Powering Lionel Fastrack Switches

Run the A terminal to six of the screws on the terminal strip, and a wire from each one of those pairs to the aux power in connection on the switch. Remove the jumper on the switch of course. There are shorting strips available for those terminal strips. They come 8 positions wide and you just drop one into the 8 screws on the top of the strip and then all the pairs are common.

While you are at it, run a wire from the controller yellow wire, the RSC terminals to another terminal strip so you can use the signal from there with STM2 Legacy system control and monitor the position of the switches. If you bring all the wires out, rather you use them or not will make changes in the future much easier.

If searching, another name for "shorting strips" are "terminal jumper strips".  Many styles but this should make it obvious what cjack is talking about.

Thanks! 

Whay about ground? Or does the ground from the track take care of this?

Ground from the track is sufficient as long as you connect the U terminal of your switch source to the U terminal of the track power supply.

I power them from the track, they use so little power that it seemed pointless to go to the extra trouble.  I use a 22uh choke as the jumper to prevent them from affecting the MTH DCS signal.

I started out powering from the track, but I didn't like all the switch stand lights going on and off every time I changed direction when in conventional, so I just used one post of a V transformer for all 17.

Conventional does make more sense for separate power, I'll give you that.

stan2004 posted:

If searching, another name for "shorting strips" are "terminal jumper strips".  Many styles but this should make it obvious what cjack is talking about.

Where can I get these? Nobody in my town carries them. If I even dare ask I get the deer in a headlights look. I would buy at least a dozen. I would have to drive over 30 miles to find someone how has a clue.

If you mean that specific strip in the photo, search for "TB2508" and it's carried widely...eBay, Amazon, etc...about $1 per strip.  If you mean a generic 8-position jumper strip, using your profile zip I see John's Stereo / Radio Shack in your zip has one (albeit not a dozen) in stock which I realize doesn't mean you won't get the deer in headlight look:

https://www.radioshack.com/pro...r?variant=5717449157

Gunrunnerjohn, can you supply a sketch of the 22uh choke used as the jumper to prevent them from affecting the MTH DCS signal. I imagine this replaces the track power jumper under the switch?

Thanks: Joe K

DennyM posted:

stan2004 posted:

If searching, another name for "shorting strips" are "terminal jumper strips".  Many styles but this should make it obvious what cjack is talking about.

Where can I get these? Nobody in my town carries them. If I even dare ask I get the deer in a headlights look. I would buy at least a dozen. I would have to drive over 30 miles to find someone how has a clue.

Do the search for "terminal jumper strips" on the bay. Lots of offers, red and black.

Joe K posted:

Gunrunnerjohn, can you supply a sketch of the 22uh choke used as the jumper to prevent them from affecting the MTH DCS signal. I imagine this replaces the track power jumper under the switch?

Thanks: Joe K

I don't have a sketch handy, but you quite literally take the track power jumper out and replace it with a thru-hole 22uh 500ma (or greater) RF choke. This B78108S1223K 22uh RF Choke is a suitable part.

John, is the choke only for running on track power? I don't notice any problem with auxiliary power, but that certainly doesn't mean there isn't interference that I don't see.

Just for track power, aux power that isn't running through the TIU doesn't need any protection.