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[fyzal]

Guys I saw some video putting wiring's on the tracks I mean attaching wires and soldering it, what is the purpose on doing that?It puts more power when you got a big layout?

[jonathan]

fyzal,

On any layout, there is usually a bit of power degradation from where you attach your power pack to the furthest point distant from the power feeds.  You will notice this as the train slows down and speeds up as it moves away from the power source and then gets closer.  This will happen even with new track and a new power pack.

To make the train run smoothly anywhere on the layout, you can add 'feeder' wires to the track and run them back to the power pack.  At first a general rule of thumb is to add feeder wires every 10 feet on your layout. 

The larger my layout got, the more feeder wires I added.  I got so OCD that I started adding feeder wires every time I added a piece of track.  I went a little too far, but I have very smooth running trains as a result.

Usually you will have two thicker wires (14-16 gage) from your power pack and running the whole length of your layout.  You then add small feeder wires from the track to the thicker wires.  The thick wires are called a bus feed.  Some people solder the feeder wires to the bus feed.  Some use 'suitcase' clamps that connect the wires mechanically.  Both methods seem to work fine. 

My own little trick is to solder the feeder wires underneath the rail joiners, so they are hidden from view.  There are many methods of soldering wires to the track. 

That should be enough to ponder for now.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Rashputin]

Guys I saw some video putting wiring's on the tracks I mean attaching wires and soldering it, what is the purpose on doing that?It puts more power when you got a big layout?

  Over time you'll find that power connections and power pickup are the most problematic things on a layout whether it's a permanent or temporay layout. Rather than using the quick connect type of track that comes with train sets and that is common to sectional track, people will solder their connections to the track, and usually put connections every four to six feet  (from below) when they have their track on a sheet of plywood or permanent layout. By making sure the track is seldom if ever a source of power related problems they can then focus on the engines themselves (well, and tenders as they're critical for power pickup, too) whenever an engine is erratic.

For any sort of permanent layout I strongly recommend soldering your power connections. If you sometimes have the track laid out and sometimes store it, I recommend Bachmann EZ track (the NS type with gray ballast) and that you have more than a single power connection track so that power loss around a loop (for example) doesn't result in the engine slowing as it gets further away from the power connection. That isn't a problem on small loops or other arrangements,  but as things grow it can be. If you put the track in place for a while and then store it again, you need to be very careful about spreading rail joiners apart when putting the track together or taking it apart because the joiners are the power connections. Always have a few spare ones around in case you goof up and spread or bend some somehow. I find that EZ Track really helps to keep rail joiners in good shape, at least it does for me on the track we set up every year for Christmas and from time to time just for the heck of it.  It also keeps the track from sliding apart as some other sectional track does since the ballest sections hold the track together taking stress off the rail joiners.

Marx train sets had something like EZ Track back in the fifties, and Bachmann sectional track takes that same idea and but turns it into a very detailed and very good sort of track even for portions of a large layout. I always wondered why the idea of ballest and track combined went  away for decades. I like the fact that with very little detailing it looks better than I've ever been able to do with cork and ballast type roadbed.

[fyzal]

wow!It seems its a long way for me to this hobby,but with your shared knowledge maybe I will be a pro railroad modeler in no time;-) thanks again!

[jward]

fyzal,

you'll spend a lifetime and never come close to knowing all there is to know in this hobby. concentrate on learning about the things that interest you once you master the basics.

[ACY]

The prices on Tsunamis must be dropping.  Tony's lists them in the $80 to $100 range except for the micros.
http://www.tonystrains.com/products/soundtraxx_tsunami.htm

I just looked at Walthers, who probably never has the cheapest prices, but that is what they ran from on there.

[Terry Toenges]

Tsunamis are flooding the Japanese market.

[Jim Banner]

Tsunamis are flooding the Japanese market.

OUCH.

Jim

[fyzal]

I dont know if this question is a dumb question:-) ('forgive me") but I will still ask you expert guys,I received a bachmann santa fe flyer train set from my wife..I know its not one of those fancy trains but is there a way you can put dcc on this kind of trains?

[fyzal]

just have patience with me guys for asking too many questions...hehe!

[ACY]

but I will still ask you expert guys,I received a bachmann santa fe flyer train set from my wife..I know its not one of those fancy trains but is there a way you can put dcc on this kind of trains?

You can add a decoder if you know how to hard wire a decoder, it is not DCC ready or plug and play. So if you can soldier and know where to soldier all the wires to then it will not be a difficult install. Remember to keep things insulated from each other to prevent making magic smoke.

[Jim Banner]

Even if you do not know how to hard wire a decoder, you can learn.  There are only six wires to worry about.  Two connect to the wheels through the existing power pickups.  Two go to the motor.  And two go the the headlight.  As ACY says, you must keep things insulated.  Specifically, you MUST remove all the existing connections to the motor including any that are through contacts touching the metal chassis.  And you MUST remove all the existing connections to the headlight.  The only way the motor is allowed to get electricity is from the orange and grey decoder wires.  Any other ways will damage the decoder.  The light is similar except it must get its power only from the blue and white decoder wires.

For more information, take a look at this article:

http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Bachmann/EMD_FT-B/EMD_FT-B.html

If shows how to install a decoder in a Bachmann FT-B.  The only difference between the FT-B and the FT-A is that the FT-A has a headlight.  If you do not know how to solder, borrow or buy a soldering iron with a small tip and rated about 25 watts.  Also buy some fine, flux core radio solder (NOT ACID CORE!!!)  Then read a basic article on how to solder such as this one:

http://members.shaw.ca/sask.rail/TechNotes/soldering.html

Then practice on scraps of wire, bits of brass, old tin cans etc. until you can make a good joint every time.  Even if you never install a decoder, knowing how to solder is a very useful technique for a model railroader to learn.

Jim

[fyzal]

yes I know how to solder thanks to my engineering college days:-) so what I must learn is the proper wiring so I will not damaging the decoder.thanks! another question soon....

[fyzal]

btw,guys what type of train is the blue train from the movie UNSTOPPABLE? i love that train

[ACY]

They used a whole bunch, most were from W&LE.