Running feeders to bus on FasTrack

I just ran a bus using a LionChief starter set for my grandson. The Santa FE. It had a curved terminal track. So, I went to the next piece piece with two pair of terminal posts as it did not. Pulled a pair of wires about 6 or 7 pieces and connected to another set of terminals. On the same piece track, I used the second pair of terminals and went another 6 or 7 pieces. I ran the wires under the track down the center in the rectangular notches.

I used wire cutters to nip and pliers to snap out a rectangle in some 5" that didn't have the notches.

I used 16awg with .110 quick disconnect uninsulated terminals.

It was a quickie job and I thought it's the same as pulling wires underneath and drilling holes. Besides, his table is only 24" high.

It worked. Smooth slow speed at the first notch with the 2A wall wart all the way around a 4 x 8 oval.

So, one connection to the terminal track and the bus under the track.

Yes, definitely attach "like to like". Center to center and outside to outside rails.

This is first I've tried this due to the application. used a little shipping tape to secure the wire to the bottom of the sections. I kept them together and then connected 6 piece sections to one another and threw in a few screws here and there.

You have a perfect need for "suitcase" insulation displacement connectors.

I run 2 buses of 14g stranded wire from my transformer (2 wires - one hot (red) and one ground (black) under the length of the track.

I then use the suitcase connectors that Rob mentioned, to branch off with short lengths (jumpers) of 18g stranded wire from the buses and attach them to the underside of the fastrack tabs with spade connectors. I do this every few sections of track.

Graz,

Thanks for the info. Helpful description. So you run 2(hot/gnd) long 14 ga stranded wires from the accessory posts on your transformer under the FasTrack and every so often, you run 2 short 18 ga feeders and use the suitcase connectors to connect feeders to 2 bus(1 gnd/1 hot). You do that by laying,1 feeder wire, let's say hot, next to or on top of  the hot bus wire and folding suitcase connector over that pair, to splice them. Then you repeat that process for the gnd bus and gnd feeder. Leaving 1 end of each  feeder to connect to outer and mid rail(via spade) on underside of FasTrack . So for each time the 2 feeder wires went from the 2 bus wires to underside of FasTrack, I would utilize 2 suitcase connectors(1 to splice hot feeder to hot bus and 1 to connect gnd feeder to gnd bus). I appreciate your guidance.  I'm trying to visualize in my mind the descriptions and instructions folks are giving.Tried to see your layout, but the click took me to a Comcast page.

Many thanks,

O.C.

Rob,

I notice some of the folks in the thread you sent me say not to mismatch  wire size with the suitcase connector. If I attach 16 ga bus to 18 ga feeder in same suitcase connector is that a problem ?  In other words, the suitcase will splice 2 different ga.  size wires in the same suitcase ?

Thanks Rob

That's fine, each side of the connector is dedicated to just one of the wires and will work as long as it goes through the insulation.

Rob,

I had thought that I posted this as a reply earlier to graz. Don't see it yet. I 'll send it your way.  Am I getting it right with my thinking :  So you run 2(hot/gnd) long 14 ga stranded wires from the accessory posts on your transformer under the FasTrack and every so often, you run 2 short 18 ga feeders and use the suitcase connectors to connect feeders to 2 bus(1 gnd/1 hot). You do that by laying,1 feeder wire, let's say hot, next to or on top of  the hot bus wire and folding suitcase connector over that pair, to splice them. Then you repeat that process for the gnd bus and gnd feeder. Leaving 1 end of each  feeder to connect to outer and mid rail(via spade) on underside of FasTrack . So for each time the 2 feeder wires went from the 2 bus wires to underside of FasTrack, I would utilize 2 suitcase connectors(1 to splice hot feeder to hot bus and 1 to connect gnd feeder to gnd bus). I appreciate your guidance.  I'm trying to visualize in my mind the descriptions and instructions folks are giving.

Suitcase connector's come in different sizes for different wire sizes and there are a couple different types.  Make sure you get the type that is open on both ends.  They make one that only connects to the end of one wire.  You can use one of these to run several wires.  One from the transformer and three tracks.  Available from Home Depot.

Here is a picture from MicroMark demonstrating hooking a stub feeder(purple) to a through bus(red) with a suitcase connector:

I think you're getting there.  One bus for hot/center rail(red, maybe), & one for common return/outside rails(black, maybe).

No, from the A & U Posts. variable voltage.

You have it, OC. 

Hello OC,

I am brand new to the forum and purchased a LionChief PA Flyer.  I too am expanding my layout with additional track and plan to add switches and accessories in the future.  I only have the 36 Watt DC power pack that came with the set.  I have been looking at purchasing the 180 Watt Powerhouse at a later date and going to AC power.  You note that you have expanded with switches on your layout and I take it that you powered them with track power.  Is this true?  Do the switches run off of DC power.  All the literature that I have looked at point to requiring AC power only. 

I have been following posts on this forum and have certainly learned a lot over the last month.  Things have changed a lot since I ran my o-gauge Lionel around the Christmas tree when I was a kid.  Wish I still had that set, but it's been 40 years.

mstak,

Welcome to a great forum. I was looking to economy with my switches so I got a manual. However for my expansion  I am getting the remote switches. Lionel says they will run off track or auxiliary power. I do no have a remote, so this info is what I have gleaned from this forum and Lionel blogs.To answer your question, I believe a more "robust" performance comes from AC, some have noted sluggish performance from track power. Not to say they won't work on DC. This from Lionel:

Preparing Switches for Constant Voltage

Like your other accessories, Lionel switches (and other brands as well) will operate much more reliably when taken off of track power and fed with a constant voltage accessory supply. We recommend 14 Volts AC for switches as well as your other accessories.

Running on fixed 14 Volts ensures that:

• Your switches will operate at the same speed every time, regardless of how fast your train is moving.
• Switches will have plenty of power to throw without excessive force on the points.
• Light bulbs in switchstands will glow longer and cooler – preventing the plastic lanterns from melting.

If your transformers are in phase, then all you need to do is connect the AC Hot wire from the switch machine to your accessory power supply and you can continue to use the connection to the rails for the ground. For most Lionel switches, this is an easy process.

FasTrack

Remove the jumper and attach your new wire where the red wire is seen here.

To convert a FasTrack switch (any size) to constant voltage, all you need is a small screwdriver and a length of wire.

1. On the underside of the switch, you will see a set of screw terminals. Two of these are labeled “AUX IN” and “TRACK JUMPER.” They are connected by a small metal bus.
2. Using a small screwdriver, simply remove the bus between those contacts.
3. Connect a new wire from the “AUX IN” terminal to your AC Hot connection or bus wire from your fixed 14V power supply. The wire can be tucked into the channel along with the others.

That’s it!

____________________________________________________________

 For your prospective 180, Lionel has this to say in a  news release:

This means more power for your growing empire. Lighted cars, operating accessories, powered switches, even multiple locomotive lash ups will operate more reliably with this additional power. Of course, you can still optimize your power by following the many tips found on our Wiring Your Layout pages. And you can use this new GW-180 alongside your existing or additional power supplies as your layout continues to grow.

The GW-180 offers variable AC voltage for track power up to 18 Volts and additional terminals for AC voltage for your accessories. This can be set to any level (we recommend 14 Volts) just as with the CW-80.

Glad you're back in the hobby.

O.C.

Gentlemen,

   I have 5 pair of FT CC switches on my 2 level layout right now, and all run from my Cab2 perfectly, with track power, just how many FT CC switches are you running to need them powered independently?  I am curious to know how many of these low voltage FT CC switches can be run before independent powering is required.

PCRR/Dave

There are several colors of suitcase connectors.  With buss drops you have, among others,  pink and red.  The colors are close but have different sized slots.  One is for small drop wire to small drop wire.  The other is for small drop to large buss. 

Stay out of trouble with switch operation and always use a separate  power source to operate the switch machines.

Some day you may wish to run DCS.  Consider star wiring now.  The effort is about the same and there are no drop/bus connections.   All runs can be twisted pairs of 14 0r 16  gauge from an MTH or Micro terminal board for an average layout

I was under the impression that if you were running conventional it was recommended to switch to aux power for the switches since they operate better at higher power.  I originally ran the seven with track power while I was testing the layout.  I changed my FasTrack switches to Aux power because I had a Z1000 that I was not using.  I started with seven and recently expanded the yard area with seven more.  I'm running DCS and I ran drops from the FasTrack to terminal blocks and connected the terminal blocks together till I reached the transformer.  My wires are not twisted I connected about 15 wire drops to each terminal block and ran one wire to the next block.  I get 10's all the way around my one scale mile of track.  All of my wire is 14 gauge stranded with crimp on terminals and crimp on butt connectors.

Is this what you mean when you say terminal block?:

Are all your drops/star feeds to your terminals in pairs?

Where would you use butt connectors?

What does connecting your various terminal blocks look like? Sketch and scan?

15 blocks?  How long are your blocks?

IME, DCS can be a tad forgiving.

Tom,

Yep that's terminal block. I would run 2 wires- 1 from hot and 1 from gnd(from track binding posts) coming off CW 80 to red and black binding posts on terminal block. Then from the tandem screw posts on terminal block, 1 hot feeder wire and 1 gnd feeder wire to the outer and mid rail tab slots on underside of FasTrack. Repeat this a few times, depending on layout, going to next set of tandem screw posts on terminal block for each power drop to track.

Thanks OC, I did read the Lionel literature on wiring the switch for aux power.  I still am curious if you can run the switch with DC power.  

Lot of good info on this forum about wiring a layout. Lionel has also provided some good tutorial videos about setting up bus wiring for a layout.