| Isolated Outside-Rails with MTH RailKing RealTrax | BACK |
The MTH RailKing RealTrax track system has solid rails attached to a plastic base with simulated wood ties.
The plastic base naturally insulates rails, including outside rails. Outside rails are not bridged together.
Track sections are assembled using the spring clips in each rail.
There is no equivalent for "isolating" rail pins; rail-to-rail isolation
is accomplished by a break in a rail.
| Click Index for: Isolated Outside-Rail with MTH RealTrax |
| RealTrax Isolated-Rail Accessories |
| Using Three-Rail Controllers with RealTrax |
| RealTrax Isolated-Rail Accessories | INDEX |
The 40-1029 10" Insulated Straight Section" provides the mechanism for
constructing isolated outside-rail track blocks. It actually consists of
two 5" track sections. Each 5" section has all three rails cut and a pair
of fahnstock clips with bridging wires on the underside. Any rail is
isolated by removing corresponding wire jumpers on each track section.
The fahnstock clips can be used for electrical connections. A "lock-on"
port is available on each track section.
Nominal use has a pair of 5" track sections separated by zero or more conventional track sections.
It is a good idea to test isolated rails to make sure there is no contact with adjacent rail segments; the rail segments can shift and make inadvertent contact, defeating rail isolation.
A series of adjacent isolated outside-rail track blocks can be assembled with only one of the 5" "rail-break" track sections between each separate block (and one on each end.)
| Using Three-Rail Controllers with RealTrax | INDEX |
RealTrax isolated outside-rail track blocks can be interfaced to Three-Rail Innovations' controllers by connecting wires from the fahnstock clips for isolated outside-rail and center-rail to the terminals of a controller input pair. The controller will be activated when a train is in the isolated outside-rail block and center-rail power is on. Activating a controller input with center-rail power simplifies implementation and is useful for operating trackside accessories
An outside-rail transformer can also be used so the controller is activated when a train is in the outside-rail track block, whether center-rail power is on or not. An isolated outside-rail transformer should be used for all controller inputs used for multiple train operation "Automatic Train Exchange" (ATX), block control "Train Block Controller" (TBC), or for train control features using the "Two Relay Controller" (2RC).
| Operating Accessories with an Insulated Track Rail |
Now you are ready to use isolated outside-rail track blocks to operate trackside accessories. Click the bar to see how.