HB, no, there's not. All DCC command stations assume one set of wires going out into a terminal block and then any other power wires will be taken off that terminal block. There's an assumption that people who have an electric model railroad know something about how electricity works. Not to be snide, but you really don't. I don't know much either but I learned. Get this book: http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/12207.html. I'm sure it's sold by Kalmback in the UK as well. Read it through and try to grasp the basic principles of wiring, including striping, wires, using a terminal block, and running a power bus. None of this is really hard. I'm a mechanical idiot but I figured out enough about electricity, with the help of books like the one I'm recommending and a lot of people at places like this. You can do it also.
4X8 Suggestions appreciated
- Thread starter Hathaway Browne
- Start date
Hathaway Browne
Intrepid Adventurer
Thanks for the suggestion.
What if I just split the wire in to two from each of the two wires I currently have?
What if I just split the wire in to two from each of the two wires I currently have?
ken_23434
Member
Here is a pic of a terminal board. If you have one of these for your (+) wire and one for the (-) wire, then it will be easier to hook up various sections of your layout easier. You will need to hook up a "U" shaped jumper wire from one scew to the next across the terminal board. Run one wire from your controller to one of the screws on one of the boards and then do the same with the other wire to the 2nd terminal board. Then, you will just need to hook the "red wires" all to the one terminal board and all the "black wires" to the other terminal board and then off to your track. It is recommended to have these "feeders" every 6 feet or so on your layout.
Just make sure you keep the polarity of the wires correct. The way I visualize it, is to just place a train on the layout. The "red wire" will always hook to the right hand side rail and the "black wire" will always go to the left hand rail relative to the loco. If you swap the red and black wires, you will create a short.
I hope the picture of the terminal board and my description helped you visualize it. The "red wire" and "black wire" can be any color you have, as long as you are consistent in which ones get hooked up. The controller may or may not have a (+) or (-) marked or any color associated with the 2 wires coming out of it. Just keep your color convention consistent.
Just make sure you keep the polarity of the wires correct. The way I visualize it, is to just place a train on the layout. The "red wire" will always hook to the right hand side rail and the "black wire" will always go to the left hand rail relative to the loco. If you swap the red and black wires, you will create a short.
I hope the picture of the terminal board and my description helped you visualize it. The "red wire" and "black wire" can be any color you have, as long as you are consistent in which ones get hooked up. The controller may or may not have a (+) or (-) marked or any color associated with the 2 wires coming out of it. Just keep your color convention consistent.
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HB, there are about a million ways to do wiring, most of them wrong. If you just want to do something temporary, get some red and black 18 gauge stranded wire and some wire nuts. Cut the wires into about the length you need and strip the ends. Twist them together and then twist the two pairs of wire to the one coming from the controller, after cutting and stipping the ends from the contoller. Use the wire nut to hold them together and insulate them from shorting to other wires. Do the same for the other wire coming from the controller. You should now have one wire that still goes to the original terminal track and two extra pairs of wire to hook up to other teminal tracks.
If you want your wiring to be done right, do exactly as Ken has laid out. As I've said before, you will eventually have to take more wires off the controller for a power bus and the terminal strip is the way to do it.
If you want your wiring to be done right, do exactly as Ken has laid out. As I've said before, you will eventually have to take more wires off the controller for a power bus and the terminal strip is the way to do it.
Hathaway Browne
Intrepid Adventurer
Thank you both! I'm sorry I've not exactly made things easy for you! lol but I will certainly look to do something along those lines at the weekend.
Ii just find this part frustrating as I so desperately want to get on with the scenery where I'm more comfortable.
Ii just find this part frustrating as I so desperately want to get on with the scenery where I'm more comfortable.
HB, take the time to get and read the book I told you about. I love scenery too but the best scenery with trains that sit there and do nothing isn't a lot of fun. Like I said, electric trains demand at least some passing understanding of electricity if you're going to have things work right.
Hathaway Browne
Intrepid Adventurer
Well things have ground to a halt again and its making me think once again that I could do better than what I've got. It's so frustrating.
I'm not bothered about realistic operations, so you'd think it'd be easy to get something sorted, but even with my most recent layout idea I'm thinking that there's something not right.
Sometimes I want to start all over again from scratch, but I've invested too much in stuff that's now just gathering dust.
I know the idea solution is N, but its just too darn small for me, and again, I've invested too much in HO.
I'm not bothered about realistic operations, so you'd think it'd be easy to get something sorted, but even with my most recent layout idea I'm thinking that there's something not right.
Sometimes I want to start all over again from scratch, but I've invested too much in stuff that's now just gathering dust.
I know the idea solution is N, but its just too darn small for me, and again, I've invested too much in HO.
