# Making Insulated track



## steam chaser (Feb 21, 2011)

Hello Everyone,My first question.I want to take a straight section of 027 3 rail track and make it an insulated section,the reason is because i want to power a #145 gateman and was told that this was a better method then using a 145 c contactor as they constantly need adjusting and are difficult to get to work propperly.Can someone tell me how to go about this,in detailed slow motion please. 

Thanks,Don


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Simple.

Look closely at a piece of straight track. You simply duplicate the insulation of the center rail on one of the outside rails. Pry the crimp off the outside rail, insert a suitable insulating material (cereal box cardboard works), and crimp the rail over the insulator.

Job done.


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Don't you also need to install on that same rail insulating pins?


----------



## steam chaser (Feb 21, 2011)

Thanks,That seems simple enough.

Don


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, yes, you'll probably want to insulate the end sections. Note that many times you want more than one segment to trigger an accessory, so you may not want insulating pins on every piece...


----------



## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

steam chaser said:


> i want to power a #145 gateman and was told that this was a better method then using a 145 c contactor as they constantly need adjusting and are difficult to get to work propperly.
> 
> Thanks,Don


Don

I have 5 145c's, including two on a curve. Once they are adjusted, they usually stay adjusted unless you bump the track.

Insulated rails do have an advantate as being difficult to ditect vs the 145c.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

One downside of insulated rails is with engines with traction tires. You may end up with not enough conductivity to properly power the engine.


----------



## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> One downside of insulated rails is with engines with traction tires. You may end up with not enough conductivity to properly power the engine.


My Handcars are prone to the conductivity problem.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Yep, small operating vehicles are the most troublesome. Several handcars I have stall on O27 switches and just sit there.


----------



## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Yep, small operating vehicles are the most troublesome. Several handcars I have stall on O27 switches and just sit there.


That's why my handcars run on a dedicated 27" circle ALL SOLDERED TOGETHER!


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Yep, they require some special handling. I'm thinking of having two circles, a 27" and a 31" with them running in opposite directions, should be an interesting effect.


----------



## steam chaser (Feb 21, 2011)

Thanks again fellas,I did what you told me on on how to make the insulated section of track,just for an experiment , I pulled the pins on that side of the rail that I insulated and stuck tooth picks in place of the pins.The track section worked,but the gateman came out and went right back in,instead of staying out until the locomotive got off the section of track like it was supposed to do.I then made another section of insulated , thinking that maybe it needed more time to function,but it didnt help,so I guess that I have other issues.I will keep plugging at it. Thanks,Don


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

How did you wire it? The insulated section should provide the ground connection to the gateman, it should always have the hot lead active.


----------



## steam chaser (Feb 21, 2011)

*Insulated track*

I had a lockon from the transformer to the regular section of track.( 2 Conectors ) I then had a lock on with three conectors on the insulated section. one wire going to the ground on the accessory ,one going from a power conector on the lock on to the power conector on the acessory and then the other going to the last conector on the accessory.I hope that this makes sense. Thanks Don


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Run the power to the accessory directly, the other leg of the accessory goes to the insulated outer track. The ground for the accessory is made through the car(s) that are occupying the insulated track section.

You don't want power going out the outside rail, it should simply be serving as the ground return.


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Run the power to the accessory directly, the other leg of the accessory goes to the insulated outer track. The ground for the accessory is made through the car(s) that are occupying the insulated track section.
> 
> You don't want power going out the outside rail, it should simply be serving as the ground return.




Try to get some fiber (plastic) pins too, get rid of the toothpicks.

Where you do have your toothpicks make sure the rail is not touching the other rail or the toothpicks are doing nothing.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You can find folks on eBay selling the knock-off insulated pins pretty cheaply, I got 100 of them for a few bucks.


----------



## steam chaser (Feb 21, 2011)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> You can find folks on eBay selling the knock-off insulated pins pretty cheaply, I got 100 of them for a few bucks.


Yeah,I just didnt have any on hand,but I will get some.


Thanks,Don


----------



## steam chaser (Feb 21, 2011)

big ed said:


> Try to get some fiber (plastic) pins too, get rid of the toothpicks.
> 
> Where you do have your toothpicks make sure the rail is not touching the other rail or the toothpicks are doing nothing.


I had the tooth picks in the outer rail to hold them together and hopefully insulate the section.I do plan to get the pins.

Thanks,Don


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The pins have the added benefit of holding the two sections apart about 1/16", they have a shoulder on them to prevent the rails from touching. That's the big difference between them and toothpicks and the like.


----------

