Lionel Insulated Rail

[srguy]

Is it possible to wire two accassories to the same insulated rail??

[sir james I]

Sure, no problem, but you must have the transformer voltage set high enough to operate them. Make sure you keep both outside rails, and wheels clean for a good contact.

[lionelsoni]

If they are powered from the same voltage source, that is, wired in parallel, there is no problem.  They may not be powered from different transformers nor from different outputs of the same transformer.  If the accessories need different voltages, you may use a rheostat or other voltage-dropping element in series with the one that needs less voltage.

It is possible to operate multiple DC accessories from separate supplies if you put a diode in series with each accessory, all pointing in the same direction (all toward or all away from the control rail).  In this case, you can use an AC supply, letting the series diode rectify it to half-wave DC, if that is suitable for the accessory.

[steve24944]

I have an insulated rail wired to close a relay, then let the relay contacts activate a 154 crossbuck signal, wired to a flashing circuit and a 252 crossing gate.  It takes a little more wiring but gets better performance.  I add a capacitor to my relay circuit to keep the relay closed.  then there is less problem with dirty wheels.   By using a relay with the capacitor you get a more positive on - off circuit , and a relay can then be used to control multiple accessories, and each can be on different voltages, even run on DC instead of AC.   The coil on the 252 crossing gate runs better on DC.

Steve

[srguy]

Some of the suggestions appear to bea little more complicated than my capabilities   . diodes relays etc. I'm running a crossing gate (simple 2 wires to a lockon on an insulated track). So the gate is operated on track power and does fine at 12V. I want to add a 151 semaphore to the same loop of track but would prefer not to add another insulated track. My thoughts are this ... add another lockon to the loop to provide track power to the light on the 151 and then run the 3rd wire to the insulated rail that is currently activating the crossing gate.  All other accessories are running off the C and D terminals on a KW. According to Bob's response I would not be able to pull power to the 151 from the Cand D terminals and activate the arm on the 151 off the insulated rail which is also powering and activating the crossing gate ... right??

[sir james I]

Hook them up your way,, they will work IF they have enough voltage..or you could eliminate the lockon and use fixed voltage from B or C.

I operate a gateman and a 151 from 1 insulated section using a fixed voltage. Been that way for 30 years and still working.

[lionelsoni]

Right.  For any kind of simple operation, you need to select a voltage source that is suitable for both of them, whether the center rail (presumably connected to KW terminal A or B) or KW terminal D (20 volts, probably too high for these accessories) or another transformer.

If you're not using both of A and B, you could set the unused one to 12 or 14 volts to power these accessories.

You could use terminal C instead of U as your layout common (connected to the outside rails generally).  This will reduce the voltage at terminal D to 14; but that will also be the maximum available from A or B to power the train.

If and when you can arrange a suitable voltage source, connect the center terminal of the 151 to it.  Connect the light terminal to the layout common and the solenoid terminal to the control rail.  Connect one terminal of the crossing gate to the same voltage source and the other terminal to the control rail.