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Track Insulators

Barry writes:

“It has been a long time since I have written anything, about anything. We will be moving to the sunflower state (Kansas) and l will have a room for my model railroad HO scale 10 x 12. On the picture is a layout or design if your readers could help me a little on where the track insulators would go? Thanks.”

8 Responses to Track Insulators

  • James Claeys says:

    Sometimes a litter searching on the web is all you need. https://dccwiki.com/Reverse_Sections

    • Barry Hespenhide says:

      Yes i have read that web site , just need to read over again and slowly so i don’t miss anything important. I understand the reverse loop , it gets a little confusing when you have a switch in the middle of the loop . Will be using DCC on my layout . Thank you

  • Tom Osterdock says:

    You don’t say if you are DCC or DC. I have DCC and I isolate every switch. The most important is isolating the frog to keep from having a system shutdown due to short circuit. I also use frog juicers on every switch frog to automatically change polarity if needed.

    • Barry Hespenhide says:

      Yes i will be using DCC when i do start my layout . I understand DCC but not totally
      Some times i can get confused with what needs to be done and what doesn’t matter. Just what to try a get it right the frist time and not the 50th time. When i do start my layout i will be almost 70 years young.

  • Alvin Kushner says:

    Hi Barry,, You are going to need an auto-reverser t am using an NCE AR 10 auto reverser on line from Hattons. Works like charm, Just isolate a piece of track as per instructions. and your train will run smoothly through the loop. I live in South Africa so I have to buy a lot of specialised gadgets on line.
    By the way I see that you describe yourself as 70 years young. I started my layout at 78 and I turn 80 this March. Advice from an old fogey. Try to complete as much wiring as you can while your can tip your baseboard on it’s side. Wiring under the layout while seated on the floor at our age is what hell must be like.

  • don kadunc says:

    Isolate the upper half just above the two lowest switches. The will not be part of the loop. The top switch needs to be part of the loop and needs to be isolated from the upper yard. DCC just requires a an automatic reversing switch. The upper switch does not care that it is part of the loop If you need a longer loop, insolate below the left upper switch and above the left lower switch for both parallel tracks Keep all yard tracks out of the reverse loop.

    DC will cause the engine to reverse when the switch reverses. The engine direction must manually be reversed. This will happen again when exiting.

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