Fastrack switch isolation question

[Anonymous]

I am just finishing up a small layout using Lionel's Fastrack . I've used remote switches for a siding and a by-pass and was wondering if there is a way to hook toggle switches to them to isolate the siding and/or bypass tracks. Can this be done or do I need to somehow isolate the center rail just past the switch? Thanks,

Robert

Edit..... Also, where would I get a diagram or description of what each of the connections on the bottom of the switches does? The manuals that come with them are too generic and vauge.

[pbjwilson]

Hey Robert,
First, Cheers to Ben Franklin.

Yes you can insulate the center rail so that you can switch power on or ff to that section of track. Only I'm not familiar with Fastrack. Some of the others here will be able to help you out more, but your on the right track.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Paul. I'm looking to run more than one engine and be able to park one on a siding so the ability to turn them on and off would be a nice feature. I could slot the third rail, but if the isolation feature was already built in to the switches (with todays technology, it's entirely possible they did) I'd rather do it that way. So I figured someone here would know.

[Anonymous]

Pages 6 and 8-10 give descriptions of what each terminal is used for and recomendations for wiring the switch up in different enviroments, command and conventional.

You can pull the center track pins on both sections of a piece of track or slice the center rail with a Dremel tool to force isolation. One note of caution. Even if you isolate a block, if you move any car/loco with dual center rail pickups (aka front and rear), you can energize that block by way of the pickup rollers. We tend to focus on the rollers for picking up current, but they can also act as bridges allowing current to flow into that isolated block.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chuckn

Pages 6 and 8-10 give descriptions of what each terminal is used for and recomendations for wiring the switch up in different enviroments, command and conventional.

You can pull the center track pins on both sections of a piece of track or slice the center rail with a Dremel tool to force isolation. One note of caution. Even if you isolate a block, if you move any car/loco with dual center rail pickups (aka front and rear), you can energize that block by way of the pickup rollers. We tend to focus on the rollers for picking up current, but they can also act as bridges allowing current to flow into that isolated block.

Thanks Chuck. Yes I understand pages 6 and 8-10 but I'm looking for more in-depth details than that. like what exactly does thru mean and how it corresponds to the track rail pieces on the switch or what exactly does "RSC lights mean? (I think it is "Remote Switch Controller" as in the toggle switch that changes the direction.) I just was hoping to find out what they all did without resorting to pulling the unit apart.

Slotting the rail(using the Dremel tool) is what I was thinking also. I was just hoping that maybe they might have have the isolation "built in" to the new switches, and that maybe they didn't put it in the manual.

As far as the pickup "bridging" onto the isolated section, good info. I hadn't though that far ahead and I thank you for the info. I will keep that in mind. Thanks.

Any one else have experience with Fastrack?

[Anonymous]

Those terms refer to which terminal will control the direction the switch is thrown. AKA thru means that when the ground and thru terminals are connected, the switch points will allign for straight through traffic. If you connect "out" to ground, the swicth points will allign to the turnout side of the switch. RSC is the remote swicth controller.

I will have to test this, but I believe you can set the track up such that a siding is only powered when the switch is thrown to the out position. This gets tricky if the siding is connect back to a main line by other means (e.g. double ended passing siding). Either switch thrown to the outside will energize the track section. This is another reason to "like" command control. Engines don't move until you tell them to!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chuckn

I will have to test this, but I believe you can set the track up such that a siding is only powered when the switch is thrown to the out position. This gets tricky if the siding is connect back to a main line by other means (e.g. double ended passing siding). Either switch thrown to the outside will energize the track section. This is another reason to "like" command control. Engines don't move until you tell them to!

Yes, this is what I thought you could do but was unsure how to do it.

I will eventually go with the TMCC (I have already have 1 engine with it and am now looking for the second) but I am running conventional right now. Lots of good reasons to go with it!

Let me know how you make out. Thanks!!