fairly new to the hobby, so any help would be appreciated. I'm getting ready to build a layout with menards track. What so best why to attach power to track? i have 2 lionchief engines and lionchief plus 2.0 and several conventional engines. Wife just bought me a legacy engine for Christmas. it will be fairly large layout. probably 36 to 40 feet in length. 4 to 8 feet in width
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Not sure about "best" way, but the options I like are to either (a) run buss wires under the layout from your transformer and then run feeder wires every 8'-10' feet or so up to your track using connectors made for that purpose (suitcase, T-taps, etc.) or (b) run wires from your transformer to a distribution panel like the one below and then run paired wires from it to your track every 8'-10' feet or so.
If you use buss wires they should be 14 gauge copper and you can use 16-18 gauge from the buss to your track. If you go the distribution panel route, use 14 gauge from transformer to panel and then 14-16 gauge out to the track, depending on length.
Use "pure" copper wires, not "CCA" (copper clad aluminum). I like using stranded wire rather than solid.
You can solder the wires to the track. I believe you can also use a lock-on with Menard's track, but somebody else will know for sure.
Solder the wire to the track. If you are going to have a connection you might as well have a good one.
Pretty sure the old CTC lock-on will work but as Bill said, soldering wire to the track will ensure a good connection that lasts.
CTC will work. You may have to wrestle it a little to get it on, but it will go on. Been there, done it.
Steve
thanks guys
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