Frm what I initially assessed from Mark's original statement, the power loss is due to a faulty rail joiner soldered connection. All this theory about where? what? and why? doesn't solve the problem. The simple answer is to drop feeders on either side of the loss of power to common bus lines. The average person reading all the comments made in this post would be at a loss what to do to solve the problem. I stand by my original belief, that a soldered rail joiner isn't the best way to provide continuous power to the rails as It's basically a very weak joint that tends to become more ineffective as time lapses due to any slight movement of the track due to thermal changes in the environment. In DCC we drop feeders from the rails to common bus lines and avoid the worst of all soldered joints, the soldered railjoiner. Most folks can't get the joint hot enough to be able to get a good soldered connection. So, the main problem here is soldering technique and not the physics of why? how? where? and when it happened. Stay cool and run steam.....
I have not had an opportunity to use the resistor thingy, as yet. It has been purchased, but I got involved in finishing another 6 feet 3 inches of low backdrop, which will be glued together and screwed on tonight.
I went to Radio Shack and purchased the requisite resistor and was ready to print the thread and have it next to the layout since moving the layout to the computer was not really practical. Before commencing my plunge into the nether world of moving and blocking electrons, I tried something suggested by both PSG and Boxcab, which was drop another feeder from the section in question. I didn't really do that at first, I just did the following; Lo and behold, my engines did not slow down when I jumped a common from another area of the layout to the common on the section in question. I then dropped a feeder line and soldered it to the other two feeders I have to hook up to the control panel. It worked perfectly, EXCEPT the entire upper level of my layout was now without power. It was that old "Oh, ****" feeling once again. I then jumped from the common connection on the control panel to the upper common and I had power. Upon closer examination under proper lighting, my soldering was a bit iffy when I soldered the dropped line into the two feeders (one of which was my upper common). A few more Lessons Learned for the proud owner and operator of the LLL --- Do not solder under two two foot flourescent bulbs on the ceiling because you are too lazy to drag around 1000 watts of halogen to the soldering site. Try the simple solution, first. It is probably the answer to the question. I did learn a lot from the technical posts in this thread and am a better modeler for the knowledge gained. Do not panic when something like a loss in power on an entire level of a layout occurs. It most likely can be retraced back within a few minutes, a calm demeanor and a recall of what you have already learned.
Mark: I'm happy to hear that dropping another feeder or two solved your power issues. Usually the culprit is a soldered connection that might be inadequate. Stay cool and run steam....
As to feeling inadequate, I used to liken myself to Mr. Peabody. I now know I am more in the Sherman class. All is now well. Percy just dropped off a Sodor mail car in Peaceful Heights. [ December 28, 2005, 09:51 PM: Message edited by: Fotheringill ]
