Black Sheep Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I've just got hold of a peco turntable for my N gauge layout, the intent is to use the turntable at the end of the station so that platform 1 over runs onto it for the loco to both turn and start the run around at the same time (not enough space for main line to pass the turntable to build a proper terminus) I'm also wanting to put a locomotive servicing road on the turntable, so, two questions; how do I position the turntable to be sure I'm not going to change polarity while changing tracks? can I skip the wiring from approach track and just wire a power feed to the turntable's contacts from my section board instead? thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted January 22, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2011 I don't quite follow what your trying to do. The usual method of feeding power to the turntable is via split rings so that the polarity is automatically reversed as the table goes round. Positioning the turntable so the brake is at the optimum point depends on the layout as say a roundhouse means the roads can go a good way round the circle. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwinewt Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 You will note that on your turntable there are 2 lines opposite each other. So long as all the same-polarity tracks are on one side of that line, you will be fine Nate Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 Thanks Nate, thats answered the lining it up question so that I don't have to change polarity to come off the table as all three lines are within the same half. the question with the power feed is that the turntable gets its power to the split rings from the approach track, if I wire it to the main running line that terminates at the table then I have to have that live in order to run a loco on or off the table even when it's lined up at a different track, the obvious answer to me is, when building my switch board where I can turn on or off different sections of track I wire the table in as it's own section meaning that it is actually isolated from all the approach lines. just trying to figure out if that would actually work to run a loco on, I'd switch on the track leading to the turntable and the turntable itself so approach and table are live, and drive the loco on before switching the approach line off, I turn the table, turn the departure line on and drive it off, switching off the table once it's clear. think this will work anyway thanks for your help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwinewt Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Either: DPDT switch between your main power feed an the turntable (turn power on or off to it)... Or go DCC in N Gauge. The digitrax DZ125 for 15 pounds is a good wee chip. I'm using its cheaper bigger brother to power the motor to turn my turntable Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 I'm going hand cranked for turning the turntable and due to cost I'm sticking with DC, isolating sections of the whole railway into blocks, power from controller to each switch (on-off-on to allow fitting a second controller at a later date) turn on the sections you want on the switch board along the desired route, set points, select direction of travel on controller and turn to desired speed. well, it worked in 00 about ten years ago Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwinewt Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I look at that and love the simplicity of poorly soldered connections, weird internal wiring systems, number clashes, vendor inconsistencies... you get the drift Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 now i'm the one confused! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted January 24, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 24, 2011 Kiwinewt is suggesting you will have problems doing the wiring and sectioning. However even with DCC you need to connect to each piece of rail for best results, any locos not DCC ready need soldered connections for the chips. Plenty of connections to make there! I love DCC but DC and sectioning work fine, it just needs thought as to where to place the sections your plans sound fine to me. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAF96 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Here's my wiring diag for DCC 00 gauge Dapol TT converted using a stereo jack plug and socket. Rotation remains maual at present although I have a motor/gearbox for it, just need the time to fit it. No reason why the basic wiring circuits couldn't be used for DC if you adjust the LED circuit to suit. Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 Ok, I think I got it, best get the baseboards built Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwinewt Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 But you should be able to get away with just wiring up the turntable straight through a DPDT switch (for turning it on or off) - the split ring in the center takes care of the reversing for you... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 yup, the trick is placing the splits in the right place so that it doesn't change polarity when switching between my three tracks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwinewt Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 yup, the trick is placing the splits in the right place so that it doesn't change polarity when switching between my three tracks. On my one, at least, there is a couple of bumps part way round - so long as all tracks are on one side of these you are fine Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Hi This simple little video clip may help? The two turntables plunger pick ups transfer power so as wherever the bridge stops rail polarity is maintained. In the video the main input track is the horizontal one. The drawing assumes DCC operation and the two ring halves would be fed from the DCC bus or the main track if a bus isn't used. But it can equally be from a dc controller. On my former dc layout I used a DPDT change-over switch to select power to the TT bridge deck rails or the drive motor of the TT. So as a loco on the TT couldn't accidentally be moved while rotation is in progress. When set to TT motor position I used the dc controller to set TT rotation direction and speed of rotation. Link to video clip Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.