ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.
Hello All,
I am putting together a 60 foot ceiling layout that will feature a Lionel locomotive pulling 12 cars. The track is Gargraves (flexible track), connected to an 80 watt Lionel transformer. I have no idea how many feeder wires should be installed (and at what interval? gauge of wire?) in order to ensure a smooth and fast operation of the train. Any advice that anyone is able to provide would be really appreciated.
Can't say I really know, being an HO guy, but I would want something like 20 gauge feeders, short as can be, and, depending on your thinking, a feeder pair at every second joiner, with the other joiners on either side free to 'float' with humidity and temperature changes. With every second track joint soldered, you are assured of 100% coverage, and the 20 gauge feeders will keep your voltage drops low.
If you have a bus near 14 gauge, I'll bet even 22 gauge feeders would do in the same configuration, provided they are not longer than about 24" absolute tops.
...and I would recommend using at least 12 gauge stranded wire (for greater flexibility) for the buss wire. (I use 10 gauge for my buss wires.) Then, I would recommend using 18 gauge stranded wire (same reason) for the feeders. The idea is to have the least resistance to the flow of the 'Trons.
I have great results using a feeder every 6 joiners. If you use 40 inch Gargraves flex track, that would equal 240 inches or twenty feet. The reason you can do this is because the track is much bigger than in the smaller scales, and has less resistance to the flow of 'Trons. Notice that you effectively have feeder wires every 3 joiners. Also, if you are using 10" track, then you would need a joiner every 60 inches.
guys, you do ralise that 16 gauge wire will power a 10amp circular saw? 120V*10A thats 1200 watts transmitted over that line safely and with some headroom left for startup peaks.
EDIT: and 12 gage can be used to power smallish worksite. it that point its the 15Amp (or was it 20) outlet is the limit.
of course you can use what you feel is right but somehow i just don't see those gages as absolutely required to power couple watts worth of train engine , even 60ft away.
My layout is just 9.5x15.5, or 40' or so of track, and I have 5 feeders and 1 bus. I used 12 gauge for the bus and 18 gauge for the feeders. I used Lionel Fasttrack instead of flexible track. I'm a little overkill.
I think you could get away with one set of feeders every 10-12 feet with the same wire diameters. Once you wire it up, you'll know if you have enough voltage or not, since you will see your loco speed up and slow down.
What size transformers are you all using? I am going to be doing an around the room O gage in a 10X10 room. The OP says he is using an 80 watt, how about the rest of you?
I have TMCC and have a 180 watt brick. I only run one loco right now, and may get one more to run simultaneously. When I was testing, the 35 watt power pack powered a conventional loco easily.
