MTH Ground Track

I can see how you're confused.  I first went to the MTH website and entered "40-1068-2" in the search box.  What comes back is a page that shows this product but does not explain the features that it's intended to provide.  It only lists the generic features common to all RealTrax (rugged, realistic, reliable, etc.)

We know that it's not an activation track because that track has a separate product number (40-1069).

As far as using Google for some hints, it fails miserably because, although it returns a number of hits for 40-1068-2, all of them repeat the same useless text found on MTH's page.  A Trainz.com page mentions using it for activating accessories but does not say how to do this.

What does a "Ground Track" do?  How do you use it?

Perhaps it's a track that has it's two outside rails electrically isolated from each other so that it (and maybe a few more, all connected in a row) can be used between two activator tracks to extend the length of the activating rail (which is typically only one of the two outside rails) and therefore set the length of the activation block?  If  so, "Ground" is a poor choice of words.  Maybe "Extending" or "Activation Extending" would be better.

Your guess is presently as good as mine.

Anybody else want to venture a guess?

Mike

Mike,

I subsequently found a web site that seems to indicate the track is used to ensure continuity- particularly when there are switches that could cause the ground to be lost if there’s no power lock on in the section between switches.  That sort of makes sense to me.  I’m open, though, to other ideas.  I really thought I was buying it to activate accessories, but I have also had troubles in the past with losing connections in certain areas of my Christmas layout - and now I’m wondering if the ground is somehow lost?  

Take a picture of the bottom and post it. That should tell us everything we want to know.

Yes the copper pins on the connection ends could give us a clue if you also have any Realtrax turnout bottom shown . 

Here is a photo - basically there’s a jumper wire connecting the two outer rails.

So it ties the common together on the two outside rails. That can be helpful when connecting turnouts together. It's easy enough to solder a wire between the two rails on a regular piece of realtrax.

"I recently bought MTH ground track  (40-1068-2) thinking that it would help me with activating accessories."  .................................

I usually take a regular section of track, and as H1000 points out, solder a wire to that nice, big, flat tab on one outer rail, run it down the length of track, and solder the other end to that same nice tab at the other end of the other outer rail. Wire fits nicely in the V's shown in the track braces.

If you want to activate accessories (working crossgate, crossing lights, gateman, etc. take a piece of track and on each end of one outer rail, break off (or bend them in so they do not contact either adjoining track section) so that rail has NO continuity to the rail on either end of it....a "dead" track rail.

Make certain the opposite rail, on the other side of the track section IS grounded to the system. Then, either solder a "drop" (a wire that connects to one end of that dead rail, or use a lockon and only insert a wire in the gnd side of it) and run it to the accessory. Run a hot to the accessory, the accessory will NOT work now, because it has no gnd. )If you want track power to run the accessory, forget the drop, and use the lockon hot side, but running DCS will have a high voltage to the track. Non DCS the accessory will vary with track power.)

When train wheels touch both rails of your modified track, they will connect a circuit from the gnded side of that track, to the open rail (making it gnd) and that completes a circuit from the accessory hot to gnd. Voila, should work.

If you only bend ONE prong (or break it off) so one end is open, and you do the same to another track piece, you can have as many sections of track between the two "dead" rails as you want - meaning the crossing gate lowers when the first item (usually the engine) completes the circuit, and the raises, when the last car leaves the dead section, for more realistic operation of the gate.

There is really no need to buy special track (unless one does not have access to solder and wires) other than to just have a special section of track. From the top, they all look the same.

John or someone chime in if I do not have anything above correct, but I am getting ready to wire up some accessories like I have done in the past this way, I would be amazed of they do not work. And this also eliminates the need for any phasing I believe, also you can vary the voltage to the accessory with the aux transformer (an avoid using the variable track power)

Greg

Greg,

I really appreciate it - that's what I was going to do.  I needed to order more straight track, and they were all out - that's when I saw the "Ground Track" and thought I'd try it when ChatGPT told me it was used to activate accessories.  I guess that's where I went wrong - technology failed me!

On another note, I read somewhere that the common for an MTH Z-4000 is the same common across all outputs.  Is that correct?  So if I power accessories with the "hot" 14v accessory output, the common on the track should activate it?  Thanks for your advice.  I'm excited to see some automation on the layout!

Seth

Unless the outside rails are insulated from the rest of the layout, I think this devices only function is to provide a solid point of connection for both common rails instead of relying on the lighted plug in track to banana jack connector.  If they are insulated, then the equivalent of isolating an outside rail to operate a track-side accessory that uses only the common connection to make it work, using either rail, where you would pick off one outside rail connection, but need to provide common continuity on the other for the rest of the layout..

"On another note, I read somewhere that the common for an MTH Z-4000 is the same common across all outputs.  Is that correct?  So if I power accessories with the "hot" 14v accessory output, the common on the track should activate it?"

Don't take this to the bank, but my guess is that gnd is gnd, on the same brick/block. Having said that, I also think that gnd is gnd in the same electric system - meaning that your 4000 gnd to track is the same gnd for everything connected to it. AND the same gnd is used for any trans that you would power an accessory with...as long as the transformers are in phase. (usually polarized gnded plugs take care of this..but not always)

Thus, drive  your train, and accessory with the 4000 (I don't own one, I am guessing the 4000 has a 14v tap.) The hook up method is below. Note that the accessory will always get 14v. If you want more or less, use another transformer for the accessory.

Or if one wants to drive their train with (or even the 4000)  Z1000 or ANY other trans, and use an old Lionel or any other trans, to drop a crossing gate when a train comes to one of those insulated track sections we speak of above - use this method:

Run a hot from the auxiliary transformer, use the hot  term, to a term on the gate, from the other gate term run wire to the "open" track rail. Hopefully you either soldered a wire to the rail or installed a lockon to get to the rail  Finally connect the aux trans gnd to another system gnd ( another wire coming from the main trans would work or to track) With a connecting axle sitting on the track section (engine or car), you can add whatever voltage  you want to drop the gate, since that transformer's circuit is now complete - even if track power is off. The gate will now drop every time the outer rails are connected if the aux trans is on - even if the mainline trans is off.

I think I have all of this right....but you should wait until a more knowledgeable person chimes in before  you try it. I will know more this week....I have to start hooking up some of my accessories. (some are gates!)

Good luck, Greg

I had some mth tracking it's the worst track ever made they did not gauge the rails properly so i had shorts because the wheels or it derails your best bet is throw it in the trash, i had a 0-4-0 General  that never ran and was always shorting  out because of the improper gauging of the rails!!!!!!

Alan

I don't disagree with this!  I was going to redo my entire layout in another track, but I have a giant mountain I created to use with O31 track... unfortunately it doesn't appear Gargraves or Atlas has O31 turns.  Since it's a temporary Christmas layout I decided to wait until next year to redo the entire thing - until then I'm stuck with MTH track.

I guess it (Realtrax) is like most things in life: you take the bad with the good.

The good is it looks nice, when the copper tabs connects, it works nice, and when it does go together with strong tabs, it stays together, and there is a good selection of straights, curves, and special track to choose from and finally, when machined properly, they do go together and mesh fairly easily. (plus, with epoxy, and/or a solder gun, almost any deformity can be fixed, if you are so inclined)

The bad is those copper tabs (not sure which monkey came up with those) the weld/solder joints to those tabs are often not done right, the plastic tabs parts are fragile, the switch motors are difficult to install/line up, some track was made with a black coating on the center rail which has to be sanded off, the tolerances on the switches/turnouts are flaky with many, the screw terminals on said turn outs are rather small and fragile, and the lockons are way too large to have a good looking layout.

I am sure that is not a conclusive list, but a good start. I am sure more seasoned users of said track will chime in with some I missed in both categories. There are other brands out there, and I am sure that Lionel Fastrack and others can have such lists compiled for them.

Have at it folks, always a pot to stir! Greg

My MTH track issues have been minimal, never have come across a gauge problem, but I don't run any scale wheel sets either.  When I installed MTH track permanently, I solder the connections underneath that are supposed to rely on friction and spring pressure to maintain contact.  Where I can't solder them such as when flipping over a completed run and it can't be soldered to the next, I attach jumpers and tie them together.  When I wanted an isolated outside rail for an accessory, I bent the contact tabs out of the way and soldered a lead to one of them, and also a lead that ran from one section to the next that was opened up by that isolated rail.  I do have a bunch of Lionel  Fastrack I use for on the floor layouts during Christmas, but do not use it in my permanent set up as I was MTH track centered since my local hobby shop only had MTH track at the time.  The fact that no one makes transition piece from Fastrack to MTH track, unless you use the tubular rail method, has always been a puzzle to me.

@CALNNC posted:

The fact that no one makes transition piece from Fastrack to MTH track, unless you use the tubular rail method, has always been a puzzle to me.

Kinda a good question. In my opinion, I think that this transition track would have been up to Lionel or MTH to manufacture and one would need to have the blessing of the other whereas tubular is considered the universal standard available for everyone to use.

@H1000 posted:

Kinda a good question. In my opinion, I think that this transition track would have been up to Lionel or MTH to manufacture and one would need to have the blessing of the other whereas tubular is considered the universal standard available for everyone to use.

Perhaps it had to do with early, acidic relationship the two companies had....and an early court decision that may have inspired that relationship. But by now, you think that would be the past. Great question about the transition piece.

Realtrax (about 140 feet) has worked well for my layout .  In sections where I have steep inclines on 031 curves I did solder some center rail to center rail wires and side rail to side rail wires joining seperate pieces.   The corrosion resistant aspect of this track has been a plus for me.

On the temporary PE Christmas layout on a little thicker material I  have found it to not be an issue to keep together like my Fastrack which doesn't do well even with the little Lionel locking clips.

On any permanent layout with any track system I would suggest soldering wires between rail sections and using a mechanical method such as small screws at the solder joints for security ......and.... putting a small drop of corrosion resistant oil at the end of the soldered wire insulation.......and etc.,etc.       Pretty laborious, but it should be a pretty reliable track system.

Have fun.

The Ground Track is misnamed.  It's really just a track that has omitted the jumpers between the two outside rails.  It's used to create insulated track sections for signals.  The Fahnestock clips are just there to allow you to jumper the outside rails and thus turn it back into a standard straight track with the outside rails connected together.

John

" It's really just a track that has omitted the jumpers between the two outside rails." & "standard straight track with the outside rails connected together."

Do you mean that on normal MTH pieces, both outside rails are gnded - with no wire connection? Meaning one rail to the other?

Mine aren't outer rail-outer rail connected, just end to end on each rail to the bent joiners.  I don't think you meant to say jumpers "omitted" between two outside rails - I have only seen that done in the one posted picture above. Then again, I know I have not seen every track section MTH made.

I have a 4.5" section, which breaks continuity from end to end on each rail, with a removable wire on each, to kill the circuit. The one above in the picture is the first I have seen that " jumpers between two rails." Or, it looks to me like it put jumpers, instead of omitted them. Respectfully, Greg

@cngw posted:

Do you mean that on normal MTH pieces, both outside rails are gnded - with no wire connection? Meaning one rail to the other?

I thought they were like Fastrack, but I looked at a couple of them and they're not connected like Fastrack, my mistake.   In my defense, it's been many years since I even looked at Realtrax.

I thought they were like Fastrack, but I looked at a couple of them and they're not connected like Fastrack, my mistake.   In my defense, it's been many years since I even looked at Realtrax.

I have never owned Fasttrack. If they connect both outside rails, and it is easy to un-ground one rail, if true, then another reason I wish I had started with their track. Can't switch now, I am "married"to Realtrax!

Greg (to show you about that, my wife and I had our 55th this September. I find something that works/fits, I keep it, no matter what!)

@TUGreystones posted:

Mike,

I subsequently found a web site that seems to indicate the track is used to ensure continuity- particularly when there are switches that could cause the ground to be lost if there’s no power lock on in the section between switches.  That sort of makes sense to me.  I’m open, though, to other ideas.

@TUGreystones posted:

Here is a photo - basically there’s a jumper wire connecting the two outer rails.

Perfect ! 

(   I actually solder both ground rails on my regular Realtrax sections in this pattern.  )

I use Gargraves, but I have three drops for any power drop, and I tie the two outer rails together.  There's no downside to having them both common unless you're using an insulated rail for signaling.