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+--- Thread: DC wiring on shelf layouts (/showthread.php?tid=3953)
DC wiring on shelf layouts - tsby_fan - 04-22-2011
I'm working on the technical aspects of my shelf layout, trying to plan ahead for the day work begins on the layout. One of the problems I'm facing is wiring- I plan to use DC(as DCC is not in my current or future budget) and as the layout will be a shelf around the room, in the shape of a folded kidney bean, how do you do the wiring for blocks that may be 40-50 feet away, wire-wise? Do you place the power packs centrally and use tethered throttles? Some kind of booster, like in DCC?
TIA,
Al
Re: DC wiring on shelf layouts - P5se Camelback - 04-22-2011
First off ...
Al
That "said" ... we'll have to wait for someone with a whole lot more expertise in the process of pushing the positive and negative electrical charges through thin strands of copper than I have ... sorry. I have enough trouble trying to wire a simple track with a single turnout on it without somehow winding up with a short circuit.
But if you want to build something using styrene ... 
Re: DC wiring on shelf layouts - BR60103 - 04-22-2011
Al:
If you use big enough wire, current loss isn't a problem.
My layout is about 16 feet square, around the walls, so I have track that is 50 feet (as the train runs) from a throttle.
I have 4 throttles and 3 block control panels - one on a side and 2 in the opposite corners. The big one controls a station that is about 16' long plus another 16' along the next wall.
My throttles are connected to the control panels with lamp cord -- the flexible stuff about 14 or 16 gauge from the hardware store.* There are 4 sets of it running around most of the layout. When I was building, I found that the store had 4 distinct colours/styles of this wire.
When I built the control panel I had some decent wire for connections, but I also had surplus telephone cable that I used to the track. I didn't do that on the later sections.
* this wire is generally handy to buy and reasonably priced. Just don't confuse it with the high voltage circuits.
Re: DC wiring on shelf layouts - doctorwayne - 04-23-2011
Hi Al, and
to Big Blue.I have an around-the-room style DC-controlled layout with about 200' of mainline (not counting staging, passing tracks, double track, or industrial sidings). It's all run as a single block since I'm usually the sole operator. I use an MRC Control Master 20 for power,with a variety of tethered walk-around throttles.
Because it's all one block, all the rail joiners are soldered together and the power is connected to the rails in one location, as shown below.
![[Image: Somelayoutviews003.jpg]](http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/doctorwayne/Layout%20room%20tour/Somelayoutviews003.jpg)
I have no problem running a dozen locos at a time (usually when the grandkids visit
), with no power loss anywhere, but if you plan to run multiple trains with individual control, you may need something a little more sophisticated.Wayne