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How do I glue balsa wood?
Posted in: Assembling and gluing, Best practices
17th July 2019
That would very much depend on what it is you are trying to glue the balsa wood to, if you are gluing it to another...
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What is an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement?
Posted in: Rolling stock
22nd November 2021
In the UK, an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement was used on some early designs of diesel railway locomotives, most notably...
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How to fit drivers in locomotives
Posted in: Model Railway, Best practices
26th November 2020
Installing a driver or fireman into your locomotive can really bring it to life and add realism. After all, in real...
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Do cambers help model trains traverse a bend?
Posted in: Tracks
23rd May 2022
In real life, railway tracks tilt slightly as they negotiate curves. The tilt is known by many names, including a...
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Is modelling in N gauge cheaper than OO gauge?
Posted in: Model Railway, Rolling stock, Scenery
27th May 2020
Although N gauge is very popular (and for good reason), it can't be denied that the most popular gauge on the UK...
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What is a reversing loop?

A reversing loop is a railway track that splits at a turnout, the diverging track then makes its way around in a big loop before joining the same turnout, but from the opposite direction.

For modellers who have enough space to fit a reversing loop, they are very handy as it means a train can leave a station and disappear through a tunnel. Whilst out of sight, the train can then magically traverse the returning loop and pop back through the tunnel as though it had been to its destination and come back again, and all without having to uncouple or touch the locomotive or train.

Of course, there are some continuity issues here, not least of which the whole train will appear to have somehow turned 180 degrees rather than just the locomotive changing ends, but for busy layouts, they are just the ticket.

Installing a reversing loop does, however, come with a word of caution. Most model railway tracks operate using a positive and negative rail, positive on one side, negative on the other. If you follow the route of either rail from the turnout, around the loop, and back to the turnout, you'll soon discover that what was once the positive now forms the negative and vice versa, or in other words, there will be a short circuit.

The remedy to the problem is simple and involves isolating the loop at both ends and installing a switch to reverse the polarity. There are a number of switches that will do the job from a basic DPDT switch to a fully automated electric point motor accessory switch. Which switch you will need depends on the type of points you're using and the depth of your pockets but there will be a solution for you.

Posted in: Model Railway

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