Over The Top......Wiring!

There are any number of places to buy vintage style cloth covered wire on the internet.  Check out Vintage Wire, Color Cord or http://www.sundialwire.com/

 

I remember reading an article about running wiring on the top of the layout, and the various ways to disguise it... fences, hedges, roads, etc.  Another option if you are ambitious... run wire on telegraph poles... make sure it's all low voltage though, no 120!  But, keep in mind this is coming from a guy that doesn't have wiring on his layout, so take those suggestions for what they are worth.

For access to under table wiring, have you considered a 40" or more layout height and accessing the under side with a mechanic's stool on casters or something similar? Without that I would not have anything under my layout. I have a few failing parts (knees, hip & back) and that is the only way I have been able to access mine.

Anyone who builds a floor layout does "over the top wiring".  To me the trick in making it look good is to "dress the wire".  That is, do not run it all helter skelter, but group major groups of wire together into bundles such as the wires leaving a transformer or control panel.  Short pieces of wire or wire ties are used to hold the bundles together.  Terminations and junctions are made with terminal strips.  If bundles of wire need to change directions, "square off" the turn to make it look good.  Parallel train tracks with long runs.  Just a few techniques to keep the wiring neat help to hide it in plain sight.  You can even emphasize the wiring with fancy terminal strips, lights and controls. A few runs may consequently be longer, but worth it.

 

Here is a picture of what I mean in part.

 

 

 

Bill

I'm glad you started this topic.  I've had the same idea fora few years after I found the Sundial website.  I'd forgotten their name for some reason (we know the reason) ;-).  Thanks to both Dennis and James.

Bill,

 

Great suggestions, and the pics are very helpful. I've used the terminal strips and ties below the layout, but hadn't really considered them for above the layout.  Looks great!

Why not wire a few blocks, hide them in some buildings then you can easily add or remove things

rtr12,

 

Those are actually helpful suggestions for my O Gauge layout.  I bought a mechanics creeper, but that still entails a lot of kneeling which I prefer not to do anymore after seeing the knee problems caused to a pediatric physical therapist who frequently knelt to work with her patients.  I had totally forgotten about the chair idea.

Thanks Jim!

I like that idea a lot!  Thanks.

Beware old  fabric covered wire.  It's called "Rat Wire" in the trade. 

Rodents use it for nesting. Occasionally found with the covering chewed off.

 

Wire is available in 12 +/- colors depending on your source.  That helps a lot with trouble shooting.

I can see where a creeper would still be tough, not sure I could even use one? Then you have to reach up which can be very tiring too. The stool works really well if you have the 40"+ height on your layout. Harbor Freight has 2 different ones, round and rectangle. The rectangular one is slightly lower. I have both and use each of them for different things. I think they were about $20 each when I got them. Hope it works for you if you try it out.

 

I was in a different line of work, but spent 37 years kneeling, lifting and climbing and it definitely takes a toll on some of your moving parts. Crawling under a layout is out of the question for me without the rolling stool.

I bought a bunch of original style prewar accessory wire a while back, really makes the layout look authentic. It was a bit pricey though as far as 18 gauge wire goes.

Tom,

The modern cloth covered wire is cloth over 18awg with a modern plastic sheath. 

Dennis,

Take a look at Dr. Folb's floor layout in this post. The wires "over the top" are very pre-war looking. I say go for it.

 

I used Vintage wire for cloth covered wire and Sundial for repro plugs.

To help keep things neat you could also use a router and cut wiring troughs into the tap table top.  This would allow for over the top wiring, help keep things in groups, and still have the top of the table basically flush.  I have never tried this but I have always thought it would be a neat way to go. 

 

As with any wiring job, the way to make it look impressive is to make it neat and tidy.

Carl,

 

That looks very much like a vintage layout.  Thanks for posting the picture.

Tom Tee,

 

Good advice. Love the wiring!

 

rtr 12,

 

Pretty cool, but sorry to hear you are having so much trouble.  Do you have to duck at 40" while on the seat?

 

Brian,

 

Good planning!  Was the wire a reproduction, or original pre-war wire?

 

jhz 563,

 

Great idea!  Would the router work in plywood, or do you need a more solid type of wood?

Routers work fine in plywood, although you do get more splintering along the edges.  The biggest issue is making small cuts and using a guide.  If you completely free form your work without a guide for the router you may end up with disastrous results. 

 A little thing I like to do to dress things up at the wire ends, is to wrap the wire around a pencil or screwdriver, to form a curly spring shape on a few inches of the wire near the terminal connections. It allows you to keep more excess there, and not have to "stuff it" behind or under things.(remove the screwdriver or you'll have an electromagnet. Pull and stretch the "spring" a bit or you have made a coil)

 

Cord trip protectors could be covered to resemble dirt mounds.

 

Thanks, just the side effects of my chosen profession and getting old while doing it. I am a bit better now that I am retired.

 

I have to duck a little, but it's very workable, and not uncomfortable. A few times through with your head up and a few lumps later you start remembering to duck a little at the cross pieces. The old school of hard knocks.  

 

A couple inches higher would have been better though. I have Mianne bench work and the cross pieces are about 3-1/2"-4" and it probably should be about 38"-40" to the bottom of the cross pieces. That would make the top probably about 42"-44" and I think that would give you very good clearance. I am about 5'-9" tall, if you are much taller, you might want to add a little more in height.

Just as a note, I lowered my layout because I got a complaint about not being able to see it from the couch or chairs. 35.75" top now. 31"ish on the lower frame parts.

 I sit on a 5" stool that used to be a little too low. Or lay on a soft ottoman.

The end product of routing out slots in plywood will vary along the lines of the quality of the plywood, thickness, depth of cut,  sharpness of bit, width of bit, etc...

 

I use routers a lot in layout work.  Recently  I had to run wiring under the decking over 1"X4" supports laying down of a staging area which has a hinged top. 

 

I routed out 1/4" X 1/4"X5" long slots in the bottom of the hinged lids to channel the wires.  The wire is positioned by clamping at each end and duct taped over.

 

Similar experience could be had on top of the decking. 

 

 

 

 

 

Adriatic,

 

The pencil works great with the wire.  Somehow, I learned to do that when I had my original layout, and it works great, particularly if you need to move a wire or lengthen it a bit.  For example, I just changed transformers and didn't have to do any rewiring from 15 years ago, even though the transformer had a different footprint.

 

Are the cord trip protectors the type you see at train shows that are on the floor?

Tommy Tee,

 

Great photos of excellent work.  Thanks for posting.  Your wiring looks great!

Yes, the ones you see at train shows. They can be found in tan, brown, black etc. and in different sized "lumps", though I havnt seen the little ones in a few years.

 

I learned the wire trick detailing engine compartments on old VW's. An old motor had one curled going to the electric choke so I copied it from that day on for visible wires.

Here's my on the top accessory wiring. Plug-in off the feeder lines. Have used it for my Xmas layout for 30+ years.

 

Ron M

Ron M.,

 

What a gorgeous display in a beautiful setting.  The layout is really well executed, and would make a beautiful Christmas card.  The wiring even adds to the charm. Thanks for posting!

Ron,

   Dennis is absolutely correct, your layout picture is your next family Christmas Card!

Wiring and all!

PCRR/Dave

1.  In the photo above, what is the actual name of the plastic piece that Tom ran the wires through.  I would like to find them in different sizes online.  

 

2.  Also, anyone know a good source or sources for these (The plastic loop for wiring, with the screw hole)?

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

Dennis,

these wire clips come in many sizes and configurations.

Here are some simple ones, you can search to find others.

 

david

 

 

 

 

Thanks David.  A perfect answer, and a big help!  I used the link to place my order already.

 

Thanks again!