Track Power

The 20 gauge is OK if you just run a short length and connect it to a heavier wire. Having said that I solder directly,I do not use prewired rail joiners.

I solder a jumper wire across every track joint also. I do not relay on rail joiners for conductivity.

Dale H

Same as Dale H.  I solder directly to the rail side. 18 gauge solid wire.

IMO, connecting to the rail joiners is a really bad idea, and it's somewhat disturbing that Atlas sells such a product.  Why add another possible high-resistance joint to the track feed?  I'm in the solder direct to the track rail camp.

Yup, 16AWG tied to a 12AWG bus or the TIU\terminal board.

My experience since the late eighties soldering to flanges for railpower feed has been trouble-free and produced even engine performance.

I used Ingeniero No1's method he detailed in his build thread here.

He used #16 stranded wire to the track. It works great, it's easy, and also very easy to change if you need to move something. He describes the whole process in his build thread about half way down the second page of the thread. I am grateful that he posted all this and that I found it just as I was getting ready to power my track. 

I used OGR wire, #14 to terminal blocks and #16 to the track blocks. I wired for DCS following Barry's book as best as I could. It all works very well. OGR sells very good wire and it also works very well for DCS using the star wiring method.

Great idea on skipping the rail joiners everyone.  I agree soldering directly to the rail will provide optimum current flow.  

Next question.  At what (length) intervals would you all suggest a track power connection?

One consideration is the command system you are using. Legacy and DCS operate differently and have signal characteristics that are affected by the wiring scheme one uses. As a general rule, I err on the side of fewer connections. My connections are based on equal spacing of four on larger loops (3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock) and three on smaller loops rather than a set footage. I still had to make some adjustments, particularly where DCS was concerned, to address some weak signal areas.

That's interesting Len...can you elaborate more?

There are guys here that I am sure can give you a much more technical explanation than I can. That said, here is my experience: Legacy does fine in my environment with simple buss wiring and just a few feeders. My loops are maybe 60-70 feet in total length and just aren't big enough for Legacy to become a problem. With DCS I find wiring gets trickier, especially where I use electrical switches to control power to districts or blocks. One good source of information on the subject is the DCS O Gauge Companion guide published by one of this forum's members. I am sure everyone has their opinions, but I personally found it to be a helpful resource on the ins and outs of making DCS play well in my environment. 

Which control system will you be or will want to use?

Wiring for DCS requires a little more wire and planning than running Legacy\TMCC.

Both will run conventional engines.

You will need feeders at every 10-12 track joints or 12-15ft as Len B has done for either control system. How the feeders are supplied and creating blocks is how they differ.

For drop feed to the rail I use 14 or 18 solid in the spike position as in photo.  Simply bend a 90 degree end and flatten with the smooth area of needle nose pliers.

This particular job called for 14 gauge wire.  I slipped color coded 12 gauge insulation over the bare drops below the deck.

Normally I push twelve inch 18 ga insulted up from below.

10, 12 or 14 buss depending on run length.  Twisted for DCS.

Wire for DCS and be ready for whatever.

Moonman,

I would like to plan on both Legacy and DCS.  Legacy first then DCS down the road.

Currently I'm planning on dividing the layout into 3 blocks with each block having an independent 180w powerhouse feeding a 12 port terminal block which in turn feeds the track in each block section.  When I get to adding DCS, I had planned on the TIU being added between the transformers and terminal blocks.  I had also planned on attaching a common to both outer rails at each power connection (and lashing the common together between the 3 terminal blocks.  

For control signal; I believe the DCS data is injected into track power via the TIU...is that correct?  And the Legacy data travels along the common?  If that is case for both, that should transmit both Legacy and DCS data through the entire track...right?  

Wanderer,

(as in Dion?)

I think you have it. You could really use one brick per loop. You don't need multiple bricks for a single loop.  Signal blocks and power districts are two different approaches to controlling the layout.

Legacy likes both outside rails connected to common. This doesn't hurt DCS.

DCS needs a break in the track somewhere, which prevents the signal from looping back on itself. (An insulation point or non-connected rails) This doesn't hurt Legacy. Even each signal block isolated may perform better being isolated for DCS

The Legacy base wire can be connected to the transformer common and then on the TIU out common when you install it. You can also connect it directly to an outside rail as long as they are jumpered together.

Then repeat that for each additional loop. Isolate the loops and add another brick for that loop.

That will set you up to drop in a TIU.

I am sure there are some nuances. That's why Tom Tee suggested that you wire for DCS. Legacy is not as demanding to get good signal.