25 - Building the upper return loop - part 2

Finishing up the track work and starting to run trains, along with an adventure in Digitrax PM74 auto-reversing. Also a slight detour into another Digitrax product as a result...

[@Microbus]

The layout’s looking great!

[@rogereldridge8233]

We had a similar issue at the club with our roundhouse using the PM44. I tried changing settings like crazy, I eventually gave up on using it and connected the booster which has autoreverse capability to the roundhouse (this booster was reserved to run all our Smails around the layout) .. worked like a charm. For our track feeders, we used Micro Engineering Code 55 but I connected two 3' sections of flex and soldered the rail joiner then soldered a feeder to the underside of the rail joiners and angled inward .. made one hole for the feeders in the roadbed. Then I bent the track into desired radius using tracksettas and placed on the roadbed. We used 6' sections and made the joints between sections on straight sections only with NON soldered rail joiners to allow a bit for contraction/expansion.

[@gncascadedivision]

That all sounds like a good way to go. I'll revisit power distribution for auto reversing subdistricts after I have more power units in place. The Atlas code 55 works well, and was way more readily available than ME track, especially turnouts. Hopefully ME can ramp back up production again with the new owners. Iain

[@Richard-mn5gp]

looking great

[@gncascadedivision]

Thanks!

[@marsfromrexford]

I use DCC Specialties PSX AR, have 3 on my layout and they all seem to work great with my NCE SB5. I originally used the auto throw feature of the PSX to operate the balloon switch Tortoise but found that the Southern Alberta Rail method of a spring switch simplifies things and once tuned in I found to work great. That mix and match consist is great - throw in a BN hockey stick coach just for good measure!

[@gncascadedivision]

Yep, I looked at the DCC Specialities units, too. There's plenty of options. I've thought about a spring switch like SAR, but I also like the idea of keeping things a little more manual and putting it on the operator to be doing something. I haven't decided which to go here yet. Iain

[@randy1211]

I only use the BXPA1 for my auto reversing loops because I still want occupancy detection. Once you correctly adjust the sensitivity it’s pretty reliable. I use the AR1 for areas I don’t need detection like diamond crossings. The PMs are then only used for district isolations. Really enjoy watching the progress.

[@gncascadedivision]

That definitely makes sense. My local store only had the AR1 in stock over the weekend, and I just wanted to validate my logic in that the wiring and track isolation was correct. I might end up using the BXPA1s, or when I have multiple PM74s where it's less of an issue, try again when I don't have adjacent sections on the same device. Technically, I do have occupancy detection with the AR1 since it's on its own power subdistrict from the PM74. I'd like to simplify that in the future though! Iain

[@h0scalenovitate]

Had no problem with PM74 for both power and auto reversing sections together on the layout, made only one change - lower fault trip current (OPSW7). Worked perfectly on an eight-like layout even with 2 locos.

[@gncascadedivision]

Seems hit and miss. Glad things are working fine for you. Some people say it works, some don't. Like I said in the video, I did try lowering the fault trip current, and it still didn't seem to play nice. The additional auto reversing module works flawlessly. Not a big deal, but seems there is a common note about not using the same device for both a reversing loop and a non-reversing loop. Iain

[@kendallc8807]

Do you have a video or photos of your full layout? Do you have helix to go from the different levels or are they going to be independent levels? Would you be open to questions privately about multiple level train layout?

[@gncascadedivision]

If you check a couple of videos back, I did a 1-year recap and layout tour. That goes over how the layout will come together in time. All three decks will be connected - one helix between the upper and middle deck, and one helix between the middle and lower deck. Those helixes are not built yet. You're welcome to email - check the info / about page on the KZbin channel for contact info. Iain