Automatic Reversers on the Mainline of My Model Railroad 

Wow that is a world of difference. Not only that, this bit of info & results demo is a track plan saver for me.

Excellent video, Roy. Thanks for sharing the issues you came across between D -AR1 and how NCE AR10 handled what you like to do. Have a great weekend.

Great video Roy. Haven't needed a reverser up to this point but may in the future. Your video answers the question which one I would decide to use. Flawless operation. Would be worth the money.

Nice job Roy sticking with and coming up with a workable solution. Thanks for the great product review of the AR and sharing it with the model RR world. Stay well.

Roy, the N.C.E. auto- reverser works a charm. I might have to change my layout design so I can install a unit. You could watch that train go back and forward all day. In fact i just might. Cheers, Chris Perry.

Thank you for Sharing Roy, good to see that you have solved it and that it works flawless Greetings from The Netherlands, Hai (H&HExpress)

Great seeing this I am approaching something similar on my layout. Not on the main line but in a industrial spur. Now I know how to go about it. Thanks for information.

I stopped in Green River recently on a long solo trip from Sacramento and thoroughly enjoyed watching the trains from the pedestrian overcrowding. I recognize some of the beautiful scenery you created. Great videos, thanks

Thank you for your video on the NCE AR-10 that you provided. I have had the same problems per your video for the last 3 years. You saved my sanity by the use of the NCE AR-10. I purchased two for my layout, installed, and am the happiest ho modeler since the install. Work perfectly. Thank you so much!

Great video, Roy! There is nothing like technical issues to put a damper on running trains! You persisted and got one in the 'Win' column.

I have to say your videos are probably the most informative out there. You are correct, the subject of auto reverse is a tough one. I have PSX-AR and found it not working with my Power Cab after reprogramming. Thanks Roy!

Thanks, Roy. I don't have a current need for an automatic reverser but my future plans will need one. You have solved a problem that will help me.

Congrats on finding a good solution Roy! Thanks for sharing, it's worth keeping the NCE AR-10 in mind. Best, John

Congratulations on finding a solution that works for you Roy. As you discovered, there are many track configurations where the track returns to connect to existing track with the Rail A / Rail B DCC phases (you use the term polarity) reversed. The solid-state (MOSFET) switch used by NCE has obvious advantages over the mechanical relay used by Digitrax. I have been very successful using the Digitrax PM42 on my layout to provide both circuit breaker and auto-reversing functions. Thanks for the video. Art...

Doesn't it feel great when you find a product that actually works the way you would like it to work good job Roy 👍👍

It sure is great when finally it all comes together and a pesky problem is fixed and no compromises to make it happen. Worry free enjoyment.. press on Roy.. it's all coming together. Thank you for sharing this experience.

Thanks, Roy, for your description and video for the AR-10. Right now it's "above my grade level' but I need to do some reverse loops in the future and can refer back to your delightful video. Thanks so much. - Dean from Minnesota

Great Video.After watching I ordered an NCE AR10!! I use Kato track myself so I especially enjoyed the footage of your Pike. I'm new to dcc...and Old School.I built several reverse loops back in the 1970s using Atlas controllers. I had such fun with the Atlas Selectors and Track Blocks but they were very challenging and complex. After 40 years I returned to the Hobby and was Gobsmacked ( And STICKER SHOCKED) by dcc. It is just amazing. I wish I had known more about dcc 10 years ago. I missed out on so much ...But It's never to late. I'm now a Senior Citizen but I feel like a kid again.. Cheers, Steve

Very good information you give Roy on automatic reversers. I now know which one I will buy in the future for my planned permanent layout when the time comes, it will be the NCE AR 10 is what my automatic reverser will be.

nice work and a nice video again

Well done, Roy! Glad you figured that out to your staisfaction!

Roy, as always a great Video. I am a NCE person also and I agree with poster John. The DCC Specialties boards for AR and circuit breakers are great. Tony's Train Exchange represents the line and provides good technical support (if needed). Take care all.

Great video Roy and nice comparison of the auto reversers. Thanks for sharing. Dave

Hi Roy, That is really good information to let people know. That did take a long time to sort out like those things usually do. Thank you Roy.

This is good information. I'm almost at the point where the bus wires go in. Next week I think. Then comes the track. My NCE Power Cab is due in today. Can't wait.

The crossover was an ingenious way to cover come the auto reverser.

This is why I'm an NCE guy

Excellent Roy! Will definitely consider the NCE AR in the future. Thanks

Roy “ tenacious “ Smith strikes again. Thanks for that. I do believe that NCE should send you a gift for promoting their obviously better product. Oh just in case you missed it, Steve Brown over at “ It’s my railroad “ gave you a shout out in his latest video. See ya.

Great , overcoming great frustration like that is satisfying as you say.

Wow.. a great difference between the two... I'm learning towards a NCE system.. thanks for sharing and keep up the great work.. Lance

Hey Roy, Thanks for another great video, I have 2 AR1's that I used on my last layout, and they did make my locomotives run herky jerky, Im going to try the NCE AR 10!!!

Thanks for the advice Roy. Like so many I have trouble with Digitrax too.NCE is always much easier to use....Jack 👍

Got to love those solid state circuits Roy..cheers

Nice video Roy. For what it's worth I use use DCC Specialties PSX Circuit Breakers and Auto Reversers and they have worked flawlessly for years. Next up is to try their automatic Frog Juicers which operate on the same principle and save a lot of wiring.

Wow Roy what a great video on the AR issue. I do have one AR-1 in current use but for my next one I will try out the NCE. The AR-1 works ok but not 100% satisfied and this may be the answer. Wont hurt to try. Harleymike/chicago

Awesome Roy. I was wondering about this unit. Thanks for the demo.

Glad you got it resolved finally Roy!

I Also had problems with AR1; nice to see your solution

Roy, I had similar problems with the AR1 and changed over to the DCC Specialties PSX-AR auto reversers. I have 4 of them on my layout and they work flawlessly.....John

thank you for detail video on the automatic reverser old system one power unit before NCE which build in 2 automatic reverser

Roy that is awesome you were able to get your kinks figured out! I have a digitrax AR-1 on my bottom balloon loop and if I use a loco without sound, I do hear the click. I haven't had any bad luck with mine and I did install multiple feeders in the balloon loop which both of those had to go into the AR-1 so the polarity would be reversed on both feeders. I will have to consider getting the NCE AR-10 when I get ready to install the other balloon loop on Level 3 of my layout. Just curious, why not use the double cross-over as a double cross-over and replaced with the straight tracks? Thanks for sharing this with us! - Jason

Hi Roy I hope you are keeping well mate another great video mate I really enjoyed it great information to stay safe and well mate goodbye for now clive

PFM, I just started building my first home layout since only 1 person is allowed to be at the club's N-Track layout at a time. Now I shall see how much I have learned. 2x12 feet at height for a wheelchair. A loop with a siding and a center track which will have 4 or 5 industries for some switching. No. 4 turnouts and small Geeks pulling 5 cars at the most.

Thanks Roy for thei nfo. I will be ordering AR10

Lot of good information Roy great job good to know all that information. Did you do a video dispatch last week I never saw it

Very enjoyable video. Easy explanations. Thank you!

Hi Roy, I have 2 digitrax ar1's. One is causing me problems with the mechanical relay. The other is working ok for now. I have ordered 2 ar 10 reverser. One to replace the failed and one for another reverse loop. Looking forward to having flawless operation. Chuck

Roy, interesting that you pointed this hesitation out. Mpeterll (also on YT) complained about when one of the blocks on a Digitrax PM42 was set to an Automatic Reverser that it worked, but there was a hesitation as well. His solution was to employ a Tam Valley Dual Frog Juicer. It has jumper that has to be set to use it as an AR. Now running about $33.00 on eBay. The advantage is the Dual Frog Juicer is much smaller. I wonder why the Digitrax products are slow?

Thank you Roy! Very informative!

Thank you for telling me to check the gaps we did on the right but not the left even though it made it threw there but I got out my fish eye and could see that 1 rail was touching. Back off the sideing and on are way down the Maine ye ha.? Toot toot.

Very nice video good info Mr. Smith!!

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="185">3:05</a> Don't do that, Roy. Us old guys can't take that. I am a fan of NCE products, as well. I believe in trying to stay with one manufacturer as much as possible for hardware components.

Listening to and watching you Roy I have become fascinated with American Railroads to an extent that I have been sitting up half the night watching Virtual Railfan on You Tube. Thus an interesting question just for fun because I doubt it will ever apply to you...on many trains in the US you get a front loco or two, a middle loco, and a rear loco. I wonder how the Automatic Reverser would work on those consists? Great video as always. Stay safe, stay well and best wishes to you both. Cheers, Bob (on month 9 lockdown in the UK)

Pulling my hair out trying to get my NCE ar10 working. Nice vid!!

Roy Great video I just expanded my layout and a helix with upper level too I added two WYE turnouts and have a polarity issue The AR10 looks like it may solve my issue.

I also yanked my AR1's and replaced with AR10's. Much better!

Going to have to try that on my HO layout

I like using NCE I really don't like Using digitrax I had nothing but problems

Hi Roy, I have several Digitrax AR-1’s and have had no issues or the momentary light flicker with them. Perhaps it was just a defective one in which case Digitrax should repair at no cost. - Steve

Thanks for this!

Great video - I just got a turntable and cannot figure out how to do it.

Excellent

Congrats on getting it sorted out! That little gadget still has me a little confused as to how it works, but if it works it works! Are the buildings between the two doorways a hint of things to come?

Thanks Roy. I believe I’ll be going this route. I’ll also want to automatically be able to thro the 2 turnouts on the loop. Do you know if the AR10 will accomplish this task?

Hope KATO gives you a break because you are better than their funded ads. I have a few N scale locomotives from KATO they always performed well.

Have you ever thought about putting a GoPro on one of your engines and running it through your entire layout. The video from the camera would look awesome.

G'day Roy great video as always I have a digitrax zephyr 51 and thinking about having a reversing loop on my layout.Would the NEC ar1 work on a digitrax system? Thanks for any advice you can give keep safe in these troubled times kind regards Eric.👍👍👍

If your first diagram is correct I believe your issue is just mis-wired track. Why do you need a reverser?

Thanks for a great video. I'm new to the hobby and am on my first layout, so I have some basic doubts, like.... does only one pair on wheels on the loco sense the current? By my reasoning, if more than one set of wheels pick up the current, then there could be a conflict when changing blocks. Regards, Ganny

Roy Between A and B how many Feeders you have? I hooked my AR10 up today and still getting short circuits working with NCE support to resolve the issue On this photo on your layout were is the AR10 mounted and what feeder wires you using?

Maybe it's just because the diagram at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="160">2:40</a> is simplified, but where the polarity is wrong on the right, couldn't you just reverse the polarity to keep the blue on the left all the way around? I mean, it looks like it just dead-ends after a while anyway. Unless that goes on and reconnects at some other point, there shouldn't be a problem.

What if you have a short at 1 gap in the loop after you install an ar10. Booster shuts down first till I pull the train past the 1 gap.

Wouldn't a keep alive capacitor do the same thing?

What brand is your sound decoder in the locomotive

My experience has been that the AR-1 (and the Digitrax PM42) are use electromechanical components and are unable to switch fast enough to avoid that delay (the light flash at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="540">9:00</a> on your video. In fact, if you have an older Digitrax sound decoder in your engine, it will sense that momentary interrupt and will shut down, going through the sound startup sequence before the engine can move again! The PSX-AR and the Dual Frog Juicer are both set up with Solid State devices and don't have this problem. See: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Dhw-FwklmIw.html It "looks" like the NCE product should work as well if it is solid state. Yup, the solid state reversers are more expensive BUT, they work! I run run both the PSX-AR (2 of them) and the Dual Frog Juicer (1 of them). The Autoreversers pick up power from my main power bus and have their own output bus with multiple feeders attached to that bus as the autoreverse section is too long for just 1 set of feeders. Also, you need to make sure that your autoreverse section (denoted by your insulated joiners) needs to be longer than your longest train. While you can ignore this if you have plastic wheelsets, you can't if you have metal wheels (or as in my case, Kato passenger cars with lights).

Wouldn't DCC fix all of this without the need for reversals?

Is that like a "sneaky 8"? Lol

so easy even a caveman can do it! LOL

AR-1 instructions are terrible. To actually work the breaker in the command station must be slowed. The second gotcha is it's possible to set the trim pot above the maximum current available so it never trips. It's designed to be used with 8 amp, 5 amp, 3.5 amp and 3 amp system but needs to be adjusted to the system or the PM42.

Another classic example of why you shouldn't go within a Million Miles of this wicked commercial rip off called DCC. I can produce an "Auto Reverser" for no more than US$3.00, for a 12v DC layout. Which needs nothing more than two "track circuits" (cost 1 cent each), and a cheap latching relay (cost around $2.50).