My layout will be 100 ft long oval using 4-5 ft lengths and R-2 curves. My question is do I clamp joints or solder and use a bus wire? Only planing on running one train with a total of 4 cars.
Rocky:
You will need to supply power to the rails often aroun the oval. Ideally to every sperate piece of track. I would advise not sodering the rail joiner to join more than two pieces of flex track, or four pieces of sectional track together.
You will be running fifty feet of wire to the far point of the oval from your power supply, so tap off as necessary, and call it a bus.
My layout is not near that long, I used 18 guage bus wireds, and 26 guage feeders to the track, nothinbg wrong with heaver for both.
Dave
I'm confused. 4-5ft lengths is only 20ft. Where does the 100ft long come in at? Even if you squared, four five foot lengths, you'd be 20ft short. Maybe 5x5x4=100. That's a pretty big layout.
Frank
Welcome to the forums!
What scale are you working in?
Have fun,
Richard
Sounds like Large Scale - LGB has an R2 radius, about 32" radius. They also have straigh sections nearly 4' long.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Rocky squirrel My layout will be 100 ft long oval using 4-5 ft lengths and R-2 curves. My question is do I clamp joints or solder and use a bus wire? Only planing on running one train with a total of 4 cars.
For LGB type equipment, you will probably get better answers at the Garden Railway part of the forums
http://cs.trains.com/grw/f/6.aspx
I didn't realize you were doing large Scale. My wire location advice still stands, guage of wires requires a more informed opinion than mine.Dave
My track is G scale and will be a little over 100ft. in length. I am using 4 & 5 ft lengths to make my straights and will have R 2 curved track for four turns. Just wanting advice on whether to use rail clamps or solder jumpers from piece to piece. Planning on using 12 gauge wire for bus and 22 gauge for feeders. How often do I place the feeders and what size transformer is recommended?
Could I clamp joints and still run feeders every so often?
G scale! One tunnel through wall and a tressel over the hall. Best part is wife wants it as much as me!:)
I know a O scale club that is building a new layout. They are using flex track and solder on feeders to each section of track. They are using three foor flex track.
They are also going DCC.