How do I wire up a ho switch ?

[chitty]

I have a simple set-up where I have two switches.  The problem I have is
a simple short circuit accross the power lines. I have placed plastic spacers on the ends of the swiches but no avail. The switches are placed where activition of one causes a short in the other. Thank you for your help.

[Jim Banner]

What brand of turnouts ("switches") are you using?  Are the turnouts at the ends of a siding?  Or do they cross the middle of an oval?  A simple diagram would be helpful.

Jim

[chitty]

Jim- I am using a Bachmann switch that is DCC. The trouble is that a engine does not pass through the switch it stalls. The second switch is fine now.


Sorry, but so far I can't figure out how to draw!  My layout is simple,  it is a circle with a crossing across it at the half way point. I think that a have isolated down to a switch. After removing the switch and power-up the switch the problem is still their. I have run the switch with the frog powered and without.

[Jim Banner]

Does your layout look sort of like this?  With round corners, of course.

    _________________
    |           \             |
    |             \           |
    |_________\______|


A layout like the above has two return loops.  A return loop is any track arrangement which allows a train to move one direction along a piece of track and later run the other direction along the same piece of track without backing up the train.  Shown below is a simple return loop.


_____A_____________________________________
                                         \                         |
                                           \                       |
                                             \_____________|

A train starting off at A and moving left to right can go around the loop and come back past A moving right to left.  And it can do this by just going forward and without backing up.  That makes the loop a return loop.  Return loops require special wiring.

Before going into the details of how to wire a reverse loop, can you please tell us whether or not your layout is like the first one above?  If it isn't, have a try at making a keyboard drawing of it.  Keyboard drawings are pretty simple as you can see above but make sure you preview before posting.  You will find that funny things happen when you preview and will have to make adjustments to have your drawing come out properly.

Jim

[chitty]

The picture that you sent was accurate and your discretion sound right! Awaiting your instructions.


              Thanks!

[Jim Banner]

chitty,

I have drawn you a couple of diagrams which I have tried to upload to my website.  Unfortunately, I am having trouble with my uploader program.  If you want to email me your email address, I will send them via email.  My email address is on my profile (click on my name above.)

Jim