Follower Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 As a 3-rail user I've never worried about which rail (in normal 2-rail track) is negative and which is positive. However, I have a couple of 2-rail locos to restore and convert to 3-rail use. Can anyone who knows (or is sitting at their layout with a test meter) let me know? In case you're wondering, with HD 3-rail the train goes forward when the centre rail goes negative. Many Thanks, Simon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Cook Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 As a 3-rail user I've never worried about which rail (in normal 2-rail track) is negative and which is positive. However, I have a couple of 2-rail locos to restore and convert to 3-rail use. Can anyone who knows (or is sitting at their layout with a test meter) let me know? In case you're wondering, with HD 3-rail the train goes forward when the centre rail goes negative. Many Thanks, Simon. For 2 rail DC with the track in front of you and with a loco on the track with the front of the loco pointing to your left and with positive Dc on the far rail the loco should go forwards, too the left Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Huw Griffiths Posted May 27, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 27, 2010 The international standard is: in the direction of running, the right rail is positive. (and so the left is negative ) This is actually NMRA Standard S-9. The rest of their Standards and RPs might also be of interest - especially the PDF versions (which are deemed to be the reference versions) - but they are in the process of updating a number of them. I hope some of this is of help. Regards, Huw. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meple Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 Of course it all depends what you mean by negative and positive. In a common return system the "feed" rail goes either side of 0v by +12v to -12v. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
naugytrax Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 The international standard For those who would rather follow a European "norm" than an American "standard", there's NEM 631. The MOROP website only has German and French language versions of this, but the pictures make it very clear. Of course it's the same as S-9. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Follower Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Many thanks for all your replies, I can now convert with confidence and correctly label an 'unreversing' switch for the turntable! Simon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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