Large Scale Central

Aristocraft #6 switch powers both lines

Track and Trestles
#1

Purchased an Aristocraft #6 switch and tried it out with powered track. I expected it to work like all other track I have worked with in the past (N-Scale, HO and Lego) in which the power only goes to the side that the switch is directing too. I did not expect both sides of this switch to be powered.

Is this normal?
Do USA Trains #6 switches do this as well?
How does one set this up to park an engine on a siding if its receiving power as well? I would imagine insulators and a separate run of power to that section that would possibly be on a different power pack?

#2

I use on/off switches on my track powered locos.

#3

Thought you were going battery (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#4

All the switches I have worked with are that way, power flows through the switch to both tracks. You could insulate the rails past the switch and then use a toggle switch to turn the power on and off to the siding.

#5

Nicolas,

As Greg mentioned, I thought you were going to go battery power.

#6

Greg Elmassian said:

Thought you were going battery (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

Greg,

As of now 1/2 my fleet of locos are battery/Rev RC (6). The others were going to be converted to battery/Revolution until they closed their doors. Now I’m waiting to see what to do next. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)

#7

Paul Burch said:

Nicolas,

As Greg mentioned, I thought you were going to go battery power.

I am planning to go battery power. I was still confused that this switch did this but I guess its normal?

#8

Yes, its normal.

To clarify my previous post;

Actually you only have to gap, or insulate, one rail past the switch. Then you could use a SPST (single pole single throw) toggle switch to bridge that gap. When the switch is off, the siding is dead, and when the switch is on, the siding is live.

#9

I guess HO, N and Lego do it the other way because of their size and its harder to wire it so both ends get power? Either way, since I am planning to move to battery powered I will just accept this limitation for now (or perk).

#10

All my HO and N scale switches are the same way. I know there were/are some that do power routing through the points, but in the smaller scales that can be a bit iffy sometimes.

#11

Nicoas, I am out of the hobby but had Aristo #6 switches. Each one had a tiny microswitch underneath that routed power from the proper rail to the metal frog. The frog was insulated from the two fixed rails. I don’t remember if the points were also powered from the microswitch or just by contact with a fixed rail. By my recollection is that power always goes to the rails on both routes, so insulated rail joiners are needed to keep power from going to a spur or siding you want to park an engine on. As pointed out, simple SPST switches can then turn on/off power to the spur/siding. The little microswitch was a problem if used outside because it wasn’t waterproof. Even used inside, they were quit finicky about adjustment.

All this is from memory so if someone sees need of correction, please do so.

#12

sorry Nicolas, you are no longer a newbie, so we get to poke a bit at you with the power question. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

Yeah, the roots of “wiring” comes from LGB and nothing is isolated unless you “force the issue” with insulating joiners.

Since LGB was an early adopter of DCC, it’s normal to want all rail powered all the time. Since many manufacturers copied LGB’s offerings, I think that explains it.

As Joe said, the motor on off switch can be used, but sometimes they do not exit, or in the case of USAT diesels, they are in an inconvenient location.

Greg

#13

David Maynard said:

All my HO and N scale switches are the same way. I know there were/are some that do power routing through the points, but in the smaller scales that can be a bit iffy sometimes.

All I really have to back this up is Kato Track and Lego track which power through the points. Whichever way way has the pass through gets the power unless you explicitly add additional power lines.

#14

Greg Elmassian said:

sorry Nicolas, you are no longer a newbie, so we get to poke a bit at you with the power question. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

Yeah, the roots of “wiring” comes from LGB and nothing is isolated unless you “force the issue” with insulating joiners.

Since LGB was an early adopter of DCC, it’s normal to want all rail powered all the time. Since many manufacturers copied LGB’s offerings, I think that explains it.

As Joe said, the motor on off switch can be used, but sometimes they do not exit, or in the case of USAT diesels, they are in an inconvenient location.

Greg

Ah. Interesting. Well I learned something new and in the DCC case it makes total sense that you would have all the rails powered.

#15

Additional question with regard to #6 switches. Aristocraft made a parallel track adapter but I do not see anyone else who makes one. Its a curved piece of track, that comes with a short straight section as well that is just enough curve to attach to the siding end of a #6 switch and give you parallel tracks.

I haven’t found anything else aside from bending your own rail and this offering from Aristocraft (old stock I am assuming).

Are there other options out there?

#16

Bend your own?

I know that some of the sectional track out there comes in half curve pieces, they might do the trick.

#17

David Maynard said:

Bend your own?

I know that some of the sectional track out there comes in half curve pieces, they might do the trick.

This is what I figured. i have just picked up the several of the Aristo pieces in anticipation of needing them some day because its old stock. The ties are a bit closer together but it saves me from bending and matches the products offered by SplitJaw for rail bed.

#18

Nicolas, Its limitations like that, that has caused me to hate sectional track and like flex track. Back when my mom’s boyfriend and I built my N scale monster, I learned how much freedom and flexibility flex track gives me, and I never went back to sectional track. But I understand that some people like sectional track.

#19

Nicolas Teeuwen said:

Purchased an Aristocraft #6 switch and tried it out with powered track. I expected it to work like all other track I have worked with in the past (N-Scale, HO and Lego) in which the power only goes to the side that the switch is directing too. I did not expect both sides of this switch to be powered.

Is this normal?
Do USA Trains #6 switches do this as well?
How does one set this up to park an engine on a siding if its receiving power as well? I would imagine insulators and a separate run of power to that section that would possibly be on a different power pack?

The #6 has a micro switch that powers the frog with the correct polarity. Post the frog there are jumper wires that keep both legs powered. You can see these connections if you look on the underside of the turnout.

To have a section of track that is only powered if the turnout is set you would need to do two things.

  1. remove the jumper to the leg of the turnout that goes to the siding you which to power down.

  2. jumper this section of track to the wire that goes to the frog. The siding will not only be powered when the turnout is set.

Note that the micro switch is not the best for multi amps of power. It will work but having the microswitch power a 10 amp relay is a better solution.

Hope that helps

Stan

#20

The microswitch is SUPPOSED to be 5 amp and waterproof

Judge for yourself: