[Doug]

I see that Neil has pulled out his Fleischmann turntable on his layout. I have one of these and I'm going to use the switch provided with it to swing the bridge. Not use (for the moment) a DCC decoder to index the exits.

Even though this turntable works fine with DCC as it is, I use a reversing module to prevent any shorts if the bridge swings 180°.

It has one throw-back to DC which I don't like, and perhaps someone who has experienced the same problem may be able to offer a solution.

The turntable has a switch to swing the bridge left or right. It also can determine which side of the bridge receives current as the bridge's contacts touch the exit tracks. Only one exit track on one side of the bridge is powered at a time.

I don't like this as if the loco goes off the wrong side, it can loose the DCC connection and if it is a sound equipped loco, the sound resets. I want all parts of the turntable to be powered all the time.

I tried feeding power to the exit ramps, but if they are next to each other (7.5°), they short as the bridge swings around. I suppose that I could remove the contacts that touch the exit ramps, but is there a better solution?

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE I tried feeding power to the exit ramps, but if they are next to each other (7.5°), they short as the bridge swings around. I suppose that I could remove the contacts that touch the exit ramps, but is there a better solution? It's the only one I can think of. If you have the turntable powered it would have to have the same polarity as the entrance track. To have the sidings permanently powered you would have to isolate them however not neccessarily where the track joins the turntable. You could isolate the track further up in order not to haver to mess with your turntable inards. Sorry but thats the best I can come up with off the top of my head.

When you say the wrong end, you mean the side where there's no track? Wouldn't it derail too? What about having the loco lights on so you can see what direction is forward?