Model Railway Analog Wiring

Any analog model train and railroad hobbyists realize that model railroad wiring is one of the most exciting and the most satisfying part of customizing collections of model trains. Every train need to halt at each station and gradually decelerate on every tight corner and junction. At every stop at every station, there is a certain amount of time where trains can load and unload passengers. In order to achieve an automatic function when running an analog model train set, you need to do add some accessories and change wiring.

To achieve this, you have to know where to segregate selected divisions of the track and to configure the circuit board wiring that will tell your model train what to do when it passes a certain portion of the track. One key component needed to be able to inform the circuit board when the train is coming is known as a photo sensor.

For a train to slow down, an AS-1 circuit board is needed. From the circuit board, one wire should be connected to the isolated rail and one more wire should be linked to the powered rail on the same isolated track. A locomotive with a flywheel works best with this feature as it can slow down the train and start it up again. The train will regain its maximum speed once it reaches a track that is not isolated.

To slow down, delay, stop and start the train a photo sensor is needed together with a DT-4, TD-1 and AS-1 circuit boards. One wire should connect TD-1 and DT-4 circuit boards. One wire from the DT-4 connects to the isolated track and one wire from the TD-1 should connect to one rail on the isolated track. A third wire should connect TD-1 to AS-1 and a wire from the AS-1 should go to the non-isolated track.

When the train reaches the isolated track, it would slow down and will stop as it reaches the station where the photo sensor is placed. Depending on how long you set the duration for the train to stop on the circuit board, it will re-activate which will start the train again. As soon as it leaves the isolated track, it will go much faster.

To reverse model trains, an AR-1 circuit board will do the job and two position sensors. Two separate cables from the AR-1 should connect to both rails on the track and one more couple of wires connects to the photo sensor.

If you don’t know anything about wirings, you can just get yourself a Digital Command Control set. DCC enables you to be in charge of the train’s speed and route without messing with your wiring.