Reversing Loop

[Anonymous]

I have finally completed my anti clockwise reversing loop in area 3 and it worked terrific first time. It was about three quarter finished about 2 months ago but i had to do "other things" to allow me to complete it.

You blokes probably think i'm nuts about this clockwise and anticlockwise reversing loops business but not so. What i am referring to is how the branch line for the loop comes off the main circuit. Say your train is going around the main circuit in a clockwise direction and you want to turn it around. Then you must have facing points, so that you can divert your train to the reversing loop.

OK so you have turned your train around and it is going around nicley in an anti clockwise direction and after a while you want to turn it around again but you cant because your points are facing in the wrong direction, so you need facing points when you are going in an anticlockwise direction. Hence having two reversing loops is a better option than only having one and having to reverse around your other loop, many trains don't like going too far in reverse.

To conclude, you can go around both loops either way depending on your whim, but it is to do with how you come off your main circuit that matters.


Regards


Ian

[bman36]

Ian,
So that I have this right...each time the train comes back to the loop it will go the opposite way since the points were left different each time the train goes around??? I think I said that right. Sounds like a neat idea to add variety to reverse loops. Rgds eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

Nearly right Brian, no that is right but that is not the main point. We don't care all that much about which way they go around the reversing loop, we do care but not that much. What we do care about is the direction they take going around our main line circle! If they are going around clockwise they can only go into a set of points with there facing end toward them and when they come out of the reversing loop they will then be going in an anticlockwise direction; so the origonal set of points will be of no use to it as they will be facing in the wrong direction.

So if you wi***o reverse your train again you will need a set of points with the facing end toward the train going in an anticlockwise direction and another reversing loop or a Wye..

OK


I havent explained this to well, so if you don't understand i wont blame you and I will send you a few pictrures, they say a picture is worth a thousand words.


Rgds Ian

[grandpopswalt]

Ian,

I agree. A diagram of some sort would be very helpful. Now that you're set up to add pics to your messages you should be able to add a quicky diagram of your layout with the reversing loops.

Walt

[Anonymous]

I nearly am able to add pictures, my wifes son Frank did it for me during a recent visit, he's gone back to Sydney and wont be back again for probably six months. However he left instructions on how to add things and remove them from my web site to the forum etc. I have just lacked the guts to do it but I i will soon I promise.


Rgrs ian

[toenailridgesl]

Ian, e-mail them to me & I'll host/post them for you....

[Anonymous]

Thanks phil what about four photos showing the train leaving the main line and going into the two reversing loops. I am on broad band now so I can send what i like

Regards ian

[Anonymous]

Has anyone got any idea how hard it is electrically to do a reversing loop, whithout some fancy electronics its virtually impossible, just think about it.


Rgds Ian

[mkblk]

Hello Ian,

Clockwise, anti-clockwise. Ouch, my head hurts! Since I live north of the equator, when I flu***he toilete, the water goes clockwise. Down under it goes anti-clockwise (learned that from Bart Simpson!).

Lionel "0" Tinplater's do it (make reversing loops, that is) without even thinking about it! That 3rd rail makes all the difference. On the other hand HOers and scale 0 gaugers have been doing it for decades. You simply have to use a double pole double throw switch to reverse the polarity in each loop. Be sure your train is never longer than the loop or it will short out (or worse, crash into itself!). Pick up any book on wiring HO layouts, it's all the same. Of course battery power or live steam solves the whole wiring issue. But you probably already knew all that.

Keep up that great garden railroading Down Under!

MK