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Turntable and Roundhouse Wiring Journals/Blogs
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Frequent poster 820 posts David Calhoun Frequent poster 820 posts
David Calhoun

Once again, I do not have any "electric mojo" to do this without your help. The advice for the Shinnohara switches worked out great. Now, I'm on the last leg of wiring my railroad.

Here is the basic info: I have one lead track coming to the turntable. The turntable is a manual one with two wipers underneath (one wire from each soldered to the rails on the bridge) and there are three enginehouse tracks. None of this is wired at present.

Questions: A) Should the approach track and the three stall tracks be wired with the same polarity "separate" from the wiring for the turntable itself?

B) Can I "gang" wire in series the stall tracks to one drop for power? 

C) Should the wipers on the bottom of the turntable be wired to a reverser that is wired to its own PSX-1? I have an AR-1 available to mount near the wiper location.

D) I am wondering about the "gap" at the edge of the turntable tracks for short wheel-based engines. Is there likely a stall or short problem there?

Thanks for your input. A rough wiring diagram would help greatly. 

Chief Operating Officer

The Greater Nickel Plate
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Wazzzy Regular poster 225 posts
Wazzzy

Assuming you are using DCC. I

Assuming you are using DCC.

I would have the turntable lead and the stall tracks on the same "block" & polarity. Each stall can still have a SPST switch installed if needed to shut power off to each stall. 

The turntable, the only part that has a reversing polarity issue, needs to be completely electrically isolated from the lead and stall tracks. Yes, connect the auto-reverser (AR-1) between the DCC bus line (same one providing power to the lead/stall tracks) and the turntable. DCC bus -------> AR-1 -----> turntable leads. The circuit breaker (not mentioned) will provide protection to the lead, turntable and stall tracks.

If you use the PSX-AR to provide auto-reverse DCC power to the turntable, it will need to be on its own circuit. The PSX-AR provides its own circuit protection and usually doesn't play well with other circuit breakers on the same circuit / block. the AR-1 is perfect for your senario.

The small gaps between the lead / stall tracks and the turntable are not an issue. As long as they remain electrically isolated and don't touch each other. 

Enjoy the hobby and keep us posted with pics.

 

Alan Loizeaux

CEO  Empire Trackworks   (Empire-Trackworks.com)

Modeling ON30 DRG

Husband, Father, Grandpa, Retired Military, Conductor / Yard Master Norfolk Southern, custom track work builder (S, SN3, On3, On30 & others)
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anteaum2666 MRH Author 2,815 posts
anteaum2666

Short Answers . . .

Hi David,

I agree 100% with Wazzzy.

A. Yes

B. Yes - caveat - if you load them up with sound equipped locos, you may want to wire them separately with on/off toggles to quiet them and prevent in-rush overload when powering things up.

C. Yes to AR1.  Have an auto-reverser just for the turntable.  The PSX-AR will do this, but not a PSX1.

D. No

Michael - Superintendent and Chief Engineer
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David Calhoun Frequent poster 820 posts
David Calhoun

Thanks

Confirming your thinking, I have planned a separate bus direct from power to PSX-1 to the AR to the turntable wipers. The lead and stall tracks are all wired to a stand alone bus and the three stall tracks are series wired to that bus (plus and minus) same as the lead.

There are only 3 locomotives with sound on the railroad. I learned from a club I belonged to and several ops sessions at other railroads that everything sound is overwhelming to the point that you can't even hear the dispatcher on your radio. 

Hope to post a "tour" of the railroad in the coming month. Thanks for your help.

Chief Operating Officer

The Greater Nickel Plate
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