Atlas N scale turnout wiring

[Anonymous]

My second N scale layout is well underway, and the track is down. I realize I should have used Peco or some other under-the-table turnouts, but I'm stuck with the above ground machines. That's not the problem. My eyes are not good for close up detail now, at 58 years old, and those little wires are very very very tiny coming off the machines. Anyone have any hints on soldering them to thicker wires leading to power source and controls? I have put off this wiring for nearly a year because I'm afraid of breaking any of the three little wires, and because they're so hard to see. What has worked for you if you've used Atlas N scale turnouts? They're already on the layout (not nailed down though), so I suspect I'll have to pull them up and do the soldering at a workbench, right?

[dgwinup]

You may not need to pull them up. I am wondering why the wires are so short on your turnout machines. Usually, Atlas machines have fairly long leads. If yours are very short, someone must have cut them back at some point. Not too much of a problem unless they are so short that soldering wires in place will damage your track, layout surface or turnout machine. The wires themselves should be strong enough to hold up to soldering. They are tiny, but not too delicate, if you know what I mean.

Regardless of length, soldering wires is much easier if the wire ends are tinned first. Then make a good mechanical connection, lightly touch a hot iron to the joint and solder should flow almost immediately. You may not even have to add solder to the joint. Often, the tinned wires have enough solder on them already to make a good joint.

I suggest you purchase on of those magnifying visors that you wear like a hat. I'm about your age and have been using one for years, especially when building MT couplers in N scale. I solder longer lengths of wire to my turnouts as I lay them, but still have to add additional lengths of wire to get back to the control panel.

Hope this helps.

Darrell, quiet...for now

[Anonymous]

Darrell, thanks for the info. The turnout wires are not too short, but they are just very tiny, which intimidates me. I think, though, if they are indeed pretty sturdy, this should work out okay. I appreciate your reply.

[rlandry6]

I use prescription reading glasses when I work on my stuff. If I need to see something REALLY small, I put on a pair of drugstore readers that I picked up for a few bucks. The closeup vision is already corrected by the reading glasses, then it's a tremendous magnification when you slip the others on top of the prescription ones. It looks kinda funny, but it works and you get used to it. It's a lot cheaper than those $40 hoods that are a pain in the butt to wear and manipulate.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to you, too, rlandry.6. I have since wired 2 of the switches with no such eyesight help, but it was difficult. I think it will be a lot easier if I keep using Darrell's suggestion, and yours. This layout is going to be fun, even though my 29 year old son says it's a spaghetti bowl and a nightmare of Atlas selectors and controllers. I'll try to post some pics soon. I just wi***hat were a little easier to do. Thanks again. This forum is awesome.

[Adelie]

If it makes you feel better, my eyes are very good but I don't do much in N-scale without my Optivisor. Soldering wires to DCC decoders is a real test for the eyes, too.