Auto Reversing track

[Joe323]

I am looking at a new project.

Running my Proto 2000 subway set point to point around and in front of some new shelving my wife wants to put up (to display our Hess truck collection around the perimeter near the ceiling of our train room.

OK so Here is my question:  Since I already have the subway a power pack and a lot of spare EZ track I was wondering if I could just buy a pack of auto reversing and put it at the ends of the line and use regular track in between or must all the track be auto reversing?

[Jim Banner]

The reversing track has extra connections built in to carry signals to the control unit in the car barn.  Without the control unit, reversing track will do no more for you than regular track.

Not all is lost.  Here is a link to a circuit you can build yourself:

http://members.shaw.ca/sask.rail/TechNotes/reverser/index.html

I am working on an alternate version which uses a single, latching relay and reed switches which can be tripped by magnets on the train.  This would avoid the problem of having to physically contact a switch as in the above circuit.  At the moment, I am waiting on parts.

Jim

[NarrowMinded]

Hi Jim,
I have built a reversing track using a latching relay, I started using Alarm System switches instead of the little reed switches, they are cheaper by the dozen and not as fragile. they have a nice cylinder shaped one that's 3/8" diameter and will pick up from an inch away. I usually mount the magnet on the bottom and or inside a car so I can use it with any loco I Have.

The alarm Switches are most common in N.O. but they do come in N.C. as well, I also used an Artisan timer in line on the track power to the delay
http://www.artisancontrols.com/products/438usa.htm


NM-Jeff