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wiring a yard ladder

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  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: North Dakota
  • 9,592 posts
Posted by BroadwayLion on Sunday, December 11, 2011 11:25 AM

Eh? The LION does it differently. (big surprise there, eh?)

LION runs passenger trains, and now exclusively subway trains. When I park a train OOS, I need to cut the power to that track. [Well, I guess your DCC does this for you, but I do not have DCC].

LION uses insulators on the starboard rail. (The port rail is GROUND, so who cares?) Tortoise Switch machines route the power to the correct line up. The inbound switch does not pass power to the siding, thus stopping the train "on spot", The outbound switch applies the power and the train moves.

It is so cool to stand in the tower and watch the trains run and make their stops without any interventions on my part.

The LION does have one track that is long enough to layup three train sets. The power is broken into three zones and is controlled by push buttons in the tower.

ROAR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, December 11, 2011 6:43 AM

Phoebe Vet

Electrical continuity through the switch is built in.  If you want to demonstrate it to yourself, use a multimeter.

Some engines will stumble going across the dead frog if they are going very slow.

They shouldn't stall if the front and rear sets of pick up wheels are all functioning correctly.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: Charlotte, NC
  • 6,099 posts
Posted by Phoebe Vet on Sunday, December 11, 2011 6:41 AM

Electrical continuity through the switch is built in.  If you want to demonstrate it to yourself, use a multimeter.

Some engines will stumble going across the dead frog if they are going very slow.

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, December 11, 2011 4:19 AM

From your description, you should have no problem with continuity.

I have a similar setup except that I use Atlas #6 turnouts on my double ended ladder.  Each turnout has a feeder on the end of the single leg.  That is sufficient to provide continuity throughout the ladder in spite of the dead frogs. Those plastic frogs do not interrupt continuity in any way.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • 85 posts
wiring a yard ladder
Posted by wyldmanr8cer on Sunday, December 11, 2011 1:31 AM

I would like some input on wiring my yard ladders on my DCC layout. I have a ladder on each end of my yard with Atlas #4 turnouts. The frogs are the dead plastic kind. My main concern is the continuity of electricity through the ladder due to the dead frogs. I have been told that a wire runs underneath the frog which in turn creates continuity on both sides of the frog. Is this correct? Will a set of feeder on each end of the ladder suffice? Thanks for everyone's help.

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