the slower the preparing the hobby room gets, the faster come ideas for the next layout.
one of my nastiest problems on the last layout were the reed contacts, needed for the epl-like automatic running.
they tend to burn shut.
so, when i remembered, an alternative system, i had read in one of the forums about 15 years ago… (by one of the “Tods” - Tod, Todd, Toddalin or similar, if i remember well)
the lovely name of “BUMPASS” for that system is still stuck in my brain.
if i remember well, that was to work with DC for the switchmotors.
so in my long pauses between my short working minutes i had some ideas.(more than some and some more…)
i’ll give a short(<- i’m lying) explanation of what i want tobuild in the next layout.
on a table(s) of 12metre/yards by 1.8metre/6ft, lengthwise separated by 2’ high backgrounds.
to be built on 12 individual tables of roughly 2 metre/yards by 0.9 metre/3ft. (to pass through doors)
a roundy-round with four “stations”/passing sidings. one of the four “stations” will have a second passing siding.
three of the stations will be 10ft long, including the R1 switches. the fourth station needs two foot more for the additional switches.
four engines will run in “the wrong direction”. (done already with three playmobils - just changeing the cables to the motor)
so, that i will have five northbound trains, and four southbound.
each train will have a max. of five foot cars behind the tender (four to five cars is longer, than any train in “Hell on Wheels”)
i wrote individual tables.
that means, my customary spagetty salad below the table has to be changed, into something, that has plugs every two yards. - something, that does not have a dozen of cables and plugs at every connection of tables.
so i began to experiment with buses.
every thing, i mentioned is tested and works - but one. that was tested, repaired, changed, whatever.
the reed contacts. some burn closed after weeks, some after years. but sooner or later they all burn shut.
and, how could it be different? most burn just, when visitors want to see moving trains.
now and then that makes for memorable crashes.
now back to BUMPASS.
that gives contacts, when metal wheels touch/connect two separated rails.
but, if i remember right, it works with DC.
i made a sketch below, to show, what i would like to do, if possible.
(there will a little bit more to it, like daisy chaining switchmotors, to make sure, all southbounds are arrived, before the northbounds start etc.)
my question:
can i add to a (DC-) bus one leg of an AC bus? (lower right, blue and black cable)
