I raised a question recently about a reversing section and an auto reverser. See this link for details. Auto Reverser versus Automatic Reverse Circuit. Thank you for the answers.
Now my question is related. Can an auto reverser, or using the recommended term Reversing Section, coexist with a section of track that runs DCC. I have reversing sections on my layout but they are isolated from the DCC, I realize they have their own power being provided to the track via the Circuitron AR-2.
Can the Circuitron AR-2 and my DCC be used on the same section of track?
Fudge_Brownie See this link for details.
Previous thread
Quoting stuff from the forum is tricky, though I don't understand why it has to be different than from elsewhere on the web. In fact the usual way to do it won't work for me this morning, so I did an end run.
I think the term reversing section has muddied the waters. Your AR-2 powers a section of track where the engine is facing the same way and goes back and forth or left and right all the while facing the same direction. The movement reverses but not the direction that the train is pointed.
In what I call a reversing loop, the engine facing left, goes left and comes back facing right, going right on the same track.
Back to your question, DC can't be mixed with DCC or the magic smoke will run right out of your expensive decoders. Some people, with appropiate safe guards do run all DC and then switch to all DCC. How you would do that with the AR-2 is above my pay grade.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
It sounds like you have a layout that runs DCC, and some isolated sections of track that allows the loco, to go back and forth on the same track, as Daddy said. the track that allows you to have the locos go back and forth is DC powered. As Daddy stated, you can't mix DC and DCC. As long as you isolate the two different sources of power it will work, don't isolate them and bad things happen on the DCC side. Usually a "reversing section" refers to a section that actually has the loco continue going forward but in the opposite direction than when it entered the reversing section. Generally it is a loop.
TO have a train 'shuttle' back and forth with DCC, you need something like the DCC Train Shuttle from Tam Valley. Or you need to set up block detection and then control the train via software like JMRI or RR&Co.
Even then, it would be hard to have the SAME track used for one train to shuttle automatically while you ran another one through. You can't power the same track from 2 different DCC sources, which the Tam Valley unit effective is, and in the case of the block detection and computer script, it wouldn't know the difference between the shuttling train occupying a section of track and your controlled train occupying a section.
You can have a seperate section of track, not connected in any way to the DCC track, and use the Circutron unit to shuttoe a DC train back and forth.
Anything with even the REMOTE chance of the DC power and DCC power getting connected together (even something like the loco coasts a little farther than usual and bridges over some gaps cut to seperate the two) is asking for trouble - and not just a minor short, coupling the two together can easily damage either the DC or DCC system, or both.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinkerDCC Train Shuttle from Tam Valley.
Thanks for that suggestion.
http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/products/trainshuttle.html
I remember looking at this before. As many of you know, I have subways below my normal ground-level layout. After I move and put my layout back together, I would like to expand my subways beyond the simple loop they are now and create a longer point-to-point system. That still wouldn't be much fun to operate, but it would make an excellent project for an automated shuttle system, particularly with the "station stop" option of the Tam Valley system.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
There are more complex than just back and forth units for DC, as well, and then you wouldn't have to put decoders in your subway power cars.
I'll say it here - for shuttle type operations, especially on isolated segments of track not part of the main layout, DC is probably better.
BigDaddy I think the term reversing section has muddied the waters.
I think the term reversing section has muddied the waters.
Not all reverse polarity sections of track are "reverse loops". I have four reverse polarity sections of track on my layout, each controlled by its own PSX-AR, and none of those sections are a reverse loop. There is no "loop" whatsoever.
So, I prefer "reversing section" to indicate a reverse polarity section of track on a DCC powered layout that requires an auto-reverser or some manual intervention such as a DPDT toggle switch.
Rich
Alton Junction
Well, technically it DOES have to 'loop' somehow or it wouldn't be a reversing section. Even a wye is a 'loop' of sorts. Crossovers on a dogbone definitely are loops. And a turntable is round.
Doesn't help that the DC shuttle devices call themselves "autoreversers"
rrinker Well, technically it DOES have to 'loop' somehow or it wouldn't be a reversing section. Even a wye is a 'loop' of sorts. Crossovers on a dogbone definitely are loops. And a turntable is round. Doesn't help that the DC shuttle devices call themselves "autoreversers" --Randy
rrinker Doesn't help that the DC shuttle devices call themselves "autoreversers"
Unfortunately, we typically need more words to describe the various ways we have of turning trains and locomotives. None of these various descriptions are "wrong," but none of them is quite sufficient to distinguish it from the others, either.