star wiring on math track

Spell check hijacks my life.

Not math

MTH 

DUMB ELECTRONICS, if you keep this up, I will let your smoke out.

1drummer posted:

Spell check hijacks my life.
Not math, MTH   ...

 if you edit your original post, it will also let you edit the subject.

Saw my older brother use a piece of insulated 14 gauge wire for tubular as an insulator, maybe try that *if* it is hollow rail.

Gargraves, maintain spacing?????  There should be no spacing.  Jamb the track together tight.  For blocks, cut a gap with a Dremel and put something inert in the gap.

Dennis

if I allow a FAT RCH of spacing on the center rail on GG, that should be sufficient, and will avoid needless destruction of track

the MTH realtrax is the 30 inch lengths, so they are solid rail.

at $9 a piece it cuts into the budget to use the 10" insulated straight tracks 40-1029

I was hoping for a "workaround"

hey 1 drummer,

I used 3M professional electric tape wrapped on the center rail contacts of the adjoining tracks to create an isolation point on the RealTrax.

I had to do this on the helix of the layout we are restoring for a museum display to separate the three levels for automated running. The common is the same on all levels.

We also soldered the power feeds to the contacts. This eliminated the lock-ons.

On Real Trax layouts I snip off the tab.  No tape IMO.  The tab bases make for a great soldering base.

I try to maintain a  .017" expansion gap at all rail ends and jump all joints with either a drop or bonding jumper.

Also I solder a bonding jumper between the  outside rails except when a isolated outside rail is needed.

Just my way not the only way.  Use various color wires for sanity.

1drummer posted:

the MTH realtrax is the 30 inch lengths, so they are solid rail.

at $9 a piece it cuts into the budget to use the 10" insulated straight tracks 40-1029

I was hoping for a "workaround"

I wouldn't cut solid rail either. It would be a shame to degrade one of those. I don't like the new hollow rail Real Trax. FYI, the insulated tracks really are 5", not 10". The catalog is wrong.