Double Track, One Transformer...

[e5shinkansen]

Hi everyone, I had an idea and tried it & it works, I have the Kato V13 elevated double oval and I have plenty of transformers but I'm running out of room for another transformer. So I double wired the transformer and reversed one set of wires so it runs in the opposite direction of the other track. It's kind of fun firing them up and highballing them together. Hope everyone is doing well & enjoying their Japanese trains. 

 

Sorry the picture is so dark, I forgot to turn up the lights. I really enjoy my little Shinkansen's !!

[kvp]

This was how the reversed wiring of the ttrak standard was created. The problem is that different trains will run at different speeds and it's near impossible to stop both trains at a platform this way. Works for testing, but pretty much unusable for anything else.

[serotta1972]

It's kind of fun firing them up and highballing them together. Hope everyone is doing well & enjoying their Japanese trains. IMG_2974.JPG

 

Sorry the picture is so dark, I forgot to turn up the lights. I really enjoy my little Shinkansen's !!

 

Exactly why I have these trains - let them fly and have fun!  :)

[cteno4]

Ha creative solution!

 

Might thing about hanging an open drawer under the layout for transformers or a roll around drawer units that might be low enough to go under the layout with the transformers on top or in the top drawer.

 

Glad you are enjoying the shinkansens!

 

Jeff

[Rmsinsd]

Speaking of "letting them fly"..

 

This is my test track, but it's really a therapy track! Undecorated, analog, three ovals with some sidings. What I've done is hook it up so one transformer runs through three Kato direction control switches. They're three position switches, with a center off feature. This allows up to three trains to run at once, at whatever direction I choose. Shinkansens, Suburbans, Freights. Outside track is "passenger local", center track is "through express", and the inside track is "freight shunting".

 

I have two other layouts I'm working on scenery with, but there are times all I want to do is watch the trains go round and listen to the wheels on the rails!

[velotrain]

Works for testing, but pretty much unusable for anything else.

Except for the #1 purpose - just watching trains run.

[EF57]

totally!!

[kmcsjr]

 

Folks

I used Velcro, to attach an Atlas 210 switch to multiple transformers. It allows me to control the direction of 2 lines, and to turn the lines off, independently.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[velotrain]

Um - where's the second transformer?

[kvp]

I think it was ment to be written, that a single transformer was connected to a twin Atlas double pole, double throw switch to allow independent on-off-on direction control for two loops. As long as both loops have trains on them with similar speed curves or at least one more or less matching range, it works.

[Khaul]

How about this bodge: Connect an inverter switch to the side of the Kato power pack that gives constant 12V DC. Then a potentiometer between the switch and the track. Would that make a 2 in 1 controller?

[kvp]

That would make it a standard transistor throttle and a rheostat throttle combo. I would call it a one and a half controller. The proper way is still to get two separate throttles or a real 2 in 1 transistor throttle.

 

ps: If you use two throttles, it's possible to share the wall adapter power brick between them with an Y cable.

[kmcsjr]

I'm sorry. What I meant is I have 2 transformers. Each has an atlas 210 switch. Like the Original poster I have double loop setups. This saves space and money. If you only need to save space, the MRC 780 has 2 controllers. It is only slightly larger than one controller.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited April 24, 2017 by kmcsjr