i have a hybrid layout, cause i also have diesel and steam trains, so the rails need to be powered too.
scratchbuilding Catenary wire
- Thread starter green_elite_cab
- Start date
So you have one rail the return rail (common) and make the other rail and overhead connected together to the live. That would make a hybrid layout work with DCC.
The problem would be if the loco turned around - then the single side of wheel, normally connected to the ground would be on the same side of the circuit as the over head so nothing would happen!
If you have a way to turn electric locos e.g. turnback loops or wyes, you might need to cut the rails into power districts and have toggle switches to either have the rails different polarities or connected together as the same.
Surely you would need this on DC as well as DCC hybrid layouts (i'm thinking as i go here). Either your electrics have to have the wheels insulated from each other with only one side connected to the ground and you always have to have loco with the appropriate wheels on the appropriate rail (else nothing will happen as the pole and wheel will be at the same potential difference) or you have block switches that set both rails as ground and overhead as live when running under wire in one position and set one rail and as ground and the other rail as live in the other?
i'm going to bed - my brain hurts
The problem would be if the loco turned around - then the single side of wheel, normally connected to the ground would be on the same side of the circuit as the over head so nothing would happen!
If you have a way to turn electric locos e.g. turnback loops or wyes, you might need to cut the rails into power districts and have toggle switches to either have the rails different polarities or connected together as the same.
Surely you would need this on DC as well as DCC hybrid layouts (i'm thinking as i go here). Either your electrics have to have the wheels insulated from each other with only one side connected to the ground and you always have to have loco with the appropriate wheels on the appropriate rail (else nothing will happen as the pole and wheel will be at the same potential difference) or you have block switches that set both rails as ground and overhead as live when running under wire in one position and set one rail and as ground and the other rail as live in the other?
i'm going to bed - my brain hurts
ok, i got my first length of wire finished. some flux actualy did the trick, and it soldered together without a problem (atleast with the wire. i need to practice more) the wire is smooth and the pantogrpahs on my locomotives aren't catching on anything, so it looks good. i may be able to use the music wire after all. might not be able to make the wire live , but it will still look neat in the end, right?
chris
chris