Would like to thank everyone on the forum who has helped me so far getting my new layout started. Three main lines and two sidings are now complete with separate buss power lines, drops ever 3-4 track sections, jumpers between fasttrack sections, external fast-acting circuit breakers and TVS diodes (less than 8 per line but none in engines yet) powered by a ZW-L.
Moving on to accessory wiring and would appreciate feedback on my plan. Attached is a layout diagram. Structures with no fill do not have lights. Structures with light grey fill are generic structures like houses and buildings with two to three incandescent bulbs (mostly lionel structures). Structures with dark grey fill are operating buildings such as Diner, Gas Station, Car wash, Burning watch tower, operating control towers, MTH transfer platform, saw mill, barrel loader, coal tower, operating station platforms etc... that operate around 14 volts). Structures with blue fill are grouped for the four grade crossings. They include some of the following depending on location: infrared sensor, crossing gates, separate or included crossing lights, gateman in two locations, signals in some locations. Form forum advice I plan to use the infrared detectors to operate AC relays to signal the gates, gateman, lights and signals. Most of the gates are selinoid types. Two are the more modern versions. I have the switch for one of the operating station platforms and plan to use an infrared device for the second one. Came without a switch and replacement switches cost more than the station (have seen the treads about using relays to get more realistic action. Plan that for the future).
The two sidings can have variable voltage from a ZW-L channel so I don't think I have to wire the accessory tracks separately. There is one accessory track on the outer loop that will require separate power as the main lines are legacy powered at 18 volts.
I have a ZW available for accessory power as well as two Z-1000 bricks. Also have a few CW-80s and older two handle lionel transformers if needed. Plan on making a similar external circuit breaker and TVS module similar to the one I made for the track power to run the power through.
So with all that background, this is what I need feedback on:
1) One accessory channel for the switches (already wired)
2) One accessory channel for the operating structures
3) One accessory channel for the street lights
4) One accessory channel for the structure lights including the lights in the operating structures
5) One accessory channel for the light towers around the perimeter of the layout
6) One accessory channel for the cars on the roads and parking lots that have lights.
This would allow the suggested grouping by voltage but requires a lot of wiring. The alternative is grouping by table (5 tables and the switches). Would be limited to 14 volts for everything I guess in this strategy.
Questions:
1) Can I share common ground busses between groups. I have a preference for running hot and ground pairs for troubleshooting I guess.
2) 16 gauge bus with 18 gauge drops (dual wire drops).
3) Given the loads from the accessory inventory would 10 amp circuit breakers be appropriate. lot of lights adding up.
4) What model lionel coal loading stations work with fasttrack. There are so many models out there. 6-14107 seems most available.
5) burning watch tower was working fine but now the action figures seem to have stopped working. Not sure what happened. Opened up the plug and play switch and the tower. Voltage to the switch is odd. Seems like 7 volts to the operating figure from the switch even without depressing all the way. Doesn't appear to be an power going to the motor for operating figures. But a little too complicated for me to troubleshoot.
Thanks in advance for your kind consideration of this request. I know it is a lot to ask. But train people are special. Wish the world had more of them.
H
