Feeder Wires on Unitrack & Flex track

[Bernard]

Bob, (aka Powersteamguy) has brought up a good topic during his post under Unitrack, feeder wires. Since I use flex track and run DCC I went by the "Model RR book about wiring your layout for DCC"  I recommend the book and it offered a lot of useful information. My layout is permanent and is 16'x12'. The book recommended that I run a feeder wire every 6' but I chose to run a feeder wire on every piece of flex track which is about 3'. I also broke the layout into 4 block sections. The result: it took a lot of extra work and soldering but I have never had a problem with power to a track. The one area I did not run feeders is at the turnouts but after readings Bob earlier post I'm now going to try running 3 feeder wires at the switches.
Here is a question for the members who have Unitrack, since I solder my wires directly to the rails, how do you run feeder wires on Unitrack?

[Shashinka]

Reading the other thread, I'm a bit bewildered. On our layout. we run two power connections to each track on the near and far end of the layout per loop. If you look below, the layout have only 2 connections per track. (It's a double connection for the viaduct)  We have no problems running full 16 car shinkansens on the viaduct. Our biggest performance issue is dust.

Total track plan


Viaduct, one double power connection per end (2 total)


2 connection per end. (4 total)


2 connection per end. (4 total)

[Martijn Meerts]

The amount of feeders depends on many things really. Is the layout analogue or digital, is it modular or static, do you use mainly flex track or sectional track, is it separated into blocks, is the track brand new or has it been used before, are the joiners new or used before, etc.

While 1 feeder per track is overkill, it just adds a certain amount of security for parts of the layout that will be hard to reach later on, or parts of the layout that require optimal electrical contact. It's also good for modular layouts that are transported often and used in various environments.

DCC is generally more sensitive than analogue running, so for DCC you'd be better of with multiple feeders. The more modern (and expensive) decoders have features built-in to combat the sensitivity, but that won't necessarily cut it, nor do you always have space to add a decoder with such features.

If you're using track that's been set up and taken down often (which is what Unitrack especially, but also Finetrack are designed for), the joiners won't be as good as they could be. If you build a layout with replacing those joiners with new ones, there might be a loss of voltage somewhere along the line.

Separating the layout in blocks means you're adding a lot of isolated sections. In that case you'll need more feeders to start with, since every block requires multiple feeders depending on how you divide your blocks. A station track that's say 1.5 meters long for example, and that has traffic going both directions will need 3 feeders at least. 1 each for the stop sections on the ends, and 1 for the brake section in the middle.

Then there's shadow stations, usually hard to reach, so they should be very reliable. Especially the turnouts at the exit of the station are important, since trains will likely travel fairly slow across those turnouts.


In the end it really depends on a lot of things. Like I mentioned in the other thread, a feeder for each piece of track is a "better safe than sorry" type of thing, but 1 feeder every 1 meter for a digital layout isn't uncommon. Remember also that most modules in a modular setup are no more than 1 meter long, so in that case you have 1 feeder per module ;)

[Bernard]

Aaron - Is that the DC Washington clubs track plan? If so thanks for posting it. I gather the top plan is the entire track layout and the plans underneath are separate line plans. How long does it take yousguys (ny slang) to set the layout up at shows?

As Martijn said since that layout isn't a permanent layout, no need to have a lot of multiple feeder wires.
And is there something about the Unitrack that cuts down on the dirt on the rails? I hardly ever have problems with my Unitrack bridges or viaducts but am constantly cleaning my flex track.

[Powersteamguy1790]

Bob, (aka Powersteamguy) has brought up a good topic during his post under Unitrack, feeder wires. Since I use flex track and run DCC I went by the "Model RR book about wiring your layout for DCC"  I recommend the book and it offered a lot of useful information. My layout is permanent and is 16'x12'. The book recommended that I run a feeder wire every 6' but I chose to run a feeder wire on every piece of flex track which is about 3'. I also broke the layout into 4 block sections. The result: it took a lot of extra work and soldering but I have never had a problem with power to a track. The one area I did not run feeders is at the turnouts but after readings Bob earlier post I'm now going to try running 3 feeder wires at the switches.
Here is a question for the members who have Unitrack, since I solder my wires directly to the rails, how do you run feeder wires on Unitrack?

Bernard:

 You can also solder feeders underneath the roadbed where the Unitrack is exposed.

Stay cool and run steam.... 8) 8)

[Powersteamguy1790]

Aaron states:

"Reading the other thread, I'm a bit bewildered. On our layout. we run two power connections to each track on the near and far end of the layout per loop. If you look below, the layout have only 2 connections per track. (It's a double connection for the viaduct)  We have no problems running full 16 car shinkansens on the viaduct. Our biggest performance issue is dust".

Don't be bewildered. The JJJ&E has been a permanent layout for nine years. I've had no electrical problems or power losses on any part of the layout. I often check the voltage on various parts of the JJJ&E with a RRampmeter and the voltage always remains constant at 11 volts.

I'm a strong advocate of dropping feeders from each section of track, be it flex track or sectional track. I've always done that on all my O scale and HO scale layouts in my sixty years of model railroading.

Stay cool and run steam.... 8) 8)

[Shashinka]

Aaron - Is that the DC Washington clubs track plan? If so thanks for posting it. I gather the top plan is the entire track layout and the plans underneath are separate line plans. How long does it take yousguys (ny slang) to set the layout up at shows?

As Martijn said since that layout isn't a permanent layout, no need to have a lot of multiple feeder wires.
And is there something about the Unitrack that cuts down on the dirt on the rails? I hardly ever have problems with my Unitrack bridges or viaducts but am constantly cleaning my flex track.

Yeah, this is our current track plan. However due to the lack of member participation when we have to set up and tear down, tied with the 4-5 hour time to get it together, we're looking to go to a module layout shortly. I've been through the setup three times and it is a bear. Our biggest problem is dirty track. We just can't keep that track clean. Also we seem to have issues with some of the Kato Shinkansen trains I believe Kato on the inside viaduct. The 500 Kato I believe really will not run on the inside track. We have no flex track. It's kind of alike a jig saw puzzle as we have the template on the surface and we just place the track on top of it.

I will admit, I'm still baffled by the wiring every section, and in 28 years of doing HO, have never seen this done in any club or layout I have been involved with.

[Martijn Meerts]

H0 (and especially Marklin) is far less sensitive in general, and less sensitive to voltage drops because the rail connectors are much thicker than in N-scale. A bad rail connector in N-scale can actually function as a resistor.

[Shashinka]

H0 (and especially Marklin) is far less sensitive in general, and less sensitive to voltage drops because the rail connectors are much thicker than in N-scale. A bad rail connector in N-scale can actually function as a resistor.

After a few subsequent conversations offline on the topic, I'm wondering if this is more of an N-scale thing, or a Unitrack thing. All of the HO guys I know from my local club looked at me like I was completely insane when I suggested this. Though a few N-0sclaers said they have never done this with the N-scale, they have heard of some other N-scalers wiring sectional track, but on the Kato.

[SubwayHypes]

If i am running a standard non DCC layout with unitrack that is commonly broken down what do you recommend?  i am definately having power shortages on certain sections of the track.  is there a diagram on how to install feeders?

[Martijn Meerts]

What I've done with my father's layout, is to run a double loop of fairly thick copper wire underneith the table, that somewhat follows the track. The copper wire is connected to the transformer/power pack. Every 2-3 meter or so, we dropped 2 wires from the track through the table, and soldered them to the copper wire loop. Works great.

[Sushi Train]

Reading the other thread, I'm a bit bewildered. On our layout. we run two power connections to each track on the near and far end of the layout per loop. If you look below, the layout have only 2 connections per track. (It's a double connection for the viaduct)  We have no problems running full 16 car shinkansens on the viaduct. Our biggest performance issue is dust.

Total track plan


Viaduct, one double power connection per end (2 total)


2 connection per end. (4 total)


2 connection per end. (4 total)

Hi, without the staging yard, how big is this layout? Thanks