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No, I did not mean "Extend" to go the power source.
I just meant to get thru the table to a terminal block near the switch.
I may have to extend some of those wires, in some locations, to make that happen.

If I do, I will make them so that they can be disconnected below the table and pulled thru, in the event that a switch does have to be removed.

Just wondering if you had ever extended the pigtails, and how you chose to do it.

I plan to have disconnect terminal blocks, just below the table, at every switch and at every power drop.

To extend my wires, I just spliced them to equally fine wire and used small diameter heatshrink on the splices.  You can stagger the splices on the wires to make a slimmer bundle.  I didn't bother, I just pulled them through any holes one at a time if it was a tight fit.

I didn't have terminal blocks for the track drops, I used these lever nuts in 3-hole and 5-hole configurations.  Quick, easy, and secure.

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  • mceclip0

I do the same thing John does but I use European terminal strips I cut into groups of three. The end wires on the machine are soldered so they fit into a 22 awg wire ferrule that I crimp into a 20 awg ferrule then screw into the terminal strip. This is more 'involved' than John's method but the thin wire is now beefed up and there is plenty of metal for the screw in the terminal strip to grab onto.
If I need to disconnect the machine I simply unscrew the wires from the terminal strip and pull them up though the hole in the train board.

Below is a sample terminal strip with jumper wires I made. In your case you would cut the strip into 3 positions insert a wire from the machine in the 'top' and the extension wire into the 'bottom'.

European style 002

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  • European style 002
@Joe Fauty posted:

RWL - you just made life 1000 times easier for me. Where do you purchase the bars from?

Joe

I am so glad to finally help out someone else for a  change.

I order my Euro Style Terminal Blocks and Jumper Bars from Mouser Electronics.

These are the parts that I am using:
Terminal Block - Mouser PN:    538-39100-2012
Jumper Bar - Mouser PN:    845-HCL10-12   

One of the smallest twist-nuts is Ideal #71B.  Usually requires pre-twisting/double over, and twist again before installation of the twist nut.  Wire I used was 20 gauge control wire.  DZ1000 on the layout, DZ1008A relay module used for dead-rail powering under the layout, (pictured).

Wiring for Seven (7) Push buttons. Lionel SC-2, connects at least six (6) of the turnouts, to the Cab 1 handheld remote.

Last edited by Mike CT

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