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Author Topic: layout problems  (Read 2175 times)

Offline Rasputin

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layout problems
« on: January 30, 2013, 17:20:36 »
We have been building a garden railroad empire and have run into some problems. One problem is that I have no idea what I am doing or how to build/design a rail road. I think, no I know I have a crossed polarity issue when it comes to certain areas of our layout.

sorry for the bad image, wife's computer has no drawing program so I had to use photobuckets.

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Offline playmofire

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Re: layout problems
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2013, 19:11:25 »
Yes, Ras, you have crossed polarity - where those lines go from one side of the layout to the other you have positive joining to negative and view versa.  There are pieces of LGB track which solve the problem but they are pricey.  If you go here and download the guide, it will tell you something about the problem.

It is more complicated than I suggest, as in some places a line from one side to the other will give crossed polarity, and in others it won't!  I'll think further on it with your diagram in front of me.
« Last Edit: January 30, 2013, 19:19:18 by playmofire »
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Offline Rasputin

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Re: layout problems
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2013, 19:24:18 »
I was thinking about just isolating the areas of crossed polarity and using little wires to cross the power over but then when the train crosses that area it will suddenly have the polarity reversed causing the train to go the other way  8}

The problem is at the top where the triangle area of track is or at least that is the first problem area I have identified  :hmm:
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Offline playmofire

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Re: layout problems
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2013, 19:58:03 »
The large triangle on the right is probably another area to check out.
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Offline Tiermann

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Re: layout problems
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2013, 20:06:29 »
Walter download the free version of AnyRail http://www.anyrail.com/index_en.html. It has an LGB track library that will allow you to layout the tracks exactly as they would be in real life. There are limits on the free version, but I have used it to figure out whether a particular layout would work out right with the pieces I have in hand. I don't think it will help with the electrical issue but it will draw prettier pictures :D

The Y is definitely a spot, and  the loop on the right side where you connect a figure 8 across the end of the layout. With live electric rail one rail is + and the other - so take your drawing and draw a second line in a different color to represent the other rail. Start somewhere and keep it always on the same side of the black line and you will see in a figure 8 it moves to the inside of the figure but then back to the outside again after the crossing. always start from somewhere on the same line when you have connections and things. Any time your second line is on both sides of the first line you have a conflict and will short out.
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Offline Tiermann

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Re: layout problems
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2013, 20:10:54 »
Also, check out the electrical instructions at http://www.nmra.org/beginner/wiring.html it will tell you how to deal with the problem.
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Offline Rasputin

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Re: layout problems
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2013, 20:23:22 »
Quote from: playmofire on January 30, 2013, 19:58:03
The large triangle on the right is probably another area to check out.

Sorry for my bad, very bad drawing, the area that says bridge is an over pass and the area that says tunnels they go under the ramp leading up to the bridge. They do not connect in those areas
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Offline Rasputin

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Re: layout problems
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2013, 20:33:03 »
Thanks Tim  :hatoff: I did find the first site but that second one was just what I needed to figure out the problems, well the current problems  :lol:
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Offline playmofire

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Re: layout problems
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2013, 20:44:50 »
Tim has explained how to spot reverse polarity problems much better than I could have done, which is why I didn't try!

Oh, how easy it all was in the days of three rail electric trains.
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Offline Knight Train

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Re: layout problems
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2013, 02:49:07 »
You have a polarity problem if there is anyway for the train to run on the track in both directions.

For example, if you are going down in the right hand corner, you can come around throught the tunnel and go up on that same right hand corner in the opposite direction you entered - so you have a polarity problem.

The "Y" at the top middle is not a problem, because no matter how you go, the train always goes in the same direction (ignoring the problem in the lower right).
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