Wiring a Train layout!!

[lionel2]

I have a few questions about how you wire up an O gauge train layout. I plan on using about 12 terminal strips for my wiring.  Correct me if I am wrong.  First, I would wire up (18) 022 switch fixed voltage plugs to one terminal strip.  Then the other (14) 022 switch fixed voltage plug wires to another terminal strip.  Run one wire from the terminal strip for the (18) 022 switch fixed voltage plugs to the ZW transformer on the A post or power post.  Then, one wire from the (14) 022 switch fixed voltage terminal strip to the KW on the A post or power post.  Then, for track power, I have a main line, gang car line and an elevated train line.  Wire up the lockons from main line, about 5 lockons for main line to two seperate terminal strips, one for power one for ground.  Then, do the same for gang car line, but will have one lockon and the Elevated line will have 3 lockons, wire them up to seperate blocks on terminal strips used for track power and ground.  Then, one wire for power and one wire for ground going from terminal strip to the Z transformers.  On the C and U posts on the Z, the big knobs.  Use 2 seperate Z's.  The main line on Z #1 and the Gang car line and elevated line on Z #2, C and D posts, big knobs.  That takes car of the track and switches.  Now, the accessories.  I will have 2 terminal strips used for accessories.  Wire the power wire to the power terminal strip and the ground wire to the ground terminal strip.  Wire to controllers and then wire to transformers.  I have over 25 accessories, so might have to use 2 sets of power terminal strips and 2 sets of ground terminal strips.  Each isolated from other accessories and run one wire from power to either A,B,C, or D post on Z's and one wire from ground terminal strip, also isolated from other accessories, to U posts on Z transformers.  Will have 2 to 3 accessories per post, that is on A post will have 3 accessories, B post will have 3 accessories and so forth.  I have 17 power posts left to use for accessories, 3 already used for track power.  (5) Z's, 4 posts each x 5 = 20 power posts.  (5) A's and (5) B's and (4) C's and (3) D's = 17 posts left.  Also, the 71 lamps posts and lights for houses will be using other terminal strips.  Two strips for house lights and two strips for 71 lamp posts.  Thats pretty much all the wiring.  I will use 20 AWG for accessories wired to strips, then 14 AWG from strips to transformers.  For track power and ground it will be all 14 AWG.  For switches, use 20 AWG from plug to strip, then 14 AWG from strip to transformers.  The lights I will use all 20 AWG to strip then 14 AWG from strip to transformers.  My questions are:  The 14 AWG is pretty thick solid strand and stranded wires, how to you attach the thick wires to the transformer's posts??  As with 20 AWG its pretty easy to run the wires evenly, but the 14 AWG is too thick to do anything with it.  How do you attach the 14 AWG to the terminal strips??  Use spade or ring terminals??  Crimp the wires to the spade or ring terminals??  I hope all this makes sense.  Let me know if anything is done wrong or use different wires, etc.  Thanks.

[jwse30]

Crimp-on spades or rings will make attaching the #14 wire to your transformer posts much easier. It sounds like you've got the rest figured out. If it were me and I had that many switches, I think I'd draw a map of the layout and label each switch. Then I would label the wires at the terminal block for each switch, and label the wires at the switch side with what terminal block it goes to. That info might reduce troubleshooting time.

 

Hope this helps,

 

J White

 

[lionel2]

Got it!!  I will make sure to label my switches.  Might as well lable my accessories and lights and such.  What should I use to label the wiring??  Like stick on labels or what?  Some of my wiring is color coded, some of it not.  Thanks.

[Texas Pete]

For switches that are in close proximity I like to daisy chain the fixed voltage wires, saves on wire.

Pete

 

[jwse30]

I go real high tech on my labeling. I use colored electrical tape and a Sharpie. I use white tape for my accessories, yellow tape for switches, red tape for the outer loop track, and orange tape for the inner loop. (or something like that)  It's just another way of identifying things, but one roll of any light color would do.

I'm sure fancier ways exist :D

 

J White

 

[lionel2]

OK, will do.  How do you attach or hang you wires underneath the layout tabletop??  I think I would use zip ties or cable ties to group the wires together, then use some sort of hanger that I can screw into the wood beams underneath the layout.  Good idea??  Color coded electrical tape is a good idea so that I dont get all flustered with all the different wires.  I will group the wires according to the color tape and what the wires are used for.  Red tape for track power or hot wire lines, yellow for ground track power wire lines, blue for lights power wire lines, and orange for accessories.  Will use all yellow tape for ground wires.  But, will group them under table.  Swiches or fixed voltage lines in white tape.  I think that is a good idea.  I am worried about one thing, the 14 AWG wire, when I put a ring terminal on the wire to attach to the posts on the transformers, will there be enough room to put say 2 or 3 ring terminals on one post??  It wont yank the post stud right out of the case??  I looked at my 14 AWG wire, its pretty tough and stiff, dont know how I will handle the wire, hard to bend and keep it where you want it.  Oh well.  Any ideas??  Thanks.

[lionelsoni]

Let the ring lugs radiate from the terminal at different angles, not one on top of the other.  You should be able to get a half dozen on one terminal.  Use lugs with blue insulators (14-16 AWG) meant for number-8 to number-10 screws, like the Gardner-Bender 10-104:  http://www.gardnerbender.com/pdf/products/Terminals_wire.pdf

I hang my wire from steel joists like this:  http://www.bing.com/shopping/1-1-2-x-48-14-gauge-slotted-steel-angle-hot-rolled-zinc/p/6246773451EE748EE4D7?q=1-1%2f2%22+x+48%22%2c+14+Gauge%2c+Slotted+Steel+Angle%2c+Hot+Rolled%2c+Zinc+...&lpf=0&lpq=steelworks%20slotted%20angle&FORM=CMSMEE  in shower-curtain rings like this:  http://www.amazon.com/Shower-Curtain-Rings-Hooks-Metal/dp/B002XM0QOI/ref=sr_1_6?s=bedbath&ie=UTF8&qid=1309998839&sr=1-6 

[lionel2]

I have 75 of each the spade and ring blue terminals, got them from home depot.  They are used for 14 AWG wires, which I have.  I found some hangers, to hang my wires.  Thanks.