Thank you Rich! It appears that this is the answer, but I'd like to post a jpeg of my layout so you and Henry can see what I've got as there are turnouts, sidings, and a small yard that will be part of one of these loops. And I have some questions about those features if they're part of one of the two reversing loops.
Can you tell me how to post that pic? I asked Henry too... I just don't know who will see this firt.
Thanks in advance!George
Thank you Henry!! It's good to be here!
Yeah... I was aware it might take 24 hrs. to get it posted... no worries. I have nowhere to get to and all day to get there... lol!
Yes, the double crossover would be too short given the rules of engagement, but I can extend the two sections of track that the double crossover lies between to a length that is greater than my longest train.
I tried this with an On Guard Auto Reverser and just my locomotive to keep the train length within the length of the crossover. The result was less than encouraging... there was a great deal of delay and lag time as the loco was waiting for the polarity to reverse, or so it seemed. And I think that was because of how the crossover was thrown as the loco entered the crossover, and what the polarity needs were at that point, whether reversing it was required or not, and what the polarity needs were when it exited the crossover, and whether it needed to be reversed again. My hope was that the PSX-AR would respond quicker than the OG-AR and the lag could be resolved.
I spoke to a tech at Tony's Trains and he recommended the same thing, AR's on the loops, but I was hoping that there might be a way with the one PSX-AR that I have before buying another. I'm not opposed to buying another, I just want to make sure I've explored all of my options before doing so.
How can I post a jpeg of my layout so you guys can see what my intent is? Because, it just doesn't feel like putting AR's on the loops to either side of the crossover addresses all the possibilities.
Thanks!
BigDaddy The way I have seen it done is that there is an AR for each of the loops after the double crossover.
The way I have seen it done is that there is an AR for each of the loops after the double crossover.
Rich
Alton Junction
Further research on the Kato: The outside rails are contiguous, meaning you only need 2 feeders there. It is not power routing, so you need 4 inside feeders.
That way you have plenty of track for your longest train.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
to the forum. Your post was trapped in moderation, which goes away after a few posts.
I am not a double crossover specialist, but as I understand it, that is your reversing section. If that is true, a modest length train would be on either side of the crossover and violates the guideline that the reversing section should be longer than your longest train.
In theory the front wheels of the loco could trip the AR as it left the crossover, while wheels of a car further back would re-trip the AR while the engine was straddling the reversing and normal section.
I don't know Kato and what makes their double crossover different. Don't redo any wiring to my theory is confirmed or shot down.
I want to run a PSX-AR with the Kato 20-210 Double Crossover and need some advice on how to wire this and get it set up.
I have a small DCC n scale layout that I'm building on a door (32"X80") with an NCE Power Cab controler. In essence, what I will have is two loops connected by the double crossover. So this isn't the typical reversing loop that I've seen wiring diagrams for in that, depending on how the switch is thrown, it may reverse or it may not.
I was given the following advice but I'm not sure I trust the source, so I'm looking for some confirmation.
I was told to;
Isolate the double crossover at all four points of entry. This is done.
Run feeders to the double crossover at all four points of entry, inside the insulated connections, from the PSX-AR output, ensuring that polarity is maintained at all points. So, what I've done is brought all four negative feeder wires to a connector at a terminal block, and all four positive feeder wires to different connector on the same terminal block, then taken a wire from each of those connections to the output of the PSX-AR.
Run feeders to either side of the double crossover to power the two loops, ensuring that polarity is maintained at those points. This is done.
And this is where things rest for the moment before I put power to it from my Power Cab, because it just feels like there's something being missed. I think my concern and confusion is the result of some things I've read and videos I've seen regarding the Kato Double Crossover. I get the impression that this is a weird little device and it's got me concerned about running my one and only (and expensive) locomotive through this switch.
So, any help would be greatly appreciated!!