How to wire a #350 transfer table for closer together and/or random track spacing?

No way to do this with what LIONEL supplied.  The LIONEL T-table is not the best.

The table is powered from the inner rails. there are gaps where the contact makes a connection with power, the outer rails complete the circuit with the T-Table wheels.

The Ross-Customs T-table is better setting up closer spurs and transferring longer engines.

Yes Alan, I agree completely!
I’m also not sure how well the 350 will work in a command environment, but for what I paid I figured I’d give it a shot.  Having younger kids drives me to have many of the high play value postwar accessories, even if they’re nowhere near scale.  

  I do have a large & scale indexing turntable waiting in the wings for the inevitability of the kids growing out of playing trains with dad, so like a lot of us say… “on my next layout”  things will be more scale oriented.  

P.S.  I’ll be in touch about the escalators.  Nearly ready to determine their sizing.  

Tom

Tom, here's a link to the answer I gave back in 2016 when someone asked.

Lionel Transfer Table and TMCC

(FYI I use my DCS and to control my #350 table)

Make sure to check the modern #350 reissue manual where it show how Lionel uses an SC1 or SC2 for TMCC control.I used this as the basis to hook mine to the DCS AIU

My decidedly Postwar style layout

As far as spacing, you can have closer spacing by adding new "center" rails, insulated from the base plate, and notched where contact need to be broken.   I have not done this.  Yet

TOM

this is the escalator dimensions i need total height floor to floor  and rise/ run of the steps  also width

David,

Thank you for the link that confirms the original 350 can be run by command, not just the newer one with a circuit board.  I’ve been perusing the same Lionel manual for several days now. This is the photo that makes me think electrically connecting the outer rails to the base plate would be required if I went without the track clips, or by adding more of the track clips to gain closer spacing.  After all, since there’s no automatic indexing, it seems like I can place tracks as close together as my locomotive’s widths would allow.  

Am I correct in thinking that the moving table itself makes contact with the above pictured metal U shaped pins & their retaining clips as it rolls overhead, making the two lights illuminate to display alignment?

In the photo below, is it the wide silver center rail making  contact with the incoming track’s center rail, and the wide black rails on either side of the table’s silver center rail that complete the grounding  circuit as it rolls across the track clips pictured above?

Just trying to fully understand how the incoming track and the t-table interface.

Alan,

Thanks!  Hopefully I’ll know soon & be able to provide a precise measurement.

Tom