This two-rail application employs the cut rails principle but only requires the cuts to be made in one rail to make it work. A switched feed from the controller should be connected to the automatic stop CD, so it can be overridden if required.

When Mark Bliss decided that he wanted to build an 'N' gauge tramway with automatic tram stops we discussed the possibility of a two-rail automatic stop using the cut rails method. We came to the conclusion that it may work if bogie trams, like the Bachmann Brill and PCC, were used, and that it deserved further investigation.

After building a small test track, Mark discovered that the switch section AB needed to be slightly shorter than the distance between the inner axles, the stop section CD needed to be long enough for the tram to stop and an electrical link was required between the two (See Figure 8 below). This was followed by the construction of a small oval layout with two automatic stops which ran three trams all day at a local Model Railway Exhibition.

We think that this method may also work for 4-wheel trams, however at the time of writing this still needs to be proved. Does anyone out there want to try it and let me know if it works?

It works because the trams have all-wheel pick-ups and a space between the bogies, so tram 1 passes the switch section AB because one bogie is always on powered rail but it stops when it gets to the longer unpowered stop CD. Tram 2 links the live rail to the unpowered rail of the switch section AB which in turn is linked by a wire to the stop section CD making it live, causing tram 1 to move off, the stop is unpowered again when tram 2 arrives so it stops.

In Figure 8 below, the positive rail and wheels are coloured red and negative ones black, and for clarity I have made all of the cuts in, and links to, the positive rail. Alternatively these cuts and links could be made to the negative rail instead and the automatic stop would still work.

You will need to experiment to find the best space between the switch section AB and the stop CD, as the greater the distance between, the longer the time between tram 1 departing and tram 2 arriving at the stop.

I hope this explanation helps if you want to run two-rail wired trams with automatic stops as an addition to your railway. If you have any questions about two-rail automation, please Contact me and I will do my best to answer them.