Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

[GarryH]

Has anyone made a very simple and cheap reverser for a loco.

I want a simple means of allowing a loco to trundle back and forth inside the workshop so that it can be tested and run in. The worbench is only about 10ft long. I know there are various reversers on the market but I will kick myself if someone has a zero buget option that will sort me out.

Gratuitious Pic of an Aristo Annie post paint shop and undergoing track testing.

 

[tram47]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

Reverser in the locomotive?
Reverser outside of the cocomotive?

 

[Kaine]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

Hello,

LGB part 10340 Automatic Reversing Unit.

Hope this is what you are looking for.

Eric

 

[GarryH]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

Reverser for the track section despite which locois what I am trying to achieve. Thanks for your comments guys.

 

[Kaine]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

Reverser for the track section despite which locois what I am trying to achieve. Thanks for your comments guys.

Just bought one for myself at € 149,00
Want a streetcar go back and forth on a shelf in my living room.

Eric

 

[don9GLC2]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

Has anyone made a very simple and cheap reverser for a loco.

I want a simple means of allowing a loco to trundle back and forth inside the workshop so that it can be tested and run in. The worbench is only about 10ft long. I know there are various reversers on the market but I will kick myself if someone has a zero buget option that will sort me out.

Gratuitious Pic of an Aristo Annie post paint shop and undergoing track testing.

Its not too hard to devise a circuit with a couple of microswitches and a relay that will do the job, but then you have to consider what happens if something goes wrong.

I'm assuming that you are not going to be in attendance all the time while the loco is on test and its possible to get very complicated by adding 'safety features' but I would definitely recommend having an isolated section of track at each end so that the loco cannot drive into anything solid. A simple relay will also cause the loco to go from full speed in one direction to full speed in the other and Im not sure that I would want to 'test' my locos in that way, certainly not repeatedly!

So while its possible to have a 'simple and cheap' reverser, I would not recommend it.

If you are going to 'run in' locos its usual to vary the speed and keep the load light. Back and forth is far from ideal.


My test track is now a circle of R1 after just too many 'heart stopping' incidents with my original straight test track. Its not what I would really like but I find it much more practical. OK so I eat in the kitchen now

My round dining table has a much more important role!

 

[ntpntpntp]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

I have to agree, I wouldn't recommend any sort of "simple" device that simply switches from one direction to the other WITHOUT slowing and stopping in between: it's not good for the loco mechanism.

I would recommend a set of rollers rather than a back and forth test track. Rollers take up less space, you can run for as long at you like at whatever speed you need. The loco remains stationary allowing you to observe and get to the bottom of any problem like rocking, binding or clicking valve gear etc. If you're programming dcc decoders the loco can "do it's little dance" on the rollers without wandering along the track.

 

[GarryH]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

It's looking as if the answer is no......or don't.

I appreciate all the comments, I guess rollers maybe the answer has anyone every made any??.....I would be interested.
I know one of our members is selling a set on ebay. This may be the easiest route. It's just that I fancied the loco ploughing to and fro while I sat at the workbench. I guess it's I just like to see trains in action which I know you will all understand

 

[Kaine]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

I have to agree, I wouldn't recommend any sort of "simple" device that simply switches from one direction to the other with slowing and stopping in between: it's not good for the loco mechanism.

Now I can't follow so good.
If I use a switcher in the yard to switch boxcars I have to go back and forth and pick up speed and slow down to a halt after coupling.
Is this not good for the mechanism?
I would not like to ruin my motors, but never heard of this before.
I am not that good at electrics, so would very much appreciate a little bit of info on the matter.
Thanks,

Eric

 

[don9GLC2]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

I have to agree, I wouldn't recommend any sort of "simple" device that simply switches from one direction to the other with slowing and stopping in between: it's not good for the loco mechanism.

Now I can't follow so good.
If I use a switcher in the yard to switch boxcars I have to go back and forth and pick up speed and slow down to a halt after coupling.
Is this not good for the mechanism?
I would not like to ruin my motors, but never heard of this before.
I am not that good at electrics, so would very much appreciate a little bit of info on the matter.
Thanks,

Eric

Hello Eric,

I wish the simple questions had simple answers!

Every time you use your locos you are causing wear, so that is 'not good for the mechanism'. But its no fun, if you just leave them in the boxes

If you are switching boxcars in the yard, you will be controlling the loco to go slowly and not crash into the cars, so the mechanical load on the loco is not high. That is not likely to give you any problems.

However if you use a cheap method of reversing, the loco will be switched from high speed in one direction to high speed in the opposite direction almost instantly. Its the sudden change that puts load on the loco mechanism and is bad for it, and the wheels. Full size trains get flat tires too! A long time ago that was my job. It usually happened when the crew forgot to release the parking brake on a 'control car' (we called them a driving trailer in the UK, but you might be more familiar with the LGB / Swiss expression)

The LGB module 10340 has three connection possibilities. Mode 1 (basic) has an abrupt stop and I would not use this for your tram. Mode 2 (prototypical) is better since there is a 'braking' phase. The third connection possibility is the one I would recommend and has an extra track section for safety. If your tram overshoots and enters the extra track section it will stop abruptly, but this is not likely to happen normally (because you will have set up the unit correctly

) and it is better than a crash at the end of the track!

I hope this explains the problems but please feel free to PM me if I have not explained them clearly enough.

Don

 

[Wobbleboxer]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

Is this not good for the mechanism?

Eric, I think the point being made is that i's not good to run a loco a full or high speed and then suddenly switch the current into full reverse... repeatedly.

Unless that is how you do your shunting in which you have a problem

 

[KeithT]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

It's looking as if the answer is no......or don't.

I appreciate all the comments, I guess rollers maybe the answer has anyone every made any??.....I would be interested.
I know one of our members is selling a set on ebay. This may be the easiest route. It's just that I fancied the loco ploughing to and fro while I sat at the workbench. I guess it's I just like to see trains in action which I know you will all understand

I use Bachmann roller bearing ones. Excellent.
Rollers make it much easier to identify problems without chasing the loco around the layout.
You could try Jeremy at Dragon G Scale. Usually they are not in stock but it appears that he can get them to order.

 

[ntpntpntp]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

I have to agree, I wouldn't recommend any sort of "simple" device that simply switches from one direction to the other with slowing and stopping in between: it's not good for the loco mechanism.

Now I can't follow so good.
If I use a switcher in the yard to switch boxcars I have to go back and forth and pick up speed and slow down to a halt after coupling.
Is this not good for the mechanism?
I
Eric

sorry Eric, I meant to write "simply switching direction WITHOUT slowing and stopping is not good". I've corrected the original post now.

 

[ntpntpntp]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

I appreciate all the comments, I guess rollers maybe the answer has anyone every made any??.....I would be interested.

Garry, I use a set of Series 60 "Saddles" from Bachrus

http://www.bachrus.com/ < Link To www.bachrus.com

I have the main set of 4 units plus additional "Stirrup" supports. Not the cheapest, but they are good quality roller bearing units and work really well. I actually bought mine in the UK from the guy who sells the SPROG dcc programmer

http://www.sprog-dcc.co.uk/shop.html < Link To www.sprog-dcc.co.uk/shop.html

 

[Kaine]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.




sorry Eric, I meant to write you now "simply switching direction WITHOUT slowing and stopping is not good". I've corrected the original post now.
[/quote]
Thanks, have to try it out anyway and let you now the results.

Eric

 

[C&S]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

Assuming you have a power source (controller) one of the cheaper solutions may be a reversing set-up as supplied bY Heathcote Electronics. http://www.heathcote-electronics.co.uk/ < Link To www.heathcote-electronics.co.uk They normally expect to cater for 00 scale modellers but if you talk to them will probably be able to supply something with enough ooomph for G scale and a lot cheaper than £149, Their Simple Shuttle unit costs under £20 so even allowing for extra for some different components it still shouldn't break the bank. These units are easy to fit to the track and detect a train using infra-red, so no complicated work to do to locomotives or stock.

 

[ntpntpntp]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

Assuming you have a power source (controller) one of the cheaper solutions may be a reversing set-up as supplied bY Heathcote Electronics. http://www.heathcote-electronics.co.uk/ < Link To www.heathcote-electronics.co.uk They normally expect to cater for 00 scale modellers but if you talk to them will probably be able to supply something with enough ooomph for G scale

Yes, that's not a bad idea to ask Heathcote if they can come up with an uprated module. I use some of their infra-red detectors and the reversing unit with my N-gauge exhibition layout, gving me a completely automated end-to-end sequence with 7 trains (all fiddleyard points automated) while I operate the rest of the layout manually. The reversing module supports gradual acceleration and braking with the use of additional detectors on the approaches to the end-stops. I Also use their detectors to trigger N gauge crossing gates.

The infra-red detectors are very good. A couple of my little models don't always trigger (probably due to the non-reflectiveness of the types of plastic used for the chassis) but that's easily cured by sticking a 1cm white circle underneath.

For testing/running-in I'd still recommand rollers rather than a shuttle track.

 

[ntpntpntp]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

Try this link for circuit diagrams

http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/AutoRevCheap.html < Link To http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/AutoRevCheap.html

Some interesting designs there but they're mostly based on using a relay to switch the power output of a normal contoller. This makes them usable with various scales including our big stuff if a suitable relay is used with contacts that can handle the current, but with a relay there will be no gentle starts and stops. As discussed before I don't feel this is very desirable for the loco mechanism, certainly not at anything other than a low speed.

 

[pugwash]

Re:Help required current reverser for a very small test track.

I think Gaugemaster do an electronic shuttle unit the same as the LGB version but cheaper. Of course I found this out after buying the LGB one :impatient: