NEWBIE NEEDS HELP

[Anonymous]

Okay, I've admitted several times that I am a novice and so many people here have so much experience. I know it is probably not so easy to explain, but I need help with the following:

What is a "block" section?

In regards to running accessories - please help with what controls you need, etc.

How to build bridges and trestles?

In regards to the real sounds series and all of the different power supplies - please help.

Basically, I want to add some basic bridges, trestles, operating accessories, and some locomotives with some sounds (brakes, crew talk, etc), but don't want to start and waste a bunch of money and time on what I don't need.

Thanks for any help.

[thor]

A 'block' section is the term for an electrically isolated section of track. In the real world, train lines are divided into 'blocks' for signalling and safety reasons. It makes it easier to control your traffic flow, not to mention increase the usage of your trackwork. In model railways 'blocks' are useful particularly in 2 rail setups where problems of polarity clashes can occur such as the reversing loop. If you draw out a reversing loop on a sheet of paper using two colors one for each line, you'll immediately see what happens as the line loops around back to the turnout. So to have a reversing loop in 2 rail its essential to divide the track into electrically isolated blocks so that a train can be turned around without that short circut occurring. If you want to have proper signalling whether in 2 or 3 rail you need some kind of block system too, assuming you are going to set it up so that the signalling is meaningful rather than just decorative.

How to build bridges and trestles? Easy way is to buy them ready made, they are designed to connect to your track and to rise up in appropriate increments but they are rarely very realistic looking so if you want to make your own you have to consider the gradient, you can't have too steep a slope or your locos won't make it up there and you want to make sure that the lead in from the level to the incline and from the top section down is very gentle to prevent problems with trucks lifting. Its also not a good idea to have a curve immediately before or after an incline.

Making your own trestles/bridges is a lot of fun, it takes a lot of patience and there are several good books available on the subject and your local library will probably have some architectural books about bridges or you can simply invent your own.

It all depends on your trackbed. If your trains are going to be laid down and taken up often from the floor or a table, you are going to have to use the ready made stuff. If you are going to build a permanent layout my advice would be to consider the L girder system, in which the track base is a plywood template that you raise and lower using wooden lifts and which is rather like a plwood fretwork laid out over a system of beams that leaves you with plenty of holes to access the layout from.

If you simply lay down a few sheets of ply in a flat base you must consider accessibility beause for sure you'll have a major derailment someday in the least accessible part of your layout - they favour tunnels and bridges - and you'll need to climb onto a flat layout to get at it, if you havent pre-planned for that eventuality.

Generally speaking the way to go about is is this. Either you're going to put the track down and pick it up again fairly often, changing the arrangement to suit your mood OR you're going to build a semi-permanent system from the word go. Usually people who intend to take the second option are the ones who intend to get into block sections and trestles.

If thats your choice you need to do a lot of research and careful planning with paper and pencil first. If your choice is the first, temporary, setup you are pretty much stuck with whatever proprietary elevated sections and bridges you can buy.

Its really not easy to give you a better answer without knowing more.

[cnw1995]

Hi chan, welcome again. I was asking these exact questions not too long ago - there may be some great basic books about Wiring Your Toy Train Layout in your library - they're also a great buy on this website. I'd recommend perusing some. I have one titled something like Building Your First Toy Train Layout. Are you starting with anything at all - a train set?

I can give you a non-technical perspective. A block is a section of track that is electrically isolated. For example, let's say you set up a huge oval or figure 8 of track, and then connect your transformer with two wires to a 'lock-on' - which is a little device that attaches to a piece of track. That whole setup is now a single block. Then, if you substituted a special little plastic pin to connect two pieces of track at two different places in your layout , you would effectively divide your track layout in half, and if you used another 'lockon' from a different transformer to connect to the other section you would end up with both sections 'isolated from the other by the plastic pins and separately powered. You would have two blocks. Most people end up running wire from a single transformer to a series of on-off switches and then from each switch to a 'block' of track.

A typical transformer will allow you to separately power accesories that need to be powered. The accessory will come with instructions. Bridges and trestles can be purchased or kitted together using blocks, foam board, etc.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for the help. I do not have the room for a permanent or semi-permanent setup so I will be assembling and taking apart often. Please help explain the block section again in regards to signaling. I'm not really following this.

Thanks again,

[phillyreading]

The block section is isolated electrically for either train movement or signalling. An easy way to use it for signal circuit is to insulate one of the outer rails on three rail track,
the wheel set from one of your train cars will make electrical connection to the other side of the track. This method is called neutral or ground power signalling, it is easy to use as you make and break electrical contact by using your train. Either you can buy insulated track sections or make your own by removing the rails from the track ties and insulating an outside rail that way. You can use spring loaded contact devices
but you must constantly adjust the spring tension if you do a lot of running of your trains.
The insulating pins can be bought from any hobby shop. As for accessories you need to read the instruction manual to find out what it takes to make them work, and wire them and what may be the preferred voltage. ALWAYS READ the instruction manual and do what it says or you will void the warranty. There are too many accessories out there for me to tell you how to do anything without knowing;1) when it was made, 2) who made it, 3) the particular item number, 4) is it electrical or mechanical?
Lee F. in West Palm Beach FL

[Anonymous]

So, if I am only running a single track, there is no need for a block section? I do not intend on running multiples lines, but would like to do some switching, etc.

[phillyreading]

Chan, what kind of track are you using? Lionel tubelar, Fastrac or 027 or are you using MTH realtrac?
Lee F.

[Anonymous]

Fastrack

[thor]

I hope I'm helping you not confusing you but here goes. However before I explain how blocks work with signalling, you really dont need to know this because if you are setting it up and taking it down again, you won't be wiring up a system like this. You can buy turnouts that have built in signal lights that change as the mechanism changes direction and you can buy semaphore arm and electric light type signals that you operate with switches to suit yourself. Theres no need to get into electrical blocks in your type of situation.

In the bad old days, it wasn't unusual for two trains to be occupying the same section of track running in opposite directions, that is, toward each other! Or for a faster train to be following a slower one with the inevitable crash resulting from poor braking or limited visibility. Something had to be done....

The system that I'm familiar with, has a setup such that any two trains are always seperated by a 'dead' section. In real life where the trains are under independent control not track power, something similar was done using mechanical interlocks and a system of keys. The frames of levers that the signalman used to operate the semaphore signals and turnouts had a lockout feature such that the signalman couldn't change the signals from danger to ahead without a special key that was inserted into the frame to allow the levers to be moved and the points/turnouts and signals set. The driver carried the key for the following section and had to stop the train and insert it before the signalman could give him the go ahead, as he inserted the key, the frame ejected the key for the next section.

So in theory at least it was impossible for a driver to take a train into the following section without having authorization to do so and it was equally impossible for a signalman to bypass this system by perhaps deciding there was enough time to allow a goods train in a siding to come out to get through a crossing.

Okay now in model trainland, if you have a very complex layout with more than one or two trains operating, its possible to make a bad decision that causes a crash but if you wire up the track such that trains are running in switched blocks with dead sections before and behind them and you use relay logic or reed switched detection systems to do it, you can also have your signals wired up so that the operator sees the condition of the road ahead either as model trackside signals or lights on a control panel or both.

However to do this kind of system you HAVE to have a permanent layout just because of the wiring involved and its almost impossible without a jolly good Electrical Engineer as a friend (or yourself).

On the other hand you can have a few hand operated signals scattered about wired up to the track to be operated by the movement of the locomotive or track switches and if you buy a Lionel or whatever, it'll tell you how to wire it up to get this effect which looks very realistic.

Doing it so that it works like the prototype is a nightmare believe you me. I think it took us months to get one mainline and its sidings working properly and we still had problems when relays didnt trigger and threw a monkey wrench into the whole network.
its really strictly for control freaks with good electrical knowledge.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the input - I think I'll stick to the basics then with no blocks, etc. However, I am curious about the TMCC and the different options there. It just sounds like something fun to have with all the sounds, etc. But, when they say TMCC BLock Power Controler, that means something completely different than the "blocks" that we are talking about, correct? What about all the voltage controllers, etc.

I am really looking to uncouple, unload, run switches, without stopping the train exactly over the right spot on the uncoupling section and to have some locomotives with all the "bells and whistles". What do you suggest buying to do this? This is where I get lost when that say "allows you to route power from any power master or track power controller" to your blocks of track, etc.

Anyone used the Remote Controller CAB-1?

[IronHoarse]

To run TMCC equipped engines in command mode all you need is a CAB-1 and a command base. If you are planning on running conventional engines then you will need to add a Track Power controller. With TMCC you can control electro couplers only, and as far as I know these are found only on TMCC engines or tenders. To uncouple rolling stock you will still need an uncoupling section. If you want to control switches with your CAB-1 then you will need to get a switch controller such as the ACS or SC-2 switch controller. All of the controllers are optional and each controls different things. To get a better idea of what you may want to add to your CAB-1 and command base you can go to Lionel's website and download the owners manual for all of the different controllers and then read about then and decide if you really want a particular controller or not.