Reverse - reversing loops

This subject has 2 parts:

how to mechanically create a reversing loop, and electrical considerations for reversing loops (under track power)

What is a reversing loop?

Normally a single track, that ends in a loop that curves back on itself, and re-connects to the single track, thus a LOOP that REVERSES the direction of travel.

This is also expanded to a section of track that can connect parts of a track-powered layout such that there can be a polarity conflict. A Wye track will always cause a "reverse loop" condition.

Mechanical considerations:

In the case of an actual loop at the end of a track, often this simple situation will want a simple solution for the switch position. Also certain track powered situations can be simplified with a simple solution to control the switch, most often the switch always self-resets to the same position. (This is one of the solutions proffered by LGB for decades)

Below is an extremely simple solution to modify a manual switch into a spring switch. One modification allows setting the switch to a particular direction, and when a train goes through, it remains in the original position. The other way can allow it to change on it's own when the train goes through.

The following video from Scot Lawrence shows this graphically:

Electrical considerations:

Clearly for battery operation, there are no electrical considerations.

For DC track operation, there are several solutions

For DCC operation, it's much simpler