HELP ASAP laying track

[Anonymous]

Hello, i just put my track together which now has two main running tracks, the train ran fine on both tracks but i shut it off once and now when i try it, when the train, switches onto the inner track it will stop, i dragged the train over every spot on the track, but it stikll doesnt seem to work, but the outer one does, do i need two transformers? or do i need insulaters, why would it be happening now?

[willy6]

no.1, check the polarity on the inner track to make sure it is the same as the outer. no.2 ensure you have a big enough power supply.no.3 by creating "electrical blocks" by using insulated rail joiners you wont get "surge problems"( another words, if you have a 12vdc power supply for 50 feet of track,based on OHMS LAW, it will develop a voltage drop the farther away from the power supply.) electrical blocks help maintain a constant voltage.

[Don Gibson]

The power is not getting to certain parts of the track.

Get yourself a cheap meter ($3 - $10) and start at the power source, working your way around the track. You'll find the cause.

You have a bad connection - all you have to do is find WHERE..

[Anonymous]

How have you connected the two mains together? Turnouts, crossover, slip switch, etc?

If you used a turnout, is it a power routing turnout? Have you checked to see if you are actually getting current on the inner loop?

[Anonymous]

yes, i have, i find that when i back the train onto the inner track, i get a current, but when i go foward onto the innertrack, i dont get a current

[willy6]

first of all, is the locomotive you are using have "all wheel" pick-up? no.2, is the inner track connected as a "reverse loop?i would first try disconnecting the inner from the outer (electrically) and see if the loco runs on both tracks in the same direction with the same polarity.

[Anonymous]

Just a thought, but I once helped someone in my LHS who had this same problem - they hadn't realised that if you're running two seperate circuits of track you need a power feed to both of them. For each loop of track you will need an extra controller unit (under conventional DC control anyway) if trains are to be run seperately. You also need to make sure you have no "dead spots" - I had to add a few extra feeds to my end to end layout as in certain situations no power would reach the loco. I'm contemplating adding another to solve irritating voltage drop problems caused by dirty switch blades. Hope this helps!

PS. Just had another thought. I operated a twin-track test loop using a Gaugemaster D power unit. This has a slider switch to change direction, and I found that if you set the track switches to change from one loop to the other (but didn't make sure to set both direction switches on the power pack the same way) the train wouldn't run due to a short. Luckily modern power units have auto circuit breakers to stop any damage occurring! This might also cause similar problems.

[Anonymous]

if you are using only one power pack, you need more power feeders to the rails. Basically run a 10-12 guage set of wires from your power supply and about every three feet come off of that with a feeder(a18-22 guage wire) connected to your track. If you areeusing sectional track and are not a big fan of soldering you can use the terminal rail joiners. These are railjoiners with a fedder wire already attached. They should be available at your LHS. Take care to keep the polarity to the rails right.