"A DC REVERSAL LOOP & DCC"

[TrainsRMe1]

Just a simple question, can it be done, and does anybody reccomend, using a Atlas reversal loop machine (for example) on a DCC layout?? Love to hear the anwsers!!

[Stevert]

Could you use a DC reversing switch?  Sure, I guess you probably could.

But there are a number of DCC auto-reversers on the market at reasonable prices, so I don't know why anyone would want to use a manual, non-optimal method. 

[richhotrain]

Just buy a Digitrax AR-1.  It costs less than $30.

Rich

[mfm37]

Any DPDT switch set up for reversing can be used as long as it will handle the max current supplied to the track.

Remember that for DCC, the reversing switch output gets connected to the reversing section. Polarity- actually phase - gets swapped right under the engine and not on the block after the engine as with DC. So as long as an Atlas machine can be wired to meet those requirements it will work. Not as glamorous as a DCc auto reverser though.

Martin Myers

[cuyama]

TrainsRMe1

Atlas reversal loop machine

I don't know of any "Atlas reversal loop machine". Can you cite the part number? Do you mean the Atlas Controller (#220)? That's basically just switches, including a DPDT.

That's what I think you were talking about the last time this came up?
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/210785.aspx 

At that time, it was suggested to you to buy an inexpensive DCC auto-reverser -- and you indicated that you would. Still good advice, if you haven't already.

Or if you are talking about an auto-reverser, like the MRC AD250 that Atlas may have resold for a while, the answers will be different.

Referring to things by their correct names will help folks help you.

[Texas Zepher]

TrainsRMe1

Just a simple question, can it be done, and does anybody reccomend, using a Atlas reversal loop machine (for example) on a DCC layout?? Love to hear the anwsers!!

As the others have indicated the answer is yes.   Here is a simple thing to remember when thinking about DCC questions.

Electricity is electricity whether it is AC, DC, DCC, TCS, CTC,  Railcommand or some other wave form.   A short circuit is a short circuit.  An open circuit is an open circuit.  Switches for turning the power on and off or switching the polarity of two wires (DPDT in this case) will all work identically.

Too many people want to make this much harder than it has to be.

For my first DCC system, I disconnected the MRC1400 power pack from "cab-B", I connected the two wires from the DCC system to where the MRC had been.   I flipped all the cab selectors to "cab-B".  I fired it up and ran the layout as DCC.   Note however one should never try to run a mix of DC and DCC "cabs"  as a normal DC "cab" system that could be (probably would be) disastrous.  All cabs must be set to exactly 1 cab.

[TrainsRMe1]

Hello Everyone,

       Just wanted to say that I went out to my Favorite Hobby shop here in Portland and bought the Digitrax AR-1, I must say that after installing the decoder and running a test train though my loop I was quite pleased, I don't know why it took me so long to get one, of course you CANNOT run a analog loco thru the loop, that would be my only complaint, but that's nothing!  Thanks goes to Richotrain for sending a simple but yet attention getting message,  Happy  Moderailroadin  Everybody!!!! now, if only I could get how to post pic's on this forum LOL

[richhotrain]

TrainsRMe1

Just wanted to say that I went out to my Favorite Hobby shop here in Portland and bought the Digitrax AR-1

Thanks goes to Richotrain for sending a simple but yet attention getting message, 

Glad to hear that I could be of some help to you.  I have five AR-1 units on my layout, and they are superb.

Rich