Insulating switches

[kevc]

Hello!  I'm new to this board and have a question. I have a section of ez track that has two parallel straight lines with a switch section in between.  Both tracks are powered simultaneously by one transformer.  Is there any way to insulate the switch so that the two lines can be powered by two different transformers, so trains can run down each line independently but still switch over? I do not have DCC, so when the power is on everything runs on both lines.  I hope I've explained the problem correctly. (I'm kinda new at this.)  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Please let me know if you need more info.  Thanks! 

Kevin

[Daylight4449]

it is called block wiring i don't know much about dcc but this should work and if you have dc then great.

1. Cut a gap in each rail at the point of the insulation, be careful not to destroy the track. this will give induvidual direction and speed control.

2. if you want to be able to join one section to another electrically then will run a wire from one section to the other on each set of rails.

Be careful, when a loco bridges the gap from one section to anothe with its wheels power will go in and out sides and if the polarity is oposite then a short will occur.


i do this on my layout.

[Guilford Guy]

1. Cut a gap in each rail at the point of the insulation, be careful not to destroy the track. this will give induvidual direction and speed control.

2. if you want to be able to join one section to another electrically then will run a wire from one section to the other on each set of rails.

Right...
Um, what I've always done is get a toggle switch or knife switch, some Atlas Plastic Joiners, and a set of Atlas Terminal Joiners. Put a terminal joiner at the end of the switch rail. If you want to skip the plastic joiners, you can use a dremel to cut a gap in the same rail as the terminal joiner. On the other end of that rail put the other terminal joiner. Then wire them to the knife switch or toggle switch. If its a dual ended siding, you'll have to make cuts in the rails or put plastic joiners there as well. If you leave the knife switch open you will cut power to the siding, but upon closing it you will add power to the siding to run trains.

[Daylight4449]

right, what i was saying.

[Daylight4449]

by the way you  should fill the gap with glue or rubber cement.