So you want to try Tomix FineTrack?

[Stripy's trains]

2 hours ago, katoftw said:

Two normal switches or one double switch.

I meant the power supply units

[katoftw]

You can link up as many switches to the 12V side assessory clips as you want.

[Stripy's trains]

Actually i'm asking whether i'll need 1 of these for each side?

10160414 by Stripy's trains, on Flickr

[katoftw]

Depends on your layout. If it is part of two loops. Then you may/need 2 thottles.

[Stripy's trains]

13 minutes ago, katoftw said:

Depends on your layout. If it is part of two loops. Then you may/need 2 thottles.

Ah ok

 

[Stripy's trains]

Also does anyone know what the tomix feeder rail looks like?

 

[katoftw]

MMost track pieces bigger than 70mm and curves have a feeder slot

[katoftw]

https://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/nyumon/tomixrail.html#features

https://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/nyumon/railtype.html

 

Save yourself some time. Start reading and studying the diagrams.

Edited December 31, 2018 by katoftw

[Stripy's trains]

1 hour ago, katoftw said:

https://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/nyumon/tomixrail.html#features

https://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/nyumon/railtype.html

 

Save yourself some time. Start reading and studying the diagrams.

ok thank you

[cteno4]

you can translate the pages above in google translate, but that does not always read very clear so continue to ask questions here as it can be hard starting out like this.

 

unfortunately Tomix does not translate much into English on their stuff as it’s not been exported until recently by walthers to the us and it’s been a half hearted attempt. 

 

to answer your main question, you can do two separate track loops with a throttle attached to each to run trains separately on them. You can then use double crossover between the tracks to move trains between them. The double crossover will isolate the inner and outer loops from each other so you can run a train from one track to the other. You just have to make sure the throttles are set to the same direction when doing this as when the train is in the crossover it can have a moment of contacting both inner and outer loops and thus both power packs so you want it keep moving thru. If the throttles we set to opposite polarities then the train gets stuck and causes a short at the double crossover as both sides will drive it back into the middle of the crossover.

 

If you use two switches/points to make a crossing between the two loops then you need to use the insulated rail joiners between the two switches. The insulated rail joiners prevent current from going between the the two loops and thus power packs (the double crossover has this isolation of the two sides built in). Of course you have the same situation as with the double crossover of making sure to keep your throttle polarities going the same direction when crossing over.

 

The switches/points will also route power, so at the fork of the switch the power is routed to the straight or divergent depending on the way the point is set. So if you use a point for a siding the siding only gets power when the point is thrown to the siding and not when it set to the mainline. So this lets you store a train on a siding while you run a different train on the loop. If you make a passing siding, a siding with points at both ends, then you can store a train on one of the passing tracks while running on the other and switch them by just changing the points at the end when both trains are on the siding tracks. You can see this in some of these diagrams.

 

keep asking questions! Good luck with it.

 

cheers

 

jeff

Edited December 31, 2018 by cteno4

[Ochanomizu]

On 12/31/2018 at 8:43 PM, Stripy's trains said:

Also does anyone know what the tomix feeder rail looks like?

 

 

Hello,

 

I presume you mean the rail for the power connector.  You can see standard power connector here.

 

Most Tomix track has the space to clip the connector.  You don't need to purchase a special track.

[Stripy's trains]

On 1/1/2019 at 2:48 AM, cteno4 said:

you can translate the pages above in google translate, but that does not always read very clear so continue to ask questions here as it can be hard starting out like this.

 

unfortunately Tomix does not translate much into English on their stuff as it’s not been exported until recently by walthers to the us and it’s been a half hearted attempt. 

 

to answer your main question, you can do two separate track loops with a throttle attached to each to run trains separately on them. You can then use double crossover between the tracks to move trains between them. The double crossover will isolate the inner and outer loops from each other so you can run a train from one track to the other. You just have to make sure the throttles are set to the same direction when doing this as when the train is in the crossover it can have a moment of contacting both inner and outer loops and thus both power packs so you want it keep moving thru. If the throttles we set to opposite polarities then the train gets stuck and causes a short at the double crossover as both sides will drive it back into the middle of the crossover.

 

If you use two switches/points to make a crossing between the two loops then you need to use the insulated rail joiners between the two switches. The insulated rail joiners prevent current from going between the the two loops and thus power packs (the double crossover has this isolation of the two sides built in). Of course you have the same situation as with the double crossover of making sure to keep your throttle polarities going the same direction when crossing over.

 

The switches/points will also route power, so at the fork of the switch the power is routed to the straight or divergent depending on the way the point is set. So if you use a point for a siding the siding only gets power when the point is thrown to the siding and not when it set to the mainline. So this lets you store a train on a siding while you run a different train on the loop. If you make a passing siding, a siding with points at both ends, then you can store a train on one of the passing tracks while running on the other and switch them by just changing the points at the end when both trains are on the siding tracks. You can see this in some of these diagrams.

 

keep asking questions! Good luck with it.

 

cheers

 

jeff

W8 so the crossover is insulated in the middle then?

[cteno4]

Yes the double crossovers are insulated in the middle so the two sides stay isolated when in the crossover position.

 

jeff

[kenjidm]

Hello all,

 

I have a few stupid questions:

1.  what is the difference between a S280 and a S280-PC?  Is it the terminal plug opening?
2. What is the difference between a HC280-45 and HC289-PC

Edited April 8, 2020 by kenjidm

[bill937ca]

1. S280 is standard stock rail with wood ties.  S280-PC has pre-cast concrete ties.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10348629/10/1

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10266413/10/1

 

The terminal plug is under the rails.

 

2. More or less the same difference.  

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10029050/20/1

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10349749/10/1

 

But if you ballast and paint rails like I do the differences may vanish.

Edited April 8, 2020 by bill937ca

[Clayton]

I have a turntable question. I don't know if this question has been brought up in the past. The 1633 turntable, I see that it has six different connectors for other track. On the description it shows the connecting track is opposite of the opposing side. Can these be swapped around? Where that the parallel tracks can revive the locomotive? Without turning the turntable 30 degrees? Prime example is my layout design. I would like them parallel to save room. Does the plastic end of track stoppers come off? Or can I just unscrew the plate with the three track connectors and swap them with the set next to it? If anyone is wanting to know I am planning to connect the stall track to the DCC power supply so I can turn on the sound while the locomotive is just resting or run the lights. 

Edited May 8, 2020 by MoPac

[roadstar_na6]

44 minutes ago, MoPac said:

1633 turntable

 

Even their own pictures show that it can be modified to your liking and available space.

[Clayton]

1 hour ago, roadstar_na6 said:

 

Even their own pictures show that it can be modified to your liking and available space.

Only thing is even in this photo the tracks are not parallel. I am wanting to know if anyone done this?

[AhmadKane]

11 minutes ago, MoPac said:

Only thing is even in this photo the tracks are not parallel. I am wanting to know if anyone done this?

Do you mean the tracks going from the turntable to be parallel? I don't understand the q

 

Edit: Something like this? Parallel right? Just correspond the exits of the turntable with curves. Tomix has 15 and 30 degree curves.

Edited May 8, 2020 by AhmadKane

[Clayton]

38 minutes ago, AhmadKane said:

Do you mean the tracks going from the turntable to be parallel? I don't understand the q

 

Edit: Something like this? Parallel right? Just correspond the exits of the turntable with curves. Tomix has 15 and 30 degree curves.

From your drawing the top four is parallel with the bottom four stalls. Will I be able to place track without compromise across from each other? 

[roadstar_na6]

2 hours ago, MoPac said:

Does the plastic end of track stoppers come off? Or can I just unscrew the plate with the three track connectors and swap them with the set next to it?

 

My initial reply was aimed at answering these questions

[Clayton]

2 minutes ago, roadstar_na6 said:

 

My initial reply was aimed at answering these questions

okay, thanks I was looking at the photo you provided and I didn't see any tracks running parallel.

[Martijn Meerts]

You can change it for 3 tracks at a time only I believe (as in, unscrew the plate, and place it somewhere else, you can also get additional plates as spare part). I do have the turntable as well, but haven't used it in a very long time. Parallel tracks like in Ahmad's picture are possible, but you have to take care with the bridge. If you rotate it 180 degrees, you'll need to switch polarity on the bridge, since essentially you're creating a return loop. There's no electronics in the turntable that does this automatically.

[Clayton]

3 hours ago, Martijn Meerts said:

You can change it for 3 tracks at a time only I believe (as in, unscrew the plate, and place it somewhere else, you can also get additional plates as spare part). I do have the turntable as well, but haven't used it in a very long time. Parallel tracks like in Ahmad's picture are possible, but you have to take care with the bridge. If you rotate it 180 degrees, you'll need to switch polarity on the bridge, since essentially you're creating a return loop. There's no electronics in the turntable that does this automatically.

Yes, I have heard about this anomaly before. Though I will be mainly running DCC, I heard that the turntable is more suited for this application than by using regular DC. Due to the Polarity switch. I will be adding power supply to each individual track off of the turntable also. Though my few electronic switches and the turntable I am not planing to hook them to a JMRI/ DCC++ system anytime soon. Thank you!

[Martijn Meerts]

Actually, you'll still have the issue with DCC, but at least for DCC there's plenty options to switch polarity automatically. The simplest ones basically just detect a short, and immediately swap polarity. The short won't cause any issues at all considering the electronics detect it within microseconds.

 

Like I said though, I'm not entirely sure anymore how the turntable works. I did have it installed in a DCC layout, but didn't get to the point where I had it completely wired up. It's been several years since I've done anything with my Tomix track.