Good points, Ray.
Look forward to hearing back from the OP.
Rich
Alton Junction
Dayliner: Sorry I forgot this part: Does any part of the train extend beyond the reversing section of track? That can interfere with its proper functioning.
Ray
Dayliner: I agree with Richhotrain's comments. One question: Does that AR1 reset after the short? There is an adjustment for current tolerance on the AR1 (you probably know this). It might need to be adjusted, or the adjustment mechanism might not be working properly.
Can you provide a track diagram so we can see your setup?
Any power feeders from the reversing section should be connected to terminals 1 and 2 of the AR1. It sounds like you did that correctly.
Power feeders to terminals 4 & 5 should be routed from the main power bus wires. From your description, I am not sure if that is what you did.
A track diagram will make it easier to give you the correct placement of the rail gaps.
I have installed an AR1 on a wye. This is a very simple arrangement at a junction between a main line and branch, with no other reversing sections on the layout. The reversing section is one side of the wye. Each end of the section has been double-gapped, and power feeders have been run from the reversing section to terminals 1 & 2 of the AR1, and from a main (normal-polarity) track section to terminals 4 & 5, as per installation instructions. There are no track feeders from the reversing section to the power bus, or from the AR1 to the power bus. The layout powers up normally and runs fine.
When locomotives enter the reversing section, they will cross the first gap with no problem, but will short out at the second (if the are travelling through the wye in the opposite direction, they will short out at the first gap, and cross the second with no difficulty). Once I push the locomotives across the gap manually, they resume normal operation.
Faulty AR1, or faulty installation? Thanks in advance for any advice.