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dcc question

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  • Member since
    December 2011
  • From: Bradford County, PA
  • 1,319 posts
Posted by Lehigh Valley 2089 on Monday, January 2, 2012 1:29 PM

It all depends on the scale you are working with, the size of the layout, if you have lineside lighting, switch motors, large engines with sound, etc.... It can very well be overkill, but better to overkill than underestimate.

The largest you might need is 14 or 12 gauge, so 10 will work just fine.

The Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Route of the Black Diamond Express, John Wilkes and Maple Leaf.

-Jake, modeling the Barclay, Towanda & Susquehanna.

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Sunday, January 1, 2012 10:43 AM

Do you have any coiled up unused loudspeaker wires?  Perfect for a bus on all but the largest railroads.  14-18 gauge is fine for a bus, 12 and heavier, unless it is free or paid-for-and-idle, is heavily overdone on all but museum-sized roads.

Crandell

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Sunday, January 1, 2012 10:10 AM

All good words so far.  How big is your layout?  10-gauge is heavy stuff, and it can be difficult to work with, but if you don't mind that it will work just fine.

If you are just starting the layout, think about doing the bus wires as you build the benchwork.  It's a lot easier to work on that from above, before you put in subroadbed and track.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: Charlotte, NC
  • 6,099 posts
Posted by Phoebe Vet on Sunday, January 1, 2012 9:34 AM

Welcome

Welcome aboard.

If your question is "Is it OK to use?" the answer is yes.  You can also use 8 or even larger.

You don't need anywhere near that size, but it will work if you have a lot of it laying around.

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
  • 252 posts
Posted by CNR378 on Sunday, January 1, 2012 8:45 AM

10 gauge is overkill but will work. We use 12 gauge on a large club layout.

Peter

  • Member since
    December 2011
  • 1 posts
dcc question
Posted by doogie on Saturday, December 31, 2011 4:22 PM

I am fairly new to the subject of dcc wiring etc. but wanting to know if a 10 gauge bus wire would be ok to use as I have some available or should i go with another gauge. any suggestions would be helpful. thanks. 

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