# Turn Outs and Track Power



## punkin (Jun 13, 2015)

Hello everyone,

I have a very simple setup. Currently indoors with a simple loop. I'm running analog DC power. Nothing fancy at all.

I'm considering purchasing a second engine. I would like to add two turn outs to my loop to serve as parking spots for my two engines. The ideal would be that when one train is running on the circle, the other train would be parked off to the side.

I would like to drive one train to it's turn out, park it then switch the turn out tracks and engage power to the second train and bring it out to run. The thing I don't know or understand yet is if the turn outs also switch power in addition to selecting tracks.

Any thoughts or comments?


Thank you!


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## wombat457 (Jul 15, 2015)

punkin,

If I understand your question correctly then you will need to insulate your sidings from the main loop and use feeders to supply those sidings with power. Theoretically, your sidings should not have power running to them if the switch is not changed for that siding and; therefore, providing power to it. That, I think, is the theory but doesn't seem to be the case on my setup for some reason.

Hope someone can give you a clearer answer though.


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## punkin (Jun 13, 2015)

Maybe I can try to clear my question up a bit. Again, appreciate the patience as I'm new to this and alot of the lingo simply doesn't yet mean much to me.

From the most basic, I would like to add a turn out to a simple loop. When I want my train to leave the loop, flip a switch and have the train turn off onto the turn out area. Once the train is stopped, I would then flip the switch again and return the loop to normal but have it also disconnect power to the turn out area so that I could run a different train in the loop without providing power to the turn out area.

Again, what I don't know is if the the track switches also cause the trains to go off into different directions but, do they also transfer power to the turn off sections.

Does this make sense?


Thank you very much!


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

If you use the LGB/Piko turnout motors, they have a supplemental dpdt switch that can be attached. You need to put a track insulator on one of the rails at the turnouts so a section of track may be disabled.

When a tunout motor "bends the iron" toward the siding, the supplemental switch trips and also lets power flow to the siding. When the rails return to the mainline, the power is switched off and a train on the siding will park.

In the future, this can be automated using reed switches and magnets mounted under the engines so the trains can do it by themselves automatically.


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## punkin (Jun 13, 2015)

Thanks very much everyone. This is helpful information.

toddalin, I was planning to use LGB track for this. I was looking at the 12050 and the 12150 sections. These DPDT switches you speak of, are they part of the turn out or is this something additional I would have to purchase? If they're additional, by chance would you have a part number that I might look up?

Again thanks very much for tolerating my newbie questions.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

LGB 1203. They attach directly to the LGB 1201 turnout motors.


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## punkin (Jun 13, 2015)

Fantastic!

Thanks very much for the help.


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## Homo Habilis (Jul 29, 2011)

Given what you are describing you should consider where the second engine will be stored while you are parking the first engine on the siding.

Since the main loop will always be energized any engine will want to move when power is supplied. If you "flip the switch" to park an engine then the siding is energized and all engines on the tracks will want to move simultaneously.

To my mind, you can reasonably have a single engine on the track until it is parked. Once that is done then you can place the second engine on the track and run it on the loop. Then, you will need to remove it when you wish to have the first engine run again on the loop.

Perhaps you might want two switches on your loop to remove the need to keep on removing an engine or perhaps use control blocks.

You might search for "power routing turnouts" as a possible manner in which to satisfy your requirements.

Look out, it's becoming more complex and you are beginning to face scope-creep! Not necessarily a bad thing, but just be aware of your possible future.  

erratum: Oops, I missed the "two" turnouts, **** Evelyn Woods!


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

In the long run, I have found it easier to create a passing siding. This requires two gaps on each siding. The switch suggested by Todd will activate siding one or the mainline, leaving the other track dead.

Chuck


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

**** Habilis said:


> Perhaps you might want two switches on your loop to remove the need to keep on removing an engine or perhaps use control blocks.
> 
> You might search for "power routing turnouts" as a possible manner in which to satisfy your requirements.
> 
> Look out, it's becoming more complex and you are beginning to face scope-creep! Not necessarily a bad thing, but just be aware of your possible future.



He said two turnouts. 

Train 2 is parked on the siding and Train 1 on loop.

Throw "exit" turnout and siding powers up. Train 2 exits the siding and both train are on the mainline. Throw the turnout back to the main line.

Throw the entrance (other) turnout and Train 1 pulls off the mainline onto the siding. When Train 1 reaches end of siding return the entrance turnout to mainline. Train 1 parks on siding and Train 2 continues on mainline.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

If you want to run your trains in opposite directions, it can be done with four gaps, two open and two with diodes, with two spring loaded switches.

At a Christmas show we have a Thomas loop. Percy or James goes in one direction and Thomas goes in the other. With a change of polarity to the track (direction).

Here is a picture of the loop. James is running counterclockwise and Thomas is on the siding. When James gets between the two switches we stop him and change the direction of the trains. James stays stopped and Thomas goes clockwise. 










Here is a track diagram of what we do.









The spring switches permit a train to pass through an otherwise closed switch. LGB manual throws work very well for this. The switches need to be set so that the train continues in the direction intended. It will come to the closed switch at the end of its assigned siding and pass through. You may need to add weight to your cars to help them pass through the closed switch.

We use LGB 1015U track. It has a gap and can have a diode attached across the gap to control the flow of electrons. If you carefully look at the picture you will see the 4 1015Us, one in front of Thomas and one at the end of his train. The mainline also has 2. They are the dark patches between the rail at each end of the siding. This works very well and keep the children entertained and from kicking over the trains on the outer loop.

Chuck


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## punkin (Jun 13, 2015)

toddalin you're correct. At one point I tried to simplify the concept so I could understand how the turnout tracks work.

In the bigger picture I would have two turn outs. One to park train "A" and the other to park train "B".

I would like to energize one turn out and the circle...run it then park the train. Then energize the second turn out and circle. A one or the other idea.

Now that I think I understand how the turnout tracks work. I think I would need to isolate one leg on each turn out, then with the use of additional relays, when I want a given turn out energized I would engage the relay to send the circle track power to the turnout. When the train is parked, I disengage one relay, energize the other which would do kind of a flip-flop affair.

On the other hand, ChuckN, you have an interesting idea there as well. I might consider an oval where I have two siding setups like you're showing there. It would take a couple more turn out sections but this might work for me as well.



Great idea and information. Thanks everyone!


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

punkin,
if you are interested in the LGB system, i wouold recomendate, to read the LGB description of their epl-system.

you can google for it, or find it on my site http://kormsen.info/ , scrolling down to the button "LGB manual".
inside of the manual it is the section "taking control".

once you read that, you should understand, how it works.
(and if you find the components too expensive, just ask Todd for how-to of homemade equivalents)


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## punkin (Jun 13, 2015)

Some really great stuff on your website. Lots of great DIY ideas. Thanks for the manual. I'm very grateful to you all for the advice.


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## punkin (Jun 13, 2015)

kormsen said:


> punkin,
> if you are interested in the LGB system, i wouold recomendate, to read the LGB description of their epl-system.
> 
> you can google for it, or find it on my site http://kormsen.info/ , scrolling down to the button "LGB manual".
> ...


Hi there kormsen,

I just revisited your website. I really like the printed paper crates! This is wonderful. I have a caboose that has a large sliding door section where you can put packages and things. The printed boxes/crates are fantastic. It makes my train a little more realistic and interesting to look at. I'm using one to hide a capacitor and voltage regulator for my LED lighting. 

Thanks!


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