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Greeting all,

I need some help from the Kato masters and Electrical gurus on the forum.

I've been helping a friend solve some problems on his layout, sticking points, extra feeds and wiring problems etc.

His layout uses Kato track and he is running a Dcc system.

Things have been going well apart from one problem which I'm struggling to solve.

Which is that the layout has two circles of track, an inner and outer which he has connected using 2 x #6 turnouts as in the picture.
https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=137639

I can get two trains running separately on the circles, but when the points are thrown to allow crossover from one to the other a short occurs.

I've tried all different combinations of isolating joiners on the heads of the points but cannot find the right one to stop the short.

If I isolate all the tracks the loco shorts in this position on the points.
https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=137640

I'd be grateful for any advice on how to cure this short with either placement of the isolating joiners, or as it's DCC do we need to deploy something like a DCC autofrog?

It's been driving me crazy as my electrical skills are poor to put it mildly.

Thanks in advance
Simon.T

IF there are no other points on the layout, the isolators look to be in the correct places. The loco stopping there would suggest that the feeds on the two circuits are transposed.

It needs to be Red to the inner rail and black to the outer on both circuits (or vice-versa would also work) NOT as some advice Red to the right/Black to the left for the direction of travel.

(if there are any other points, it might need additional isolators dependent on their setting - we'd need a full plan to confirm...)

Without seeing the rest of the track-plan, I'd agree with PLD's comments. Swap the polarity of the feeds to one of the loops.

Steven B.

It certainly sounds like incorrect polarity on one loop, as suggested by PLD and Steve.

Hi Si.T,

I also think it might be what PLD has said as, although I'm DC, have done it myself but just in case you were confused about the wiring colours, I think @PLD thought the black and red wires were the track feeders and not the point feeders which they are. So I think he means the blue and white wires, which are track feeders, but the same concept applies.

I might have misunderstood but hope helps.

Can I ask how the loops are powered, 62mm Feeder Tracks or Terminal Uni-Joiners, and how many feeds are there?

If it's 62mm Feeder Tracks they need to be the same way round on each of the loops (blue wire one side and white the other), same for the Terminal Uni-Joiners.


Ed

Thanks everyone,

I will try to get a track plan up loaded as soon as I can.

The loops are powered with multiple 62mm Feeder Tracks.

I'll start checking all the feeds for the correct orientation, when I next get my hands on the layout.

I'll report back as soon as I can, this may take a little while as I'm heading into a spell of night shifts.

Thanks Once again.
Simon.T

Some feed back,

Checked all the feed orientation and checked that all matched, they are now match and bingo we have a working layout.   

So a huge thanks to all for the advice.

I have tried to attach a copy of the layout in XTrackCad showing power feed locations by the black circles. Not sure why my pictures did not show but hopefully this will.

More power feeds are going to be added to all the sidings, any further advice gratefully received.