My new Christmas Train Wiring technique


S

Sleeper

Member
Ok I started soldering the wires onto my track many years ago, but I also permanently fastened my track down to the layout as well. The track didn’t weather too well in my storage building during the summer and rusted. It is such a pain to replace the track with everything soldered up like I had it.


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So this year I accidentally came across these 18AWG connectors on eBay and except for the size of the plugs, I really like them. I use both FastTrack and RealTrax with the plastic roadbed so a hole big enough for the plug shouldn’t be a problem. It’s going to make things so much easier to set up the Christmas train.


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Anyway I found them here on Ebay and they were pretty cheap and fast shipping. Here is the link in case anyone is intrested.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/140873395206?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
 
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I bought those before I started soldering them, but I’m so cheap that I didn’t want to spend the money. I soldier on at least 5 to 6 dropdown feeders for my 8 x 6 layout.

Also that’s only half of it. I still need a connection underneath for the drop down feed to the bus. I have been using wire nuts but it’s just too hard for me to climb under the layout to connect all those wires. Now I only need to plug in 5 to 6 plugs using these connectors, plus since they are polarized so I only have to reach under and plug it in without worrying about crossing wires.

So this is only approximately $1 per connection and it includes the plug compared to $4 a connection without a connector to the bus.
 
I ran a single feed to my 6 1/2' X 12 1/2' layout until I added the Legacy system and now I have 2 feeders and no troubles.

Thanks for sharing your experience, you never know what will come in handy.
 
Thanks for replying Louis,

Well my problem is that I use my track one month out of the year for Christmas and the rest of the year it’s stored in a shed in my back yard. The first couple of years proved too much for only one feeder unless the track is completely taken apart and put back together to reset the connections. My old train would run great near the connection, but would quickly die as it got farther down the line.

I don’t have the Lionel Legacy system, but I know from my DCC N-scale layout. It really makes a difference when you have maximum voltage on the track at all times and control the train digitally instead of varying the line voltage.
 
It's my pleasure, I always enjoy talking trains and O gauge is my favorite!

Now I understand, your feeders make perfect sense and is a good solution to your unique problem, good thinking! Other people may have given up on the Christmas layout.

Even though I have a permanent layout I am frequently disconnecting the track to change plan and I have been replacing 10" straights with 30" straights where possible. Also I try to clean and maintain my track at least once a month, but I lapsed over spring and summer. That is how I ended up with some serious corrosion. My 2 grandsons wear me down, first with little league and then I have the pleasure of looking after them during the summer break.

We do set up a floor layout to play with on rainy days. My boys are only 5 and 6 and their interest in trains comes and goes like the tides, but I do my best to encourage them. I honestly believe this is the world's greatest hobby!

I also have an N scale Christmas train and my wife loves it, everyone does. N is challenging for me because of it's size and my eyes and hands are not good enough. If I was younger I would probably have more N Scale trains.

I have HO as well. I had always had HO trains under my Christmas Trees until my daughter bought me the Lionel Polar Express and I was hooked on Lionel! That was what inspired me to build a permanent layout. Then I learned about DCC and found that fascinating and had to have 1 and now 2 different systems.

I just love trains!

If you get a chance I would enjoy seeing some pictures of your Christmas layout when you have it up and running.

Enjoy the holiday season!

Here are some pictures of my Christmas trains from last year

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and one, more, only one, I promise. :)
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Yes, I have 2 Polar Express sets. When They came out with the new remote control LionChief sets I had to have one!
 
Hi Louis, I’m very happy to see your trains. I love O scale and I have maybe 6 or 7 trains but I just don’t have the room to run them all year long. I was going to build a 6 x 30 ft layout on my patio, but there was too much wind and dust here in the desert so I’m confined to a small bedroom with N-Scale.

Since I have mostly Christmas trains I have a really hard time finding anybody who is interested especially with Model Railroaders. I just don’t get it and it just seems so weird that modelers don’t want to have anything to do with it. I once did a search for a forum especially for Christmas train enthusiasts and found a Christmas Site but there was only one person with a train and it was a battery operated train.

So anyway here is a video of my Christmas train. I know it’s bad, but I got a different camera and was talked into using a tripod which was a big mistake because it ended up being jerky.

[video=youtube;_TcxovjVIPI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TcxovjVIPI[/video]
 
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WOW!!! THAT IS FANTASTIC!!! I can't wait to show my boys!!! Thank you so very much for posting that!!! Wednesday I went to a fire house to see a train garden with my youngest grandson and his kindergarten class. You Christmas layout absolutely blows theirs away! I have a few DVDs of Lionel Christmas gardens and yours is as good as any I have seen and much better then most!

I know for sure of at least 3 other modelers on this forum who run O gauge trains under their Christmas Trees and I think maybe a half a dozen others do to. One of my friends I met on this forum will be blown away by your layout, I can't wait to tell him about it! I am going to send him and email as soon as I am done with this post.

When you have time check out this thread and if you would repost your video, I know others would love to see it too. What Do You Do For Christmas? Also if you have time stop by the coffee shop and post your video, I know there are several who would love to see it! It's a great place to yack with people who love trains.

I don't use other forums except for the OGR forum, (O Gauge Railroading magazine) but I only use that when I am looking for specific information. I also signed up for the CTT forum (Classic Toy Trains magazine), but I have never figured out how it works, to be honest I did not try very hard or very long. This is the best forum for me. Everyone is very nice and extremely helpful. Very seldom will any one judge or try to dictate "the right way to do it". Some of the forum members on here are like walking encyclopedias of trains, real and model trains.

I convert my layout to all Christmas this time of year and I have nothing like you have but I love mine just the same. I built my permanent layout in January 2013 and I have been picking up things here and there when I find a deal. Hopefully I will one day have some thing even remotely close to what you have.

Ok, now I am really motivated to get my old butt moving so I can get my layout set up for Christmas. I had planned to have it up and running on 12/1, but so go the best laid plans!

Thanks again for posting that, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it!
 
i am new to this - O gauge - MTH - and ??

at the beginning of this post someone used the term "bus" - what is the bus and it purpose in wiring a layout

thanks- rdeal
 
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