Specifics on Bus wiring

I use terminal strips, order them by size for your gauge wires.

Run a return wire for every power wire.

It’s handy to power switches separately.

I'm a fan of the suitcase (insulation displacement) connectors for my post-war layout.  I've used screw-down terminal strips in the past and they can come loose. 

Since my layout is portable and disconnects into modules, my bus wires start and end in common electrical plugs/outlets for connection between modules.  One set of bus wires is three-conductor (the third is for my 022 fixed voltage plugs and uses the ground terminal on the plug/receptacle; this probably doesn't work for modern three-pin transformers and would require a separate connection) and the other set is two-conductor for accessories only.  

Santa Fe 3751 posted:

I am having some difficulty understanding some specifics on bus wiring that I hope can be clarified. 

For reference, I am wiring an 8x12 FasTrack layout with two loops of 072 and 060, one crossover, and a few sidings. Operation will be mainly legacy with DCS also. I am NOT wanting to do star wiring because I have 3 4x8 "modules" that I want to be able to easily disconnect, and star wiring would make that more difficult. All bus and feeders will be 14 AWG and power for track is a Lionel 180w powerhouse.

So, my questions are these:

1. Feeders: not necessarily spacing, (but please feel free to recommend) but precisely how to attach them to the bus wire. I have seen "suitcase connectors" and would prefer not to do that, but again, I know very little, so I am open to that option. I have seen people use euro style terminal blocks to branch the feeders off the bus. Is this a good idea for my type of layout? Will two 14 gauge wires fit in these connectors? What type would you recommend? Picture attached as example. Note the two black wires coming out of the right ground terminal.

2. Termination: Should the ends of the bus wires go back to the transformer or just abruptly end? 

3. Ground bus: I have read here that some use only one wire for all their common connections. Is this a good idea? I was planning on separate ground wires for both the track and the accessory buses. If one wire is a good idea, where should it be attached to ground? The main track transformer, the TIU, or somewhere else?

4. Track powered accessories such as switches, crossings, etc.: I know I have to wire my FasTrack remote switches to a fixed power supply in order to stop the DCS signal degradation, but what about Lionel FasTrack crossings? (6-12052) Do these need to be independently powered?

Thank you for helping a first time "wire-er" out.

 

Not true for switches - you can run them off track power by installing a simple 22uh choke.

See this thread - https://ogrforum.com/...-reliability-upgrade