# automatic reversing units



## billsharron (Jan 3, 2008)

HI Guys, 
I am looking for an automatic reversing unit for my mining branch. Any ideas on who makes them and the pros & cons of different units would be appreciated. I do not need an intermediate stop, but do not want the train to jerk to a stop at each end before reversing. Thanks


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## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill - folks have had good results from the unit that I designed some years ago, The BARC (Blinking Auto-Reverse Controller) - there are details and a video on how it is operated at:


Link to BARC 



It gives smooth starts and stops like you describe. 

Please let me know if you have any questions. (email: [email protected])


thanks!

dave


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, 

I had a point to point on my mining diorama - 










It was a 14.4v 3.4Ah subC pack using a speed control from Bakatronics and 1 amp autoreverse from Iron Penguin - 
http://www.bakatronics.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=383 
http://www.ironpeng.com/ipe/auto_r.html 

Worked well for me and the Bakatronics unit are hefty enough to run my 7/8's critters - 











-Brian


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## billsharron (Jan 3, 2008)

Brian Dave Thanks for the links and info! I just found out that Aristo also makes one anyone have any experience with that one?? 

Brian I that the same control modulem you used at York Last year??


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Reports are that the Aristo one works well and is pretty reliable. 

Regards, Greg


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By billsharron on 04/01/2009 8:17 PM
Brian Dave Thanks for the links and info! I just found out that Aristo also makes one anyone have any experience with that one?? 

Brian I that the same control modulem you used at York Last year??


Bill.... I've been running 2 Aristo revesing units for a couple of years without a problem. They just work.

If you're running batteries, try Del Tapparo's RailBoss or the new Enhanced Railboss. They're slick.


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## studeclunker (Mar 15, 2009)

I have the Aristocraft reversing unit set (ART 11090). It cost me about seventy dollars five years ago. I’ve never used it and have to refer you to the instructions for some of the questions you have been asking:
Quote:
The purpose of this Reversing System is to enable your train to go from Point A to Point b and back again, continuously, with an adjustable time delay at each point before returning. The time delay can vary from approximately 5 seconds to up to 5 minutes, depending upon your setting of the Reversing Unit, ART-11091. {snip}

{snip}This system has a Soft Start momentum function built into the start up control. This means that the trains will accelerate gradually, like the prototype, without the fast starts of most model trains.

I bought this unit to run a Rail Bus back and forth on a track in the house. I got the idea from an article in Garden Railways. This never happened. So, it sits and waits for me to use it somewhere else. The kit consists of two grade crossing / re-railer / isolating track sections (art-11350), two Bumper Stops –lit- euro style (ART-11031), and one Crest Reversing Unit (ART-11091). I can't tell you how well it works as everything is still in it's packaging.


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By billsharron on 04/01/2009 8:17 PM
Brian Dave Thanks for the links and info! I just found out that Aristo also makes one anyone have any experience with that one?? 

Brian Is that the same control module you used at York Last year??





I used it at York last week! It ran great. The only problems I had were the brass track getting a bit dirty and one derailment over 2 days. I bought one of the Iron Penguin 5 amp units to use for G trolleys. The Gn15 mine tram ran for over 10 hours on the battery pack


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## GaryY (Jan 2, 2008)

The Aristo one I have works fine.... I use it to run my speeder back and forth in my home office. Great fun...
Gary


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## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill - the thing that differentiates the BARC reversing unit from the Aristo and others is that it can be set to reduce the locomotive's speed before it hits the end of the point-to-point - the Aristo unit starts up gradually but stops abruptly when it hits the diode protected end of the track.

The BARC also counts laps and gives a count down of the time remaining before reversal.

dave


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I have the Aristo unit and did not like the abrupt starts and stops nor did I like the 'ping' sound form my engines (critter). 

My fix was to add a non-polarized capacitor to the track power feed which solved the ping (motor buzz from pwm). 

The abrupt start andstops were easy to solve, I just added a 4 ohm resistor to a 1 foor block between the power feed s and the diode. 

Link to diagram for those interested. 

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/danpierce/slow_down_train.bmp


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## billsharron (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for all the great replies. I am running battery power, except for my mining branch which will be track power for the Auto reverse. I am trying to stretch my railroad budget by not installing a R/C receiver in my Shay which is what I will be using on the mine branch. Dan Thanks for the tip and diagram for adding the resistors. If I go with the Aristo unit I will use it. 

Again Thanks to all


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Could I have a little clarification from Dave and Dan? 

I thought the Aristo unit had soft starts and abrupt stops. 

Dan, you say you don't like the abrupt starts and stops. Is your experience that it has abrupt starts all the time, or could it be whenever PWM is used? 

Regards, Greg


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By billsharron on 04/02/2009 9:27 AM
I am trying to stretch my railroad budget. 

Again Thanks to all



This is the cheapest way to go. You can make your own for $5-10, less if you have a 
parts drawer."

sure it doesn't do the speed-up/slow down. but that can be done for the cost of a couple resistors or extra diodes in the last section(s) of track.










or


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## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg - the aristo unit has PWM capability and does a gradual startup at the beginning of each run - when it get to the end of the track is stops abruptly as it enters the diode protected section of track. The only adjustment is a pot that adjusts the time between reversals.

dave


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Perhaps my unit is defective, it does not have a good soft start (or it is not noticeable), however, the resistors do make a huge difference in operation and coupler clanking noise on stops and starts. 

The Aristo critter I had had a terrible motor ping on start-up until I added the non-polarized capacitor.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Been using the Aristo reverser for two years now running an LGB trolley. Works great. Later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Could Dan's situation be that use of PWM negates the soft start feature? 

Regards, Greg


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

It is interesting to me that the instruction manual states that the end car (caboose) should not have lights for the unit to work properly, yet the Aristocraft bumpers have lights!!


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## PhilB (Feb 28, 2012)

Hi Fellas,
I'm new to this list.
I have a question about the reversing units, specifically for BillShannon.
Bill are you out there?
Thanks,
Phil


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