Wiring Gauge

[dstarr]

 Electrically speaking, 14 gauge wire is overkill for model railroading.  Never the less, a lot of us use it because it's mechanically rugged, and readily available.  18 gauge is plenty for switch machines and accessories. 

[Blue Flamer]

Chris77504

I have an Lionel ZW transformer and I know I need 14 gauge going to the track, but what about the wiring that controls the remote track switches, accessories such as lights, etc...  Currently they are 18 guage, do I need to rewire them to 14 gauge?

 

 

Hi Chris.

I am pretty confident that the 14 Gauge wire should be more than adequate for running a few Lionel trains on a small layout. If you have more than a half dozen trains running at once, you should probably go to 12 Gauge. You might consider running a buss line  around under the layout and drop feeder wires from the track to the wire every 3 or 4 feet. This will assure that you have constant power all around the track. With all the track joints with the Lionel track, there will be a lot of resistance if you only use one set of feeders at one end of your track and you might find your Loco's slowing down at the far end of the track.

As for wiring the switches, lights and controls with #18 Gauge wire, it should be quite adequate as long as you do not put a large number of things on one wire.

Good luck.

Blue Flamer.

[selector]

 You will probably get some knowledgeable answers from the fellas here, but you would surely get them at the Classic Toy Trains forum next door, accessible from the main index page.

I am surprised you need 14 gauge wire to the rails in O gauge.  I would guess 18 would be tons, and a bus of 14 gauge wire would easily handle the amperage demands of all but the most monstrous of layouts.  but I am not in that gauge or scale, so....take what I think for what it's worth.

-Crandell

[Chris77504]

I have an Lionel ZW transformer and I know I need 14 gauge going to the track, but what about the wiring that controls the remote track switches, accessories such as lights, etc...  Currently they are 18 guage, do I need to rewire them to 14 gauge?