Connecting another set of wires to track or soldering?

[RobertInOntario]

I've just successfully isolated two sections of the inner loop on my small 4x6-ish layout (see <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6194">viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6194</a><!-- l -->).

The layout is working OK but I'm still ironing out a few bugs. The main one is that -- on the right-hand half of the layout -- the current strength is noticeably weaker. This is because the R/H side of the layout is kind of cut off from the power source by one of the isolating gaps in the track (which is near the front of the loop) but on the back half there are two turnouts. (The power wires are connected to the L/H side of the layout.)

So the current is strong on the L/H side of the layout but weaker on the right. There, the locos either stall or slow down.

Is the best way to solve this to join another set of powered wires to the R/H side of the layout or could I solve it by soldering more of track sections (around the fishplates)?

I'm loathe to do the former b/c it's a messy job (the layout already has ballast & scenery) and I want to minimize the number of wires around the layout.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[Sumpter250]

My personal point of view is: Each piece of rail, needs to be connected either by a soldered rail joiner, or by a wire drop, which is soldered to a "bus" wire.
Corrosion in a " contact joint ", can cause resistance, which diminishes available current, or if bad enough, causes an open circuit :o
Always remember ; it is current, that does the work. If current can't flow, nothing moves, or the lights don't come on.

[teejay]

I agree with Pete ....and at this point with everything ballasted , you'll have to solder the feeder wires to the outside of the rail ( the inside might interfere with the wheels of your locos/rolling stock ). I think it should be done to every section of track but at this point that probably is going to very very difficult for you . You would need two heavier gauge buss wires , one for each side of the track rails for the appropriate feeded to connect to . If it is difficult to solder feeder wires to the buss you could use "suitcase connectors " that can be found at Home Hardware . I use 14 ga wire for the buss and 18 ga wire for the feeders ( I like solid , not stranded ) . Hooking up SOME feeders will help your situation . Hopefully you don't have reverse loops to complicate things .

T

[Charlie B]

If you drill a small hole next to the track between the ties on the outside of the rail. You can feed from the bottom with a single strand 18 ga wire. bring it through stripped, then make a 90 degree bend about 1/16 to 1/8 inch from the end. Clean the rail web and use a tiny bit of flux, Tin the end of the connector wire. If you have a hot soldering iron place the wire against the rail web and place the tip of the iron on the wire and add a little solder. If the iron is hot and the joint is clean it will be fast and you won't melt ties. You can connect the feeder to the buss wire with connectors, but solder is a better trouble free joint.
Practice on a spare piece of track if you don't feel confident. a little bit of "rust" paint on the solder will hide it. (if someone can help hold the wire in place with needlenose pliers it makes it so much easier)

I solder every joint except the turnouts.
Charlie

[RobertInOntario]

Thanks, folks, this is helpful.

I'll probably consider soldering a new set of bus wires to this other section.

I already had to do this to the "new" section of track that I isolated from the rest of the loop. Drilling the hole & threading the wire through wasn't that hard, but getting the one strand of wire under the track was a little messy. The soldering was done easily enough.

Cheers,
Rob

[torikoos]

Yes I would also go for the additional wires, instead of soldering joints.
While joints can be solders, it will cause absolutely no room for expansion of the rail. even in an air conditioned room, rail will still contract and expand, and in many cases, the train room is not air conditioned. Expansion (or contraction) over the years can cause problems. If the rail can't expand, it will start to slowly move the rail loose from the road bed, create allignment problems as it will bend/flex and might cause derailments. It's a slow process, but preventing is always the preferred approach. Leave a little gap here and there at irregular intervals, to allow for this. (you'd even get some 'clickety clack' sound effects thrown in as a bonus :-) )

Koos

[RobertInOntario]

Yes I would also go for the additional wires, instead of soldering joints.
While joints can be solders, it will cause absolutely no room for expansion of the rail. even in an air conditioned room, rail will still contract and expand, and in many cases, the train room is not air conditioned. Expansion (or contraction) over the years can cause problems. If the rail can't expand, it will start to slowly move the rail loose from the road bed, create allignment problems as it will bend/flex and might cause derailments. It's a slow process, but preventing is always the preferred approach. Leave a little gap here and there at irregular intervals, to allow for this. (you'd even get some 'clickety clack' sound effects thrown in as a bonus :-) )
Koos

Thanks, this sounds good. I'll try to add them over the next few days.

[tetters]

For what its worth I use 22 gauge solid wire for feeders. I strip about a quarter inch of insulation off the wire, flatten the end with a pair of flat pliers, (actually a Xuron spike pulling tool works really well for this) and then bend the flatten part about 90 degrees. I trim off the excess and I have a feeder that looks like a track spike.

Tin the wire, drill a hole in the tie using a piece of .039 music wire which works surprisingly well as s drill bit, through plastic, plywood, Homasote, copper clad ties, etc, and it will flex without breaking. Drop the feeder into the hole, dab a bit of flux, on the joint, and with a very hot iron, touch the feeder wire for about 2-3 seconds. Done.

[RobertInOntario]

For what its worth I use 22 gauge solid wire for feeders. I strip about a quarter inch of insulation off the wire, flatten the end with a pair of flat pliers, (actually a Xuron spike pulling tool works really well for this) and then bend the flatten part about 90 degrees. I trim off the excess and I have a feeder that looks like a track spike.

Tin the wire, drill a hole in the tie using a piece of .039 music wire which works surprisingly well as s drill bit, through plastic, plywood, Homasote, copper clad ties, etc, and it will flex without breaking. Drop the feeder into the hole, dab a bit of flux, on the joint, and with a very hot iron, touch the feeder wire for about 2-3 seconds. Done.

Thanks -- it sounds easy enough but might be a challenge for me!

[RobertInOntario]

Just a quick note to let you know that I've basically finished this "project". I have isolated 3 sections on this inner loop which really increases what I can do on the layout, i.e. park one loco on one side of the layout while I move another train onto this line or, better still, have one train stopped at the station while I can do some shunting on the other side of the layout. This also enables me to operate 1-2 more trains on the layout (that is, I can still have 2 that are operating with another 4 parked on sidings ready to go when needed).

Thanks for your help and feedback with this!

[torikoos]

great to hear Robert,

enjoy it, and show some pics when you"re ready :-)

Koos

[RobertInOntario]

great to hear Robert,

enjoy it, and show some pics when you"re ready :-)

Koos

Thanks but it's nothing fantastic! I still have one rough section (where I've soldered new wires and cut through the track) which needs more filing & improving.