Hello, I hope to enjoy this site and learn more about my favorite hobby.
If you read my profile you will see that I have been involved with sales, service and installation of inside G Gauge Track systems for many years. Now, I have the time to build a Garden RR in my back yard. I plan to start off simple with a single track large loop going around my back yard, which is wide open and fairly flat. I have acquired one 19 feet long train that I plan to run, but will provide for a second train storage track. Where the loop of track goes past the back of my garage, I want to install a 3 switch Wye Junction. This will lead to a spur going thru a door in the back of my garage and lead to a two track train storage yard. I have finished the inside garage yard, and have two sidings about 20 feet long. I am using analog power from a Bridgwerks 15 Amp power supply. My train is a PRR GG1 Loco, pulling 5, 36" long passenger cars. That beautiful 19 foot train. I am a PRR fan.
To wire the Wye junction I was told by a train dealer to purchase two LGB 1015 Reverse Loop Track Sets, which I have done. Now my problem: The LGB instructions are not very clear to me showing where to place the 1015T and the 1015K LGB Track sections, that come with this set, in a wye track configuration. Also, the instructions do not say that I need two sets of these special LGB tracks. The instructions do say that the length of the train could be an issue when using these LGB electronic track sections for a reverse curve. The instructions are very clear that this LGB set is all I need to install a reverse loop or a wye junction. But, the instructions are very brief and not clear for a beginner.
I contacted the LGB seller, and he was of no help to me, so that is why I joined this site, as I have been buying Kalmbach Mags for many years. I am hopeing that a member out there has used this LGB 1015 Reverse Loop Track Set to install a wye junction, and can send me a note or better yet, a diagram showing the placement of these special LGB track sections.
Sorry for such a long question, but I will sure appreciate any help you could give me for my first Garden Railroad.
Thanks, Jim Hendley
jhh1218@att.net, 828-891-7570
Hi Jim, A member of this forum is called Keven Strong, when he sees your post which I think will be today or at most tomorrow, he will be able I'm sure to give you the answer you require., he has helped many people with tricky problems. As you have said not all dealers know enough about the items that they are selling, and some translations in instructions are not as good as we would like. I hope this helps
Age is only a state of mind, keep the mind active and enjoy life
Jim, a "wye" is pretty simple to do with the LGB components you have. (In fact, you could do it with insulated rail joiners and a bridge rectifier if you wanted to save some money--probably too late now that you've bought the components, but for others, it might be helpful.)
There are two parts to the LGB reverse loop kit. The first (1015T) is simply an isolation block. The second (1015K) looks identical in terms of having both rails having a gap in the middle, but this section has a bridge rectifier (4 diodes) that allow electricity to pass from one side of the gap to the other. The bridge rectifier makes it so that no matter the polarity on the one side (I'll call the "A" side), the other side (B) will always be the same polarity. That means that no matter what direction the throttle itself is set, the train will always operate only in one direction over the track between the 1015K and 1015T sections. Because of this, you must always run the same direction around the wye. Here's a wiring diagram:
In operation, you'd run your train into the wye with the direction on the throttle set to what I'll call "east," since it's going left to right on the diagram. When it gets to the end of the track, you would flip the direction switch to "west" to back up on the second leg of the wye. At the end of that, you'd flip the direction switch back to "east" and continue to the third leg of the wye. Here's the interesting part. When the locomotive is in between the two LGB track sections, you must stop the train and throw the direction switch to "west." Because the train is in this rectifier-controlled section of track, the train will continue traveling in the same direction it had been before it stopped, but the polarity on the mainline now matches the direction the locomotive is now traveling (west).
Depending on your power supply, you could just throw the direction from "east" to "west" without stopping, and you'd probably not notice the train stuttering. Some throttles have circuitry built in to slow the train to a stop between direction changes, so you'd see the train slow down then start right back up again. But from a prototypical standpoint, the loco would stop before entering the mainline so the brakeman could throw the switch anyway, so stopping the train on that leg of the wye is perfectly prototypical.
Hope that helps.
Later,
K
Keven, Thank You very much for this diagram. I did read where the length of the train must fit between the 1015T and the 1015K track section to avoid a short. Do you agree with that? If that is true, our wye loops will be very long, as our train is over 20 feet long. That's OK, we can do that. We have lots of room.
Also we will have several track power feeds from our Bridgewerks 15 Amp power suppply.. Using Black and white wires, must the same color wire always feed the same rail? I assume the 1015K will take care of the polarity short on the wye if we do that.
Your help much appreciated,
Jim
If you're picking up power for lights in your cars/caboose via the rails, then definitely, you want the isolated section to be as long as your longest train. Otherwise you run the risk of a passenger car bridging the gap over the 1015K unit and shorting things out when you throw the direction switch. If you're not running cars that need track power, then technically, your isolation gap need be only as long as the locomotive. Of course, that would mean you darned well better stop your train at the same place, so I'd just make the entire third leg isolated and be done with it. You're not gaining anything by making the isolated section shorter.
Yes, you'll always want the same color feeder wire going to the same rail. On the wye, though, you're not going to want (or be able to) run feeders to the third leg of the wye, as that must be powered via the bridge rectifier in the 1015K section. Of course, that makes keeping track of which rail gets which wire a bit easier.
Keven, We set up a small test wye in our garage yesterday, and used your diagram. It worked great, and I cannot thank you enough for helping me. We can now use the same plan when we lay our track outside, but we plan to wait for a some warmer weather to do that.
Regards, Jim
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