1. oldscout

    oldscout TrainBoard Member

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    I have two questions. First reading the Atlas and several other places it say to alway place the power leads on the frog end of the the turnout. Which end is it? Second when running a bus wire on a section does it have to go all the way around to make a curcit or can you run a bus line streight down the middle and tie the wires to it and then the power?
     
  2. Jeff Powell

    Jeff Powell TrainBoard Member

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    Bus wire, depending on length and gauge you could do either one. I ran a 16G bus loop around the layout and dropped 20G feeders down to it about every 3 ft or so. A bit over kill, but better to have to much than not enough. Mostly just in case I go DCC. Sometimes I run 3 engines on one transformer and I want to make sure there are no wiring issues from overloading.
     
  3. Mike C

    Mike C TrainBoard Member

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    Frog end is the end with the two different tracks. Point end is the single track end......Mike
     
  4. SpecialK67

    SpecialK67 New Member

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    How would you wire a simple/easy DC layout for a single train running around a 7'x9' layout using C80 Atlas flex track,a Kato E8/9 loco? What would be the best power pack
     
  5. oldscout

    oldscout TrainBoard Member

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    I am doing the 3 Ft drop as well, Did you use common rail as the negitive lead, and did you connect a negitive drop every 3 feet or just the power drop?
     
  6. oldscout

    oldscout TrainBoard Member

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    For a layout like that I would think, if you do not plan on enlarging it, that two would work at opposite sides. For non DCC I think any MRC transformer would work.
     
  7. Jeff Powell

    Jeff Powell TrainBoard Member

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    Simple way would to be wire one lead to inside track and other lead to outside track. Keep oreintation of each thru any switches you might add.

    Here is good controller: There maybe cheaper or better ones, but the "BRAND" is what I was trying to show you.
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/MRC-TECH-II...762770?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1e73429712

    They make a controler you can run 2 trains at same time. Let say you make a double loop and use a switch to go from inside to outside all you need to add would be a track insulator between the loops.
     
  8. Jeff Powell

    Jeff Powell TrainBoard Member

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    I looped a "POSITIVE and NEGATIVE bus all the way around and I dropped both leaders + &- down approximately every 3 ft or so. I used inside as the "NEGATIVE" and the outside as "POSITIVE", seemed to help me keep it straight. I have 3 separate controllers, DC set up... I did solder every joint too. That was the place I dropped the leaders down in most cases but not all.
     
  9. Jeff Powell

    Jeff Powell TrainBoard Member

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    Ugh dbl post sorry..
     
  10. SpecialK67

    SpecialK67 New Member

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    When I wire my track, would I put terminal rail joiners & how far/many?
     
  11. Jeff Powell

    Jeff Powell TrainBoard Member

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    So many varibles in this question. Rail joiners feeders (factory made) work fine, although I did not use them. I used flex trak, so I tried to use my drop down feeders about every 3 ft. I did solder the feeders at the rail joints but not all. Im no expert, but I would think 3 ft would fine in about every case. Purely my opinion. Its alway easy to more if you need it. Premade rail joiners cost more than regular rail joiners and you dont need rail joint feeders at every joint.
     
  12. SpecialK67

    SpecialK67 New Member

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    Kool,that's pretty much what I was thinking. Like I said,it's just a simple,single go around the 7'x9' layout w/only 1 loco
     

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