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Introduction & easy track question

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  • Member since
    September 2013
  • 3 posts
Introduction & easy track question
Posted by TripleO on Monday, September 23, 2013 4:34 PM

An old codger who used to do HO (Southern Nevada Model Railroad Engineers, Las Vegas) 40 or so years ago, I am now limited to running Lionels around the Christmas tree and a Bachmann On30 trolley through the make believe village that She-Who-Must-Be Obeyed has dutifully erected since the dawn of time. (may get into O scale, though, but I digress).

This brings up my question. The trolley has EZtrack which reverses the direction when it reaches the ends of the line. All fine and dandy, but it gets a bit boring. I'd like to assemble a "Y" configuration to add some interest to things, but I don't want to sit there and be switching a turnout all day. Is it possible, when the trolley hits the reverse at the bottom of the Y, to have it also throw the turnout so that the trolley alternates between the two upper legs of the layout?

Looking forward to some ideasYes

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: South Carolina
  • 1,719 posts
Posted by Train Modeler on Tuesday, September 24, 2013 1:24 PM

Depending on your reverser, you could add a relay to a circuit to control the turnout.   You would also have to add/extend your reverser to the other/new upper part of the Y.    The bottom of the Y would activate the switch for one leg of the upper Y and then the other through the relay.    It might also be possible that the reverser has enough output to power the turnout directly.   Just depends on Volts and Amps of output vs that required of the turnout.

Richard

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Westchester NY
  • 1,747 posts
Posted by retsignalmtr on Tuesday, September 24, 2013 2:02 PM
Dallee manufacturing co ( dallee.com ) May have an electronic module that may work for your desired application.
  • Member since
    September 2013
  • 3 posts
Posted by TripleO on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 7:41 AM

Thanks to both you guys for your responses.

I was hoping to operate a turnout directly off the reversing track, but my electrical skills are sadly lacking and wouldn't have the foggiest idea how to accomplish that task. However, I did go to the Dallee website to check things out and I am going to drop them a line and see what kind of a response I get. While there I saw another electrical doodad that put another brilliant idea into my mind. So even if the switching thing doesn't work out, I can say that this was a productive search.

Thanks again Smile, Wink & Grin

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