# Convert Four Lanes to Two



## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Hi Guys,
I have a four lane layout set up at the house. Each lane is powered by an old Aurora MM 22v transformer and each lane is wired seperately - there are no common wires. All lanes obviously run in the same direction. 

Since I am almost always the only one using the track, having four lanes is pretty useless. So, I thought I would replace one of the 9" straights on each pair of lanes with a single crossover, thereby turning the layout quickly into a two lane track; one lap would actually consist of going around the circuit twice - once on each lane. If I want a four laner again, I just replace the crossover with a straight.

I'm almost positive I can do this without any electrical modifications or rewiring. If I insert a single crossover, I would simply have two power packs and two controllers for each lane and each lane would still be 22v.

Is that correct?

Thanks...Joe


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

Joe... I recently made a 2 lane into a one lane. It worked fine by doing the very thing you describe (inserted a cross-over). I was trying to make a track that was 2ft by no more than 3ft long. A traveling track for solo use. The only thing you may want to be mindful of is the electricals. I just used a wall wart and it was connected to the tomy power track via the ususal orange plug. Good luck with the plan. nd


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

I have also done this before, but that was when I ran both lanes off a single power pack. I have not tried it when each lane had it's own power supply. I want to make sure I'm not going to blow something up if I do this to a pair of lanes that have their own power.

Thanks...Joe


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## TK Solver (Mar 18, 2004)

Seems to me that two of your power packs would be powering everything and the other two would be sitting idle.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

TK Solver said:


> Seems to me that two of your power packs would be powering everything and the other two would be sitting idle.


 Not completely. One of the two wires from the power pack goes from the power pack, through the controller and then to the track. The other goes directly to the other rail.

Therefore, both power packs have one wire connected to the track and one to a controller. When I put in a single crossover, the wires going directly to the track will be connected. Also, both controllers would/could feed power to the track, although one would always be idle.

Joe


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I don't see a problem doing this.. I just would make sure only one transformer is plugged in..


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

slotcarman12078 said:


> I don't see a problem doing this.. I just would make sure only one transformer is plugged in..


 I guess this gets to the heart of the question I'm asking. All four power packs are plugged into a power strip and the individual switches on the packs are ON. When I throw the switch on the power strip, all four come on. The power packs are located on a shelf under the table and I was hoping I could just leave them all ON when I do this. I'm guessing this would be like connecting them in parallel - positive to positive, negative to negative - basically like connecting two power packs to one lane.

Joe


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## mdeland (Apr 22, 2008)

Grandcheapskate said:


> I guess this gets to the heart of the question I'm asking. All four power packs are plugged into a power strip and the individual switches on the packs are ON. When I throw the switch on the power strip, all four come on. The power packs are located on a shelf under the table and I was hoping I could just leave them all ON when I do this. I'm guessing this would be like connecting them in parallel - positive to positive, negative to negative - basically like connecting two power packs to one lane.
> 
> Joe


Ease vs. safety... Turn off the other supplies. You only need to get at it occasionally anyway..
My 2 cents worth


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

For a basic power circuit, I don't think it makes any difference whether the other packs are on or off, as long as their controllers are turned off or better yet, unplugged/unclipped from the layout. 

There might be a complication if there's brake circuitry, but even with common rail-shorting brake controllers, if the other controllers are actually unplugged from the layout, I _think_ you should be okay - but I'd have to draw out the specific circuit to be sure. 

If there's some electronic sub-circuitry hooked into the track power in any way, all bets are off.

-- D


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

*The Extra Mile*

Hey Joe,

Have you ever thought of going the extra mile and taking advantage of your Tyco track's equal slot-spacing? It would take a little bit of custom work, but you're good with track. 

Check out the drawing below.

Since we've quadrupled your lane length, you'd probably need to switch the power feeds for the other lanes to the active controller in order to eliminate voltage drop. I could draw you out the circuit modifications, if you can get me a diagram of your current power circuit(s). Or maybe you could minimize the drop just by hooking the active controller to one of the center lanes.

-- D


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Just "DON"T CROSS THE STREAMS!!!"


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Dslot said:


> Hey Joe,
> 
> Have you ever thought of going the extra mile and taking advantage of your Tyco track's equal slot-spacing? It would take a little bit of custom work, but you're good with track.
> 
> -- D


 Oh sure. I have thought about doing exactly what you describe - using single lane track to merge all four lanes into one. Easily done and I certainly have enough track to do it. I have also diagrammed out how I would turn an 8 laner into a four laner and/or a two laner.

The idea actually comes in handy when I get off my duff and rout a track. I would have a section which could be removed and replaced with a multi crossover, thereby reducing the number of lanes and increasing the lap length.

My wiring is real simple. There is no brake wire and I am using old Aurora hand controllers at the moment. Just two wires. No lap counters/timers or other wires to worry about.

As I said, one wire from the power pack goes directly to the track.

The other goes from the power pack to the controller to the track. If the controller is idle, this wire is essentially disconnected.

I guess this would be the same as directly connecting the positive (or negative) poles of two power packs together and then connecting that to the track, while the other pole of each power pack is seperately connected to a controller, which is then connected to the track.

Connecting positive to positive and negative to negative - is that series or parallel? And does that double the amps or the volts?

Thanks...Joe


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## mdeland (Apr 22, 2008)

pos to pos and neg to neg is parallel and increases current
pos to neg and neg to pos is series and increases voltage


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

*Convertible Power Circuit*

I just _had_ to open my fat yap and say: 
Since we've quadrupled your lane length, you'd probably need to switch the power feeds for the other lanes to the active controller in order to eliminate voltage drop. I could draw you out the circuit modifications,...​============

Joe,
Here is one possible circuit for use with the 4-lane convertible to 4-lap single-lane setup. When the replacement tracks are in place (i.e. you're running as a single lane), the switches are pushed UP, and input from the BLUE controller is sent to all four lanes' terminal tracks. The other controllers are dead.

When the special tracks are removed for normal 4-lane running, push the switches DOWN for independent control of each lane from the proper controllers.

The switches are common single-pole single-throw (SPST) slide switches, available at Radio Shack or anywhere else. There's no advantage to paying extra for the Center-Off feature in this circuit. You could use toggles instead of slide switches, but in that case, UP would be independent control and DOWN would be unified single lane control, since toggles generally make contact on the opposite end of the switch from where the toggle points.

Since you said your track had no common wiring, I'm assuming you are not using the Tyco plug-in terminal track sections (which contain common return-rail feeders), but have your own hookup with a separate terminal for each rail of each lane. I show a typical installation which you can adjust to match your terminal order.

For simplicity, I show the return wires (black) combined into a common return, but it would be easy just to use independent return wires instead.

I haven't done this for a while, and it turned out to be more confusing for my aging brain than I expected :freak:. Perhaps some of the forum members with more comprehensive circuit design experience could take a look and make sure there's no problem that I overlooked.

-- D


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

DSlot,
Thanks for taking the time to make that diagram. And you are correct in that I use my own terminal track (wires soldered underneath the track) - one wire per rail.

Now, I'm going to give this a try....

When a two wire controller is idle, the wire going from the power pack to the controller basically stops at the controller and never passes through to the track. The only way for electricity to flow through the controller is for the wiper to come in physical contact with the resistor. When the controller is idle, the wiper is not touching the resistor.

If that is true, then why do I need the three switches? When the controllers are idle, the wire going from the controller to the switch is dead whether or not the power pack is on. In your diagram, when the switches are up, electricity flowing to the switches from the terminal track will terminate at the switch. If the switches weren't there, the electricity would stop at the controller.

Taking the example of only going from 4 lanes down to 2, when you insert a single crossover, the blue controller will now be attached to two rails; the white controller will also be connected to the same two rails. However, the power packs connected to the white and blue controller will be connected to one rail each and since those rails are now connected, the terminals on those power packs will be connected.

So, is this a problem?

Thanks...Joe


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Grandcheapskate said:


> When a two wire controller is idle, the wire going from the power pack to the controller basically stops at the controller and never passes through to the track . . .


Yes, I agree. Farther up the page I said,"For a basic power circuit, I don't think it makes any difference whether the other packs are on or off, as long as their controllers are turned off [idle, as you would say] . . ."



> If that is true, then why do I need the three switches? When the controllers are idle, the wire going from the controller to the switch is dead whether or not the power pack is on. In your diagram, when the switches are up, electricity flowing to the switches from the terminal track will terminate at the switch. If the switches weren't there, the electricity would stop at the controller.


The switches aren't there to cut out the controllers and packs on the R,Y, & W lanes. Having the controller idle does that already,as you said.

The switches are there to _*connect*_ the Blue controller to the terminal tracks for the R, Y, and W lanes, when they are all functioning as one lane. Remember, the switches are Single-Pole Double Throw - when they are UP, they connect the *top terminal* on the switch to the *side terminal*. DOWN, they connect the *bottom* terminal to the *side* terminal.

Without the switches UP, your one long single lane would get power *only* from the Blue terminal track, and you'd likely get a substantial voltage drop by the time the car reached the (inactive) terminal track on the red lane. If the 4-laner is say, 25-ft track length with 12.5 feet to the most distant point, then the single lane version would be about 100 ft for the whole circuit, and the far point would be a whopping 50 ft (and who knows how many rail joints) away. At that point, the car might well be crawling even at full throttle from the cumulative resistance of the rail and the joints.

The switches convert the R, Y, and W lanes to supplementary feeders for the blue controller, so no point in the layout is more than about 12.5 feet from a power feed, and voltage loss is minimal.

But, when you put the straight tracks back in to run the course as a conventional four-lane, you must put the switches down to reconnect the R, Y & W controllers with their proper lanes, and to cut the Blue controller off from those lanes.



> Taking the example of only going from 4 lanes down to 2, when you insert a single crossover, the blue controller will now be attached to two rails; the white controller will also be connected to the same two rails. However, the power packs connected to the white and blue controller will be connected to one rail each and since those rails are now connected, the terminals on those power packs will be connected.


By installing a single crossover connecting Blue and White, you convert the track to a 3-lane - one long lane and two short ones. To do that you'd switch *only* the first switch to UP. Then you could run time trials with your car on the B+W long lane, while your buddies can use the Red and Yellow short lanes to race against each other - the regular R & Y controllers would work as usual.

You could turn the course into two double-lap lanes (B+W and R+Y) as you originally wanted to, but still retain the 1-lane and 3-lane options with all track feeds active, by using the rather confusing circuit below (I think). Just make sure all switches are set to the number of lanes you want to run. This is just a patchwork modification of the earlier circuit, and there just _has_ to be a more elegant way of doing it if I were designing from scratch, but my head is hurting from this one, and my TM is readying her ritual disemboweling dagger in case I don't start doing something toward Christmas preparations very soon. So I think I'll leave it at this.

Hope it was some help.

-- D


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*WTG Dslot...*

I know of *NO* other board where there are this many people willing and able to help. I will probably never have a 4 lane layout, but if I did start to build one....I know I could come here and ask any question without fear of a bum steer or being made to feel like I'm a noob. 

Has this panned out Joe?? Great idea for times when your running solo. I have a (tiny) back burner project which will have a 2 lanes to one feature. HO To-Go, portable track in a case.

Dslot... like I said... stand up WTG on the ideas. Better heed yer own advice though and make with the holly jolly and ho ho ho's (the xmas variety). The alternative will leave a mark!! :lol:


Dslot said:


> my TM is readying her ritual disemboweling dagger in case I don't start doing something toward Christmas preparations


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

DSlot,
It finally sunk in - at least your first diagram. I have to look at the last one for a while before I figure that one out.

Let's assume the positive side of the power pack goes to the controllers. Basically, if I use the first diagram and turn the four laner into a one laner, the negative terminal from each of the four power packs will still go to the terminal tracks; where they will in effect be connected to each other.

However, only the positive terminal from the blue lane will go to the four terminal tracks. The positive terminal from each of the other three power packs will terminate at the controllers - as long as they are shut off. The switches will allow the blue controller to be "jumped" to four terminal track locations and thereby spread out the power distribution.

And this would increase neither the amps or the volts? I would now have four power packs supplying the negative power and only one power pack supplying the positive power.

I had not considered the problem of having to jumper the track when I increased the lap length. That would make it necessary for me to insert those switches as you indicated. I'll need to look at that second diagram, although I don't think I'll need that particular configuration.

Again, thanks for those diagrams. Now to get to work on this....

Joe


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## Crimnick (May 28, 2006)

tjd241 said:


> I know of *NO* other board where there are this many people willing and able to help. I will probably never have a 4 lane layout, but if I did start to build one....I know I could come here and ask any question without fear of a bum steer or being made to feel like I'm a noob.
> 
> Has this panned out Joe?? Great idea for times when your running solo. I have a (tiny) back burner project which will have a 2 lanes to one feature. HO To-Go, portable track in a case.
> 
> Dslot... like I said... stand up WTG on the ideas. Better heed yer own advice though and make with the holly jolly and ho ho ho's (the xmas variety). The alternative will leave a mark!! :lol:


That's a cool little track...that makes three more I want to build....

I been looking for a coffee table to convert to a hide-a track...:thumbsup:


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## Crimnick (May 28, 2006)

Joe..you could do the 4 to 1 lane with the tyco singles couldnt you?...that looks pretty cool...


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Grandcheapskate said:


> DSlot,
> I would now have four power packs supplying the negative power and only one power pack supplying the positive power... *And this would increase neither the amps or the volts? *


That's right. Neither Amps nor Volts is increased. 

The other packs are connected at the negative terminal, but they are not "supplying" any power. The only power that a car anywhere on the layout gets, is from the Blue pack. Since the others do not have a complete circuit from the positive terminal back to the negative terminal *of the same pack*, the electrons from them do not flow at all. It's like a lightbulb circuit with the switch open - the bulb is connected to the negative terminal, but not to the positive, so it doesn't light. No power is flowing. The effect is the same as if the battery were not there at all.



> I'll need to look at that second diagram, although I don't think I'll need that particular configuration.


 The first circuit will let you run a standard four-lane, or a three lane (one double-lap lane and two singles), or a one-lane (four laps). It will *not* let you run a two-lane configuration (two double-lap lanes). To have all four options, you need the second circuit.

-- D


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Crimnick said:


> Joe..you could do the 4 to 1 lane with the tyco singles couldnt you?...that looks pretty cool...


 Sure. Single lane track would only be needed if you wanted to convert a four laner into a single laner. To convert a four laner into a two laner, all you need is one crossover for lanes 1 and 2, and another for lanes 3 and 4.

DSlot...I am still trying to digest the last diagram. Once my head stops hurting, I'm sure I'll get it. LOL. Thanks for all the help.

Joe


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

I just reread this thread as I got interested in trying this out today.

The basic configuration of my track is four lanes, each with its own independant power pack. Each lane has two power taps and the positive side of the power supply runs through the controller. No brake wire.

I decided to chance putting in a single crossover on lanes 1 and 2 without changing anything else to see what would, or would not, happen. The first thing that didn't happen is burning the house down, so that was a positive.

What I now had was the negative side of power packs 1 and 2 connected directly to their respective rails (as before). Because there is only one crossover, this had the net effect of connecting the negative poles of the two power supplies together.

The positive side of packs 1 and 2 went through the controllers (as before). Because I did not use any switches, both controllers are "alive". I put a car on lane 1 and used the controller for lane 1. The car went around the track using lanes 1 and 2 just fine. I then used the controller for lane 2 and the same result.

Here's what I found interesting. Although I basically doubled my lap length, I did not add any additional taps. Granted, since the negative side goes directly to the track, it effectively does have four tap locations. However, since the positive side goes through the controller and only one controller is used at a time, the positive side is still tapped only in the original two places. Yet, I noticed no dropoff in power.

I've got to play with this a little more, but it was great to use two lanes with a single controller. Next up is using the single lane track to create the 4 to 1 configuration.

Joe


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Just as a side note... This can be done easily with Atlas track. For a 4-lane layout, you need 3 crossover sections and 2 9-inch single lane sections... or you can cut one 9-inch straight into two lanes, which is what I did. Turns out the equal lane spacing and rail-to-rail connectors means that if you put two straight sections side by side, you can use a third to connect to the center two lanes. If that third is a crossover, and you put a single lane on either side of it, and then connect two crossovers at the other end of it, you can get a car to visit all 4 lanes over the course of 4 laps. (Did that make sense? I'd take a pic, but I'm traveling and don't have access to my track...)

Fr reference, I used a similar concept in this thread, but the pics have been moved...

I will try to get a better explanation up if anyone is interested...

--rick


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Ok does this make ANY sense? Or is it exactly what you were talking about doing with Tyco track anyway?

--rick


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

ParkRNDL said:


> Ok does this make ANY sense? Or is it exactly what you were talking about doing with Tyco track anyway?
> 
> --rick


Hi Rick,
I think you need to hang that picture on your refrigerator!

With Tyco track, you can do the same thing although the sequence is longer and you need single lane adapters. For a four laner to 1 lane conversion, here goes...

1) Seperate the four lanes into single lanes using single lane adapters
2) Bring the center two lanes together using a single lane adapter. The outside lanes remain single lane.
3) Use a crossover on the middle two lanes.
4) Seperate the middle two lanes using a single lane adapter. You are back to having four single lanes.
5) Bring the four single lanes back to regular track using single lane adapters.
6) Put a crossover on lanes 1-2 and 3-4.

Joe


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Believe it or not, I understood that. I have had a couple of whatever Doomsday or Battle Slam or whatever set had the adapters to split to single lane... I used them to adapt that intersection (which is supposed to mate to single-lane track IIRC) into a regular 2-lane figure 8. And here I figured the rest of the specialty track in that set was useless... Gotta go digging in the dungeon and see if I saved the rest of it. Now that you explained it that way, I see that it really is doing pretty much the same thing as the Atlas setup, just over a longer distance...

--rick


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

ParkRNDL said:


> Believe it or not, I understood that. I have had a couple of whatever Doomsday or Battle Slam or whatever set had the adapters to split to single lane... I used them to adapt that intersection (which is supposed to mate to single-lane track IIRC) into a regular 2-lane figure 8. And here I figured the rest of the specialty track in that set was useless... Gotta go digging in the dungeon and see if I saved the rest of it. Now that you explained it that way, I see that it really is doing pretty much the same thing as the Atlas setup, just over a longer distance...
> 
> --rick


The Battle Slam set had a great assortment of track. Of all the sets Tyco produced, you really get your money's worth out of the track in that set. I think there are two pairs of single lane adapters, two intersections (one is single lane), a goodly amount of single lane track and special "fence style" guardrail. I bought enough of those sets to keep me in single lane track forever.

Joe


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