Ross Double Cross Over Switch

I see no one has responded yet. Did you get the info you needed? This thread should probably be in the electrical section under layout building. You would get better response there. There is a way to switch the power to the center diamond to whichever way you are crossing, using a relay. Steve at rcs should be able to set you up with this info and hookup diagram.

Rod

Hi Rod:

Thanks for replying to me. The diamond block in the center, fixed a dead spot on the Ross switch, but

it replaced the function of the 4 short pieces that you would use relays to power depending on the orientation

of the throws. There is no way to isolate the double crossover. There is an MTH service tech in my town and he agreed.

I have not yet wired in the TIU to see if I even have an issue. I will wait till I do that and if I have a problem, take

your advice and post inn the electrical section. Thanks for your kind response!

Mark

Mark;

Not sure what you mean by no way to isolate the Xover. We run a 175M double Xover on our trainshow layout with two isolated loops, outer and inner. The power break is at the center of the Xover.

It has the standard plastic center diamond and most larger engines (such as the VL Bigboy, Allegheny, FEF, diesels) glide through it without issue. In fact it's the smoothest switch on the entire layout. Occasionally a smaller engine will have a momentary hiccup in the middle, but no big deal.

What makes you think you might have a problem with DCS? We run TMCC, Legacy and DCS simultaneously on the layout without conflict or problem. Anyway, hope it works out for you.

Rod

Hi Rod:

This was brought up by my MTH tech. I am just starting my retirement layout and had an old style Xover. It had the 4) 1-1/2" or so power rails that lined the plastic diamond. Working with Steve I changed it to  an aluminum diamond with a center screw that I brought out to my outer loop bus. If I had the old style still, I could have added relays and switch the power bus as needed. But now having the diamond, and needing that to get any of my engines to run through consistently, I needed the aluminum diamond. My loops are about 90 feet each so my MTH guy said I should keep all line blocks 100' or less. That was the cause for looking into isolating the loops.

I don't know if I am going to have an issue yet with DCS as I am a coward and don't want to try it out till I get my switch panel wired up. I've been designing and dreaming this plan since 1998. 

Mark; no time like the present! Don't let fear and common sense hold you back! Haha.

The rev L TIU is arguably good for 200-400 ft per channel, depending on who you talk to. So one channel should have sufficient DCS signal power for both loops if you decide to go that way.

If it was me though I would be trying to figure out how to have separately powered loops, in case you want to run several multi engine lashups for instance. A single 10 amp channel may not cut it. I have no experience with the modified aluminum center diamond, but I understand the limitations you pointed out. You may be able to isolate the inner loop say just inside the curved turnout portions of the outer loop by isolating the center rails there. This would leave the entire center diamond and all crossing tracks powered by the inner loop, right up to the straight through segments of the outer loop switches. Hope I described that properly?

Rod

Assuming you are staying with DCS for both loops, I believe the only way to separate the two loops completely would be to have a third brick power the crossover.  If you have the crossover completely in one loop, you will have two locos on one brick every time it went over the crossover even when staying in its own loop.

Brendan

Excellent idea. Thank you Brendan. If I have COM issues I'll do that. I have one 14 Gauge stranded wire continuous loop that I have both my inner and outer loops connected. And I do mean the loop is lugged on both ends and landed twice. I guess that is supposed to be a no no as well. 

Thanks for that Rod. My day job is working with support and service for AC/DC Drives, Motors and Controls. I just don't feel like working after work, ya know!