Here's a diagram of my 4x8 N scale layout: I have 70% of the track up, though there will be no reverse loop (encircled) and most of the sidings have been revised. The mainline will mostly look like it is. It's currently DC (though I can't yet run a train all the way around yet), but my goal is for a DCC system that can run 2-3 mainline trains and a switching operation. Before I caulk down the track I obviously have to install my wiring. How many feeder wires do I have to put, and where? Thanks in advance!
The best rule of thumb is to put a feeder onto each piece of track (whether it be flex or individual track segments), and not rely on track joiners to conduct electricity.
Damn, that's a lot of work. Enough to discourage me from finishing my layout! What if I solder the rails in certain joints? Won't that help conductivity?
More drops is better but at least every two/three feet of trackage on each block segment. 12-14 gauge bus and 18-20 gauge drop feeders.
Very nice plan. I would keep that reverse switch in, especially if you're planning for DCC. The reverse needs to be isolated anyways, so it wont be a problem while you're running DC as long as you just don't run a train through it. Then later on when you enter DCC, I think you'll be glad you kept it for doing operations. It is a lot of work and time, but it will pay huge results in the long run. My father and I built a layout about 10 years ago in a room of our basement. We dropped feeders on every other piece of flex (about 6 feet apart). It still works great, however while back home visiting last month, we had to completely rip up and re-wire a 4 track yard because electricity was starting to drop out (we all know things deteriorate over time). Believe me, taking an extra 3-4 minutes per section and dropping a feeder now is nothing compared to de-soldering joints, soaking ballast, ripping up track and cork, and re-laying everything. 12feet x 4tracks / 2 people took a week vs just the few hours it would have taken to drop those feeders.
From your blog I can see you are using flex track for the mains. It's really not that much more work to drop the feeders at the joints. If this layout is going to be against the wall like the photo you posted today it will be a pain to reach the back section. The last thing you need are power drops four feet away fom you. Great looking plan. I may steal it for my next layout if you don't mind.. Mark
Like it has been already said, you can't have too much feeders and too few will nag you later on. You really want as many feeders as you can have. There is many approaches to wiring feeders. I choses to solder all feeders to the joiners but not solder the joiners to the rails. This way, I get (so far...) proper conductivity to all joins without the inconvenience of unsoldering anything if I ever need to pull tracks off. I can always apply solder to a troublesome joiner later on, if need be. See how I did this:
I LIKE YOUR METHOD! Thanks! I saw another method that involved soldering the wires to the underside of the rails, as my rail is pre-weathered. It's great but requires a lot of precise drilling below the tracks.
