I think the gist of all the posts is that wire color is irrelvant if you have enough sense to follow through on polarity uniformly over your layout. That is kind of on you, regardless. The best suggestions would be on Buss wire gauge. One responder noted he used #12 and that is what I use as I operate a single DCC operation over what is, in effect, a closed 50 foot loop with no districts or blocks. DCC, I figure kills that block garbage of old DC operation that i suffered through for the last 50+ years. I don't need that on a 21st century layout that I build.
Thus far, the original 3 amp Zephyr Plus supply is all my little narrow gauge 'mikes' and 'consols' need to keep them chugging along with 20 gauge taps off the nearby buss at least every three feet on the main and at every single switch and on each and every siding. The 12 gauge solid wire delivers the juice where and when I need it.
What's my color code? It is truly irrelevant. My rails may be narrow gauge but not my DCC buss.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed
floridaflyer What Mark said.
What Mark said.
Yes, what Mark said
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
I remember moon's ago starting in HO IN 1950, that there was a N-North +, S-South- rail, being the color of your choosing, if you did not have Red or Black. Here in the North American continent, one will always know North from South. Even East West, North will always be the top rail, South bottom. I don't recall when A and B or left and Right started. I still use N,S.
Even Electric Motors use North and South poles.
Frank
dehusman Rather than left-right I would suggest front-back which makes it easier to think of when under the layout. Choose a color for the wires and try to keep that consistent. Whether its red, white or black doesn't matter as long as they are different, then choose a pnuemonic that you can remember to help keep it straight: Black in back Red to the rear White to the wall etc. I used "black in back" since I had leftover white and black #14 wire. So whichever rail was closest to the "back" of the scene was connected to the black wire. Easy to orient yourself whether you are above or blelow the layout.
Rather than left-right I would suggest front-back which makes it easier to think of when under the layout.
Choose a color for the wires and try to keep that consistent. Whether its red, white or black doesn't matter as long as they are different, then choose a pnuemonic that you can remember to help keep it straight:
Black in back
Red to the rear
White to the wall
etc.
I used "black in back" since I had leftover white and black #14 wire. So whichever rail was closest to the "back" of the scene was connected to the black wire. Easy to orient yourself whether you are above or blelow the layout.
Even those "rules of thumb" don't apply if you track doubles back on itself on the same piece of benchwork - what was the "front" becomes the "back" as it loops back on itself.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
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Hi Maxman,
I did read it at one time, but it matters not as long as whatever you do, you do it consistantly.
If that is the way you remeber it best, it is definately good for you. Because I read it somewhere it has stuck in my mind that way. I suppose I incorrectly stated that it was the correct way and for that I apologize. Please forgive.
Johnboy out.............
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Why red for positive and black for negative became defacto standards for DC wiring is not really clearly defined, even in such references as the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation Reference Data for Radio Engineers or similar tomes dating back as far as 1946.
The wiring color code for AC house wiring is clearly defined in the U.S. by the National Electrical Code as black for positive, white for negative, and green for ground for a 110 Volt circuit, with red added as the fourth color for 220 Volt circuits.
Neither of these 'standards' must be followed when wiring a model railroad layout, however, because they apply only to high voltage, high amperage, circuits. For our purposes, any color combination is acceptable -- even both wires of the same color.
last mountain & eastern hoggerTo wire correctly the "hot"or red wire should be on the rail that is closest to you, whether it is around the walls or a shelf layout.
Is this written somewhere? On my around the walls test track I used red for the rail furthest from the edge, because I could remember that Red was in the Rear.
Pick two colors of wire - does not matter what color. If you like pink and purple, go with it. Pick one rail to be one color and the other rail to be the other color. Just make sure as you follow the track around the layout, the same rail(s) always have the same color. Period.
Don't understand why it has to become so technical. No wonder so many new guys are afraid of doing something wrong ! ....
IRONROOSTER don't know where the red and black cone from.
Paul,Simple really at one time red wire was used for "hot" (positive) wire while black was used for ground (negative) wire..
Until my retirement I was still seeing older machines that used red wire for hot.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
My layout is a point to point with the tracks running east and west. For east bound trains the left rail is the north rail and for west bound trains the south rail is the left rail. As far as wiring, the north rail has a green bus and feeders and the south rail has a red bus and feeders. The locomotives don't know the difference.
I agree Mr. B. there is no left or right rail. To wire correctly the "hot"or red wire should be on the rail that is closest to you, whether it is around the walls or a shelf layout. Even on a 4x8 the red should always be outside edge. The trains will run in either direction by the control on your power pack, but doing it this way will keep you away from shorts and outages etc.
johnboy out............................ no.. this is just basic.. but then i'm only talking DC.
Dave remarked: I have to take issue with the author who suggested that red should be on the left rail.
I have to take issue with the author who suggested that red should be on the left rail.
I guess I'd have to take issue with the idea that there even is a "left" rail. Trains run both ways on my layout.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The important things are:
1. Use a color code for your wires. This is not just for bus wires, but for everything. I use red and black for my track bus, and red and black for my feeders. Since I have a continuous-running loop, I chose red for the outside rail and black for the inside. I use blue and white wires for my structure lighting bus. I wire my switch machines with tan 4-conductor telephone wire.
2. Stick to it. Avoid using scraps of random, off-color wire just because you have them lying around. Some of the early wiring in Phase 1 of my layout looks like that. Yuck.
3. Label things. I have a box of those little tags with strings on them for some wires, mostly turnouts. I take a Sharpie marker and label bus wires by writing on the hidden parts of the benchwork and the underside of the pink foam. Years later, this comes in handy.
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Almost all decoders use red as the connector to the right side of the locomotive wheels/power pickup when facing forward. Why confuse the issue by doing your track the other way? If you are going to determine which rail is on the left then you have to determine which direction is forward (unless I am missing something here). Left/Right follows logically from there. Any boater will understand that red is on the right (when returning to port).
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I don't know where the red and black cone from. I use #12 interior wire for the bus and it's white and black. I reference the front edge of the layout. This works well for walk around design where the mainline only goes through once.
For island layouts and others where the train may go back and forth through the scene, you'll need a different method.
I highly recommend testing as you go, otherwise fixing any mistakes could be difficult.
Good luck
Paul
On my few(I can count 'em on three fingers) layouts that had blocks) I preferred using red and black-easy for me to remember red=positive while black was negative..
It does not matter what color the wires are that you use. I use black and white wire. You should think of the rail that is closest to the front edge of the layout and use that as a reference point. The red wire should go there. Also you should refer to the rails as A rail and B rail with the A rail being closest to the front edge of the layout. And you must keep this polarity correct around the layout. Remember that somewhere on the layout the A and B rails will not be in the same relation to the front of the layout but the polarity of the rails does not change. It has nothing to do with the direction the train is moving.
Choose one rail as the left rail and make sure that you continue it as the left rail all through the layout. Better yet go http://www.wiringfordcc.com/track.htm and gin up the short detection beeper which will start buzzing if you reverse polarity in your wiring. In fact, consult the entire website for DCC wiring recommendations. It is pretty invaluable.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
I am reading two books on Dcc. One author says to use red wire for the left rail. Which is concidered the left rail
Does it I assume depend which direction the train is moving? Counter or clockwise