Reverse Loops

[TRAINMAN9]

At 88 I.m probably starting my last HO layout.  I have all brass locomotives in DC and would like to include a reverse loop.  Can I do this with Bachmann track?

[Len]

Yes. I've given up on trying to replace metal rail joiners with plastic ones on EZ-Track. Instead I use a cutoff disk in a Dremel tool to cut gaps in the rail where needed, then glue a thin strip of styrene in the gap to keep the rails from touching.

Len

[Fred Klein]

Cutting gaps in EZ-Track works very well. Even though I run DCC, I've cut gaps where I want to isolate my programming track from the rest of the layout yet still be able to run the engine onto the programm track under its own power. IIRC, the piece of styrene I needed to use was either .010" or .020" but may be different depending on the thickness of your cut-off disk. The way I did it, I cut a small piece of styrene of the correct thickness and glued it in the gap with CA glue. I let it dry overnight and then trimmed it with a #11 blade to match the profile of the rail. Hope this helps.

[trainman203]

https://www.world-of-railways.co.uk/techniques/how-to-wire-a-reversing-dc-loop/

[Ralph S]

There is an easier way to gap tracks for a return loop.  It's slightly more pricey but you don't have to cut EZ track.  Bachmann's 9-inch Terminal with Insulated Gap Track is easy to use.  It's model 44597.  The plus behind it, is you can still use it as a regular 9-inch straight track even with the gap, and that's just by closing the connections on it's bottom base.

Hope that helps.

[Len]

Aside from the price of the 44597, the gaps are in the middle of the track. Or 4.5" away from the connected turnout, which is further than some people like. And on a reverse loop using 18in radius 'train set' track, there's also the problem of no place to put a 9" straight on the diverging loop. Meaning gaps would have to be created using another means anyway, as show here. Red bars indicate gap locations:



Len

[Ralph S]

Interesting!
 I agree, some folks want a shorter loop track.  My loop isn't as circular as your diagram shows.  My track is more squarish or rectangular.  I have to admit that I use the coupler insulators instead of the gapped track that Bachmann provides.

You've got me thinking!  How close does the gap (or gap track) need to be to the connection switch?    That is, couldn't you have the gap further into the curve and still have the loop function?

[Len]

You can move the gaps further away from the switch if you want. I prefer having them closer to the switch.

Len