RailPro > RailPro Specific Help & Discussion

Problem with AR-1 (Auto Reverse)

(1/3) > >>

MtRR75:
I have a simple layout with a reversing section.  I have an inner and an outer loop, which are connected to each other.  Then there is a diagonal track across the inner oval, which allows a train on the inner loop to cross over and reverse direction.  (I have isolated this diagonal track as the reversing section, and connected it to the AR-1.  All the rest of the track (both loops) is connected directly to the power supply (PWR 56).

I have tested the AR-1 with two of my locos.  Loco 304 is a Bachmann 2-8-0 with an LM-2 installed in it.  Loco 1396 is as an old Mantua 4-6-2 with an LM-3S and a Keep-Alive.  Both are steamers.

Test #1: I ran #1396 continuously around the outer loop, while shuttling #304 back and forth on the diagonal reversing track, from one side of the inner loop to the other side.  Both locos ran smoothly, and were not affected when the AR-1 flipped the polarity of the diagonal track (which I could observe as the AR-1 indicator light switching between green and amber).

Test #2:  I reversed the locomotives.  I ran #304 continuously around the outer loop, while shuttling #1396 back and forth on the diagonal reversing track, from one side of the inner loop to the other side.  This time, #1396 ran smoothly across the reversing diagonal, and was not affected by the polarity changes.  However, every time the polarity switched on the reversing diagonal, #304 (on the outer loop, where the polarity never changes), stalled more a moment, then quickly restarted.

Any ideas what is going in here?  Obviously, the Keep-Alive is a factor.  But can LM-2 locos run smoothly on track that is not part of the reversing section – when another loco causes the reversing section to switch its polarity?

Details:  Running an HC-2 with HC-2 software version 2.06.  Both locos are running LM software version 2.09.

G8B4Life:
Could you do a mud map of the layout and how the PWR-56 and AR-1 are hooked up (something simple in MS Paint will do)?

Does the PWR-56 give any indication when either of the loco's cross the AR-1 boundaries? what you describe sounds like the PWR-56 is detecting the momentary short that occurs when an AR-1 switches polarity. I shouldn't think this should happen unless something isn't hooked up correctly.

The software versions of the HC and LM's should be irrelevant in this case thought there is 2.09 available for the HC-2.

- Tim

MtRR75:
Sorry for the delay in responding.  Lots of family stuff came up.

The PWR-56 indicator light stayed on green through all of the tests and never flickered.  The indicator light on the AR-1 flipped between green and amber, as the polarity was switched.  It also never flickered.

Attached is a diagram of my 4' x 8' layout and a hand-drawn wiring diagram for the PWR-56 and AR-1.





Any other ideas as to what is going on here?

Does anybody else have this problem?  Surely, others have run multiple trains while one train is crossing a reversing section.

Alan:
All of the yard tracks (except the bottom one) and the two spurs to the left of the purple track should be wired to the AR.

Train total length cannot be longer than the reversing section if there are metal wheels on your cars. Might be a challenge on such a short reversing section.

MtRR75:
Thanks for the response.

(1) All of the yard tracks and spurs that are connected to the purple track are wired to the AR-1.

(2) I am aware of the problems that metal wheels on long trains can cause.  However the tests that I outlined in the original post were done with just the locos (and their tenders).

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page