If one doesn’t have all those fancy computer chips and has vintage locomotives from the 50’s that one wouldn’t want to modify, how can one run multiple trains on the same loop? Also, with the three rail, is a reversing loop possible without fancy wiring?
When you are talking about switches, do you mean like an electrical switch, or a turnout? I’m so confused! So, you would have independent “blocks” of track insulated from each other? How does one achieve the insulation?
2 Responses to “I have a question about 3 rail o guage model trains…?”
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Loops are no problem with 3-rail, because it’s symmetric (the two outer rails have the same voltage).
To run multiple trains without having to modify the trains you will have to divide your track layout into isolated sections. You will need to think about in which sections of your layout you want to have different trains moving. You will need more than one transformer too – obviously.
The trick is not to connect the transformers directly to the tracks but to use rotary or radio-button switches for each electrical section to choose which of the transformers provides current to it.
That way you can set up a kind of “electrical interlocking” by setting all the sections a train should use to the same transformer.
This type of setup surely has a special name for english speaking model railroaders, unfortunately I only know the german name “Z-Schaltung”. You can find a rough concept draft at http://www.thema-schmalspurbahn.de/elektrik/zschalt/zspic1.gif (”Gleis”=track, “Regler”=controller/transformer).
The best thing about it: if you plan to use a digital control system someday: simply add it as another controller and switch all the track sections to it
You can divide 3-rail track into power blocks, but you must have a separate power supply and controller for each block. The ideal method is to have selector switches that allow you to run any power block from any transformer. That way if you have a multi-handle transformer like a KW or a ZW, you can select which handle runs which train as the trains move around the layout.
It takes some knowledge of electricity and wiring, but if you will go to the nearest hobby shop that carries O scale stuff, you will find books on track planning and wiring for 3-rail Lionel.
As for insulating power blocks from each other, it’s not high-tech. Just get a pair of pliers and pull the connecting pin out of the center rail. Just pretend you are a CIA agent trying to get a terrorist to talk, and pull HARD on his fingernail.
Then replace the pin with a round toothpick. No rocket science.
But get one or two of the books, because the information is too extensive to fit here.