This video shows how I added some "stop and go" action to a small Christmas display, running two vehicles - a trolley and an inspector car - on a single loop. See if you can figure out what makes it work - a whole group of engineering students who came to a department party at my house were sure it involved some hidden electronics...
The "secret" is just a series of insulated track sections. Starting in the left rear corner of the loop, the outside rail is insulated. At the stopping section, the inside rail is insulated. The right hand end of the stopping section is isolated on both sides (plastic pins). Result: no power ground on the stopping section until another vehicle enters the insulated section. I got this trick from Peter Riddle's book, "Grandfather's Attic", a wonderful guide to prewar layouts.
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