If only one rail changes phase, and there is a metal wheel, or one truck of an all wheel pickup loco across the gaps, there is still a dead short across that gap.
If you reverse it by using say a screwdriver across the gap while the train is well back, then yes, you will have a train standing on track where both rails are of the same phase, and it will just be dead. But cross the gaps, one side flips and the other doesn't, it's a dead short through the metal part of the truck, or the locos internal wiring - about the worst kind of short you can have, as far as potentially damaging or melting something.
You have this, if one side flipped:
+++++++++|+++++++++ (this rail, this side of the gap used to be -)
----------------|++++++++
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinker If you are using the Dual Frog Juicer as a reverser, you need to make sure the jumper is on to Pair Outputs.
not pairing the juicers can result in only one rail being reversed. with both rails at the same polarity, the loco sees no power.
crisco1My engine shorts out when I run a train over this area.
pairing the frog juicers is not the cause of the shorts. i'd guess either gaps are missing/closed/not cut all the way thru or the reverser mis-wired.
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
If you are using the Dual Frog Juicer as a reverser, you need to make sure the jumper is on to Pair Outputs.
The rest of it - a layout diagram and an indication of where you have gaps would help.
You need to have both the auto-reverser and track reversing section wired correctly, so more information is necessary to diagnose the problem. The Tam Valley reverser should have come with instructions. The track should be wired as indicated on the wiring for DCC site or equivalent http://www.wiringfordcc.com/sw_ctl.htm#a16 .
Rob Spangler
How do you wire a reverse loop using Tam Valley Reverse Module?
My engine shorts out when I run a train over this area.