No.59 Wiring – a knotty problem
There has been some discussion recently about techniques and materials for connecting ‘droppers’.
Those of you who read this Blog will know that it is an
account of my own experiences and as such it contains descriptions of
activities and techniques that work for me. Since 1980 I have constructed three
large layouts. They have all used Code 100 Peco Streamline track. For each
layout I have reused and added to the components from the previous layout.
Hence I do not know the current length of track – but I am guessing that it is
perhaps in the order of 150 yards. Certainly there are over 100 points some of
which date back to the 1980s. The only concession to the 21st Century being
that some of the earliest Peco points have had shims added at the frog to ease
the passage of the finer scale wheels favoured by Bachmann.
All three layouts have been DC and have used ‘Cab Control’.
That is where the track is divided up electrically into individual sections
separated by nylon insulating rail joiners. Within each track section the
individual lengths of track are connected with Peco SL-10 nickel silver rail
joiners. For running lines there will be typically three or four lengths of
track to each ‘Section’ all connected together with Peco rail joiners. However
where sidings are involved there may be a dozen or more lengths of track all
connected together in one ‘Section’. In the early days I once purchased some
Lima flexible track and some of their rail joiners. Not something that I was
minded to repeat and I would definitely not be recommending.
Droppers – single core 0.6mm wire attached to Peco rail
joiners
The technique that I have adopted over the years for
connecting the power supply to the track involves the use of droppers – short
lengths of single core 0.6mm cross section wire fitted to track lengths prior
to laying. In the early days I attached the droppers directly to the Code 100
nickel silver rail. However the rail is quite a large ‘heat sink’ and by the
time it has been heated up locally to attach the dropper there is a distinct
possibility of melting the surrounding chairs and sleepers. Hence I have for
some time attached the droppers to ‘brand new’ rail joiners, red wires for
connection to the Control Panel, black wires for connection to the common
return. There is an added benefit in the development stage of the layout in
that any problems with points and motors can be dealt with relatively easily by
sliding back the soldered rail joiners and lifting out the affected point.
The view above shows the arrangement of the wring at the toe
of a turnout, showing the droppers attached to larger multi strand wire used to
connect back to the Control Panel (red) or Common return (black). The
combination of single core wire with multi-strand wire has the benefit for the
more elderly railway modeller, in that the two wires can be wrapped together
prior to soldering without the need for extra hands– something which can be
tricky underneath the baseboard with hot solder. Do I hear ‘Risk Assessments’
mentioned?
Multi strand wire - 140-350 / 140-356 are old Farnell codes for 16/0.2mm gauge wires.
I have included a picture of the reels of wire I use for
connecting the droppers to the Control Panel and to the Common Return. It
seemed suitably heavy and was available – perhaps the labels will mean
something to others of you ‘out there’?
Not a pretty picture
A picture for all seasons? A typical view beneath the
baseboard showing the ‘brown’ Common Return stripped from 240 volt ring main
cable. The parallel blue core fulfills a similar role with regard to powering
the point motors.
Does it work? Of course it works – take a look at the BachmannBlue Pullman on YouTube. You can gauge the size of the layout by the fact
that it takes nearly four minutes to circuit just the Main Line.
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