Track length limit?

[tk]

We have HO, is there a limit to the length we can make the track loop?  We made an oval roughly 10' long.  Our locomotives would only move about 10 pieces of track away from the power source (in either direction) before they would just come to a stop.  What up wit dat?  And if this is reality...how do you professionals fill rooms with hundreds of feet of working rail line??  We have a Tech II controller.
My wife is looking at me like.."honey, if you can't get a model train to work, please don't ever work on the car!"

[Packertrain]

I asked a similar question. Go to "General Discussion" and look for the question from packertrain. Maybe it will help. Good luck. --David

[adari]

This happens due to power dropping. This is true for houses to. You On a loop on the floor I would put two wires connected to the tracks coming from the power pack. If this is on a table, I would drill feeders and solder them, then I would run a bus wire under the layout.
Adari

[tk]

Adari, Packertrain, Thanks.
So if I read this correctly, using one power pack, run two seperate sets of wires to two evenly spaced terminal/rerailers.

[adari]

Two or more feeders. On my layout I have hundreds, But that is for the big layouts.
Adam

[tk]

So about how many feeders per feet of track.  And how do you wire all of them into one power pack.

[adari]

on a big layout I do about every three feet. On loops that  i set up every once in a while I have two one on each side. Just keep adding them until it works.
Adam

[tk]

Thanks Adam.  (I can see how this might need to be a budget line item)  Is there a gang bus that you can plug/wire all the terminals into? or did you create something?

[Doneldon]

tk-

Electrical power declines as the distance from the source (your Tech II) increases, and the reduction is faster with smaller wire than with larger wire. Thus, your power buss (the main wires under your layout) needs to be relatively large by model standards (14 or 16 gauge - most regular indoor extension cords are 16 ga.), but the short (6" - 8") feeders from the buss wires to the tracks can be quite small, like 22 gauge. Be aware that the rails and wire don't know anything about location or size. That means you can connect one set of feeders in the middle of one side of your loop and the other pair directly across only 36" - 42" away. The track distance between feeders will be the same as if you had connected one set at one end and the other set at the far end, serving them with a power buss.

How many feeders you need is a function of several things. First, older track and rail joiners don't conduct electricity as well as new, bright parts, so old track typically needs a few more feeders. Second, DCC requires the generous use of feeders; DC (what you have) is less demanding. Third, clean rails and pick-up wheels generally function better than their dirty counterparts so increase the number of feeders if your track and wheels aren't bright. NB.: This only works to a point; really dirty track or wheels can seriously screw up operation even with lots of feeders.

If you have a ten foot long DC loop, and assuming the loop isn't also ten feet wide, I suggest starting with two feeders. If the trains run smoothly, you're in; if not, add maybe two more. Frankly, I expect two will do it unless the track is in bad shape. Then you might need more. However, it's better to clean up dirty track and track joints than to just throw feeders at the problem. Be prepared to use more feeders if you add branch lines or sidings.
                                                                                                                                                                                           -- D