ALCON, I do not write anything to these forums but I read many of the postings. I gain a lot of knowlege by just reading your writings and great information, thanks. So I have reached a problem with my layout and that is I have one totally dead mainline that I cannot get power to the common side (I think?). The layout comes from a Atlas layout book called NINE N Scale Railroads, old publication written by my favorite modell railroader John H. Armstrong and Thaddeus Stepek. So good I took it to SWA during my deployment to OIF in 2004 to keep me busy during off time thinking of getting back into model railroading. After returing home in 2004 from SWA, I had in my mind the layout from the above listed publication which layout I wanted to build. So I settled for a modified Gulf Summit Susquehanna Valley Ry. Railroad N-109. I modified but did not change the basic wiring diagram. Long story short I do not have power on one mainline on the uper level. I have been going over and over the wiring diagram and checked all connections and even changed the controler out. Still no power and it's getting on my nerves. If you have access to the layout plan in the Atlas publication please review the layout blocks and control pannel layout. I think that there was a mistake in the overall wiring not sure though. The area is the blocks 21, 25, 27, and 23. I'm not getting power to the C side of the track from C2. And I think it is at the insulators at swithes 25 and 26 with the insulator at block 27 by switches 26 and 25. I don't really know? Any assistance would be appreciated, Thanks
sgm2004
(Guy)
I don't have your book, so I don't know the layout. But take your voltage meter (or light with two wires) and follow your power wiring starting at the power supply and moving toward your dead track. When you don't get any readings you have found your problem. I would look for a loose connection or a fragile solder joint.
If you still can't find it, run new wires to that section of track. Depending on how complicated your system is, it may be the easiest solution.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
snowey, thanks I have one and been researching NO GO so far, thanks though.
Guy
Chip, have been doing the Multi-meter and wire light thing still can not find problem. May have to do exactly as you mentioned and rewire that section. I will see if I can scan a image in of the wiring points and blocks on next posting, thanks.
Start by tracing the wires to the dead section back to your controller. I found mine. I had the feeder and the common rail wire connected together on the terminal strip. Try to get ANYTHING electrical to run on + and +....
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Guy is (or was) obviously military.
ALCON: Acronym for All Concerned.
NO GO: Well, this one's self explanitory but part of the military lexicon.
HOOAH!
Anyway, Guy... I would drop another set of feeders from the top level. I don't know how the book tells you to wire the layout (it's at home at the moment), but those plans tend to skimp on the feeder wires. It's best, when possible, to have bus wires which run from the power pack and around the layout (I personally recommend not looping the bus back on itself, but some people do). Make sure that every so often you drop feeder wires from the track to the bus wires. You can do this using terminal joiners, or you can solder wires directly to the rail. Just be sure to keep the left and right rails from being cross-wired.
Using multiple feeders give you these advantages:
1. Fewer dead spots
2. Less slow-down/speed up issues
3. No single point of failure
4. Easy upgrade to DCC
This last one may not be a concern to you now, but if you decide later to give DCC a try, they suggest using plenty of feeders to maintain the strength of the DCC signal.
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
sgm2004 wrote: I modified but did not change the basic wiring diagram.
Will a train run on a siding? Does it run from a siding onto the main and stop dead? If so does it short the power supply when it stops? You said, one of your main lines, so I presume it is running on the other (double track main)?
Sergeant Major Guy....
Thanks for your service and home! Still learning from, contributing too and having fun, evern after 25 years.
Hooah!
You didn't mention what kind of hardware (track, turnouts, rail connectors, etc.) you are using.
FWIW, two of my 12 Atlas No. 4 Code 83 turnouts had open circuits to the rails next to the frog on the end opposite the points. They are supposed to be connected to the corresponding stock rail. I had to install feeds there to power both the main and the siding beyond the turnout.
Dave yes I'm military I guess its that easy to see, OYF vet and 31 years in US Army. Thanks for the advise, really helps to getting to the problem. If you can look at the exact trak plan I would apperciate it lots. I still think its wrong but not sur, take care and thanks again.
condor all equipment is Atlas, track conectors, switches (No 6 Custom code 70), selectors and controlers. Thanks for the response.