hard to make the section bigger, either, if he wants to leave the plan alone. I don’t know if there are any elevation changes going on that might make moving the turnout problematic.
Okay - I think I’ve got it, and I understand. The outerloop isn’t the reversing loop, so we’ve isolated the inner loop. And, by isolating the inner loop where we have, we’ve also avoided problems on the other potential reversing loop. Updated image:
And nof, you are correct, I believe. That blue track is the “troublesome track” (should license that to the Thomas folks!), and if I isolated only that track, we’d be fine. I can slide the switch there to the right several feet, but probably not enough to increase train length significantly - maybe only 5-6’ total length. It would seem that by isolating where we have now (hopefully I’ve got it correct), my train length can be the distance between dots 3 and 4 - which ends up being closer to 12 or 13 feet. That gives me more options.
And as to Jeff’s suggestion of moving 4 to the left of the spurs on the inner loop… I think I’ll leave it on the right side, primarily for train length. It would seem that my longest train can’t be longer than the shortest spacing between insulators, which is 3 and 4. If I move dot 4 to the left, I cut my potential train length down by 3-4’. I also don’t think I’ll be doing so much switching there that the engine will be constantly running over the insulators and tripping the reverser back and forth. Though, maybe I’m wrong and I will end up moving it to the left of the spurs. I guess we’
I think you’ve got it, and best of all understand it! The good thing is that if you decidet o move that set of gaps it really won’t be a big deal.
I love your proposed layout. Have you ever thought of a drop section to change the dog-bones into an around the room layout. I built my 24’x24’ garage loft so that there is an inside stairway to the around the four walls layout. The layout progressed from a simple dog-bone on one wall to its present 240 yards of track, with 102 switches, 2 wyes and four regular reverse loops. I called in an electrical engineer from our model railroad club to mark my drawing of my layout so that there are four DCC tethered power districts. with each of four operators controlling 25 electric powered switches. I can isolate any of the four districts to localize any shorts that may occur, and to allow me to opperate the mainline and any of the yards, alone. Make emlarged copies of your layout and trace all possible routes with different colored erasable markers. Your two reverse loops can be lengthened and moved to a more desireable location. Be sure to isolate the wye properly. The idea of using power districts to locate shorts is highly desireable. (especially with your extended reverse loops). Get help from an electrical engineer! You can see from the various conflicting replies, that your layout is not simple. Have you considered radio control ? Bob