I'm getting ready to start my HO scale layout. It will be 2ftx8ft, on 1in. foam board. It will be DC for now. It will be a industrial switching layout, using Bachmann e-z track. I will be using four RH turnouts and two LH turnouts. All tracks will end at each industry with a buffer. So, I have a couple of questions. 1) Do I need to/should I wire each section of track with feeder wires? 2) How do I wire the turnouts? they are Bachmann remote turnouts #44561 and 44562? These come with the switch that has a plug in connector. 3) Will I have to splice these wire together and power them to a seperate transformer?
Any help or suggestions you can provide will be very helpful.
Thanks
OK, first, on a lyout of that size you should not need multiple feeders, unless you plan to isolate some track sections to allow them to be turned off to store parked locomotives. t odo that you would need some insulated rail joiners and additional terminal tracks or terminal joiners. seperate feeders to some stub sidings, switched with a simple on off switch will allow locos to be parked while one is running.
As for the turnouts, I am not overly familar with the Bachmann turnouts or their controller, but they should have simple wiring diagram included. The turnouts do need to be powered by seperate aux terminals or a seperate power supply.
Sheldon
Lots of feeders. run then to terminal strips. You can connect your power supply to teh terminal strips as needed.
Why lots of feeders? Because I've never seen a post on any forum asking about electrical trouble that wound up being caused by too many. Plus it's simpler to put them in while building then to add them after it's all done and looking pretty.
Martin Myers
Running feeders to each track section is overkill in my book. I'd settle for a some feeders to each end of the layout. Lay your track, run some trains. If you have trouble with the train loosing power, add feeders until it runs well. Then add some more on the "more is better" principle.
Feeders are added to compensate for rail joiners that fail to conduct electricity. After some time, even bright shiny new rail joiners can tarnish inside (where you can't see it) and stop conducting. But, in a decent train room, only a couple of rail joiners will open up, even after years. Running feeders to every single track section guarentees the trains will run even if every single rail joiner on the entire layout failed. Nothing wrong with that, but you can get reliable operation with fewer feeders.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
I've never understood why people will spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on this hobby only to half-*** the electrical portion. It may not be the most interesting or desirable part of the hobby. Without it, the layout is a static display.
mfm37Why lots of feeders? Because I've never seen a post on any forum asking about electrical trouble that wound up being caused by too many.
But to the point. It is a 2x8 layout. A set of feeders directly in the center will mean that no place on the layout can be more than five feet from them. Two sets of feeders placed at approximately the 1/3 and and 2/3 locations would mean no place on the track would be more than about three feet from power. Three sets of feeders means no more than about 2' 2" from power.
If the layout is such that the tracks split and parallel down both sides of the board then 4 sets of feeders at the north 1/3 and 2/3 place and the south 1/3 and 2/3 place would begin to be overkill.
While it depends on the exact track arrangement I hope one can see the general idea here. Any run around or double ended track also provide alternate routes for the electrical current. Absolute over kill would be to put one set in the middle, and then another set at 18" to a foot in from each bumper track (I think you called it a buffer).
colesdad 2) How do I wire the turnouts? they are Bachmann remote turnouts #44561 and 44562? These come with the switch that has a plug in connector.
3) Will I have to splice these wire together and power them to a seperate transformer?
Never mind. Just use one set of feeders. If that don't work, add another set. If that don't work, ask on the forum and we can kick it around for a couple of weeks.
Thanks for the help so far, my question about splicing the turnouts together.. will it be that if you open/close one turnout, they would all open/close? Would this only create a problem if running more that one loco?
General rule of thumb says run a 18-22 gauge feeder every 3 feet, and after every section post turnout (frog side) with a main 12 gauge bus beneath.
Why 3 feet and after the frogs? Well because flex track comes in 3 foot sections. That way if your rail joiners become loose between sections, you won't loose contact. This is common on bigger layouts as sections contract and expand. However with such a small layout, this is much less a concern.
I could be wrong, but I believe the Bachmann track is hot all rails past the frog (stock and inner). So you shouldn't need do any fancy power routing as it's done automatically.
If you posted a picture/drawing of your track plan it would help with recommended feeder wire placement.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
As far as the turnouts ... use a seperate power supply for switches and track power, otherwise train will slow down when you activate the turnout. The power supply for the turnout switches should be wired to a terminal strip (Radio Shack), then extend individual wires to each of the turnout switches, each plug then extends to each turnout. BTW I never had good luck with the momentary switches from BMan. I used Atlas M Switches.
colesdadThanks for the help so far, my question about splicing the turnouts together.. will it be that if you open/close one turnout, they would all open/close? Would this only create a problem if running more that one loco?
Each turnout should have it's own electrical switch to activate it. Wires run from the turnout to the electrical switch. Another set of wires runs from the electrical switch to the power pack. You can have the wires from all the electrical switches to the power pack spliced or ganged together, although if you have a lot of them it's probably better to use a bus wire or a terminal strip. This way each switch machine is activated separately from the others.
You don't want to activate all the switches together because the momentary load can be very large depending on the number you have. Plus for a switching type layout/area you may have cars or engines sitting on one of the turnouts while throwing another.
Enjoy
Paul