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I hope I am in the fight forum. I retired and decided to build a train platform in a spare room.  I started with zero knowledge and I am surprised I have gotten as far as I have.  It is pretty all MTH products, track, switches, DCS Wi-Fi run.  I have an outer loop and two back to back switches to an inner loop and another set of such switches further down the line to get out of the inside loop.  The inside loop also has switches to reverse direction.  I want to isolate the inner loop from the outer loop so I can run without having power to the other.  (I also have an elevated track, but it is not connected to anything else and is not an issue here).  Sorry for asking what is likely a basic question, but is there an easy way to separate the inner and outer looks at the switches so I can run one and not the other?  Maybe just refer me to something on the internet.   I do not want to destroy all my work.  The photos are hopefully an aid to you if you choose to answer.  They are also simply my way of being proud of what I have done with no help or experience.  Thanks.
Bill.

 

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Cut into the middle rail at the beginning and end of any section (block) of track that you wish to isolate. Run a wire from the middle rail of that block to a single-pole single throw switch. Then continue the circuit back to the source of track power. Do this for any number of blocks that you require. A switch will control each block. You can mount the switches in a small control panel, and draw a track diagram on the panel, installing the switches in appropriate spots on the track plan.

Hi WilliamJ,

Your layout looks really nice from what I can see in the pictures.  Good job!  

You need to electrically isolate the outer loop switches from the inner loop switches at the center rail joint.  Probably the easiest thing to start with is to pull up just enough track on the outer loop to remove the two outer loop switches.  Turning the switches over, you can then put some insulating tape over the center rail phosphor bronze contact wipers where they contact the inner loop switch wipers.  Also, it would be a good idea to put a piece of insulating tape on the ends of the diverging route center rails, to make double sure they don't touch and and make electrical contact with the center rails on your inner loop switches.  Then reassemble all your switches and track, and this completes the electrical isolation of the two loops.  The last step of course is to power each loop however you so desire.

Hope this helps. 

realtrax sw center rail bottom view

I wouldn't cut it "right at the end".  As shown in red there is a copper strap that would bypass a cut in the center rail "right at the end".  I'm imagining a Dremel metal cut-off wheel applied at the yellow line.  The center rail is clamped down to the black ties in the yellow circles.  Cutting as shown would provide 2 tie-downs of the now "loose" short center rail piece at the end. 

It wasn't clear if it is acceptable to pull up track to isolate the center rail as Mixed Freight suggests.  The "wiper" is the "J" shaped end of the copper strap on the left of the red circle.  This mates with the "J" copper strap of the connected track.  So you can bend the J so that contact is not made.  Then, you need to insure the ends of the center rails of the two track sections don't touch.  This can be done with any thin insulating material.  

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You might take a switch and connect an extra piece of track to it to study very closely how the wipers (j-hooks) contact each other.  This should give you a good idea on how to either bend and/or insulate them so they don't conduct electricity.  Once again, notice that even if you get the j-hooks insulated, it is sometimes possible for the rail ends to touch each other - hence a piece of insulating tape over one rail end to prevent them from touching and thereby making electrical contact.

I'd hate to see you cut a rail on one of your switches just to create a block.  This would probably devalue the price of the switch should you ever decide to sell it.  Cutting a rail on a far less expensive piece of straight or curved track, no big deal.  But not on a switch if you can avoid it! 

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