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[Riverrat340]

I am in the process of building a large train layout.  My center island which is my yard is about 40 feet long by 6 to 7 feet wide.

So consider a elongated loop (my outside mainline) traveling around in a long oblong circle.  On one of the outer sides I have a track that switches off and travels diagonally to the other side of the loop.  I get the concept that coming from one side the electrical poles are matching positive and negative.  When that track comes across the center and connects on the other side the electrical poles will be inverted  (the positive hits the negative).  So I isolate the tracks at each end with plastic rail joiners and add a reverse loop.  By the way I am using NCE with Code 83 Peco track.

Here is where the problem lies.  I have a friend who is very knowledgeable about trains where I am not.  In my description above to keep this issue simple I explained it as a long looped rectangular track layout with one track traversing the middle from one side to the other and isolated from both ends.  Here is my additional info.  Those single tracks on each end of the traverse spread out to 8 different tracks.  Both ends start with a track and come back to one track at the other end before the isolation joiners. 

My friend has said that I need to reverse loop each track.  However, he can not explain why.  If you have one track going across you need only one reversing loop.  If you add more trackage it is still on the same concept.  Do I need to put a reversing loop on each track going across, or will one do the trick for all.

[Deggesty]

Perhaps contributors to the Model Railroader Forum can give you more help than the contributors to a 12 inch to the foot forums can. Try asking there.

[richg1998]

What Johnny is suggesting.

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/default.aspx

Take time to look at all the different forums. MRR, Layout, DCC forums.

At the beginning of the MRR forum, there is a description on how to post photos that will help a lot if not familiar with this.

Rich

[tomikawaTT]

Correct me if I'm misinterpreting your meaning.

The reversing connection, running diagonally across the layout space, is single track at both ends but spreads out to an 8-track double ended yard in the middle.

Problem.  If this is a reverse section, a locomotive pulling into one yard track when another locomotive enters from the opposite end will suddenly reverse if the entire diagonal is on a single reverser.

Maybe, instead of the diagonal, you need to look at a one train length section of the mainline loop as the reverse section.  Ideally, it should have only one turnout - main straight, diagonal route diverging.  That way, a single auto-reverser will be sufficient.  That is what I ended up doing to provide for a train-turning loop in my netherworld.  (The up-to-down main connection proved to be too short.)

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[richhotrain]

I have asked the Forum Administrator to move this thread to the Electronics and DCC Forum

Rich

[richhotrain]

richhotrain

I have asked the Forum Administrator to move this thread to the Electronics and DCC Forum

Rich

The Forum Administrator has moved the thread here:

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/p/259668/2916445.aspx#2916445