What is the best location for a TMCC ground plane wire, trackwise?

The best place is over the engine that needs it. So in the case of an elevated track, under the track which is over the engine below, but not encased in any metal rail etc. I would fasten it to the underside of the upper level plywood.

we have a tunnel that engines would stall and head light would flicker.

ran a wire next to the track and to the earth ground and we were good to go.

I ran a ground wire above the area of the problem. It worked fine with the exception of one engine. Since it was an engine problem I tried GRJ's sugestion of fine tuning the adjustment screw on the R2LC board. It solved the problem on that engine with the weak signal.

Rod Miller

One of the professional layout builders turne me on to this, and it works fantastic.  Instead of a ground wire, how about a ground plane?  Using aluminum duct tape, and put it underneath the track, (all elevated track minimally).  The duct tape has and adhesive backing and is the perfect width for the track.  When two pieces are connected together, fold the tape so that the ends are making electrical contact to one another. (shinny side to shinny side.)  Then use a ring terminal and attach a wire to the aluminum tape which is run to your ground location.  Of course this is assuming it is not a major task to lift the track.  (I do this on elevated tracks, and inside tunnels, really works great, done on 4 different layouts.

That's a flat wide wire actually not a "ground plane " but probably just benefits from having the thin profile and ease of placement.I like it. I would want it a little away from the upper track like roof of the tunnel instead of upper track lying on it. But if it works, it works. 

The ground wire is one half of the antenna wire and the outside rails is the other half, if they were to touch or be extremely close loosely touching, the signal is shorted out (for that area and more).

BTW, many think that RF signals benefit from a wide flat surface area like a flat wire because of a function called skin effect. That's where RF tends to travel on the surface of wire which is caused by the inductance of wire carrying an RF current. But actually a flat wire has the RF travel on the outside edges...it's visualized by imagining the flat wire as a slice length wise out of a round wire. I think the large surface area is the cause of the mistake. And the greater RF flux encircling the center area raises the inductance of the center forcing the RF to the outside edges. 

OK...now I'll shut up ��

As I said only a suggestion, obviously don't need to do it.  I know of situations it ended up as the solution, i.e., inside a tunnel, wires were run parallel to the track, chicken wire was incorporated into top curvature, screen mesh applied.  Still lost TMCC signals, this done problem resolved.  WHy?  Don't know.  Just did.  Use your own judgement.   And feel free to ignore my comments, no harm.

No, I like it. Just causes me to think out loud. And check what I think I know.

Having little pieces (inside tunnel, under bridge, etc ...) for the ground plane.  They all have to be connected together, or each run a separate wire to the grounding point, why not just use one continuous wire attached to the grounding rod/wire/etc at one end?  Seems like it would be easier to manage.

No little pieces, make a partial relief cut across the tape to fold for corners etc..  They ALL are connected together as a continuous piece.  WHEN you do need another piece, simply fold the end over so the foil is touching foil.  What ever works best for you is the best solution.

Don(Cerritos) posted:

One of the professional layout builders turne me on to this, and it works fantastic.  Instead of a ground wire, how about a ground plane?  Using aluminum duct tape, and put it underneath the track, (all elevated track minimally).  The duct tape has and adhesive backing and is the perfect width for the track.  When two pieces are connected together, fold the tape so that the ends are making electrical contact to one another. (shinny side to shinny side.)  Then use a ring terminal and attach a wire to the aluminum tape which is run to your ground location.  Of course this is assuming it is not a major task to lift the track.  (I do this on elevated tracks, and inside tunnels, really works great, done on 4 different layouts.

Would this also work on the underside of the plywood for an upper level?  Would aluminum foil work for this application as well?      Thinking of using liquid nails to attach the aluminum foil and o ring attached to an 8 gauge wire run I edge of upper level attached to steal earth ground attached to electrical box.    Any opinions if this works as well as copper as is sure less expensive.    Appreciate all opinions on this approach as I have 120 ft of upper level.    Thx

Greg in Wisconsin.  

Stackm746 posted:

Don(Cerritos) posted:

One of the professional layout builders turne me on to this, and it works fantastic.  Instead of a ground wire, how about a ground plane?  Using aluminum duct tape, and put it underneath the track, (all elevated track minimally).  The duct tape has and adhesive backing and is the perfect width for the track.  When two pieces are connected together, fold the tape so that the ends are making electrical contact to one another. (shinny side to shinny side.)  Then use a ring terminal and attach a wire to the aluminum tape which is run to your ground location.  Of course this is assuming it is not a major task to lift the track.  (I do this on elevated tracks, and inside tunnels, really works great, done on 4 different layouts.

Would this also work on the underside of the plywood for an upper level?  Would aluminum foil work for this application as well?      Thinking of using liquid nails to attach the aluminum foil and o ring attached to an 8 gauge wire run I edge of upper level attached to steal earth ground attached to electrical box.    Any opinions if this works as well as copper as is sure less expensive.    Appreciate all opinions on this approach as I have 120 ft of upper level.    Thx

 

Greg in Wisconsin.  

I experimented using aluminum foil taped to the underside of the plywood for an upper level where I was having a problem, and it worked.

I use wire between the homosote and the plywood and zig-zag the wire from edge to edge (three up and downs for a 3 by 6 foot section of plywood. On elevated track I just place it under the track.

Going to fasten ours to the underside of the roadbed with hot glue, easiest access to do it.

Now ... what type of wire is best:  bare solid copper, coated solid copper, coated stranded copper wire? Those are what I have on hand or can get easily. I have one large roll of black coated stranded 18 ga I was hoping would be good.  Passing on the foil under the track method.

Excellent.

Kerrigan posted:

Going to fasten ours to the underside of the roadbed with hot glue, easiest access to do it.

Now ... what type of wire is best:  bare solid copper, coated solid copper, coated stranded copper wire? Those are what I have on hand or can get easily. I have one large roll of black coated stranded 18 ga I was hoping would be good.  Passing on the foil under the track method.

we just used 22 gauge coated stranded copper wire.