Lionel Tubular track

I solder 14 GA Stranded wire to the underside of the rails on my tubular track. Be sure to get rail good and clean, use a 150+ Watt iron, and don't use the lead free solder.

Rather than solder, you may want to consider using a spade (male) connector pushed into the rail from underneath. This has worked for me for over 40 years! I would be concerned that a solder joint could come loose and would be difficult to find and or repair once track is screwed down to the layout. 

A properly made soldered connection won't come loose, but I'm with Stangtrain:

Not quite forty but it's been working for me for nine years, no problem.

Pete

It's OK to do, but generally not necessary. Do the soldering at the flag connectors:

Southwest Hiawatha posted:

Here's a picture of some right angle spade lugs, also known as flag connectors. You can find them at any good electronics store (i.e. probably NOT Radio Shack) and I've also bought them at a big Ace Hardware. Nothing wrong with Texas Pete's method of bending a regular spade lug, but the flag connector will be completely concealed under the rail. 

Originally Posted by Bob Severin:

Originally Posted by Southwest Hiawatha:

You should have at least two and maybe three power feeds to each loop. Steel doesn't conduct electricity all that well and your power drops off the farther you get from the power feed. If you're not using lockons, there are a couple of options for attaching the wires. I like to solder the feed wires (minimum 16 gauge) to the bottom of the rails. You can also crimp the wires to "flag connectors" (spade lugs with the wire connection at a 90 degree angle) and insert the lugs into the bottom of the rail. I wire the feed with a six-inch pigtail and connect it under the layout with a wire nut. That way if I have to take up the track for any reason I can easily disconnect the wire. 

This is a great idea!  Do you have a picture of the spade 90 degree spade lug?  (or did you bend it yourself?)  Bob Severin

This is where I get the flag disconnects.

bmoran4 posted:

I solder 14 GA Stranded wire to the underside of the rails on my tubular track. Be sure to get rail good and clean, use a 150+ Watt iron, and don't use the lead free solder.

Hello Sir, 

I thought everyone who uses a soldering iron uses lead free solder. What is wrong with the lead free solder?

Allan,

The general electronic hobbyist consensus is that the Lead Free solder just isn't as good as the traditional 60/40 or 63/37 solders that are out there. In the most basic terms, leaded solder provides a more flexible (therefore more durable) solder joint, and melts at lower temperatures making it much easier to work with, and the lead is of minimal environmental/health risks (you're not eating it, right?).

Don't worry about the lead in the solder.  You'd have to breath in lead contaminated dust for quite some time before you would start to loose your mind.  That of course depends on if you have one.  Coming from a mindless soul.....LOL

I have done it for years.  Solder 14ga right to the track.

bmoran4 posted:

Allan,

The general electronic hobbyist consensus is that the Lead Free solder just isn't as good as the traditional 60/40 or 63/37 solders that are out there. In the most basic terms, leaded solder provides a more flexible (therefore more durable) solder joint, and melts at lower temperatures making it much easier to work with, and the lead is of minimal environmental/health risks (you're not eating it, right?).

bmoran4 posted:

Allan,

The general electronic hobbyist consensus is that the Lead Free solder just isn't as good as the traditional 60/40 or 63/37 solders that are out there. In the most basic terms, leaded solder provides a more flexible (therefore more durable) solder joint, and melts at lower temperatures making it much easier to work with, and the lead is of minimal environmental/health risks (you're not eating it, right?).

Right!!! What do you know about flag connectors? Also can I use colored speaker wire and colored telephone line cords? One last question What is the difference between wire gauges numbers? 

Allan, as others have said, leaded solder is just fine for electrical work. Lead free, is specifically for plumbing applications, where it is required by law because it comes in contact with drinking water (think Flint, MI). BTW, this is why discarded electronic assemblies are considered hazardous waste, because of the lead content of the solder used. They are supposed to be properly disposed of. The less soldering you have to do, the better.

I agree with those that use the tab connectors, especially the crimp on type, with zero soldering required. I've been doing it that way for almost 30 years.

With regard to wire gauge, the smaller the number, the larger the wire conductor. For track power, it is probably best to stick with 16 gauge minimum, 14 better, and 12 gauge best particularly for longer run distances. These sizes relate directly to the amount of current that can safely be carried.

"Allan, as others have said, leaded solder is just fine for electrical work. Lead free, is specifically for plumbing applications, where it is required by law because it comes in contact with drinking water (think Flint, MI). BTW, this is why discarded electronic assemblies are considered hazardous waste, because of the lead content of the solder used. They are supposed to be properly disposed of. The less soldering you have to do, the better."

ELLIOT

There are still millions and millions of soldered copper tubing water supplies with 60/40 lead solder in existence.  When I retired from the trades in '04, plumbers were still using it.  True, newer installations require lead free solder.  However in recent years plastic tubing like PEX has become more widely used, eliminating soldering all together.  

I believe it was in the late '80s that there was talk of removing and replacing all the lead soldered copper tubing in homes and commercial structures.  It would have been similar the asbestos abatement program in theory.  Just imagine selling that to the public.  They didn't, of course.  

I'd be willing to guess that other contaminents in the plumbing infrastructure would do more harm as the lead solder most likely oxidized at the point of water contact.  The oxidation creates a skin that probably seals the surface, similar to Cor-Ten steel you see on newer bridges and highway guard rails etc.