Power supply problem

[Wykenwizard]

I have recently laid new two loop track and as a comparative newbie I am having a problem with locos slowing to a crawl when I switch points to divert from outer to inner and vice versa. The associated diagram shows my layout and where power connections are made. I have no experience in the use of insulated fishplates, but I am thinking that if I placed them as shown by the yellow dots on my diagram it might solve the problem? I am also thinking of making the three controllers ‘common return’ . 

As I have said, I have no experience in this area. All I know is that at present my locos slow down when trying to do a simple switch from one circuit to the other. This is with just one loco running.

My other question is that, assuming the insulated fishplate idea is viable, what effect would it have on the loco when it passes the insulated fishplates? I am thinking that it would stop until the alternate controller is turned on. Should both controllers be set to running at approximately the same speed? If so, what happens when the loco is between the two circuits? Is there a moment when it would receive current from both? 

I suspect that to someone with experience these are silly questions, but I would appreciate any advice.

[Pete the Elaner]

Hi,

 

It sounds like the controllers are opposing each other. The areas marked in yellow are indeed correct for fitting insulated fishplates.

If you are using controllers hard wired to each section (as many do), then you would need to match the speed on them as you drive a train from 1 section to the next.

 

An alternative way to do this is with cab control: instead of a controller being attached to a circuit, a switch is. You can then select whichever controller you want for the section you want to control.

If you drive a train from red to blue, you would select the same controller for both red & blue, so the train would be controlled from 1 controller all the time.

 

Common return is a slightly different way of thinking. Instead of 0 & 12v, consider the 0v connection to simply be 12v less than the other one & consider the common as 0v, so this could make the other track -12v & 0v. This is only true if the controllers are fed from separate transformer coils.

If the controllers are being fed from the same transformer coil, then this is not true & the controllers will short each other out.

Avoid common return if this makes no sense to you.

[Wykenwizard]

Thanks for that. I will see if the insulated fishplates do the trick without getting into the complications of cab control. If I get a satisfactory result I will leave it at that, otherwise I will have to look at more complicated solutions.  I just don’t want to get into ballasting and scenic before everything is running satisfactorily.