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Problems With Wiring
Bob M asks readers:
“I have a N scale 4’x 8′ layout that I am happy with, but I can only get small sections to work so I am clearly not understanding what I need to do with regards wiring. Thanks for any suggestions.”
Perhaps Bob M could add some more details to his question in the comments section as this will help readers better understand the problems he is having and know the solutions he has already tried.
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5 Responses to Problems With Wiring
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Hi Bob
I’ve had the same problem on a similar-sized layout. Here is what I’ve tried, and things got better:
1. Clean the surface of the track with a track rubber/eraser so that the locomotive pickup wheels get a good connection.
2. Fit a foam cleaner under a freight wagon to continuously clean the track of dust as it goes round.
3. Check all the joints between the track pieces are tight.
4. Clean the pickup wheels with a soft wire brush.
Things I haven’t tried yet, but might work:
5. Add a second power-to-track rail on the other side of the layout from the first.
6. Use longer rails to minimise the number of joints.
Hope this helps.
Andy
if your using secenal track not flex track then you solider one side of the rail jointer or every other joint to keep electrical current stopping at loose rail joints If flex track solder every 6 feet and put feeders every 6 feet same with sectional track should have power feeders every 4 feet just to be shere power gets to all tracks
If your layout is DCC you need to have a buss wire under the layout hooked to your controller. Drop feeder wires from the track to the buss wires. Ideally each piece of track needs a drop feeder to the buss. I have a rather elaborate switch yard and have feeders at each end of every turnout as well as on the main lines at no more than 18″ intervals. Other than that you need to keep the track clean.
I think we need to know if the dead areas are sidings or mainline between points
You can guess answers all day but without details of what and where you might miss the fault
Could be as simple as a loose wire under layout
Hi Bob. Do not know if you are using set track or flex track . My suggestion is to use drop wires for every section of track to avoid drop or loss of power. That eliminates the problems with lose fish-plates.
Some like to solder the fish-plates ( rail conecters ) I do not like that though as I find it problematic if I later on need to lift a section of track. Have you run test with a pol finder to see if you have power all the way round your track ?
Hope this helps and good luck .
Finn