Power routed switches in EZ track

[Jonathan MacCormack]

Vinny,

Try calling Atlas for the electrical book or call Walthers. Either will send it along to you.

J

[msowsun]

I don't believe that Bachmann EZ Track turnouts are "Power Routed" or "Route Selective".

BUT IF THEY ARE     then you must insulate the turnouts at both the straight and diverging tracks,   and then you must add extra feeders to various parts of the track.  The rule is that you can only feed power to the end of the turnout without the diverging tracks. The other ends must always be insulated or there will be a short circuit at the frog depending on which way the turnout is selected.

You will need to become quite proficient at block wiring. And you WILL need a good book....... 

I still can't believe that Bachmann would sell EZ Track turnouts that are "Route Selective".

ROUTE SELECTIVE TURNOUTS ARE NOT FOR BEGINNERS!!!!!!!!!

[Jonathan MacCormack]

Try turning the inside train around to run in opposite direction. Switching to the outside track while running opposite is difficult, however!

I am assuming two (2) power packs available.

This assumes you have blocked the switches as shown in the picture above.

[msowsun]

Vinny, I did some research and found out that Bachmann N Scale EZ Track turnouts are indeed . "Route Selective".

You will need to add a few extra insulators and 3 extra feeders. (6 wires)

You have some flexibility in where you put these insulators and feeders but you can follow this example and it will work.

Just remember that the feeder wires must only power the points end of the turnout. If you study this diagram you will see that the electrical power will always encounter insulators so that there is no power to the diverging end of the turnouts.

[msowsun]

Vinny, here is the diagram once more, but this time your inner oval feeder is removed because it was in a bad spot and required extra insulators.

By removing it you can simplify the wiring slightly. You just need feeders at 4 locations. (always feeding into the points end of the turnout)

[Hunt]

msowsun,
Much Better  

Thanks for taking the time to giving more thought to your first solution (with a little gentle prodding from me) and providing a corrected photo markup.  I don’t have the time and written instructions alone were not going to help Vinney at this point in time.

If you have the time, show what feeders go with which power pack and how to connect the power packs if you use two.

Vinney,
It is OK now you don't have the Atlas book. As you may recall from the first thread that started this, I told you, you would need to modify the turnouts to all routes powered if you followed the Cab Control for a double track layout wiring Figure 4-14 in the Atlas book.

Now that we reasonably know the turnouts you have are the power-routing type then I once again suggest you study the diagrams in http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=a&id=181 it should help you understand the why of msowsun’s corrected photo markup.

Remember DCC makes wiring and train control easier (and more fun) than using Cab Control Block. 

[Jim Banner]

This solution is not much different than msowsun's.  It eliminates a few unnecessary gaps and adds some closer to the turnouts that require them.  The advantage is that when you stall at a turnout, you will know it is that turnout that is set the wrong way.  But if you stall between turnouts, as with msowsun's solution, it is not intuitively obvious which turnout is set wrong.  I have Shinohara route selective turnouts all over my H0 layout and went through the same problems until I learned Lynn Wescott's rules for gapping route selective turnouts.  The gaps are shown in white.  The feeds from one power pack are shown in red and those from the other power pack are in green.  Note that all these gaps and feeders are also required for DCC operation with route selective turnouts.

[msowsun]

Is it possible that  Bachmann N scale EZ Track turnouts are "Route Selective" but don't require special wiring considerations because they are wired like Peco Insulfrog? (which are also route selective)

[Jim Banner]

Is it possible that  Bachmann N scale EZ Track turnouts are "Route Selective" but don't require special wiring considerations because they are wired like Peco Insulfrog? (which are also route selective)

I wondered about that too.  But reading about Vinny's problem strongly suggests that Bachmann N scale EZ Track turnouts are non-insulated route selective ones and are at the root of his problem.

[msowsun]

But if they ARE insulated route selective, then Vinny's only problem is  that he has his feeds in the wrong position. 

That would greatly simplify the solution. 

If so then he only needs to have insulators to separate the inner and outer ovals for 2 train operation.

[Vinny]

Yet again I thank you all for helping me and I will keep you updated as to my progress.

If I went to DCC, how do you control the switches?

Thanks again!!!!

[Hunt]

I note you do not have any of your turnout's switch motor connected to power.

Easiest is to use the AC terminals of your DC power pack to power the switch motor of an E-Z Track Remote Turnout. You line the turnout (move the Points) with the control slide switch included with the turnout.

Use the DCC to power and control decoder equipped locomotives.