feeder wires for EZ Track laying

[chaynes]

I am planning a narrow shelf layout around a 10'x14' room.  My plan is to use HO EZ track and solder the rail joints.  This is going to be one large loop around the room and will host DCC locomotives using a Bachmann Dynas system (probably).  There will not be any turnouts.  Using EZ track and soldering the joints, do you think it will be necessary to lay a track bus and feeder wires to the track, or would the single connection to the DCC controller be sufficient???

Thanks
Chris

[Len]

For a room that size I would recommend a minimum of four feeders, one on each wall or corner, more is better. I like 16 gauge lamp ("Zip") cord for this, because there's less 'wire clutter' than using individual wires. Bus with feeders or direct feeds (star pattern) is a personal choice. For an around the room shelf direct feeds layed between the track and wall would probably be easiest.

Except for a basic train set loop the whole, "You only need two wires with DCC.", spiel is a myth. As a layout gets larger, you get the same kind of voltage/power losses through the track as using DC. So you need additional feeders for the same reasons. And that's not even getting into setting up power districts for yards, etc., on a larger traditional style layout.

Len

[chaynes]

Thank you.  I like the idea of using the zip cord.  I was concerned how to handle all the wire clutter on the narrow shelf.  I am not familiar with the direct feeders (star pattern).  What is this???  I have always used individual wires usually soldered at rail joiners.

Chris

[Len]

Bus: You lay a loop of 2 wires from the transformer around the layout, then tap feeders from it to the track.

Star Pattern: You connect the transformer to a couple of terminal blocks, then run the feeders from the terminal blocks directly to their track attachment points. So called because on a table type layout the, if the terminal blocks are mounted near the cener of the table the feeders create a sort of star shaped pattern under the table. If the terminal blocks are mounted anywhere else you don't get the star pattern, but the term is still used for direct feeders to differentiate it from using a bus.

Len