# Auto Reverser track wiring question



## RonK9977 (Oct 4, 2019)

Hello!
I am wiring my layout and one section is a dog bone with dual auto reversers one for each end of the loop (in green) with a double cross over in the middle. I understand to insulate the green end loops and power them with the auto reversers BUT my question is on the RED lines I drew in these lines connect the dog bone to the main line for entry and exit to that section.

So my question is HOW are these RED areas wired (Black center is main bus wired)...Where do I insulate them? Do I power them from the main bus up to just before the green lops or do I connect them as well to the green loop (auto reversers) and insulate right before they connect to the main line? I hope you understand what I am trying to say: How do I wire the feeder lines to the dog bone circuit from the main line 
THANKS!
Ron


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## RonK9977 (Oct 4, 2019)

Forgot to ADD....what if I added the ORANGE section of track? How would this be wired? 
To the main Bus or how? (sorry for poor diagrams)
Thanks!


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

You've added a new complication.








Isolate the blue part and only use one reverse controller


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## RonK9977 (Oct 4, 2019)

Lemonhawk said:


> You've added a new complication.
> View attachment 556576
> 
> Isolate the blue part and only use one reverse controller


So only one reverser on the blue/black area above...
Also my above has a double cross over not 1 lane going to 2 loops...
Ok will try it may be just the way you were trying to explain it to me...


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

If you want the cross-over then that orange track is a problem in that it connects the 2 auto-reverse controllers. I would need to think about that. My fear is that multiple trains could trigger the reverser which is not good. You need to find lengths of track that exceed your longest train that are going to be connected to the auto reverse section. I'm surprised others have not jumped on this puzzle. It may work by putting another auto-reverser on the orange track and whichever auto reverser acts the fastest will win and you will be ok, just never thought about connecting 2 auto reverser sections.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

It is generally not recommened that you have more then 2 'access' points to a 'reverse loop' 
isolated section. Thus, the black double crossover should remain the 'main power' of
the layout, the two green 'loops' would each be powered thru a reverse loop controller.
The red 'spur' tracsk would simply be powered by the reverse loop to which they
connected

If you add the section shown in brown it too would be part of the 'main power' like
the double crossover. The danger, tho, is that it add 2 more access points to
the 'reverse loop' isolated sections. That could result in two trains entering the
same 'iso' section at the same time and result in a short circuit.

Don


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

What is the purpose of the orange length? What would it contribute to your operational interests or the simple pleasure of watching a train run?


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## x_doug_x (Jun 21, 2010)

Add the orange part and get rid of the crossovers in the middle, you won't even need a reverse loop controller.


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## RonK9977 (Oct 4, 2019)

UPDATE! 

Well I finally got time to get it all wired!

What I ended up doing is isolating the BLACK area only and put ONE PS-XR Auto reverser on that section powering it entirely, actually it goes a little ways into the loops shown as I wanted to ensure I could run LONG enough trains The cross over is not insulated anyplace if you want to know that just straight steel connecting pins all around.
The rest of the layout is just hooked up to the main bus which of course has a breaker board (not reverser) inline too...









It works perfectly no issues at all!!! All tracks function perfectly!  

I should say I had ONE issue momentarily until I figured it out. With all my double cross overs in my layout and turnouts I have powered the frogs with Tam Valley Frog Juicers which work perfectly! I have 5 crossovers that have a dual frog juicers on each for the 2 frogs and they work GREAT like this no problems....So I thought to just wire the frogs on the center Cross over (in the black reversing area) the same to a dual juicer which I did for my others. What happened was when straight it worked perfectly smooth BUT X-ed especially going through one way the engine would STALL for a second, sound reset and then without touching it it would carry on..... After much experimentation and trouble shooting what I did was disconnect the dual frog juicers from this cross over completely and Shazam!!! It works perfectly now, straight, crossed, over and over any way any time flawless  I think the frog juicers were battling the REVERSER board because the odd time it would make it X ed when they were still connected _but usually NOT_....NOW the REVERSER board handles all the reversing AND the frogs of the center double cross over as I say they are disconnected from the juicers and it works perfectly.

Actually as I have read all the great advice I got to my question I decided to wire this loop in 3 main sections of gang bars THEN if I had to change to 2 reverser loops and the center main bus...Instead of having to do it all over again changing all the feeders I thought it would have been EASIER just to change the 6 MAIN FEED wires to either a reversing section OR main bus...luckily I didn't run into problems having to change the main feed wires either BUT I was prepared if I had to  








Yellow tape is how far the reversing section goes on each end (isolated there)
Here's my layout so far and it all works Great....last section is the elevated section, still to come. yard in the back planned to be inside of a mountain out of sight  









Thanks for all the advice just thought I'd report back on what works!


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Looking good and it's always good to get things running smoothly.  

Magic


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I fear that once you begin running 2 or more trains at the same time
you will encounter short circuits when two try to enter the 'crossover isolated'
section at the same time. There are four 'entrances' to the 'reverse controller' tracks and
these are all on the 'mainline' tracks with the most traffic. Two
locos crossing any of those at the same time will likely result in s system shut
down short circuit

Don


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## RonK9977 (Oct 4, 2019)

DonR said:


> I fear that once you begin running 2 or more trains at the same time
> you will encounter short circuits when two try to enter the 'crossover isolated'
> section at the same time. There are four 'entrances' to the 'reverse controller' tracks and
> these are all on the 'mainline' tracks with the most traffic. Two
> ...


Yes their could be a short but if I limit to one train at a time in the crossover section I should be ok.
There are in total with the elevated section yet to install 3 main line circuits besides the center loops cross over so I should be able to run a few trains at once but understand 2 in the crossover section will cause a short.

The main thing I wanted to have was the ability to turn a train around with respect to the 3 other main lines and this was the main purpose for the section because trains don't always go one circular direction LOL  

Thanks Don

Ron


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## ejwolski (Apr 17, 2021)

My situation is a tad different - I have a passenger station in the center which can be entered from either direction (8 tracks). The two mainline tracks are effectively connected at either end with return loops. One return loop eventually will be replaced with a helix leading to a lower level staging yard (also bidirectional) + return loop. Something like this:

Loop > staging yard > helix > passenger station > Loop

My plan is to wire the return loops as reverse loops and have the wiring in between wired the same. In other words, top rail is A and bottom rail is B regardless of train direction. Am I overlooking something?

Cheers!


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## RonK9977 (Oct 4, 2019)

ejwolski said:


> My situation is a tad different - I have a passenger station in the center which can be entered from either direction (8 tracks). The two mainline tracks are effectively connected at either end with return loops. One return loop eventually will be replaced with a helix leading to a lower level staging yard (also bidirectional) + return loop. Something like this:
> 
> Loop > staging yard > helix > passenger station > Loop
> 
> ...


Yes well what ever WORKS for what you want to do is GREAT  The problem is if what you want to do doesn't. Glad you got it how you need it there


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

ejwolski said:


> My situation is a tad different - I have a passenger station in the center which can be entered from either direction (8 tracks). The two mainline tracks are effectively connected at either end with return loops. One return loop eventually will be replaced with a helix leading to a lower level staging yard (also bidirectional) + return loop. Something like this:
> 
> Loop > staging yard > helix > passenger station > Loop
> 
> ...


A return loop is not necessarily a reversing loop. It would only be so if both ends of the loopmcome off the same turnout (that is, single track in the center through your passenger station). Yet you refer to "two main lines", o I'm not sure.

Really, best thing to do in this situation is to post a track diagram. With this, experienced hobbyists can quickly identify if you have a problem or not.


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## Herri (Feb 13, 2021)

Wow!! I have just found an exact copy of my layout in build.
I have been struggling the last 5 days with the wiring, using a Digikeijs DR5013. I initially set up a BUS running throughout the whole layout as suggested on many internet sites. They obviously don’t take the reverse situation into account. In my layout, the fiddle yards/siding are situated within the loops (your green) so adding to my “newbie confusion “
I have now ordered a different reverse module and have changed the wiring to create 3 seperate Busses. My centre section is a small station (where the crossovers take place) where trains can cross to either drop goods or use a different platform and wont be used for more than one train at the same time. I intend to use iTrain later when it all works.
i am so pleased to find this thread and when I receive my new reverser (later this week) I’ll have another go and report my results. (Quite possibly, some questions 😳)


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Herri

Your layout plans sound interesting, however,
it is impossible to make a useful response to your post without a drawing of your
layout. What you describe seems a bit more complex that may be necessary.

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I concur with Don. We can spend a couple of weeks guessing at what the problem might be, or you can post a diagram and we can probably spot the problem and suggest a solution in a minute or two.


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## Herri (Feb 13, 2021)

Thanks for your offers. I am including my version, which is almost the same as Ron's.
I designed it this way to almost replicate an actual station, where I lived. The only main difference is the two main lines as opposed to a single branch back in the day.

Hope this makes sense


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Herri

The layout is, as you say, almost identical to the one previous. As you indicate, your A and B loops would each be a reverse 'loop' and each fed by a reverse 'controller'. The center double
crossover and associated tracks would all be fed by your DCC main track bus.

The bottom track does not appear to be long enuf for a passenger train, especially
the 'stubs' at either end. 

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

When you say you have 3 busses, do you mean 3 separate feeds? That's what you would need; with the two feeds at either end wired through a separate reverse loop controller. You can have multiple drops to the track downstream of the reverse loop controllers if you are having power loss issues.


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