I thought I had sent this message but somehow it got lost (I think) so here goes again. I had a simple though fairly large layout (45' X 8') consisting of two high level and two low level loops both fed from NCE PowerPro through 3 PSX Circuit Breakers, one each level and one for accessories. The levels do not connect, or did not until my latest addition. Tortoise PMs on all 42 points, which are all Peco Electrofrog. Frogs all switch polarity through built in Tortoise switches.
I recently deconstructed a large station from a previous layout and joined it into the existing layout such that it now sits at an intermediate level and joins the two existing levels such that trains can move from one level to another and pass through the additional station in either direction. The connection to both levels is done through two double track Wyes, one above the other and requiring 18 new points.  This allows any train from any direction cross to any track at either level.  Obviously this is a complex piece of trackwork and has brought about a need for Auto-Reversers.  One leg on the lower Wye is long and easily meets the length requirement of being able to take a full length train in its entirety.  However, the higher Wye fails in this respect. 

I have several PSX-AR's and I have read and tried to fully understand the instructions. In "Notes in Section E, Page 7", on wiring examples, it states:

2) If your train is longer than your reverse block and has metal wheels:a) You may need to cut additional gaps in the REVERSE SECTION. b) Simply cut another set of gaps at BOTH ENDS of the reverse sections inside of the original gaps.c) The distance between new gaps and original gaps should be longer than the wheelbase of any metal truck.
Unfortunately, I cannot see how these newly created sections are powered.  I would appreciate any input which would allow me circumvent this difficulty as it is not possible to create a sufficiently long leg anywhere in this particular Wye due to space constraints and the number of points involved. 
Regards,
John

 

 

Someone mentioned center rail.
Would that be O-Guage or Marklin?
With center rail, the center is one polarity, and the rails (both) are the other polarity. No reversing needed.
Big selling point for me when I put up my first layout. 
Thomas
DeSoto, TX

Hello Thomas:

O-Gauge with Gargraves track. But the auto-reversers still work, but to my disadvantage. I use Digitrax and Kadees so we can do switching operations, to a schedule.

Carl.

Carl,
Gargraves are 3-rail.
Unless you are doing something funky with one rail, you do NOT need reversers.
You can install them however you want, but they will never engage and swap polarity.
If you do what the previous poster said and draw out the inside rail, outside rail and center rail, and look at how your track is built, you will see that the center rail is always  the same (Ground or hot). And both rails are the other side of the circuit. As in up through the rails (either or both), back through the center rail.
The turnouts are very clever and specific that the center pickup will not touch the outer rail. And if it does short momentarily, that has nothing to with reversing loops.
And three-rail cars usually have no insulation on the wheels. So the outer rails are shorted just by the car being there.

So you lucked out, no extra wiring needed.

I once had a Marklin layout, which is also 3-rail. Figure 8 with shunts on each side. 
A Lok could go in one direction, then reverse, all without issue or reverser.

Thomas
DeSoto, TX