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N gauge 3 track traverser


locofan

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Hi all,

 

In the new year I will be starting a new n gauge layout with a three track traverser. I have never wired one up in my life and am somewhat at  a loss as to how to go about it. All other aspects of wiring I am more or less ok with. Any advice and preferably some pictures for reference would be much appreciated!

 

Many Thanks

:O

Cameron

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The easiest way is to have a couple of metal contacts either side of the tracks that you can attach leads and croc clips to. Just attach to the tracks that you want powered at the time and away you go. 

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A diagram of what you propose would help.

 

However, in general there are at least 2 easy ways to do it.

 

1. have a flexible cable from the baseboard to the traverser and install a separate on/off switch on the traverser for each road.

 

2. Connect the road coming off the main layout to the traverser road using a rod and tube arrangement - a bit like this http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/826/entry-9641-heathley-kirkgate-mk2-traverser-alignment/

 

The connectors align the tracks and pass power from the track on the main board to the appropriate traverser track, so no need for any wiring on the traverser itself.

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Instead of messing about with connecting the tracks of the traverser to the tracks on the main boards electrically, why not just wire the traverser tracks as a separate section with its own feed? It will provide a much more reliable connection and better electrical continuity in my opinion.

 

Michael

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2. Connect the road coming off the main layout to the traverser road using a rod and tube arrangement - a bit like this http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/826/entry-9641-heathley-kirkgate-mk2-traverser-alignment/

 

The connectors align the tracks and pass power from the track on the main board to the appropriate traverser track, so no need for any wiring on the traverser itself.

That is my prefered method because it provides positive alignment as well as electrical continuity with the added bonus that it is 'fail-safe' in that only a correctly alaigned road can be powered.

 

 

Instead of messing about with connecting the tracks of the traverser to the tracks on the main boards electrically, why not just wire the traverser tracks as a separate section with its own feed? It will provide a much more reliable connection and better electrical continuity in my opinion.

Possibly the most reliable electrically, but require twice as many wires as as above and seperate means of alignment, plus there is nothing to stop the wrong road being powered up through user error, potentially resulting in a 'rolling-stock vs floor' incident...

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I would certainly agree that it is the most reliable electrically. A few extra wires for me doesn't matter. As for user error, if a control system is created that shows the user what they are doing (some form of indication) then mistakes can be avoided. At the end of the day it is up to the individual as to how much effort they want to put in but for me the two things at the top of my list of things that have to be right are; reliable trackwork and a reliable, easy to use control system (hence why I designed my own with route proving etc.)

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That is my prefered method because it provides positive alignment as well as electrical continuity with the added bonus that it is 'fail-safe' in that only a correctly alaigned road can be powered.

 

 

Possibly the most reliable electrically, but require twice as many wires as as above and seperate means of alignment, plus there is nothing to stop the wrong road being powered up through user error, potentially resulting in a 'rolling-stock vs floor' incident...

my traverser is hard wired using push to make switches so if you do pick the wrong road you take your finger off and every thing stops stopping any chance of stock ending up on the floor

john

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  • 2 months later...

Hi guys-my layout's going to be DCC-and I'm going with the rod and tube arrangement as it seems easiest to do i

f the pictures are anything to go by. Where can I get the rods and tubes? Would my local hardware store be able to help or would someone like all components be a better bet?

 

Cheers

 

Cameron

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Why 3 roads? why not 12?

My preferred means of alignment is a simple spring loaded L shaped lever which drops into a slot, I have been using this on a turntable hidden below a station for 20 odd yesrs with no problems, you cannot see the track alignment and it simply works, obviously there is another lever the other end as mine is a turntable but using one lever for on polarity and a hard wired cable for the other you should have a pretty reliable fiddle free system. Rod in tube is undoubtedly fiddly.

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Hi guys-my layout's going to be DCC-and I'm going with the rod and tube arrangement as it seems easiest to do i

f the pictures are anything to go by. Where can I get the rods and tubes? Would my local hardware store be able to help or would someone like all components be a better bet?

 

Cheers

 

Cameron

Eileens Emporium is a good place for small metal tubes and rod. They quote internal diameters for tube, which is useful.

 

https://www.eileensemporium.com/

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Agree on the rods/tubes or similar method. You only need one though, I use a similar system on one of my layouts sector plate, and my traverse on my n-gauge layout will probably use the same. Simply wire one rail to be perminantly live via a fly lead and the second rail via the rod/tube. solves current transfer and alignment in one go.

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Why 3 roads? why not 12?My preferred means of alignment is a simple spring loaded L shaped lever which drops into a slot, I have been using this on a turntable hidden below a station for 20 odd yesrs with no problems, you cannot see the track alignment and it simply works, obviously there is another lever the other end as mine is a turntable but using one lever for on polarity and a hard wired cable for the other you should have a pretty reliable fiddle free system. Rod in tube is undoubtedly fiddly.

Hi, there's no room on the traverser for 12 tracks-the reason I stuck with three tracks is because that's how the plan pans out although there is room for a fourth track. The plan came from an insert in railway modeller

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