This page started 8/2018, updated 8/26/2018
- Video: youtu.be/1v_yhwUtwco or vimeo.com/283900932
.- There is also a short “Part 2”, a 37-second-long video clip that shows a point-to-point single track, with reverse loops on each end. Using insulated rail sections in the reverse loop at each end, they run 3 locos on the track: vimeo.com/285437286
- There’s a “Part 3”, a 43-second-long video clip uploaded by Paul Boston, that shows the same reverse loops system as Part 2, but shows more of the layout: youtu.be/muMepJjYbds
- The below images are from the video “aco667: Talley Ober’s 3-train, 3-rail Insulated-Rail O-Gauge Automatic Control System Uses No Relays”.
- Note there are LINKS to a few RELATED videos & articles at the BOTTOM of this page.
Note: CLICK ON any of the below images, to open them LARGER.

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=== Joseph Rampolla Drawings ===
(notes added)

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Other Talley Ober/Eagle Line Railroad Videos
- Eagle line Railroad by ‘Daniel Burris’ (Dec 8, 2017) This shows views of Talley’s HUGH permanent layout at home in Ridgely MD (sometimes open for Xmas open houses)
- Talley Ober’s Layout by ‘LionelCollectors’ (Dec 19, 2017) “Get to know Talley Ober, his son, and their train layout.”
- You can search Youtube for “Talley Ober” and “Eagle Line Railroad” to find additional videos.
Related “Insulated Rail” Automatic Control Videos & Articles:
- Video: “Insulated Rail Control of Lionel Handcars” (2:26 min). This is Joseph Rampolla’s video, that has the above 3 images.
- Video: Pine Summit RR: From about 4:40 min. to the 8:15 min. point in the video — the layout owner Rob Mueller, explains how the “1-Wire, No-Relays Block” works for controlling 2 trains on his loop. This link youtu.be/B8BWaO3Y9gA?t=4m35s will start you at 4:35 min point.
- Video: “Automated Start Stop Block Control” (1:23 min) by Steve Eastman. This shows 2 trolleys, being controlled by the insulated-rail method.
- Video: “Auto Stop Trolly Layout” (0:34 min) by Steve Eastman. This shows 3 trolleys being controlled. (Note there’s a red, white, & yellow trolley on that loop).
- Video: “Block Control.wmv”/”Installing and using blocks on 3-rail model train layouts“(6:08 min) by Lionel. They talk about insulating outside rails, and also about insulating the center rail.
* For our AutoControls Video #667, the center rail is “undisturbed”, so we’re interested in this video only up to about 1:41 where he starts talking about insulating the center rail. - Video: Insulated Outside Rail Accessory Activation (9:51 min) by Lionel. View from 0:24 min to 2:47, then from 6:20 to 9:51 (end). You can IGNORE his comments about using an accessory transformer for our purposes, because this would NOT work for controlling a ‘Stop Block’.
- Video: “Make insulated track sections” (4:49 min) by Classic Toy Trains shows how to convert a piece of normal 3-rail track, to a section with an isolated outside rail.
- Video: “Make your own Fastrack activation track section” (5:22 min) by Dave Baran. He shows how to isolate an outside rail on a piece of Fastrack.
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==== Related Articles ====
. - “Blocks” by Lionel Trains, at lionelllc.wordpress.com/projects-and-tips/wiring-your-layout/blocks
- “Running 2 trains on the same track at the same time?” in Classic Toy Trains forum, at cs.trains.com/ctt/f/95/t/193372.aspx
- “running two trains on same track” in O-Gauge Railroading Forum, at ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/running-two-trains-on-same-track
- There is an O Gauge RR Forum thread for this video at: ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/youtube-video-talley-ober-s-insulated-rail-3-train-3-rail-o-gauge-automatic-control-system-uses-no-relays-nor-electronics.
==== Similar Control Systems (but NOT pure “insulated-rail control”) ====
. - Video: “homemade signal fun” (2:26 min). This is another Joseph Rampolla video with 2 handcars. Note he is using 2 reed switches and a relay in this video, and NOT the insulated rail method. Joe’s web page at josephrampolla.com/45cross.html has more info on this system.
* Note, that this reed switch/relay system gives MORE PRECISE control, but is more wiring than the insulated-rail method. - Video: “Marx Block Control Twin Train Sets” (3:48 min) by Steve Eastman. This boxed Marx set has a signal, which probably acts as sort of a relay.
- Video: “Marx Trains Start Stop Trolley at TTOS SP, 2-22-2015” (0:42 min) by Steve Eastman. I think he’s using that same signal seen in the previous video for control.
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