Powering Track sections - How to...

Henri

Henri

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I'm not sure if 'track sections' is the right word to use. Feel free to correct me.

I want to use 5 sections in my layout of which I can apply power to using switches. No electrical points (yet). DC power with a speed controller somewhere along the track. I think in the area of section 1A.

Track sections.png

Of course there is a Main section, which can be completed by powering either 1A or 1B.
The rest is quite straight forward I think.

Now a couple of questions:
  1. Just isolate one track per section, or both?
  2. What kind of isolators? Just cut the track (bad idea I think), use plastic isolators...?
  3. I could use some inspiration about hiding the wires (Rabbit proof!) but with easy acces in the future. Or is this not necessary?
  4. I want to put the main power unit in the shed: How many wires to run between shed & track? With future 'that would be nice to have' in mind?
  5. What's the best way to connect wires to the tracks? I've got some very tiny connectors in my starter set, but they don't look like lasting one winter outside...

And maybe things I should know about..?
 
Easiest way to isolate rails is to use LGB or Massoth plastic isolating rail joiners. LGB are yellow, Massoth are black which is less obvious - depends if you want people to know where your isolators are. You have to remove a metal rail joiner to fit the plastic one.

Sidings like 2,3,4 only need one rail isolated. It doesn't matter which rail but I usually isolate the rail at the point frog. 1A and 1B also only need one rail isolated unless at some point in the future you might want to add a second controller. I'd probably isolate both rails now. If only one rail isolated then again just split the rails at the frog at both ends of the section. Leave the outside rails of 1A and 1B connected so that power will feed beyond those sections.

I would probably put my main power feed near "main" on your diagram, with another feed on the left hand side if you've isolated both rails of 1A and 1B.

For connecting wires to the track I use Split Jaw clamps.
http://www.gscalenews.com/information/track-power-clamps
 
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Hi Henri. I started with DC and created 'block sections' . I gapped one rail and used LGB switch box units to control them. These are compact, nicely made and are weather proof. Very easy to wire up as 1 wire runs from the box to each gapped section. Each box can control up to 4 sections. There are two types of LGB control box. One is for point control and has 'momentary' switching the other is the type that I used. The boxes go for about £25 to £30 used on ebay or this forum.
They are great for creating spurs and loops where a train can be kept waiting until 'switched' into service.
 
beavercreek said:
Hi Henri. I started with DC and created 'block sections' . I gapped one rail and used LGB switch box units to control them. These are compact, nicely made and are weather proof. Very easy to wire up as 1 wire runs from the box to each gapped section. Each box can control up to 4 sections. There are two types of LGB control box. One is for point control and has 'momentary' switching the other is the type that I used. The boxes go for about £25 to £30 used on ebay or this forum.
They are great for creating spurs and loops where a train can be kept waiting until 'switched' into service.
Click to expand...

Henri,

I follow what Mike has done and use either the yellow isolating type of LGB switch boxes, or use the add on isolating switches for the point motors.

The LGB wiring system that was shown in all their guide books and instruction sheets is that you chose a single rail to isolate throughout the layout and always have your breaks on that side. On your layout the choice would simply be 'Inner' or 'Outer'. Which is up to you, but under the LGB wiring system once you chosen you then always stick to that same rail.

Obviously sometimes this means that your break is in the rail not on the frog side, but that does not matter

The reason for this is that the supply to the Yellow Switch box is arranged as the common supply to all four switches of the box, so one feed to the box can allow you to switch the supply to all four sections.

Under the LGB system this was always the blue rail. The rail that you never or rarely break is the red rail.

I still use this system today in my garden and when we do temporary layouts at shows.

James
 
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in your plan there is no reason to interrupt both rails at any place.

i use the colors from LGB. blue and red.
so i have one blue, that runs uninterrupted around the whole layout. all interruptions are on the "red side".

isolated joiners are costly. so i use homemade ones. the newest model is a 3D printed copy of the LGB joint.

the best way to connect feeder wires to rails is soldering. the cheapest and easiest way: thrust a flat screwdriver between rail and tie-web, insert cable beside it, withdraw screwdriver.

edit: that i have the "other" rail interrupted, must be, because i'm on the southern hemisphere...
 
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Henri said:
What is a point frog?
Click to expand...

The one in the lead! - Sorry Henri, could not resist that one.. :giggle::giggle::giggle:

Point (or switch), I am sure you know what that is?
The 'frog' is the flat triangular bit where the two rails come together to a point.. Why a 'frog', unless they are supposed to look like a squashed one, I do not know.

To confuse you even further, they can be 'live-frog', or 'dead-frog'. If they are live-frog, the frog is most likely switched as well!
 
PhilP said:
The one in the lead! - Sorry Henri, could not resist that one.. :giggle::giggle::giggle:

Point (or switch), I am sure you know what that is?
The 'frog' is the flat triangular bit where the two rails come together to a point.. Why a 'frog', unless they are supposed to look like a squashed one, I do not know.

To confuse you even further, they can be 'live-frog', or 'dead-frog'. If they are live-frog, the frog is most likely switched as well!
Click to expand...

I think they are called Frogs is because when you look at the point where the rails cross, and the surrounding check rails, it does look a little like a an outstretched frog. Even more so if you drink a few beers and then squint.

Interestingly live and dead frogs are less an issue in G scale than they are in other scales. Most G scale Points that I have come accross do not self isolate or electrically switch when they change, although in many other scales this appears to be normal. I understand that sometimes Isolating points are called 'thinking' points.

Owing to the larger scale it also seems easier for manufacturers to design the points so that the rails that cross come quite close, without touching and allow the minimum amount of dead non conductive area on the frog.

Train line take this to extremes and have built a seperate metal triangular section built into the frog that can be switched, to the appropriate polarity to minimise the dead section. That is the nearest that I have come to a Live Frog point in G Scale.

James
 
Certain hand-made and small-production points like GRS, Thiel and Heyn have an all-metal frog so can be made into live-frog quite easily (as supplied, the frog is isolated from all rails, I think, so that it is dead-frog unless wired up).

While "frog" is the common term in English, I think the Germans call it the "Harzstueck" or "Heart-piece", as it is the central part of the point.

Jon.
 
If you are only running one train at a time, or multiple trains but always in the same direction, you can save money on wire, and also use the switch boxes with a common by only doing insulators on one "side", the other rail will be uninterrupted, and power will be "common" to that rail everywhere.

In the US this has been called "common rail" wiring since before I was born in the 50's.

If you would isolate some areas to be able to run trains in different directions in different parts (like a train running on the main loop and a switcher on a siding) then you will need to insulate both rails.

I would insulate both rails unless you are sure you will NEVER do this. The cost of the extra insulators and wire is nothing in the long view, this is the foundation of your layout, and going back later to add wires and insulators is a huge task, many people give up and run "hobbled" rather that go back.

You could still use the LGB stuff with the common for now.

Greg
 
Greg Elmassian said:
If you are only running one train at a time, or multiple trains but always in the same direction, you can save money on wire, and also use the switch boxes with a common by only doing insulators on one "side", the other rail will be uninterrupted, and power will be "common" to that rail everywhere.

In the US this has been called "common rail" wiring since before I was born in the 50's.

If you would isolate some areas to be able to run trains in different directions in different parts (like a train running on the main loop and a switcher on a siding) then you will need to insulate both rails.

Greg
Click to expand...

Greg,

Partly agree. I use double isolators where my catenary powered tains pass my track powered tains to prevent leak through of one power supply to the other. They are great in triangles and reverse loops too, but the only other place I use them is to keep the seperately powered sections of my main lines and branch lines apart.

All my other isolated sections (of which I have 21), have just a single rail insulated. I can't see the need for them to be double.

James
 
So you are agreeing James..
Double-insulate where you have a branch-line, or goods-yard, which you may wish to run separately to the main-line..

I would class a catenary-line as a branch (or separate) main-line. - Despite it being possible to run both track and catenary powered loco's on the same section.
 
Henri you can hide your wires as I have done in Small Wire Trunking, with removable lids makes it accessible. Would be Bunny Proof too. Look at my recent post:-

https://www.gscalecentral.net/threads/new-fiddle-yard-on-the-dunny-reichesbahn.306818/

If you trawl through this short missive you will see how I have used trunking. The right size fits between LGB Sleepers perfectly if you cut out the slight joiner between the sleepers.
JonD
 
Henri, in answer to your questions you will find these three links from G Scale News helpful:

Isolaters:
http://www.gscalenews.com/information/track-isolators

EPL components (for control etc):
http://www.gscalenews.com/information/lgb-epl-components-and-alternatives

Signal blocks, which contains a good basic explanation and diagrams of isolated sections:
http://www.gscalenews.com/information/signal-blocks


Have a look at a horse's hoof if you want an explanation of the term frog, as applied to points.
 
Henri, for purely illustrative purposes here an example of a frog on the points:

frog-on-the-points.jpg

Hope that answers at least one of your questions ;).
 
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