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Wiring Track for Power Continuity On Layout
Eric is having a problem with wiring and seeks help from someone more experienced in the hobby:
“My question is how many power connections do I need on my 027 4×8 layout? Where should I locate them? The layout consists of a figure-eight within an oval within an oval. The figure eight connects to the outside oval on the bottom and to the inside oval at the top, approximately. Six remote switches and one 90 intersection allows this to work.
I can wire the outside and center rails at intervals for the outside oval. My question is if I need to wire power to the inside oval or figure-eight, which rail is now the same outside rail as I wired when I did the outside oval?”
Comment below.
2 Responses to Wiring Track for Power Continuity On Layout
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My layout is the same design as yours—Outside oval,I have 2drop down feeders on opposite sides of the oval feeding the main buss line back to the terminal strip with a 1156 light bulb in series—Inside oval I have 2drop down feeders on opposite sides of the oval feeding the main buss line back to the terminal strip with a 1156 light bulb in series—The figure eight, 2more drop downs. I have the (X)part isolated from the rest of the layout as it became a double reverse loop, or future loop in your case. This is connected through a DPDT Reversing switch and them all is connected to the terminal strip and then goes to the power/throttle hope this helps ~AlanC.
Unfortunately the answer is “it depends”. The issue is the voltage drop in the track and the connecting wires and this depends on the current flowing to the locomotive, Here this is a particular problem as the locomotives are O27 and so use more current that an HO or N scale loco.
The track situation is impacted by the type of track (type of metal) and the connections between lengths of track. The wiring depends on the length and gauge of wire. My recomendation is use the thickest connecting wire possible (in this case perhape the type used for house wiring) and use multiple connections.