Wiring a reverse loop advice needed

[tomwazy]

 

 

    I'm looking for advice on wiring my reverse loop staging yard. I have a single track main that splits into two tracks about 9ft before the yard ladder begins.The staging yard is six tracks which loop around and rejoin the two tracks leading into it. Each yard track is 12ft long,the length of my passing sidings as well.There is also two single crossovers allowing bidirectional entry and exit from the staging yard.I use NCE DCC.I'm seeking advice on wiring options for this arrangement. I'd like to use one of the automatic revesing circuits as apposed to manual reversing (the old DPDT toggle method). Being able to have two trains moving similtaneously is desired also...as in one train entering on track one while another is exiting from track two for example.Is this possible,or would I have to bring the first train to a stop before moving train #2?

 

    Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

 

                   Tom

[selector]

Tom, as long as you have no axles transmitting power across the rails (IOW, no non-insulated axles) still outside the contiguous gapped loop trackage, you can enter the section with another loco.  What will happen is that the auto-reverser will simply revert back to the "polarity" it was before the last reset.  That won't affect the first loco, safely within the gaps. 

What you can't do is have locos entering and leaving at the same time since the two desired states are incompatible and will confound the reverser.  So, one engine must be within the loop proper, but can still be on the move, while the other crosses either gap...either end of your loop.  Similarly, you can't have one engine entering across the gap and the lead one crossing the gap on the far end.

At least, that is what I figure.

[Vail and Southwestern RR]

Selector has it right.  If the configuration is a loop back on itself (and that's how I read your description), you've got no trouble, since only one train can be entering or exiting the loop at the same time, or you'd have more serious trouble.  You can run into trouble if you have a reversing section like a diagonal across an oval (in the simpleast form), since then you can concievably have a train at each end.  That case takes a bit more thinking, and possibly creativity.

[tomwazy]

 

   Thanks for the responses. I have a followup question. Where should I cut the gaps? Should I cut them before the points of the first turnout in the ladder at each end of the loop/staging yard,or should I cut gaps for each of the six tracks individually past the frog of each turnout? If I cut them past the frogs,isolating each track,can I still use one reversing circuit board,or do I need one for each track?

   Thanks again for the assisstance.

        Tom

        

 

 

[chateauricher]

If you could post a diagram of what you're trying to describe, it would be very helpful.  It would then be easier to show you the best options for gap locations.

 

[selector]

 

   Thanks for the responses. I have a followup question. Where should I cut the gaps? Should I cut them before the points of the first turnout in the ladder at each end of the loop/staging yard,or should I cut gaps for each of the six tracks individually past the frog of each turnout? If I cut them past the frogs,isolating each track,can I still use one reversing circuit board,or do I need one for each track?

   Thanks again for the assisstance.

        Tom

        

 

 

 

You can do either/or.  Just make sure you have all engines across the gap(s) when the reverser does its thing.  In that sense, though, having all the ladders gapped presents a real management issue for you.  Far better, from my point of view, to have the entire yard gapped as a reversing loop...which means the first way you suggest.  Gaps outside of the first and last turnouts.  That way, only two control points on which to keep your eye for short faults.