need some help wiring my N scale layout

[trainboyH16-44]

Brought this over from the MR forum, in the hopes that I might have some better luck.

As some of you may remember, I am building a 2'8" x 6'10" N scale layout, and I have realised I don't know what to do for the track power. It is on a peice of 1/2" ply, with the track on cork roadbed, and only a short section elevated. the total overhaed claerance from tabletop to the coffee table overhead is 5".
Thanks,
Matthew

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainboyH16-44

Brought this over from the MR forum, in the hopes that I might have some better luck.
I have realised I don't know what to do for the track power.

Well, ummm, I am not certain I understand what the question is. You mention wiring and track power but all the information given is about heights & how the track is mounted. Is the issue how to get power into a coffee table layout? Are the controls going to be in the coffee table or detached? Is the coffee table going to be able to be situated over a horizontal mounted electrical outlet. Are you going to use batteries?

My first thought would be a hollow leg.

[cwclark]

track wiring is a HUGE subject..one thing to keep in mind when you wire a layout is ..it's like a circle in which each electical component has to complete a circuit across a load of some kind ..in other words...the power must travel from the power pack..to a load,.. i.e. a motor, a lightbulb, an electronic circuit or resistor and back to the power pack....are you going with DCC or DC?...are you running two or more trains?...are you putting in standard block wiring?..or are you going with common rail wiring?..do you have reversing loops or a wye?...do you plan on including train detection circuits, or trackside accessories someday?...my advice to you is to get over to www.kalmbach.com and order the book "Easy Wiring for Model Railroads" by Andy S. ..his book will give you all the information needed to wire your layout...there are so many variations in wiring that i could write a book on it and can't do that in this forum ...I can send you some basic circuits if you give me your e-mail address that i've drawn in microsoft word that i can send to you in an attachment, but you're also going to need a book on wiring....another good book ..it's an old one, but a good one if you are strictly going DC is "How to Wire your Model Railroad" by Linn Westcott ..it's out of print but you may find it on e-bay or at a model train show someday...chuck

[trainboyH16-44]

I am just trying to figure out how to get power from the single power pack to the tracks.
I am not able to put the wires under the tabletop, and that is where the problem arises. Do you think it could be feasible to run the feeders in the cork roadbed?
Matthew

[cwclark]

how about this...put in some sort of a building, solder wires to the track and cover them with a walkway plank or a plaster road from the rails to the building..run the wires through the building and out the other side and off the layout to your power pack...I don't think you can run feeder wires through cork roadbed without creating a real mess ...your layout is small enough that you can connect the wires to one place in the rails without a bunch of feeder wires..if your layout was say 70' by 30' with lots of track then it would be a problem but with the size of your layout it should not be a problem as long as all your track joints are soldered and making good continuity...chuck

[trainfreek92]

Trainboy, you can by terminal track at the LHS , then run wires from the power pack to the terminal track. hope that helped. Tim

[trainboyH16-44]

I was thinking that I would need about 2 or 3 connections to feeders, as whenever I've ballasted my HO layout, the glue has formed an insulator in the joints, and I am planning to ballast it. The power pack will most probably be in a corner of the board, and I'd like a feeder wire to a few places. If it helps, the plan is from tht MR book with 58 plans, and it's the N scale one to fot on a door.
Matthew

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainboyH16-44
I am not able to put the wires under the tabletop, and that is where the problem arises. Do you think it could be feasible to run the feeders in the cork roadbed?

I think that is a bang up idea. Especailly as you indicated in a later post you were going to ballast too. You could either slice a knotch out of the cork and put them right in, or slice a bit off the edge and use the wire for the last part of the "slope". Ballast over the top. Just make certain they are all in, sufficient, and working before the ballast. That would be a pretty nasty repair job if something happened to them.

[trainboyH16-44]

How would I test that the power was getting to the track, then fix it if there was a problem? Sounds a bit hard, actually, but it's the best idea I've had so far...
Matthew

[trainboyH16-44]

I think I'll cut a notch at the bottom of the slope so I only need to pull up a tiny bit of ballast to get at them.
Thanks again guys,
Matthew