Matt, if you for some unknown reason want to solder drop leads to FasTrack, use good solder and the Weller Universal 140/100 Watt Soldering gun with it's fine tip.  Use the good Brass 080 connectors, and solder the connector's to the FT Electrical Join tab by heating the connector and adding the solder, it works perfectly.  However just the connectors work almost as well, in fact darn near perfectly, and never work off.  So soldering FasTrack drop leads, in reality is a big waste of time and effort.

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Matt, if you for some unknown reason want to solder drop leads to FasTrack, use good solder and the Weller Universal 140/100 Watt Soldering gun with it's fine tip.  Use the good Brass 080 connectors, and solder the connector's to the FT Electrical Join tab by heating the connector and adding the solder, it works perfectly.  However just the connectors work almost as well, in fact darn near perfectly, and never work off.  So soldering FasTrack drop leads, is a big waste of time and effort.

PCRR/Dave

I'll check for them. Would amazon have them?

I think now is the time to re-think the .110 connectors. Solder to these & then slip on. Much neater, easier to change up the track plan when desired.

Matt,

   Rob is correct as usual, if you solder and you want to change your layout, you have a lot more work to accomplish.  

However MCM is the manufacturer of the .080 Brass Female Disconnects, you can find them on the WEB, I just ordered them again myself.  They are so high grade they are to be used even without solder.

Do a search here on the OGR and the ordering info will come up in the thread and you can order them right from it.

PCRR/Dave

Thanks guys. 

ADCX Rob posted:

I think now is the time to re-think the .110 connectors. Solder to these & then slip on. Much neater, easier to change up the track plan when desired.

@trainlover9943, they're simple to install. Search for "Baomain" and ".110" on Amazon.com and you can find them for between 5 and 6 bucks for 100 with free shipping if you're a Prime member. They sell 18-22 gauge and 14-16 gauge, so it'll depend on the size of your feeder wires.

Deuce posted:

ADCX Rob posted:

I think now is the time to re-think the .110 connectors. Solder to these & then slip on. Much neater, easier to change up the track plan when desired.

@trainlover9943, they're simple to install. Search for "Baomain" and ".110" on Amazon.com and you can find them for between 5 and 6 bucks for 100 with free shipping if you're a Prime member. They sell 18-22 gauge and 14-16 gauge, so it'll depend on the size of your feeder wires.

Thanks. My wires are 14 gauge. 

@Deuce These?

Matt do not use THHN #14 stranded you are not powering a machine shop.Go to Depot or Lowes and get #14 zip or speaker wire.Make sure it has a tracer.Tracer always to center rail....MUCH easier to work with. Good luck. Nick

I like to solder mine. I have had issues with the terminals sliding off when I handle the track. The best way I have found, is to tin the stranded end of the wire. I put on a good bit of solder. Then I bend the tab on the bottom of the track just a bit to give me better clearance. Hold the soldering iron on the tab long enough for the tab to get hot. I touch the wire on the tab until the solder melts. Remove the iron and hold the wire until it hardens. 

I've soldered dozens of 14GA stranded connections to my fastrack tabs, far better conductivity then those "itty bitty"slip on connectors.

The only difference is I use a smaller 25w weller iron. It doesn't take much heat to solder to those thin fastrack tabs. Your gun may be overkill.

RickO posted:

I've soldered dozens of 14GA stranded connections to my fastrack tabs, far better conductivity then those "itty bitty"slip on connectors.

The only difference is I use a smaller 25w weller iron. It doesn't take much heat to solder to those thin fastrack tabs. Your gun may be overkill.

I do have a 30W soldering iron that I was using to do the job and it worked better. I ordered the little connectors. I'll see if they work better. 

For a permanent layout, I would strongly recommend soldering the wire to the tabs, no reason to have yet another slip-on connection to develop resistance and create problems.

I knew I should have listened to Nick on this one. I ended up using the THNN Wire, while its been working well I want to use other stuff for the other half of my layout. Would this be better? A very good price in my opinion 

Gentlemen,

  I have owned FasTrack sense it was released by Lionel, in reality there is no need to solder the drops to the FasTrack Tabs, however if it makes you happy go for it.  It can't hurt one bit.  

PCRR/Dave

Would be better to spend all that time trying to acquire the 1st and 2nd generation FasTrack made with the very high quality control however.

Trainlover9943 posted:

I knew I should have listened to Nick on this one. I ended up using the THNN Wire, while its been working well I want to use other stuff for the other half of my layout. Would this be better? A very good price in my opinion 

That's a copper clad aluminum wire that I wouldn't recommend.  You could go to an auto parts store & pick up some primary wire.

balidas posted:

Trainlover9943 posted:

I knew I should have listened to Nick on this one. I ended up using the THNN Wire, while its been working well I want to use other stuff for the other half of my layout. Would this be better? A very good price in my opinion 

That's a copper clad aluminum wire that I wouldn't recommend.  You could go to an auto parts store & pick up some primary wire.

Got ya. 

What about this stuff? Will this work? This is oxygen free copper wire https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d...wg+wire+spool+copper

Use a 30 watt solder pencil and rosin core solder and you should have no trouble soldering directly to the track tabs.

Jim 1939 posted:

Use a 30 watt solder pencil and rosin core solder and you should have no trouble soldering directly to the track tabs.

Thats what I use and it works great, no problems there, just unhappy with my wire selection. 

Trainlover9943 posted:

I knew I should have listened to Nick on this one. I ended up using the THNN Wire, while its been working well I want to use other stuff for the other half of my layout. Would this be better? A very good price in my opinion 

yep - primary wire is more flexible and won't make your hands tired working with it. It's oil and chemical resistant. Just a lower external heat rating for the sheath than THNN. Home Depot has rolls of it, too.

Moonman posted:

Trainlover9943 posted:

I knew I should have listened to Nick on this one. I ended up using the THNN Wire, while its been working well I want to use other stuff for the other half of my layout. Would this be better? A very good price in my opinion 

yep - primary wire is more flexible and won't make your hands tired working with it. It's oil and chemical resistant. Just a lower external heat rating for the sheath than THNN. Home Depot has rolls of it, too.

So this stuff would be ok at 18v track power? In other words just go with this?

Just a little add-on here. I did all the drops for our modular layout(privately owned)not the Glancy one. I found that presoldering the rail tabs and wire ends made things go fast and smooth. very little extra solder was needed when done this way. A good hot pencil created a good flow.

Jim

Jim 1939 posted:

Just a little add-on here. I did all the drops for our modular layout(privately owned)not the Glancy one. I found that presoldering the rail tabs and wire ends made things go fast and smooth. very little extra solder was needed when done this way. A good hot pencil created a good flow.

Jim

I'll give that a try. 

Trainlover9943 posted:

Moonman posted:

Trainlover9943 posted:

I knew I should have listened to Nick on this one. I ended up using the THNN Wire, while its been working well I want to use other stuff for the other half of my layout. Would this be better? A very good price in my opinion 

yep - primary wire is more flexible and won't make your hands tired working with it. It's oil and chemical resistant. Just a lower external heat rating for the sheath than THNN. Home Depot has rolls of it, too.

So this stuff would be ok at 18v track power? In other words just go with this?

@Moonman Just want to make sure this stuff would be alright for 18v track power before I buy it. 

It is copper-clad aluminum. Stay away from that; look for plain copper. 

John H posted:

It is copper-clad aluminum. Stay away from that; look for plain copper. 

Why?

Trainlover9943 posted:

Trainlover9943 posted:

Moonman posted:

Trainlover9943 posted:

I knew I should have listened to Nick on this one. I ended up using the THNN Wire, while its been working well I want to use other stuff for the other half of my layout. Would this be better? A very good price in my opinion 

yep - primary wire is more flexible and won't make your hands tired working with it. It's oil and chemical resistant. Just a lower external heat rating for the sheath than THNN. Home Depot has rolls of it, too.

So this stuff would be ok at 18v track power? In other words just go with this?

@Moonman Just want to make sure this stuff would be alright for 18v track power before I buy it. 

I use this supplier. 14 gauge primary wire

https://ogrforum.com/...h-using-or-stay-awayCheck it out here. 

All,  Realize this post was about soldering to Fastrack, but there were interesting comments about wire.

I'm just trying to learn a little something here - In the original post TRAINLOVER9943 shows a link to the wire that he purchased.  Several of you have stated that this is copper coated aluminum wire.  Based on what I have seen in this link to the wire, how would you know that it is this type, and/or what tells you its solid copper stranded wire?

John H posted:

https://ogrforum.com/...h-using-or-stay-awayCheck it out here. 

wanted trainlover9943 to know why - Thanks.

Most, but not all, copper coated aluminum wire is labeled as "CCA" somewhere in the description.

As to stranded versus solid, you just have to read the description - for instance, in the link above to Del City Electric, the description of that wire reads, "Single conductor copper stranded with a polyvinyl chloride insulation", so you know it's stranded wire.

Bottom line is read the description of the wire very carefully; use a reputable supplier; and if you're not sure, pass until you can confirm exactly what you're buying.

John Mitchell posted:

All,  Realize this post was about soldering to Fastrack, but there were interesting comments about wire.

I'm just trying to learn a little something here - In the original post TRAINLOVER9943 shows a link to the wire that he purchased.  Several of you have stated that this is copper coated aluminum wire.  Based on what I have seen in this link to the wire, how would you know that it is this type, and/or what tells you its solid copper stranded wire?

The product heading and the description make it very clear what type it is.

If you found some wire, looking at the end would identify it as copper solid, copper stranded, copper clad aluminum or aluminum stranded or solid.

The heading states:

50 ft. 14 White Stranded CU THHN Wire

and in the description it states:

Copper (CU) Conductors.

So whats the indicator on this labeling?  Is it the term "CU" or "Copper Conductors" that give it away as copper clad?

Some manufacturers try to hide the true identity of their product with phrases that make the item seem like its something its not.

And going to a reputable dealer is definitely a great way to go.

Just trying to identify some of these phrases so I know I am buying the right item, and learn a little something along the way.

Thanks!

When I taught electricity classes, I always explained that you should make a connection mechanically, then add solder.

For Fastrack, I do this...

Locate the two tabs on the rail to be soldered.   Pry one of the tabs up so it is facing straight upward from the plastic base.  Using pliers put a bend in that tab about halfway up from the plastic base.  Put the wire in the area between the two tabs (one is still flat, the other forms a clamp).  Push down on the folded tab to clamp the wire in place.  Then, solder.

Solid connection, electrically and mechanically!

eddiem posted:

When I taught electricity classes, I always explained that you should make a connection mechanically, then add solder.

For Fastrack, I do this...

Locate the two tabs on the rail to be soldered.   Pry one of the tabs up so it is facing straight upward from the plastic base.  Using pliers put a bend in that tab about halfway up from the plastic base.  Put the wire in the area between the two tabs (one is still flat, the other forms a clamp).  Push down on the folded tab to clamp the wire in place.  Then, solder.

Solid connection, electrically and mechanically!

Thanks. I pretty much have the soldering part down. Now I just need some different wire.