I really don't want to be doing this!

[Sarah Winfield]

I retired in September 2009 and as a result of certain decisions I will actually be 9 years old this September

Tomorrow I'm going to remove the reverse loops. I'll install some passing loops and holding sidings and install track to make the main line as long as possible.

A bit of a cop-out really but for my sanity and enjoyment I just have to simplify the layout.

SW

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I thought you had one of the loops working fine?

 

[PhilP]

Sarah, I don't think this will help??

If there is an underlying problem with overload, the heat, ?wiring?.. Then unless this is corrected, then you will continue to have the problem.
The problem with intermittent faults, is that they are intermittent.. A minor, but undetected, wiring issue can be 'cured' by a very small movement of said wiring (for example).. This can be frustrating, and very difficult to isolate.

If your Central Station (controller) has been sitting in the sun, then it could very easily got to a point where it would shutdown.

The heat could have caused your track to expand, and this might have made a joint move enough to cause continuity problems..

Some systems require you to set the controller to 'zero' if there has been a fault.. No amount of knob-twiddling will make the loco(s) respond until this has been done. - I do not know if your controller does this.

If the loco stops, it suggests (possibly) a track problem roughly where the loco is.. If you pick the loco up, and move it a few feet back along the track, does it then run?

If you run a loco across one of your isolated joints, but have not installed a switch, then you could create a short and your system will shutdown / stop. - Different systems require you to remove the short, and possibly do other things (control to zero) before they will respond again.


Even on our modern, big systems, occasionally things do not respond as they should.. We then have to turn off either the throttle (intelligent hand controller) or the whole system, to reset it.

 

[Sarah Winfield]

Yes Greg, so did I!

PhilP and Greg, the difficulty I have is determining what has gone wrong. Nothing to do with my crude set-up just an inability to want to carry on using reverse loops.

Much better if all I have to be concerned with is clean track without the added pressure of the loops. Perhaps in time I'll better understand DCC but in the meantime I need to get enjoyment from watching my trains.

Thanks for your concern.

Sarah

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Understand completely, it's supposed to be fun, not a millstone about your neck!

Well in the future perhaps you can obtain the auto-reverse module and then you won't ever have to fool with it.

Yes, I am going home today and putting a train on the track and just let it go around and around, had my two top engineers put me in the middle of a quarrel again today.

Greg

 

[Slawman]

I second that, it must be fun above all else.

"A persons gotta know their limitations"
- Clint Eastwood

 

[dunnyrail]

The issues are purely personal. I simply cannot get my head round the concept of reverse loops nor the many reasons why my DCC locomotives won't run reliably.

I am going to try battery power at the very basic entry level for 5 to 8 year olds.

Sarah Winfield

What did you get in the end Sarah? If it is a Playmobil just look at some of the threads about Playmobil stuff. Maybee designed for kids but can be turned into something quite special with not a lot of effort. Pity it has been given up by the makers now.

There are also other Battery Engines around, cheep christmasy things (sometimes appear at boot sales look for garish colours) that actually work very well. Just make sure that you check the track Gauge cos there are some odd ones about.

 

[Sarah Winfield]

I bought a Playmobil 5258. and am now on the look out for some of their construction toys for my quarry.

I guess it's a question of "horses for courses" and understanding one's limitation. It's only taken me 70+ years. I've entered a 2nd childhood which I hope will be better than my first!

As far as my DCC is concerned, I'll continue to try and improve the running by taking out the reverse loops and having it a "roundy-roundy".

SW

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Well, I would say:

1. just do not run on the reversing loops until you get your track working well.
2. your DCC system output power is marginal, consider getting the 5 amp, 18v booster that works with your system.
3. when you have a problem, it seems you resist the simpler debugging attempts and try to "go for broke"... drop back a notch, run the loco on a single piece of test track, 3 feet long...

There really cannot be that much wrong, but I think you had dirty track, some bad joiners, an inadequate power supply and worrying about your reverse loops, too much all at once.

Greg

 

[dunnyrail]

Wondering a little more about things in your line. Have you with any of your Track had any LGB 11500 Track Clips and if so have you used them. Fiendishly simple little things like a letter I that slot into the grove under the sleepers at joins. Not a permanent thing so can be easily popped out, but do keep your joins together that I am begining to wonder are being pulled out of joint a little with your Track Cleaning exertions?

I never used them in the oast but on my current line have used them in my Fiddle Yard which is all LGB Track not pinned down and has probably saved me many problems.

LGB plastic track clips - how are they used? - G Scale Central

 

[Sarah Winfield]

I do have some of them Jon, though I've never fitted them. I can see their merit especially to help with preventing track moving during cleaning.

Today, I'm concentrating on changing my layout to eliminate the reverse loops. I'm going to put in several passing loops and increase my siding capacity.

SW

 

[KentKeith]

Sarah,

I've not made any comments regarding you trying to get your reverse loops working but must say that it is great to learn that you are going for a roundy roundy layout and pass on the reverse loops. My layout:



despite its length is just one big roundy roundy. I can set a train off and that's it, it will amble round the layout whilst I can get on with some gardening or just sit down and relax. No hassles!!

In previous days I did have a couple of reverse loops but gave up on them at that time as the LGB electronics at that time were not that reliable. Things have changed since then and I am now thinking of putting a reverse loop on the terminal loop on the top right-hand corner of the layout. In fact I've actually laid in most of the loop but not connected it up at the moment - there is a 6" gap!!. As can be seen from this simplified diagram:



I'm not sure how/where the reverse loop module and related wiring and isolated gaps should be placed. Rather than try to do it during the running season and possibly face the aggro that you've encountered I've decided to wait until the end of year when trains have been packed away for the winter before I try to get the reverse loop module working.

In the meantime I can enjoy trains running round the garden just as I hope you can.

 

[Gizzy]

Does this help Keith?

Yellow lines are the isolators or isolating tracks, the black box is the reversing module, and the blue lines are the track feeds, with a pair from the 'mainline' to the device and a pair from the device to the reversal chord....

 

[Deleted member 3553]

I can only say to Sarah....'a big thank you" I try not to miss any of your posts....I learn something from all of them and the enjoyment of the replies, questions and witticisms always make great reading.............A few years ago I spent 12 months trying to fathom and run DCC..gave it away for 18 months and tried some G scale............eventually decided to do something about my 2 x OO layouts....dumped the controllers in the green plastic bins at the top of the drive, stripped 6 locos of anything looking like a circuit and made up a few PMW controllers (courtesy Greg of Sandstone & Termite) and back to having two trouble free layouts............and am now slowly changing over to RC in the Garden.........have trouble getting around the bending and cleaning tracks these days and coming up 8.7 makes me a bit older than PhilP............... keep the questions coming Sarah.......Kind regards, mardy. Attached pic - part of my indoor / outdoor track.......

 

[Sarah Winfield]

Mardy/Keith excellent posts, thank you.

I saw the plan of your railway Keith in another topic. I was really impressed by the length of your continuous run. How long does it takes to run a complete circuit please? I realise it depends on the speed of the train but you know what I mean?

I'm about to take out both reverse loops and to install some additional ordinary loops and sidings. I've admitted defeat but expect to get my sanity returned. I don't think I have enough room for a line to go over another though I'll layout something just to see.

SW

 

[JimmyB]

Though not really helpful when I am starting out on something new I KISS (keep It SimpleS) and then progress to my limitation!!

 

[Sarah Winfield]

I start at my limitations then there's nowhere for me to go except down!

Sorry JimmyB I hope that doesn't sounds too flippant.

SW

 

[Rhinochugger]

I start at my limitations then there's nowhere for me to go except down!

Sorry JimmyB I hope that doesn't sounds too flippant.

SW

 

[Sarah Winfield]

I suppose that's what you might call having a frog in your throat!

SW

 

[KentKeith]

Mardy/Keith excellent posts, thank you.

I saw the plan of your railway Keith in another topic. I was really impressed by the length of your continuous run. How long does it takes to run a complete circuit please? I realise it depends on the speed of the train but you know what I mean?


SW

Sarah.

Sending a train round at a "sensible" (not fast) speed it takes about 8 minutes …… but, if Stockers is running one his trains here, it can take double that .