Auto Reversers - Why won't DCC reversers work with RailPro?

[KB02]

Auto reversers are basically just polarity detectors, right? So why won't a reverser for DCC work with RailPro? Or do they have to be specific to the signal coming from the power source?

[gregeusa]

what are you running on your rails? DCC or DC?

[KB02]

I had been running DCC. I had the MRC Prodigy Express system running power through a Tam Valley Depot Booster. My turn table was connected to a Digitrax AR-1 auto reverser. I thought that it would work fine, but the first time I tried to run a loco onto the bridge, the whole layout shut down.

[gregeusa]

When the booster has a circuit breaker, and the autoreverser has one too, sometimes the wrong one trips first (that's why it is important to work this all out)

So that was your turntable issue. There are ways to solve it, but not derailing the thread here.

If you have a DCC signal on the rails, the autoreverser will work fine, and the railpro decoder won't care.

Your issue has nothing to do with RailPro

Greg

[KB02]

Ah, yes. I see I have left out a critical piece of information. Sorry. I have converted my layout from DCC to RailPro, including the power source,; I'm now running a PWR-56 and have taken the DCC off line. The Digitrax reverser worked perfectly fine on DCC with my RailPro locos.

[Gibs]

  you silly billy. lol
Your still going to need some sort of DCC system to run all the DCC enabled fun stuff. "Slap"

Hehehe.

[gregeusa]

So, to make it clear, and I think you have already "got" it.

A DCC autoreverser that is of the "short detection" type will need DCC as a source. It will not work on DC. (it turns out this is just the way the products available are designed)

There are DCC autoreversers that work from "sensor tracks", where they CAN work on DC. I'm in large scale and LGB and Massoth make these.

You use a short section of track, like an inch or 2, completely isolated (4 insulators) and it "senses" the desired polarity.

The autoreverser you have will not do the job for DC on the rails.

Greg