Atllas Controller #220

LostinHOland

New Member
I have tried every way I can to make this work. Does anyone know of any detail information on how this is to be hooked up to a insulated area. Like the name says Im lost in HO land. my first train from my great grand father who just passed. PLEASE HELP>
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
Have you contacted Atlas, I have no idea about what it is or what it does, so I', pretty much useless, but Google Atlas, and contact their customer service, and you may be able to get some good information.


Bill Nelson
 

LostinHOland

New Member
Thats a good idea, I have read every post I can find, the only thing i find from Atlas is that they want you to buy there books, I just have an isolated area that needs a reversing switch, so I bought one but dont really know how to hook it up to my simple DC system.
 

LostinHOland

New Member
I have a TECH II Dualpower 2800 power unit with 2 feeder hook ups for each track. Plus 2 for AC for Accessories. The instructions for the controller says to hook up X &Y to the loop but what do you consider common rail?
 

pgandw

Active Member
Thats a good idea, I have read every post I can find, the only thing i find from Atlas is that they want you to buy there books, I just have an isolated area that needs a reversing switch, so I bought one but dont really know how to hook it up to my simple DC system.

The Complete Atlas Wiring Book is $7.50 on their web site - search the store by the title. It will show you how to wire any of the Atlas components, including the Controller. It will also show you how to set and wire block wiring for 2 train operation using common rail and Atlas components. I strongly recommend it.

If you had a track diagram, I could instruct you how to wire it using toggle switches, but not the Controller.
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
comman rail

In traditional block wiring, one rail is continuous throughout the railroad, and is the common rail. the other rail is electrically separated into various blocks, each with it's own switched feed , so that throttle #2 has one wire hooked to the common wire, and the other to the switch (I have use rotary switches for the last 30 years)


with this set up the power from throttle #2 is applied to both rails of a block when it's controlling switch is thrown to the throttle #2 position.


Bock wiring is really simple, but when, as I do you have provisions for six throttles, and some 11 blocks . you have a lot of wires. doing away with this, is a big selling point of DCC, but DCC should be cut up in to blocks, if only to help you quickly find that pesky short that will only show up when you have a visitor.


Bill Nelson
 

LostinHOland

New Member
Thank you all for the information. Fred I will try to up load a diagram of my layout. later today. thanks again.

P.S. I looked for the wireing book at the local hobby store, no luck.
 

pgandw

Active Member
Here is my guess at gapping for the reversing section (gaps in both rails at the points in red). Power for the reversing section comes through the Atlas Controller, and nowhere else. Power for the rest of the track likely comes from the Atlas Controller, and then through your block selectors (usually Atlas Selectors if using Atlas components).

reverseloopwiring.jpg


After studying the track plan, optimum location of the gaps (or insulated rail joiners) depends on several factors:

  • the reversing section must be longer than the longest train you will reverse. The train must be totally in the reversing section when you change the direction on the main. You can extend the reversing section around the inner loop to make it longer. You can use less of the inner loop curve to make it shorter.
  • if trains will be following each other on the same loop, you need at least 4 electrical blocks on the loop. If there are only 3 blocks on the loop, then the following train has to stop and wait for the train in front to clear the next block.
  • electrical blocks should normally be a little longer than the length of a normal train.
  • whether you use power routing turnouts or not determines whether separate blocks are needed for the dead end tracks (spurs). Atlas turnouts are NOT power routing.
The above is why I strongly recommend a book on model railroad wiring. To make your control system as flexible and trouble-free as it can be means you have to understand the "whys" of gaps and blocks. Teaching you the "whys" is beyond the ability of short (or even long) posts on a thread like this without some other reading by you. The Atlas book is the cheapest, and has specifics on the Atlas Controller, which the other books do not.
 
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