Under-rail jumper wires on Gargraves track?

No problem at all electrically.

I did individual drops below the table and then wired them together.  That allows me to add insulated rail capability in the future if I decided I wanted it by simply disconnecting the second rail from the lever nut and thus insulating that rail.  If the soldering is directly under the track, it would be more difficult to do that.

Nothing wrong with it, it’s whatever you think is the easiest to execute.

on my clubs most recent layout I simply alternated witch rail got the feeder to the bus and in areas where I was concerned like between two switches I ran both outside rails to the bus or made a jumper. (I remember putting in a jumper and I think it was an area I missed at at the time that was easier 😉)

While @gunrunnerjohn didn't write this, he may have done this as I had done in places around my layout. As I installed the gargraves track and thought it would be a place for a future isolated rail, I used insulator pins to isolate one of the outer rails, then after track was installed, did as John wrote to jumper the isolated rail to grounded rail under the table to allow for easy isolation in the future.

Thanks all!

@MED posted:

While @gunrunnerjohn didn't write this, he may have done this as I had done in places around my layout. As I installed the gargraves track and thought it would be a place for a future isolated rail, I used insulator pins to isolate one of the outer rails, then after track was installed, did as John wrote to jumper the isolated rail to grounded rail under the table to allow for easy isolation in the future.

I didn't install any insulators, I have a Dremel tool.   If I decide to have insulated rail signals, I'll just add a gap were needed.  I am thinking I'll use my ultrasonic sensors for the job anyway.

GunRunnerJohn - do I understand you correctly that you did a drop from each outside rail and connected them together? Did you do this at each power drop connection? Once per block?

Not to answer for John, but I'm guessing he tied the two outside rail drops to a power drop using a 3-wire lever nut like the one below. Eliminates soldering and allows for quick changing if insulated rail capability at that location was ever needed.

Thanks! That is what I figured. I used those levers for all my under-table connections already! They are great and seem to conduct well.

@Richie C.

Where did you find 2-1 lever nut you pictured in your last post?  I can’t seem to find those…

Tom

@Tom Mohr Here you go.

https://www.amazon.com/GKEEMAR...XRmX25leHQ&psc=1

I used three-position and 5-position lever nuts, here's the 5-position.  I got them on Amazon.

Has anyone done tried both these and WAGO lever nuts? I have been using WAGO, but they cost a lot more than any others.

I used several hundred of the ones I pictured, I never had any issues with them.  They had wires from #14 to #24, and they performed equally well on all sizes.  I did buy some WAGO lever nuts when I first started, but then decided that I'd see if the cheap ones would work as well.  So far, I'm 100% satisfied with the ones I used.

Thanks! I will be needing more to finish my work, and will consider them.

BTW - I have been chasing down an electrical fault on one of my blocks for days. Newbie mistake - under the table at the back, I reversed the + and - wire connecting a WAGO. Should have checked that first before going down rabbit holes. Proves you should stop working when you are tired - that's when mistakes are more likely to happen. Though finding the problem and fixing it gives great satisfaction - and the joy of watching a train make it all around that loop!

Lots of things you shouldn't do when you're tired.

I had a short too after I wired my layout including under-rail jumper wires. I had to cut every jumper from the bus wire and then reconnect everyone... one at a time... until I noticed my mistake. Thankfully, it didn't involve the under-rail jumper wires or I would have had to tear up track too! Now, I test the layout after every new section is wired up.

Along the same thinking as @BenLMaggi wrote, I now test every piece of tubular track before installing, after building a 25' loop that had a short in it because one of the insulators of the center rail from metal ties was installed off a bit creating the short.

Yikes! Makes me glad I used DCS star wiring so it was easier to isolate the problem!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I used three-position and 5-position lever nuts, here's the 5-position.  I got them on Amazon.

Amazon offers an assortment of these to try! Of course if you by the above unit covers all the bases!

@Tom weaver posted:

Amazon offers an assortment of these to try! Of course if you by the above unit covers all the bases!

I used the 3-position and 5-position parts, they were a good mix of what I actually needed.

I like this assortment because of the snap-on brackets. i can mount them under the layout with screws, and they are easier to open with one hand. I use the other style for wiring multiple buildings with one feed. They also can be screwed on by holes not in the picture.