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Does Auto Reverser Work in This Diagram?

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  • Member since
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  • From: Ontario Canada
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Posted by Mark R. on Friday, December 12, 2014 3:05 PM

Looks good to me. The only thing you might want to adjust (if it's not already down) is to swap the two switches and crossing at the top center of your main with the two short sections of track to the left of them. That would gain a precious three to four inches of track for the length of your reverse sections.

Mark.

¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ

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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Friday, December 12, 2014 3:14 PM

Kisnap, let me ask you a question.  As the two tracks come down out of the Hoboken Terminal complex and join the mainlines heading south to Walkwick Station, your inner track connects to your outer mainline and your outer track connects to your inner mainline.  That seems counter to what I would expect.

Why not connect inner to inner and outer to outer?

Also, what exactly are those various connecting track pieces?  Wyes, crossings, RH turnouts?  At first, I thought there were two wyes and a crossing, but now I am not so sure.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by KisNap on Friday, December 12, 2014 8:57 PM

I can easily switch the order of those two lines leading to the Hoboken complex and I agree with you that it makes more sense to have the inner to inner and outer to outer.

The tracks at those locations are RH switches and the piece where the inner track crosses over the other is currently a double slip switch, but could be replaced with a simple crossover.  I initially used the double slip switch to also enable crossing from the inner track to the outer track.

The N scale section of my website is now uploaded with a lot of various things.  Check it out: www.CarlettaTrains.com

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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Friday, December 12, 2014 9:16 PM

KisNap

The tracks at those locations are RH switches and the piece where the inner track crosses over the other is currently a double slip switch, but could be replaced with a simple crossover.  I initially used the double slip switch to also enable crossing from the inner track to the outer track.

 

ahh, so they are RH turnouts, not wyes.  Thanks for that clarification.  I would stick with the double slip rather than replace it with a crossover. The double slip eliminates the S-curve possibility and provides straighter routing.
 
Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by KisNap on Saturday, December 13, 2014 1:51 PM

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the "S-curve" possibility?  I just like that the double slip acts as another crossover between the two lines.

The N scale section of my website is now uploaded with a lot of various things.  Check it out: www.CarlettaTrains.com

  • Member since
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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, December 13, 2014 2:11 PM

KisNap

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the "S-curve" possibility?  I just like that the double slip acts as another crossover between the two lines.

 

I was referring to the fact that a double slip provides a straight through route whereas a crossover still requires another turnout to follow the same route.

The drawing below illustrates that.  The upper left drawing shows a double slip and the upper right drawing shows the straight through route in red.  The lower drawings show the crossover and the additional turnout to achieve the same route.  You can see the S-curve effect.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by Wazzzy on Monday, December 15, 2014 2:49 PM

There is a simple solution to the issue.

Looking at the diagram of the station tracks, there is a top half and a bottom half. These halfs are connected by a single crossover; it doesn't appear to be a double slip switch. That crossover can only have one train on it at any time and the length of that train is of no concern.

That crossover needs to be isolated and connected to the auto reverser. Both top and bottom half will be "orientated" electrically the same polarity wise and will not cause an issue.

Trains can enter or depart the station on any track or direction.

Problem solved??? Your thoughts....

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  • From: Ontario Canada
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Posted by Mark R. on Monday, December 15, 2014 4:17 PM

Wazzzy

There is a simple solution to the issue.

Looking at the diagram of the station tracks, there is a top half and a bottom half. These halfs are connected by a single crossover; it doesn't appear to be a double slip switch. That crossover can only have one train on it at any time and the length of that train is of no concern.

That crossover needs to be isolated and connected to the auto reverser. Both top and bottom half will be "orientated" electrically the same polarity wise and will not cause an issue.

Trains can enter or depart the station on any track or direction.

Problem solved??? Your thoughts....

 

You'd have to isolate more than just the cross-over itself - the reversing section needs to be longer than the longest train (assuming lighted cars are in the consist).

Taking your idea a step further, the two tracks at the top that were previously discussed could remain insulated on the left, and the other gaps made at the cross-over point. That would make the entire upper section separated from the rest of the layout and the auto-reverser could be attached to it.

Mark.

 

¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ

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Posted by Wazzzy on Monday, December 15, 2014 5:22 PM

ORIGINAL REPLY DELETED BY WAZZZY

 

You are correct. I didn't think the whole idea through. That's what i get for midnight forum browsing.....

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