How do I wire a connecting three oval concentric layout?

[Mister Mikado]

Hi guys--please look at the diagram below.  I plan on running three DC only trains separately on concentric tracks red, green and blue each with their own dedicated power packs, all counter-clockwise travel.  The ovals are complete (not shown).  The turntable area will have its own powerpack.  I will send locos from the spurs feeding the turntable through switch A and then to whichever track I choose through back-to-back switch pairs B and C.  I have to isolate all the switches with plastic insulators, right?  Then what happens when a loco passes through a switch pair that is surrounded by track powered with separate power packs?  Even if all the powerpacks are in phase?  What power do I use for those insulated sections?  Hope everybody can sort through this dilemma.

Thanks! Rob

 

[gregc]

are you going to have additional turnouts so that trains from the inner loops can get to the outer loops w/o backing the train thru the turnouts you show?

Mister Mikado

Then what happens when a loco passes through a switch pair that is surrounded by track powered with separate power packs?

you should have isolated blocks on either side of the turnouts allowing one of two cabs (power packs) to control the block.   That one cab can control both blocks when the train passes over the turnouts between rings  (see cab control).   Once the loco has passed over the turnout, the block can be switched to the cab for the ring the loco is on and used to control the loco on that ring.

of course the entire ring could be a block , but then the inner ring would need to be controllable by all three power packts

[xdford]

Hi there,

I take it that you want to be able to drive your locos from the Turntable area to the relevant track.  

The question I need to ask is what is around the back of the layout but I presume that you have three separate loops that are otherwise not connected?  If that is the case, the wiring is fairly simple but would involve at least 4 rotary switches but it is not hard.

If it is a really simple layout and you are using Peco Insulfrog turnouts, no offence intended, you could get away with a single insulated joiner in each of the two outer loops, provided you have three separate transformers rather than auxiliary controllers.

Let us know,

Regards from Australia

Trevor