Since I have the choice now as the layout moves forward, should the grounded foil tape I plan to put down under the track path go between the plywood sub-roadbed and the roadbed or between the roadbed and the track? Or is that whole idea overkill?
Man, so much to learn, so little time left!
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A ground plane is really only necessary where you have the potential for conflicting TMCC signals. This mainly occurs when tracks are stacked or cross over each other, or when ground wires of significantly different lengths are applied to parallel tracks.
Are you having signal problems? Flickering headlights are a symptom.
Not having a problem yet. Just getting ready to lay track and was going to try to head off any conflicting signal problems. From reading here and in the electrical forum I assumed it was a huge problem. I do plan to have a couple yards that will have close parallel track and also some parallel main line.
Had not read about different ground wire lengths being an issue on parallel tracks. Not sure what you mean.
Check out this video from Lionel. I found it very helpful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...x=4&feature=plcp
I know that my layout has signal issues. The helix that I'm building has foil on the bottom of every level.
I just used wire that I connected to a screw every foot along the edge of the plywood so that I had a sig sag pattern between the homosote and the plywood for each of my 4 levels. I then connected those wires together and ran it to the water pipe and I have not had any signal issues since.
You can always run a wire right next to the affected train area and connect that to a pie that goes into the ground. I recently had an issue and did that and used a steel beam that went into the concrete floor with a wire attached to it. Solved any flickering lights on that track. Rest of the layout had no issues-just this one track and have no overhead tracks.
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