SharpSharp

The tracks on my garden railway have shrunk to narrow gauge. I've not had any problems with flexitrack. But I have set track on my viaduct and that has contracted down to about 14mm gauge. I've had track on that viaduct for 8 years and it's been fine. Something must have changed in the last week to cause it. It took a minute or two to figure out what happened. To mitigate the intense sun heating up my conservatory I placed some reflective insulation roll over the windows. This reflected the sun back on to the tracks. They were getting a double dose of sunlight. Enough to cook the plastic sleepers. At one point last week, while sat in my temperate conservatory, my mind did wander as to where all the heat that would have been trapped in that room had gone. Now I know.

I attached the DCC reversing module to short length of track alnd it worked well. Then a friend bought his Blackpool Flexity round and it is about three times the length of the section with the module, so we couldn't run it. I rewired, adding DPDT switch to the feed to the next section of track so it can be fed from the normal track supply of the from the reversing module. I can now have a short or a long section connected to the Auto Reversing Module. It's a good solution.

Thanks for the reply Keith. I'm not using live overhead, thus the loop being an issue. You've identified the issues that have been concerning me with regard to tram multiple trams on the loop. I like your reasoning for a shot section, I think that should be safer. I will have to place it carefully. I plan to have a tram stop on the loop, if I place a short auto-reversing section after the stop I shouldn't have a problem with trams entering and leaving at the same time. I'll look into the compatibility issue you mentioned. Thanks for the tip.

I'm adding a loop to my DCC tramway. I will need to add a revising module. I am wondering how long to make the section of track that the module will control. General advice is longer than the longest "train". But tram movements are different to standard train movements. The section could be anything from 20 cm to the full 2 meters of the loop. Has anyone got any experience or thoughts?

That's a really interesting point. I'd not thought of that issue. A tram platform on a railway line is, in effect, an unfenced section. I foresee linespeed restrictions going along with staggered platforms and, as Alan said, fences in the 6 foot.

I've noticed that tramways tend to use grooved track on small radius corners, even when its reserved track. My guess is that this is pre-curved grooved track. It will be interesting to see where they mark the boundary between railway and tramway. It is my understanding that this differentiation is to do with the infrastructure (signalling, fencing etc) rather than what runs on the rails.