More Fun With Non-Derailing Turnouts

One of the goals for my redesigned FUN Lines layout was to provide plenty of action with simple controls for my twin 7 year old boys. The inside loop of the layout features a common O27 track layout in a combination figure-8 / oval. This provides a great deal of operating possibilities in a small area with the option of using either of two reverse loops, a 90 degree crossing, and the option of simply running laps on the outside oval. However, when a simple wiring scheme is added to Lionel's non-derailing switch feature a new level of interest is possible with automatic, hands-free dispatching over the different routes.

Electronic Magic

As described in an earlier post (How Non-Derailing Turnouts Work) Lionel's O27 turnouts from the #1122 of 1952 through the MPC era's #5121 and #5122 turnouts all feature an internally-wired non-derailing feature. The wheels of the train itself become part of the electrical circuit to throw the points of the turnout in the direction of the oncoming train. What many operators do not realize, however, is that this same mechanism can be used to operate additional electrical circuits as well.

In this case, I have run two wires between the turnouts at the right side of the layout so that the binding post for the curved leg of one turnout is wired to the binding post for the straight leg of the opposite turnout. The result is that when a train engages the non-derailing feature of one of the turnouts the second turnout throws in the opposite direction at the same time. This works even though the two turnouts are from different eras of Lionel production (a #1122 of the Postwar era and a #5122 of the MPC era). The remaining turnouts are left alone. This causes the train to circumnavigate the layout in a complex pattern of in-and-out of the figure 8 while repeatedly reversing direction. While the pattern does repeat, it takes the casual viewer some time to recognize the pattern and so the train seems to be changing paths at will!

Which Way Will It Go?

Observe the video and notice how the train changes routes automatically. All of this action takes place with NO SWITCH CONTROLLERS wired to the turnouts. Only the automatic non-derail and the two wires previously described are used!

If you want the ability to turn the automatic function off at will simply add a DPDT (double pole, double throw) switch into the circuit between the two connected turnouts. 

Hopefully this will inspire you to create other new and exciting options for your layout. 

Happy Railroading!