In first phases of building all new layout. First section of track was laid and tested with no issues. Once second set was laid I cannot get power to the locomotive when I connect drop wires to either NCE Powercab or old DC transformer, both of which worked for first phase, while using same brand new Atlas DCC locomotive. All I did was add another section of track, using Walthers Switch machines but the Switch machines are not connected and there are no other wires connected, the terminal connector wires are just hanging below the table, no bare wires touching. Have cleaned the track, what should I be looking for?
Are you saying the first section quit and nothing works?Mel Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California Aging is not for wimps.
How much track did you add since your first working test section?
Do you get any indication of a short?
Do you have a meter?
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I'm unclear whether your drops are connected to a buss or the new section is electrically connected to the old section.
When ever there is a question of no power, you have to determine where the flow electrons stop. Either you need a $10 Harbor Freight voltmeter or you need to rig up a tail light bulb. A voltmeter is useful for a lot of things like determining whether the left rail is in continuity with the right rail (it shouldn't be)
What do you mean the terminal wires are hanging?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Did you insolate at the right places on the turnout?
First thing I do in a situation like that is to walk it back - remove the most recent change you made, and see if it works now. If not undo the next most recent change, keep going until it works again. Whatever was the thing you added that caused the layout to quit working is what you need to look at.
It could mean there's something wrong with that piece of track or whatever, or it could just be that you need to do something more - like (as was suggested earlier) add insulated rail joiners at certain points when adding a turnout, depending on how the turnout is designed to work.
yes, was working now nothing
drops are not connected to anything, new section is just track with the drops hanging below table but not touching anything
just a beginner, my understanding of insulation turnouts is to create separate electrical blocks. Going to use DCC controls for a small layout, didn't think I need to isolatr turnouts for that since each locomtive is controlled separetly
It's a bit hard to determine what you've actually done. If you've added a lot of track since it last worked, I would go back to where you were and make sure it works again. Then, slowly add more track until it fails again.
What brand and model of turnouts are you using? Some have different wiring requirements. You may have created a reverse loop, which definitely requires special wiring.
In the General Discussion forum, there's a thread at the top explaining how to post a photo. If you can do that, it would be easier to see what's wrong..
Mr B asked if you have any indication from either your DCC system or DC that there is a short? You have not answered that important question.
At no time should you hook up both DC and DCC to the same track even if one is turned off. There are ways to run one or the other, but that's l more advanced than we should be discussing at this point.
arp22just a beginner, my understanding of insulation turnouts is to create separate electrical blocks.
Some turnouts are power routing and some are not. We don't know what you are using.
You may have created a reversing loop, we just don't have enough information.
how would i know if thre is a short? Turnouts are not powered, using Atlas track and turnouts
unable to post picture, using Atlas layout N-16 and all Atlas track, code 80
The DCC system will shut off if there is a short (that's what my Digitrax does anyway). The DC system will probably make a "hum" when you turn your power dial.
Sounds like you have a reverse loop somewhere that creates a short. Follow one rail with your finger, if you end up on the other rail when going through a switch, then you have a loop!
Another possibility is that the power does not get through. Test it using a voltmeter (or a 12V bulb) at various places on the layout.
Simon
I looked up that layout and yes, it does have a reversing loop. In the diagram, the loop starts and ends at a single turnout on the right side. The loop runs around the top of the diagram.
So, you need to insulate the loop on both rails at the start and end of the loop. You'd might as well do this right after the turnout that causes the loop.
Putting this layout together without insulating the loop will produce a dead short and the layout won't work. The proper solution is probably to get a DCC auto-reverser to control the loop.
Spaghetti junction https://shop.atlasrr.com/images/product/large/11016.jpg
BigDaddy Spaghetti junction https://shop.atlasrr.com/images/product/large/11016.jpg
BigDaddySpaghetti junction ...
Boy, you're not kiddin'...there's not even room for a couple of meatballs or a nice hunk of slow-cooked round steak. Skip the vino, too...you shouldn't try to run a train on that layout if you're not sober.
Wayne
doctorwayne BigDaddy Spaghetti junction ... Boy, you're not kiddin'...there's not even room for a couple of meatballs or a nice hunk of slow-cooked round steak. Skip the vino, too...you shouldn't try to run a train on that layout if you're not sober. Wayne
BigDaddy Spaghetti junction ...
Rich
Alton Junction
EDIT POST:
As mentioned, that layout does have a reversng section, but not were it was described as - it's hard to tell from the online picture which are turnouts and which are one track crossing over another so it's an easy mistake to make.
I hope this isn't breaking any rules, but here's a picture of that layout plan that someone posted on another forum:
The section of track between turnouts 2 and 5 is what actually creates the reversing section, but Atlas denotes the inside track between turnouts 4 and 5 as the reversing section. The reason for this is, I suspect, to make the reversing section longer. You could just leave out the track between 2 and 5 and you wouldn't have any reversing section. The only thing I see that it adds is the ability for a train to leave the yard and then later arrive back at that yard facing the other direction.