Finally, a thorough explanation! As a "Marklïn guy" this was of no concern, but now that I own LGB trains, I was breaking my head over reverse loops. Still have to figure out how to not reverse all polarity when running multiple trains.
@@TomsTrainsandThings For DCC this will work flawlessly, but analog trains will reverse direction so the second locomotive which is not in the reverse loop will start running backwards as soon as the polarity is switched.
@@TomsTrainsandThings Imagine a small layout consisting of an oval track with a reverse loop on the left of the oval. That would look like this --> o__O One train is running clockwise inside the oval while the other is leaving the oval and going to the reverse loop. How is the train able to return to the oval if the train in the oval is not allowed to run counterclockwise nor is it allowed to stop. It can't be done, polarity has to be reversed, else the train coming out of the reverse loop is stuck between the loop and the oval.
If all you have is two ovals connected by a track on one end, you do not have a reversing loop. Since you have two seperate districts/blocks, you would need a second power pack. One for each oval seperated by insulators on both tracks.
Greetings from Cape Town, South Africa. Thanks Tom that really sorted out an issue I had with the reversing loop. It worked a treat. Once again thank you, Rex.
Tom, Yes I had many a headaches years ago, with trains stalling as it turns back on itself. I spent the funds and ordered from Digitrax the Auto reversing unit. Atlas Trains has a book on wiring your track in DC. Kalmbach publishers has several books out on wiring your existing DC layout over to DCC. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. I always look forward to your videos and Live Streams . I live near Tallahassee, just up the road apiece from you.
Hi Tom Great video, I have a question about the powering of the LED's if you are running a DC layout and you train is at a slow pace track power about 5 or less volts will it be enough power to light the LED's ? and also when you stop the train your LED's will go out ( as no power to the track)? I have been rattling my brain on how to get a constant brightness for the LED's and the only thing I could come up with is having 2 DPDT switches side by side and flipping both at once i.e one for track power and one for LED power, can you think of another way ? Cheers Mark
Watch this video. I use DCC but it also applies to DC. If you don't have a red/green 3 pin led, you can use two seperate leds. th-cam.com/video/vpUOKWzV7ZA/w-d-xo.html
Hi Tom, Have watched your videos on the reversing section, wiring a dpdt switch and also a dpdt switch for DC and DCC. With the digitrax AR1 how would you suggest wiring for DCC and then your LED suggestion for DC auto reverse. Would you keep this as a seperate bus and then use another dpdt switch. I am concerned that when you have selected DC that the current may still flow back into the ar1. Appreciate your advice please
So even on dc, I need to do all this... I been trying and trying with some eztrack, and the train would never run with the loop connected... this explains why... thankyou sir.
hi Tom... the drawing of you is awesome... i do have a question.. is a reversing unit such as a Digitrax AR1 strictly for DCC???looking at the AR1 it seems that there are no "chips" in it.. just a relay, capacitor & some resistors... just curious ... good tutorial.. thanks for sharing.. vinny
Thanks Vinny. The AR 1 will not work with a DC locomotive on a DCC system. I tried it, my locomotive stopped when it got to the protected track. So, I would think it would not work on a DC circuit. Here's an article from the help desk: www.digitrax.com/tsd/KB539/ar1-special-considerations/
What I did was to have two controllers and an isolated section. When the train was on the loop I would turn the second controller the other way so the polarity was reversed when the train came out of the tunnel. Peco item PL-15 attaches to a point motor and reverses the polarity, so you don't need a manual switch, or two controllers!
Thanks Mark. I just uploaded it as my icon about 15 minutes ago. Wow, you see it faster than I can. it hasn't showed up on my end yet. Tee Shirts? I may have him do a few more drawing of me before the Tee Shirts.
Hey Tom, who drew the drawing of you. I think me and your other viewers would like to know so we could subscribe if the artist has a channel of his own
Hi Andrew, I thought I put his channel link in the description but I guess i forgot. There are two places in the video where you can link to his channel. In the info cards and on the end screen. The icon with the star burst is his channel icon. Also on today's Shout Out Monday Evening I will be highlighting his channel again. th-cam.com/channels/YOFeFORQC_ousLQ9x6nnqA.html he has a video up now where he shows how he drew it.
It's a very common practice used to turn your train in the opposite direction especially in a point to point operation. The track plan I showed in the video was one created by another viewer. It's similar to many track plans published in many of the "Track Plan" books available.
I understand the simple DC circuit reverse of the track,but. say your running a BIG BOY loco..you now have two sets of 8 wheels on the loco picking up track voltage,plus the leed 6 wheels of the tender..you cross the rail gap with the first set of wheels on the loco..the others still on the opposite rails..you just created a short in the loco
Hi Terry, that's why you have the same potential on the lead track as you do on the reversing section. The two green Led's. Once all the wheels are cleared into the reversing section, you can reverse polarity of the reversing track to match the other end Red Led. Then you can exit the other side without shorting the tracks. If your gonna run a Big Boy you;ll need a longer switchable track in the center. That is the point of using the LED's to show the polarity of the tracks. If your lead track is green and your reversing track is red, you need to switch the reversing track so it shows up green.
Yes, that's why you have to stop it while your in the reversing section and not only change the polarity of the track but flip the switch on your power pack.
Ahhhh..now it makes perfect sense why you "have" to stop the train once in the section..you have to flip the direction switch on the transformer as well.....this has been a most helpful hands on video.. Thank you for sharing. Tom
Finally, a thorough explanation! As a "Marklïn guy" this was of no concern, but now that I own LGB trains, I was breaking my head over reverse loops. Still have to figure out how to not reverse all polarity when running multiple trains.
Isolate several feet of track only in the part that is reversing. Send me am email if you need further assistance.
@@TomsTrainsandThings For DCC this will work flawlessly, but analog trains will reverse direction so the second locomotive which is not in the reverse loop will start running backwards as soon as the polarity is switched.
If you use a DPDT switch foor ht eshort section you can avoid reversing all the tracks. With the sw you only reverse the short section.
@@TomsTrainsandThings Imagine a small layout consisting of an oval track with a reverse loop on the left of the oval. That would look like this --> o__O One train is running clockwise inside the oval while the other is leaving the oval and going to the reverse loop. How is the train able to return to the oval if the train in the oval is not allowed to run counterclockwise nor is it allowed to stop. It can't be done, polarity has to be reversed, else the train coming out of the reverse loop is stuck between the loop and the oval.
If all you have is two ovals connected by a track on one end, you do not have a reversing loop. Since you have two seperate districts/blocks, you would need a second power pack. One for each oval seperated by insulators on both tracks.
Greetings from Cape Town, South Africa. Thanks Tom that really sorted out an issue I had with the reversing loop. It worked a treat. Once again thank you, Rex.
Glad I could help Rex
Tom, Yes I had many a headaches years ago, with trains stalling as it turns back on itself.
I spent the funds and ordered from Digitrax the Auto reversing unit.
Atlas Trains has a book on wiring your track in DC.
Kalmbach publishers has several books out on wiring your existing DC layout over to DCC.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. I always look forward to your videos and Live Streams .
I live near Tallahassee, just up the road apiece from you.
Glad I could help James
Hi Tom
Great video, I have a question about the powering of the LED's if you are running a DC layout and you train is at a slow pace track power about 5 or less volts will it be enough power to light the LED's ? and also when you stop the train your LED's will go out ( as no power to the track)?
I have been rattling my brain on how to get a constant brightness for the LED's and the only thing I could come up with is having 2 DPDT switches side by side and flipping both at once i.e one for track power and one for LED power, can you think of another way ?
Cheers Mark
Watch this video. I use DCC but it also applies to DC. If you don't have a red/green 3 pin led, you can use two seperate leds. th-cam.com/video/vpUOKWzV7ZA/w-d-xo.html
Here is another video th-cam.com/video/YrVDv65vzPI/w-d-xo.html
@@TomsTrainsandThings Hi Tom Awesome got it Cheers Mark :)
@@markdebsauzzietravels Glad it helped
Hi Tom, Have watched your videos on the reversing section, wiring a dpdt switch and also a dpdt switch for DC and DCC. With the digitrax AR1 how would you suggest wiring for DCC and then your LED suggestion for DC auto reverse. Would you keep this as a seperate bus and then use another dpdt switch. I am concerned that when you have selected DC that the current may still flow back into the ar1. Appreciate your advice please
AR ! are not for DC. They are a DCC device
@@TomsTrainsandThings Tom, thanks for the reply to Glenn Vaughan. Glenn
So even on dc, I need to do all this... I been trying and trying with some eztrack, and the train would never run with the loop connected... this explains why... thankyou sir.
Yes if you have a reversing section in it. No if it's just a loop
COOL! Thanks Tom, added this to my watch later list, I'm going to need it,
Your welcome Randy
Thanks Tom great video
Your welcome John!
Good job Tom
Thank you Debbie
THANK YOU...for sharing.
Your welcome Gary
hi Tom... the drawing of you is awesome... i do have a question.. is a reversing unit such as a Digitrax AR1 strictly for DCC???looking at the AR1 it seems that there are no "chips" in it.. just a relay, capacitor & some resistors... just curious ... good tutorial.. thanks for sharing.. vinny
Thanks Vinny. The AR 1 will not work with a DC locomotive on a DCC system. I tried it, my locomotive stopped when it got to the protected track.
So, I would think it would not work on a DC circuit. Here's an article from the help desk: www.digitrax.com/tsd/KB539/ar1-special-considerations/
excellent.
Chuck
What I did was to have two controllers and an isolated section. When the train was on the loop I would turn the second controller the other way so the polarity was reversed when the train came out of the tunnel. Peco item PL-15 attaches to a point motor and reverses the polarity, so you don't need a manual switch, or two controllers!
Thank you Chuck
Thanks for the information Frederick
Thank you!
Your welcome.
Good one Tom. Love the drawing. I see it’s your “icon” now. I did a double take. When do the t-shirts come out? Haha. -Mark
Thanks Mark. I just uploaded it as my icon about 15 minutes ago. Wow, you see it faster than I can. it hasn't showed up on my end yet. Tee Shirts? I may have him do a few more drawing of me before the Tee Shirts.
Or you could use a atlas switch relay and jump A TO B AND B TO A to switch power directions.
Thanks Rodney, that was discussed in a video about a year ago. Model Railroading For Beginners Ep 10
Hey Tom, who drew the drawing of you. I think me and your other viewers would like to know so we could subscribe if the artist has a channel of his own
Hi Andrew, I thought I put his channel link in the description but I guess i forgot. There are two places in the video where you can link to his channel. In the info cards and on the end screen. The icon with the star burst is his channel icon. Also on today's Shout Out Monday Evening I will be highlighting his channel again.
th-cam.com/channels/YOFeFORQC_ousLQ9x6nnqA.html he has a video up now where he shows how he drew it.
Okay thank you very much. Keep up the good work btw!!
Your welcome Andrew
and rains keep running NO stopping
very good info Tom,..., Keep the price of those tee Shirts Down!!!
Thanks Jim, I wish I had more control of the cost! lol
I don't understand why you need a reversing section for
It's a very common practice used to turn your train in the opposite direction especially in a point to point operation. The track plan I showed in the video was one created by another viewer. It's similar to many track plans published in many of the "Track Plan" books available.
Oh I see what you mean now. Instead of running the same way they can run away from each other. Thank you getting me to understand.
why make it so complicated i have 2 on my layout NO switches or wiring needed
If your referring to the two ovals in your video, those are not reversing sections.
@@TomsTrainsandThings course they are..............
I understand the simple DC circuit reverse of the track,but. say your running a BIG BOY loco..you now have two sets of 8 wheels on the loco picking up track voltage,plus the leed 6 wheels of the tender..you cross the rail gap with the first set of wheels on the loco..the others still on the opposite rails..you just created a short in the loco
Hi Terry, that's why you have the same potential on the lead track as you do on the reversing section. The two green Led's. Once all the wheels are cleared into the reversing section, you can reverse polarity of the reversing track to match the other end Red Led. Then you can exit the other side without shorting the tracks. If your gonna run a Big Boy you;ll need a longer switchable track in the center. That is the point of using the LED's to show the polarity of the tracks. If your lead track is green and your reversing track is red, you need to switch the reversing track so it shows up green.
This is a DC circuit,running a DC loco..wouldn't changing polarity of the track reverse the direction of the loco as well?
Yes, that's why you have to stop it while your in the reversing section and not only change the polarity of the track but flip the switch on your power pack.
BINGO..thank you TOM
Ahhhh..now it makes perfect sense why you "have" to stop the train once in the section..you have to flip the direction switch on the transformer as well.....this has been a most helpful hands on video.. Thank you for sharing. Tom
reverse loop, it's called, needs to change polarity!!,,
Thanks Gene. That's what the video is about.!