Hopefully starting new layout
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Timothy Holmes
HI guys -- im hopefully starting a layout this weekend with a test module -- the layout will be made of 1x2 foot sections (for ease of handling) -- my thoughts are 10 or 12 gauge wire for the power bus, and ideally 20 or 22 gauge risers to the track -- every section to have a riser on it to ensure good connections. -- I'll probably strip back sections of the bus, and solder the risers to it again to ensure good connectivity. What else should I be doing -- I am planning to use NCE system, and I really want to get this right the FIRST time TIM San Luis and Rio Grande Tim San Luis and Rio Grande
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RONALD ST.LAURENT
Hi Tim, I am also a firm believer in soldered connections to the bus. Be sure to stagger your connecting drops to the bus. In other words do not allow your connections the possibility of shorting together. Also I would highly recommend this kind of wire stripper https://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?dir=asc&order=EAScore%2Cf%2CEAFeatured+Weight%2Cf%2CSale+Rank%2Cf&q=wire+stripper This type is available from many suppliers. This stripper actually "pushes" the insulation apart to allow your jumper to be soldered. This is illustrated at minute 1:40 on this video How To Use The Automatic Wire Stripper This will save you a ton of time. Good luck. Ron St.Laurent Lansing Model Railroad Club
On Friday, April 27, 2018 10:30 AM, "Tim Holmes taholmes160@... [WiringForDCC]" wrote: HI guys -- im hopefully starting a layout this weekend with a test module -- the layout will be made of 1x2 foot sections (for ease of handling) -- my thoughts are 10 or 12 gauge wire for the power bus, and ideally 20 or 22 gauge risers to the track -- every section to have a riser on it to ensure good connections. -- I'll probably strip back sections of the bus, and solder the risers to it again to ensure good connectivity. What else should I be doing -- I am planning to use NCE system, and I really want to get this right the FIRST time TIM San Luis and Rio Grande Tim San Luis and Rio Grande
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vincent marino
Tim the only advice I would give you is to stay away from Bachmann EZ track and turnouts. I too just started a new layout this past December and am so disgusted I wasn't warned about the inferior quality of Bachmann track and turnouts. I can attest to the NCE quality products you'll love the way they work. Good luck. Sincerely, Vincent Marino Vincent Marino Affordable Roofing Contractors Project Manager 904-260-7663 office The information contained in this message is proprietary and/or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please: (i) delete the message and all copies; (ii) do not disclose, distribute or use the message in any manner; and (iii) notify the sender immediately.
On Thu, Apr 26, 2018 at 8:59 PM, Tim Holmes taholmes160@... [WiringForDCC] <WiringForDCC@...> wrote:
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Timothy Holmes
dont worry, Im not going anywhere place near anything bachman
On Fri, Apr 27, 2018 at 12:55 PM Affordable Roofing Contractors vmarino2009@... [WiringForDCC] <WiringForDCC@...> wrote:
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Tim San Luis and Rio Grande
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marcdecapri@...
Tim and Vince....
I have been Model Railroading since 1959, as a Six Year Old...Beginning Quitting and then beginning all over again. ===> My first word of advice.... This too will change. Getting it right the first time? Good Luck with that, cause I don't think it's gonna happen. === What I would suggest... Let us know what Locomotives you intend to use...and how long a Train would you like to run on it ? Next.. How much space do you have to work with? === Here's the thing yet I don't mean to discourage you...but the trick is simply to SURVIVE your first layout. Good Luck :)) Mark
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Timothy Holmes
Hi Mark:
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
thanks for the good advice locomotives will be a mix of SD90/Mac43 (probably kato) and FP40s (not sure who) and maybe if I am lucky a few broadway imports Modern Diesels w/ paragon 3 sound -- hopefully everything will be sound decoder equipped Train lenght -- initially it will be " representative trains" probably 5 - 8 cars because the distances between towns etc will be short The layout will be built in a 10x10 bedroom, this will be N scale -- it will be around 3 walls on 2 decks -- 1 ft wide with the exception of the south wall which will be 2 feet wide THis isnt my first layout, but it is my first in N scale Im planning to use NCE equipment, the layout will be signaled and lit using LightIt decoders and I am leaning heavily toward the Walthers DCC switch machines b/c the decoder is in them and they are a lot cheaper than circuitron -- we'll see -- gonna do a test Im leaning towards micro-engineering flex track (code 55 if available -- need to do some research today) and possibly peco switches -- again a research item for today I'll be using the MiniPanel product to handle a lot of the layout automation stuff -- signaling and switch control etc -- THe layout is designed for operation -- initially it will be a one man show, but eventually if i can find another operator or 2 I may set up for multi operator use If the list will allow, I have attached the layout design to this e-mail, if it does not they are in the San Luis and Rio Grande folder in the files area -- I dont have feeder points marked yet, nor detection blocks etc. Thank you for the questions, they make me think through things --- hopefully, sinces its a miserable day outside here today, this will be standards day were a lot of the standards stuff will be defined (type of track, type of switches etc) Im REALLY Hoping for lots of input TIM San Luis and Rio Grande What I would suggest...
Let us know what Locomotives you intend to use...and how long a Train --
Tim San Luis and Rio Grande
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vincent marino
Thanks Mark for your encouragement. It's my first serious layout on a 5x12 table. Going DCC and planning on as many loco as I can fit :), maybe 12. I have several areas to park them i.e. diesel shed, roundhouse. I had the tracks and turnouts running great before I went underneath with the wiring and track weathering. Now the track blocks are fine but the turnout block is an issue. Every turnout seems to have a short. When I remove them one by one off the layout each turnout exhibits a short. I'm beyond frustrated and disappointed. I really don't want to switch to a different manufacturer, I have bachmann ez track, but I may have to if I can't figure it out soon. Thanks for hearing my vent and again for your encouragement.
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vincent marino
I wish there was an automatic soldering gun. Underneath the table is a real challenge for us mature guys :)
On Sat, Apr 28, 2018, 10:12 AM 'Ron St.Laurent' r.stlaurent@... [WiringForDCC] <WiringForDCC@...> wrote:
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george hohon3
Use the correctly sized suitcase connectors and your feeder wires will be connected forever, and without soldering in an upside down position.
LG
On Apr 28, 2018, at 8:04 AM, Affordable Roofing Contractors
vmarino2009@... [WiringForDCC] <WiringForDCC@...> wrote:
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Timothy Holmes
Good morning everyone -- is there a suitcase connector that will go from 10 gauge bus wire to 20 or 22 gauge riser -- im considering using solid core wire from ethernet cables as my risers -- on a related note, im assuming there will be more than one riser in a detection section, so how do I handle that with BD-20 block detectors? do all the wires have to go through the detector? one detector for each riser? Thanks TIM
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Tim San Luis and Rio Grande
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Max Maginness
I a word – no, or at least not reliably. As examples see this 3M 14-22 and this
However the answer to your BD -20 question is addressed by these two sizes – tap a 14 or 16 ga. wire as a sub-buss off one of the main feeder wires, run this sub buss through the BD-20 and connect the all track droppers for one rail of the detected section to it. Droppers for the other rail can go to a sub buss off the other main feeder wire, but of course no BD-20. And don’t forget to insulate the detected rail from the adjacent section rails. If you are going to use a lot, a proper tool is recommended or the “connected forever” may be more hopeful than real. And BTW just how big a layout are you contemplating, 10g main feeders is massive overkill for most cases. Max
From: WiringForDCC@...
Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2018 4:08 AM To: WiringForDCC@... Subject: Re: [WiringForDCC] Hopefully starting new layout
Good morning everyone -- is there a suitcase connector that will go from 10 gauge bus wire to 20 or 22 gauge riser -- im considering using solid core wire from ethernet cables as my risers --
on a related note, im assuming there will be more than one riser in a detection section, so how do I handle that with BD-20 block detectors? do all the wires have to go through the detector? one detector for each riser?
Thanks TIM
On Sat, Apr 28, 2018 at 10:34 PM george hohon3 hohon3@... [WiringForDCC] <WiringForDCC@...> wrote:
-- Tim San Luis and Rio Grande
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Timothy Holmes
Hi Max, the layout will be 1 foot wide around 3 walls of a 10x10 room in 2 layers with a helix and one wall will be 2 feet wide for yards and staging I like your idea for the sub busses in the detected sections -- and I think soldering to the busses is the way to go TIM
On Mon, Apr 30, 2018 at 10:24 AM 'Max Maginness' m.maginness@... [WiringForDCC] <WiringForDCC@...> wrote:
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Tim San Luis and Rio Grande
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Daniel Thomson
Tim,
On April 28, 2018, at 11:05 AM, "Affordable Roofing Contractors vmarino2009@... [WiringForDCC]" <WiringForDCC@...> wrote: I wish there was an automatic soldering gun. Underneath the table is a real challenge for us mature guys :) On Sat, Apr 28, 2018, 10:12 AM 'Ron St.Laurent' r.stlaurent@... [WiringForDCC] <WiringForDCC@...> wrote:
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David Heine
On my layout (27' X 32') is use #12 AWG for the main DCC bus. #14 AWG sub-buses are used to divide the layout into electrical sections. I feed each sub-bus with a disconnect switch, for easier troubleshooting. My sections are towns, yards, mainline sections, etc. I use #22 AWG drops to each piece of rail. If the drop doesn't reach the bus, I usually use a piece of #18 wire to bridge the gap. I don't solder under the layout. I either use terminal blocks, or the Scotch "suitcase" connectors. I use both the 905 and 567 Max mentioned. I have installed hundreds (thousand?) of these with hundreds more to go, so I bought one of the 3M crimps tools when I first started. Layout is Sn3/Sn2/S, so the loads are similar to HO. Rail size is mostly Code 70 and 55, which is why I use #22 drops. Dave Heine Easton, PA
On Mon, Apr 30, 2018 at 8:23 PM, Daniel C Thomson danielc.thomson@... [WiringForDCC] <WiringForDCC@...> wrote:
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