Hornby Digital reverse loop Module R8238 (DCC) Part 1

[TheBazza909]

Very helpful! At the moment I am having to turn my trains round by picking them up and doing it by hand, I thought about a turntable but that would mean turning the loco and all the rolling stock round, one-by-one. A reverse loop would make it much easier, quicker and more realistic. My layout is controlled by a Hornby Select DCC controller, trying to make a reverse loop with DC is much harder and and much less realistic.

[ay76]

@TheBazza909 Your welcome. I've also done a reverse loop on a previous layout that was DC controlled. But it involved two controllers & a DPDT switch & more wiring, than has been used for the one seen in this video. Only thing that gives this DCC R/loop module away, is a slight click noise when it changes over polarity. Don't really notice it's there at all.

[CHESEABUN]

Hi, I have installed the reverse loop module with insulation fish plates. locos seems to stall and cut out when crossing over into the loop at slow speed. Do you find this or is this just me?

[ay76]

@CHESEABUN Mine runs very well at all speeds. Wondering if it's dirty track or wheels perhaps?? Are all the wire conections sound?? Like to know what could be causing your slow speed stall. Keep me posted. Kind regards.

[ay76]

@GeeksvilleStudios Most def opens up so much more with operating the railway.

[paulknowles100]

hi ive run a wire bus under the layout like u have done ive not put in insulating rail joiners it the metel 1 not the plastic 1s it runs 1 way but when i want to go the other way it cuts off iam working on the layout so ill watchur video and c where i can put the plastic 1s cheers paul

[ay76]

@paulknowles100 You need to put in two sets of insulating rail joiners, one set each on both ends of the return loop. Otherwise it'll just keep cutting out. You'll then need to but a feed in from the R/ L module on to the loop it's self. Cheers.

[paulknowles100]

hi ive sort of copyed u with ur bridge have u got to have a reverse loop unit for it all to work its just ive not put one on and it keeps cutting off hope u can help me cheers paul

[ay76]

@paulknowles100 How have you wired the reverse loop up?? If you can do us a video (in good lighting if possible) of how you've wired it up & where your insulating rail joiners are fitted. Will see where we can take it from there, & get you up & running. kind regards.

[SuperVoyeger]

nice



[ay76]

@SuperVoyeger Cheers.

[SuperVoyeger]

how do you make tunnels

[ay76]

@SuperVoyeger To be covered in a video so time in the future. In the mean time check out the many books of railway scenics.

[kylewilliams1000]

with the dcc when you conect the controler to the track

does it matter where it goes

what i mean is can you put it on a siding that is closed point

because im looking to buy one but i want to learn about them first

if you could comment back asap i would be really graetfull :)

[ay76]

@kylewilliams1000 Unless you make the point so it's live at all times, then soon as you close the point off from the main line, then you'll stop power to the rest of the layout. The way around this is to put power feeds to the track, so that all area's of the layout are then live. If you are just using the one power clip, & put it on the siding, just like DC unless the point is open, no power will get to the rest of the track. Also suggest buying aspects of modeling DCC (book) for more info.

[kylewilliams1000]

@ay76 okay thanks



[hornbyfan1]

wats better select or elite?

[ay76]

@hornbyfan1 Well, the Elite is the current top of the range out of the two, & has more features than the Select. Select is good entry level unit, where the Elite is a more like it's big brother & allows you to do stuff like changing the CV's etc.

[CameronJT]

great help!:)

subscribed:D

[ay76]

@CameronJT Many thanks, let me know how you get on. Regards.

[waldenhouse]

When I win the lottery I'm going to employ you to do some commentary and write a book on how it's done - you're very good at demonstrating and explaining the procedures involved. Send your videos to Hornby I'm sure they'll be interested. You're a natural. Well done.

[ay76]

Thank you.Funny you should mention about Hornby. They do know about these video's i've done, as i've discussed it with them at last years show at the NEC. Pleased to say i got the big thumbs up from Hornby :-). The 1st video they fav'd was one of mine demoing the Elite & programming a loco!! I nearly fell off my chair when i saw what they'd chosen. :-) Cheers.

[Animaltrainer92]

can you isolate a whole section of track e.g a station, and have a train going around the circuit and have a controller to let the locomotive run around the train?

thanks

[ay76]

On DCC control you don't need to isolate say a section, unless doing a reverse loop, or double slip points, or having seperate power district's. With DCC you have the whole layout live, as the trains will only move once called up to do so. On DC i'd recommend having isolated sections to do like what you suggest. Cheers.

[Animaltrainer92]

thanks!!!

[ay76]

No prob's cheers.

[Dan8987]

Very Usefull  5*'s

[ay76]

Thank you, hope this has has been of some help. Cheers.

[spagbol2]

I am new and just want to turn trains around what is the minimum that I would need to do it without all these complicated things?

[ay76]

One other way is to fit two Hornby isolating track sections some where on the loop.They in turn are then connected to a seperate switch ( the yellow one that Hornby make R046).You'll need two switches for each isolating track section. Drive the train into the section between the isolating tracks. Stop the train.Change the direction on the controller, points & both switches. Then drive the train out the loop.For DCC digital you'll need to use this Module seen here, instead. Cheers.

[freid001]

hi very help ful but what do the fisher plates do and how do u connect them? thanks

[ay76]

The insulating fish plates (insulating rail joiners) are used for connecting track together. They isolate one section of track from another. Thus preventing any electrical interferance or problems, that you would get like seen here on a reverse loop. Cheers.

[mecrazy5]

i wish that could be done on DC

[ay76]

Yes it can be done on DC. If you look in the back of the Hornby Track plans book it shows how to wire one up. Either that or google it for more info. Cheers.

[jaannetts16]

5* sounds very complicates but i do under stand it

[ay76]

Thank you. Not really complicated, just a case of using two sets of insulated rail joiners at each end of the loop.Then take two wires from the track from the point side of the loop & fit them to the module. Then run two wires from the other side of the module to any where on the track reverse loop.

I just added two more points that come off the actual reverse loop. so it looks more complicated than it actually is.Cheers.

[dteide]

Very intersting.

[ay76]

Thank you, cheers.