The way I see this, you need to isolate both rails. You have 3 seperate lay outs, so to speak, each with it's own power pack, and the connection between them must be insulated, both rails. You don't want any spot where the track is powered by two power packs.
So, with all powerpacks set at as close to the same speed, as your loco moves from the inner to the middle, as it crosses the isolated turnout, the front half will be picked up by the middle track power pack, and the back half will be powered by the inner power pack, until it clears the turnout, and is in complete control of the middle power pack.
I don't see a problem with this.
Henry's explaination makes complete sense, but your going to be doing this, kind of block to block thing, as you move from one track to the other. The inner circle being one block, and middle the next, and so on.
Frank's link provides some great go-to info, with returns loops, wye's, etc. It's a great DC reference.
Mike.
My You Tube
Mel,
I guess anything is possible.........but I have been using 28/30 gauge wire on many power arrangements, 12, 24, 28volts, the wire is rated for 36volts at 6A. I don't go past 4A with any of it though........just saying! I'm sure the motor would get a little warm from 24v, but once the engine is out of the block, it would go back down to 12 volts and run fine....it would happen very fast. The only big problem would be if they were different polarities......then a decent power pack would shut down, if only to protect itself..........I have had that happen to Me, with My control master 20's. It was purely a feeder miswire, that I created without knowing it.
Take Care!
Frank
zstripe RR_Mel If one the opposing power packs is reversed you can easily double the voltage at the junction, not good! That will let the smoke out and you can’t put it back. Should not be any smoke.......internal circuit breaker in power packs will trip. Even a trainset power pack has an internal circuit breaker. DC user since 1950...... Take Care! Frank
RR_Mel If one the opposing power packs is reversed you can easily double the voltage at the junction, not good! That will let the smoke out and you can’t put it back.
Should not be any smoke.......internal circuit breaker in power packs will trip. Even a trainset power pack has an internal circuit breaker.
DC user since 1950......
RR_MelIf one the opposing power packs is reversed you can easily double the voltage at the junction, not good! That will let the smoke out and you can’t put it back.
I would suggest that You read the info contained in the link I will provide so that You can better understand how to accomplish what You would like to do with Your idea. Spend special attention to the title paragraph labeled Block control wiring to help you: Then when needing help it will be easier for someone to help You.
http://www.building-your-model-railroad.com/model-railroad-wiring.html
To The Forums....
to the forum. I'm afraid I have forgotten more about DC than I ever knew, but by responding to your post, it will appear higher up and get noticed by those that know.
As a loco moves from one circle to the next, it is going have the front half controlled by one controller and the back half controlled by another. If the controllers aren't set exactly the same, it seems to me there would be a lurch as it crosses over to the next oval.
In a block, only one throttle has control at a time. To get a train from the inner oval to the outer, imagine multiple short blocks. As the train moves from inner circle A to outer circle D, I would have one throttle, progressively control each block, rather than jump from throttle to throttle to control the train. I suppose this could be done with a rotary switch. As the famous model railroader, Billy Shakespeare said, "If Henry is full of it, we will find out anon."
In DCC, this is positively simple. You tell the train where to go and it goes.
PS your intial several posts are moderated, meaning there will be a delay from the time you post to the time anyone sees it.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley