I know this issue has been discussed before. My question is this:
On a larger layout, say something in the order of 16x44, would it be feasable / reliable to use this type of feeder bus pattern? Solder every other section of track together at the rail joiners with a sub feeder wires. Leave every other section of track connected with just rail joiners, not soldered and no feeders (for expansion)?
Using this pattern, with 3 ft sections, would yeild a 6 ft ' T ' that is soldered and wired.
Seems to me this would cut the amount of feeder wires needing to be soldered in half, but still maintain reliable connections to all sections of rail? Sure beats doing every section of rail.
RF&PRR
Yes that would be fine for a home layout. If temperature and humidity is stable enough you could even solder the joiners for 9 feet of track and drop feeders from them. Dont forget to do a quarter test for safety sake. Reliable electric flow to the boosters trip circuit is the most important thing.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
In terms of efficiency and effectiveness, the T-method makes abundant sense. You solder two 3' sections together, thereby making them one contiguous length of electrically connected metal, and you feed that length at the same soldered joiner, thus requiring your signal-carrying current to only ever have to travel down 3' of rail.
So yes, you got it!
-Crandell
One additional suggestion. I have something like 270 yds. of HO Flextrack, and 112 turnouts on my (around the 24'x24' room) layout, and six reverse loops, and wyes. If you are going DCC, you, probably, will have reverse loops and wyes. I never solder the joiners on turnouts. It is too difficult to rejoin the turnout to joiners. I use insulated joiners and use jumpers across the tracks and switches on both insulated frog ends of the turnout. The jumper can always be cut, if reverse modules must be installed or to prevent shorts. This eliminates the need to "unballast" completed tracks,( when the tracks must be moved.)
You mentioned a 16'x44' layout. My 24'x24' layout is divided into 4 Power districts, that are isolated from each other by the use of toggle switches connecting the main bus, to each of the four sub-buses. Any one (or all), of the sub-buses can be shut down for maintenaance, (or a short). The feeders are connectd to the sub-buses through "tail-light" short locaters. Bob Hahn