I have gotten to the point on my layout that I can start laying some track. Also building several central valley/proto87 turnouts. Is there a way to test the portion of the layout to make sure everything is in working order, or do I have to finish the whole layout which would take months. Also is there a way just to test the turnouts before installing them on the layout and can I use a simple DC power supply and a small engine to test them out. Thanks.
You do not need a completed layout to test the track. Complete a section of track then test it would be what I'd suggest. Are you DC or DCC? Doesn't really matter, but if DC you could check each block as you go. The one thing you want to be sure of, is to keep all wires going to the same sides of the tracks or you will have an immediate short.
As for your turnouts, to you mean a track power test or operational test. To check the track power, just attach wires to the points end and use a tester to see that power gets to all areas it should. Different turnouts are different, some are power routing, some not. You need to know what should happen. Since the turnouts are turned by a motor (or manually), I find it best to have the turnout in place before testing, so that I know nothing is interfering with the throw bar. If you are suspicious that the points don't move properly or are too loose, you could attach the motor to power and the turnout and check it at the bench.
Hope this helps,
Richard
Thank you! Well my layout will be DCC. I wanted to test the turnouts to see if the power routing is fine and power is going were it should be. Thanks for the tips. I can simply test the turnouts and the sections with power and a test locomotive.
I've built a whole bunch of the CVT/P87stores turnouts. I certainly understand your concern and encourage you to test for shorts as you proceed through each stage of the build. My advice, keep a small transformer and a tester, whether it be a light bulb or multi meter, handy. Check each step electrically as you go. This will prevent you from building all the track and realizing there is a short somewhere and having to undo everything. Take it all apart to find the short. This happened to me. It's better to error to the cautious side then build to fast and redo it all.
Chris Palomarez
At this point, you should buy a meter if you don't already have one. You can get a cheap one from places like Harbor Freight that will do the job. You'll find that a meter is as important a tool for this hobby as Xuron rail nippers and a Kadee coupler gauge.
A small engine is fine for basic testing, too, but to really test a turnout mechanically, you want to use a big steam engine with lots of wheels. Steamers will find any problems with your tracklaying. You'll need to have more than a couple of feet of track down for that, but think about it for the future.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Yes thanks. I want to do it right so I don't have to take the turnout back out of the layout and re do something on it to make it work correctly.
I'll second the suggestion to acquire a basic meter. You can also find relatively inexpensive ones in Home Depot & Lowes.
Also suggest you use it to check your turnouts before installing. For instance, the DCC friendly code 83 Walthers Shinoharas I used have a bunch of built in jumpers that interconnect certain pieces of rail. You can see the jumpers underneath. Anyway, one should check these (the rails) for continuity, as an incomplete jumper means a section is not connected as it should be. I learned the hard way, though correcting this was not hard by adding an extra feeder wire. I would have preferred to return the faulty turnout and installed a normal one.
Do plan to check track with a meter and also hook up some power and run a loco as you are installing track. You don't have to wait until all the track is laid.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
NDanny,
You've gotten a lot of great advice already. I like to keep testing simple.
Definitely test every piece of work you do as you proceed. It's easier to fix any faults one or two at a time, than by the dozens.
Easiest way to test is to simply make sure the opposite rails are insulated from each other. Even the simplest of VOM-meters usually have a continuity check setting. That means that it serves to check for shorts, because when you have unwanted continuity, you have a short when you're talking about a layout.
Even if you are doing DCC, you should still plan on breaking it down into a few circuits that you can turn off or isolate sections for troubleshooting, etc.
If you can get some of the clip-on alligator jaw clamp test leads, then you take your isolated section of track and put one clip from your meter on each rail wherever you need to test. Remember to have it set to "continuity" alert or something similar. If you hear the Continuity buzzer sounding, you have a short somewhere. This is very helpful if you need to hook things up underneath the layout, as you can leave the meter hooked up to the track are you're working on, start wiring, and if you hear the warning go off, then whatever you were just doing is wrongly wired. It really helps keep you from creating problems for later.
EDIT: One last thing...Be sure and cycle turnouts to both routes through when testing. That way you'll catch any mix-up whichever way it's thrown. Usually it's a matter of just reversing the power feed to the frog if you get a short wiring turnouts. But there's the possibility if you're wiring multiple turnouts at once, you could grab a feed from another turnout. Happened to me once, took a while to confirm what the issue was. It's also a good reason to wire them one at a time, then test, in situations where they're close together and could be confusion underneath the layout as to which wire is which.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
peahrens IAlso suggest you use it to check your turnouts before installing. For instance, the DCC friendly code 83 Walthers Shinoharas I used have a bunch of built in jumpers that interconnect certain pieces of rail. You can see the jumpers underneath. Anyway, one should check these (the rails) for continuity, as an incomplete jumper means a section is not connected as it should be. I learned the hard way, though correcting this was not hard by adding an extra feeder wire. I would have preferred to return the faulty turnout and installed a normal one.
IAlso suggest you use it to check your turnouts before installing. For instance, the DCC friendly code 83 Walthers Shinoharas I used have a bunch of built in jumpers that interconnect certain pieces of rail. You can see the jumpers underneath. Anyway, one should check these (the rails) for continuity, as an incomplete jumper means a section is not connected as it should be. I learned the hard way, though correcting this was not hard by adding an extra feeder wire. I would have preferred to return the faulty turnout and installed a normal one.
I'll second that. The first time I found a defective jumper, I added my own (no big deal). The next one I found, I was able to re-solder it to the rail bottom. I had to hold the jumper down in contact with the broken solder spot (very tiny) on the rail and at that location give the jumper a very quick touch with my 25 watt iron so as not to melt the adjacent plastic. To my delight it worked!
Dante
Yep! I did a lot of point to point running before the loop was closed. It was a good feeling when the gold spike closed the loop knowing all my mainline was in top shape and ready to go.
So be patient and get it perfect as you go. It makes for a happy train guy.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."