Track Wiring

The drawback is that a voltage drop at the previous lockon due to large current draw there then feeds the rest.

Thank You

I have been trying to rewire my layout using the minimum amount of wire I can.  I tried making a

wire buss system, but I haven't been all that successful.  I asked a guy at a train meet once and he

said he made use of trailer plugs.  I guess I've been overthinking it. I can't seem to get around the

voltage drop either.  As inconvenient as it may be, I'm ready to abandon all and just go back to the

rat's nest method...........ugh!

If it's done right, there will be no rat's nest.

The lockon method is unsightly and inefficient.

If you run a large enough pair of bus wires, and solder on smaller gauge short feeders to various track locations, using either soldered connections or the "male crimp-on connector into the rail slot" method, you will get the best results.

I concur with Arthur. I used 12 ga wire buses and 14 ga feeders. No voltage drop. Some loops have 175 feet of track.

Bob

I use barrier strips around the layout and jumper to the track from there

CP BOB posted:

I concur with Arthur. I used 12 ga wire buses and 14 ga feeders. No voltage drop. Some loops have 175 feet of track.

Bob

Your 12awg buss wire, stranded or solid?  Crimped spade connectors to/from terminal strips or...?  Did you daisy chain the buses around the layout?  Solder to track?  Thx 

Hi Ted,

The buss wire I used is stranded. However, solid could be used. I purchased 500 feet of 12ga romex (solid) years ago in the anticipation of expanding  lol. It was cheap before copper prices increased. The stranded , for me, is easier to use with splice connectors, no soldering.  I solder where I can, eliminates headaches later on.  I like to connect to terminal strips with spade connectors. In the future, I will be using buss bars with the solid wire. I soldered feeders to the track, and where the track was slightly out of reach, I soldered the track together.  Which type of track are you using?

If you plan on using DCS, I would suggest getting Barry's book, and think about star wiring. Some people use buss wiring and have no problems, but if your starting from scratch, definitely something to consider. Lots of good info and people on this forum with tremendous knowledge.  That's where I learned.

Bob

Hi Ted,  Sourdough here.  On one of your last texts you mentioned Barry's Book.  What is that and

where could I obtain a copy of it?  Do you know how much it costs?  Everything I think about with

this wiring business seems to come up short. (no punn intended)

Arthur P. Bloom posted:

If it's done right, there will be no rat's nest.

The lockon method is unsightly and inefficient.

If you run a large enough pair of bus wires, and solder on smaller gauge short feeders to various track locations, using either soldered connections or the "male crimp-on connector into the rail slot" method, you will get the best results.

Wiring is one part of your layout where you don't want to cut corners, or you will be doing it over again.  I used Arthur's method above, using #12 stranded wire and have had excellent results. Trains maintain steady speed all the way around.

theoldsourdough posted:

Hi Ted,  Sourdough here.  On one of your last texts you mentioned Barry's Book.  What is that and

where could I obtain a copy of it?  Do you know how much it costs?  Everything I think about with

this wiring business seems to come up short. (no punn intended)

It was CP BOB who mentioned the book in the post.  Here's the quote:   "If you plan on using DCS, I would suggest getting Barry's book, and think about star wiring. Some people use buss wiring and have no problems, but if your starting from scratch, definitely something to consider. Lots of good info and people on this forum with tremendous knowledge. That's where I learned."  Bob will link you to Barry's book. 

To CP BOB,  Ted said you could direct me to Barry's Book.  I would appreciate that.  Thanks!

theoldsourdough posted:

To CP BOB,  Ted said you could direct me to Barry's Book.  I would appreciate that.  Thanks!

Here's the link for the book.  DCS_Companion   

Ted,

 Thanks for posting the link. I didn't see this till now.

Bob 

Indeed, Thanks to both Bob and Ted.

OSD

If you also want to run conventional, I wouldn't use star wiring, because without toggled blocks you can't get maximum control over conventional locos.

My layout was built 25 years ago, with 70+ blocks, each with a toggle switch on the control panel, and 14-gauge wire.  When DCS came out, in inserted the TIUs into the feeds from transformers to panel, and have been running fine ever since.  To me, the key is heavy enough wire---NLT 14 gauge,