Mixing Wire Gauges?

Well, for track wiring bigger is almost always better, but for short runs you'll probably see no difference between #14 and #16 wire.  For longer runs, I'd use the heavier wire.

Last winter I redid my wiring. I put all 14 gauge to the tracks and from my Z4000's to the TIU's and out from there. I was also able to get enough colors to do all four mainlines. Before that I had a hodgepodge of wires..........Paul

Thanks guys. So it is OK to use both gauges (at least for the short term?)

It's OK to do that.

The ampacity of the circuit will be limited by the size of the smaller wire. The extra copper in the larger wire will be wasted, in this case. 

Great...thanks!

You're getting into a gray area.  20 feet of #16 will drop .8 volts at 10 amps.  OTOH, 20 feet of #14 will drop .5 volts, and 20 feet of #12 will drop .3 volts.  Remember to double those drops for two conductors.

You may also want to consider the color code standard you want to use on the layout. I use one color (red) for the center rail, and another color (black) for the outside rail. Mixing colors can lead to confusion and issues in later years, when you forget where all those wires go.

Joe K

This is good advice.  Personally, I wouldn't use 2 gauges of wire as described, but I'm probably OCD.  I also write down my wiring standards.

George

Labeling & color coding works for me.  The more wires I run  the more I need distinction.  When I did aircraft wiring  it was all white with different part numbers rolled out on each wire.  Real pain.  Our local shop has 12 flavors in 10 to 22  gauges.

Bulk Wire and other wire suppliers have online calculators to determine voltage drops for wire gage, voltage and amperage. I posted the Bulk Wire calculator to My Favorites as a method in figuring voltage losses.