Wiring/using insulating rail joiners

[legaleaglerail]

I am not an electrician. My layout will be my 1st, and basic, 2 concentric circles with 2 crossovers. On the inside loop I will have 3 turnouts. I want each turnout to be powered,but at the same time have an engine parked. I have read the Atlas wiring book, but am still uncertain of where you place the insulators, and if each turnout requires a separate power feed. I believe it does, and that you can wire each to an Atlas power switch. Also, what wiring considerations do I need for the 2 crossovers? Thanks

[Phoebe Vet]

DC or DCC?   Can you post a diagram?

[Doc in CT]

 Turnouts come in two basic flavors: power routing and non-power routing.  Power Routing turnouts carry track power into the diverging leg of the turnout when that is selected.  If you want to keep a non-powered locomotive in the spur or connected track, you will need to isolate at least one the the track rails.  Power can be applied with a SPST switch to the isolated rail when needed.

In the non-power routing turnout, you will need either a relay or DPST switch to provide power to the spur rails.  This is for a DC power system, of course.

You might want to start with the wiring section of building your model railroad.

Alan

[tugboat95]

 If you are using Atlas's common rail system, just pick a rail.  I used the outside rail.  Look at your track as a circle.  Always put your insulators on the outside rail. At your crossover put the insulator in between the two track turnouts. This will separate the two circles. Follow the outside rail thru the switch and put it in that side also.  If you are using a true crossover, (one piece of track),  Place the insulator on the outside rail of the outside circle at both ends or the section.   Then place and insulator on the outside rail of the inside track on either end of the crossover piece.  The piece of track will need to be wired separately and treated as another block.  If you have the same Atlas book as I do (copyright 2005) page 30 fig 4-14.  It shows a diagram of what you want.

 

Regardless of where you actually put the insulators in the layout, they all need to be on the same rail.  That is the key.  When wiring, run one wire, doesn't matter which one, from your transformers to the common rail, the one without the insulators.  That rail will always be powered.  Then run your wire from each selector screw to one section of the track.  Use the stickers that come with the Atlas selector to number the switch as well as the block .  It helps if you use a different color wire for this.  I used black to go from the transformer to the track and red to go from the selectors to the track.  One black wire, and several red ones, depending on number of blocks.  Go slow, step by step.  Each block needs a common ground and a power wire.  As you figure out how to get the circle working right, then progress to the breaking up each circle into blocks and sidings to park engines.

 

I hope this helps you, just go slow, start with 2 circles that are independent and go from there.

[Aikidomaster]

I assume that you are going to power your layout with DC power. I would want to know what type of turnouts you are using. Are they insulated or not? Also, how many cabs are you going to use? I would assume that the answer is two. So, you will need different power blocks. So, the block is controlled either by cab A or cab B or is off. First, if you should double gap each end of each block. You need to double gap in the middle of the crossovers. I would also double gap each of the sidings. You will need feeder wires to each block. Use a DPDT center off toggle switch on your control panel. You can move 2 trains independently (as long as they don't occupy the same block. Also, you can "park" locomotives in any block that is in the center off position. Your layout will be wired for a fairly simple conversion to DCC should you choose to do so in the future.