Suggestion needed for 3 Way Switch and Conventional Engines--RESOLVED

Here is the Ross three way with relays. Not sure this is what you want but relays in your setup most likely will be needed.

Ross 204 three ways have diagrams that detail power sections that would tend to drop a conventional engine out.  The DZ 1008 relays are used with the DZ 1000 switch motors.   The Switches are pretty well designed and may function without the relays and power routed sections.

The two relays power route the two fixed straight dead sections pictured below. Left and Right dead spots are about the same length as the straight through dead spot. 

Thanks for the replies!!  Im going to give that a try, if I understand correctly when the switch is activated the relay energizes and provides power to the small section of track.  It is all contingent upon which switch is activated.  I am actually using the Z2500 switches but that shouldn't matter.

Appreciate you guys' efforts!

MIKECT.

Well some blokes might say "aagh" it's got centre rail but I think it looks good, in fact very good, and I like it, and that's coming from a bloke that has modelled 2 rail O scale for 30 years!

Thanks for posting the photos.

Roo.

Don,

Just a suggestion, but I find when that happens one of the roller contacts may have a dirty shaft. What I do is dip it in alcohol and roll it with my finger. I repeat this several times. If the shaft is dirty sometimes you see the dirt come out int he alcohol. Also  would see it the roller contacts are connected together. I have found broken wires and when I soldered them back together it stopped doing that.

Denny

The 3-way switches have some complications and disadvantages for 3-rail applications and it's worth considering alternate track arrangements that use conventional switches. 3-way switches are relatively uncommon on real railroads and would only be used in special cases.

In Mike's photo, the 3-way switches look cool but more typical crossovers could have fit in the same space. These Ross 3-way switches have a 14-degree angle of divergence equal to that of a #4 switch. Crossovers with #6 switches might have been more appropriate for mainline tracks where space was available.

If additional length is available, it's a good idea to add some space between consecutive switches to relieve S-curves, and to avoid possible problems with the center-rail dead spots being too close together for some locos.

Switching was done on the Fort Pitt  6ft Y module.   Click to access a switching video.  The three way switches, (Ross 204's) are #4 switches, We had existing #5 switches that were fit to the three ways for this project.   IMO tough to get this in 6ft or less.   Mike CT.

Hadn't realized that some locos lose power going over a 3-way switch.  Good to know, and avoid.

To really make the setup look "cool," a double-slip switch could have been used between the 3-ways.

As pictured in the Video, the Rich Yoder 44 tonner has a relatively close pick-up spacing.  The power routing features added to the (2) three way switches have fuses added for track shorts, which appear to be common, when attempting to do this type of power routing.  Seldom have we had issues loosing power with the Ross 204 3-ways, with or without the power routing.

Power routing track circuit fuse holders, without the fuses, you can damage the DZ 1008 relays.  I have replace at least one relay. 

Never to late to learn.  Applied the fix using ZStuff 1008 relays,  applying power to the lead rail in the switches,  The conventional engines have no issue with the three-way.  I didn't realize so many of the post war engines had only one power truck, with rollers spaced only 2 3/4" apart.  The relays apply track power to the "dead" section of track, when the switch is thrown.  Fantastic.  Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas!!!