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Engine house track failures!!!!

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Engine house track failures!!!!
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 7, 2004 1:09 PM
Hello, i just finished laying out my track and i decided to make an engine house for my locomotives, but i find that once it goes past the switcher and onto the line that brings it to the house, it stopps, do i need another leeder or do i need to put an insulater there? here are some pictures hope they help



  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Wednesday, July 7, 2004 1:49 PM
It's hard to tell from the pictures, but I would say you definitely need additional feed wires to the added track. Whatever brand of turnout you are using, the electrical power is probably not getting through it. It would probably be a good idea to put insulated rail joiners at the turnout track that goes to the engine terminal, and wire that track through an on/off toggle switch so you can park a locomotive there and run another on the main line, if you have more than one.
  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Pacific Northwest
  • 3,864 posts
Posted by Don Gibson on Wednesday, July 7, 2004 2:36 PM
BOTH:

You are using ATLAS turnouts and depending on power from one of the forks of the 'Y'. Insulate BOTH rails where they join the main line. Treat it as a separate block using an ATLAS bock controller. Now run the wires to the bottom end of the 'Y'.
NEVER feed a switch from the frog end.

If you HAD gotten power to the engine house the engine would probably have run off the track.Best to put a TOMAR or ATLAS bumper on the end.
Don Gibson .............. ________ _______ I I__()____||__| ||||| I / I ((|__|----------| | |||||||||| I ______ I // o--O O O O-----o o OO-------OO ###########################
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 7, 2004 5:02 PM
The simple solution, as mentioned above, is a switched feed to the end of the track in the engine house - make sure you get the polarity the same as the main line to avoid shorts. One feed should run straight from main line rail/power pack to siding rail, the other via the switch - I use the Peco lever-type switches as they match my track switch control levers and fit the consoles I use, but any on-off switch will do.
  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: OH
  • 17,574 posts
Posted by BRAKIE on Wednesday, July 7, 2004 5:22 PM
First before I would do anything I would check the rail joiners to be sure they are tight. and making good electrical contact..Then if they are proceed with the above advice..

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 7, 2004 6:46 PM
hello, i put a insulater at the straight end of the switcher then ran my power source inside the engine house, now im up and running[:D] thanks to everyone for their advise!

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