Hi! .... Well,here I go again..another question:
As the engine enters and exits an insulated track (almost new K-line O27 tubular) it sparks. I've replaced the insulated pins with fibre pins, still sparks.
(Have tried another insulated track, same vintage, also sparks.)
As always, many thanks.
As the loco bridges the insulated section, it is entering a new power block, and the rollers/wheels will spark, especially if the voltage is different in the insulated block. This is normal.
Larry
What is the purpose of the "insulated track"? If the train is indeed going between blocks powered at different voltages, the sparks may be telling you not to do that.
Bob Nelson
Bob: Here's what we did....We have a 153C contactor operating a crossing gate. The gate didn't stay down long enough until the entire consist passed so we put an insulated track down the line, also connected to the crossing gate, so that when the engine ran over it, the gate would continue to stay down. Except for the "sparks" it seems to work. (When the train approaches from either direction) Did we goof?
No. That sort of track circuit to operate an accessory is a very reasonable, safe, and reliable thing to do. It seems that the sparks you're seeing are just the result of making and breaking the circuit, just as if you switched the accessory on by touching its wires to the transformer terminals. I think you would see sparks from that too, especially if the crossing gate involves a solenoid, as many do. The inductance of the coil can produce very brief high voltage likely to make a spark when the circuit is opened.
The sparks are part of the charm of toy trains. Have you ever ridden the L or a Subway? Those suckers ocasionally give off super-sized sparks. Espessially when the track is wet or icy.
Interesting info BigAl. Icy Arcing => http://youtu.be/szA3rsdvqv4
..........Wayne..........
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