how does auto reversing work?

[Lab Rat]

i am curious how does the auto reverser device work how does it know when to switch it is something i would like to know before i try it and break something

 

[Espeefan]

The same way the manual toggle switch on an old style reversing loop does, only faster and automatically. It switches track polarity when it senses a locomotive entering the loop so the loop section's polarity matches the polarity of the track the loco is entering from. This happens fast enough that your command station's circuit protection doesn't trip. You can't really hurt anything. The only problem you'll have is if your loco lashup (or train if all cars pick up power like Walthers passenger cars) is longer than the reversing section.