Gpong posted:I have all my lines grounded in series with each other, so would that still cause shorting across?
Not if using common ground wiring (you probably are).
This is the correct way of isolating the trolly and main line:
Most locomotives have more than one roller, and those rollers are spaced enough apart to not be affected by the dead center. In fact, Lionel's crossings have had dead centers since their inception going back over a century prewar days.
For reference, here is the No. 21 Crossing in 1906 with a dead center:
Followed by the No. 20 Crossing in 1908:
And then the No. 020 in 1915:
