[rons_railroad]

Hello, All
I need some advice on terminal connections on the track layout plan I'm working on. I would like some input as to where I should put the terminal connections. I have an idea as to where, but the more experienced here will know better than me.

I wish I could upload the pic, but this site does not have an upload pic into message button on the page, so if anyone is interested I can email it to you.

Thanks, Ron

 

[upnick]

QUOTE (rons_railroad @ 21 Jan 2008, 18:53) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hello, All
I need some advice on terminal connections on the track layout plan I'm working on. I would like some input as to where I should put the terminal connections. I have an idea as to where, but the more experienced here will know better than me.

I wish I could upload the pic, but this site does not have an upload pic into message button on the page, so if anyone is interested I can email it to you.

Thanks, Ron

As to where the connections should go obviously without the plan i cannot say but would offer this advice when connecting power to the track,
if you are using peco track then solder the connection directly to the rail, turn the track over and trim the sleeper carrier where you wish to solder ..... then with the rail bare where the wire is to go use a file to remove the plating in preparation for soldering, tin the bare wire and solder to the rail i always bare more wire than i need to so the wire comes away from the track and trim any excess in the centre and file smooth repeat on the other rail and turn over onto layout drill a hole for the wire and pass it through the board.
I seal around the wire with a blob of silicon so to stop any ingress of moisture when ballasting.
Hope this helps any questions PM me

upnick.

 

[Brian]

QUOTE I wish I could upload the pic, but this site does not have an upload pic into message button on the page, so if anyone is interested I can email it to you.
To view pictures you will need to set up an account with a web photo hosting site (They are normally free) such as Photobucket PHOTO HOSTING WEB. Then you select and upload from your PC the photo/s to the hosting companies site and once uploaded you simply copy the photos URL. Then paste the URL into this site using the "Insert Image" icon displayed above when you're entering new text etc.

The normal rule of thumb of wiring a dc layout is to try and feed the electrical track power into a set of points and try to prevent feeds from going back into the point via their frog end rails.

Soldering track feeds is far superior to push in rail power clips etc

 

[rons_railroad]

Hi, Here is the pic

QUOTE (Brian @ 22 Jan 2008, 04:56) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>To view pictures you will need to set up an account with a web photo hosting site (They are normally free) such as Photobucket PHOTO HOSTING WEB. Then you select and upload from your PC the photo/s to the hosting companies site and once uploaded you simply copy the photos URL. Then paste the URL into this site using the "Insert Image" icon displayed above when you're entering new text etc.

The normal rule of thumb of wiring a dc layout is to try and feed the electrical track power into a set of points and try to prevent feeds from going back into the point via their frog end rails.

Soldering track feeds is far superior to push in rail power clips etc

 

[Robert Stokes]

I think that you need a minimum of three connections to each rail. One anywhere on the outer left hand side curve. Another anywhere on the inner left hand side curve. The third is along the siding that nearly touches the inner left hand curve. I'm assuming that you are using isolating points so don't need to put in any rail breaks. More connections would be useful unless you are prepared to rely on track connectors which is probably all right on a small layout.

Good luck with the project. Cheers, Robert.

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (rons_railroad @ 22 Jan 2008, 03:53) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hello, All
I need some advice on terminal connections on the track layout plan I'm working on. I would like some input as to where I should put the terminal connections. I have an idea as to where, but the more experienced here will know better than me.

Thanks, Ron

**Ron, will you be using DC or DCC for this layout?

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

Hello again Ron

Shortcutting the DC or DCC issue...

Whilst its not "hornby" practice to use double rail gaps and extra feeds, it is good for both DC and DCC layouts to have a more thorough approach when it comes to building a more complex or more permanent layout.

I took the liberty of grapping your image and adding what I see as the "basic" gaps and feeds to make a reliable and usable layout. The red lines across the tracks are where a feed should be put to both rails, the blue lines where I would make a double gap (or use an insulated joiner) on both rails.

The image is attached as a PDF file. You can just open it within explorer etc - or for a permanent copy on your computer that you can print at will, right click the mouse and save it to your computer first.

There are more gaps and feeds than you might expect but overall, still only a few for a big improvement in future running and reliability over simply using one or two.

For both DC and DCC, this arrangement will give good reliable running.

If you also put a switch on each of the feeds to turn it on and off, the layout will be able to be "section controlled" for DC and it will also give you the ability to troubleshoot problems - which is hard if there is no way to turn off parts of the layout separately, and very frustrating once you've started the scenery and have to start changing things!!.

If you have a soldering Iron, do follow earlier advice and solder wires to the rails rather than use terminal tracks - its better looking and lower cost anyway!

Regards

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

Thought about it some more... and added one more double gap and one more feed... indicated with arrows on the plan attached here...

Richard