In HO slot cars we called them Power Taps. No sure in the MRR world. In slot cars rule of thumb was 1 tap per 10 to 15 joints.
Does that rule work with MRR as well? Or do I go by feet of track? Most of my track is flex by Atlas.
Thanks for the coming answers.
Cuda Ken
Model railroaders are a more conservative bunch. With flex track, you will want a power feed about every other piece (about 6 feet). It also helps to solder the joints, not only where the power feed is, but in all the other joints, too. Someone will probably tell you NOT to solder every joint to allow for expansion. Then there will be an arguement that goes on for a page or two about whether or not to solder every joint, etc. etc. The truth is, some have great results soldering every joint, including turnouts. Others seem to have some problems at times. Some more will tell you NEVER solder a turnout in place. Add two or three more pages of comments on soldering turnouts, etc. etc.
Such a simple question, such a lot of comments yea and nay! My advice? Solder everything. Expansion problem? Cut a gap with your Dremel. Replace a bad turnout? Either de-solder or get out the Dremel again. (Or both! Cut off the ends of the turnout off leaving a short stub section still soldered to the other track, then de-solder the stub while it’s easy to get to with the turnout removed. Solder the new turnout in place with new rail joiners.)
Your layout is of a good size. It won’t hurt to do MORE soldering than you think necessary. Trying to find a bad connection on a big layout can cause you to pull hair out by the roots! LOL
Still going to K-10’s on Wednesdays? Missed you week before last. Maybe next week.
Darrell, quiet…for now
I was there dgwinup but must have misssed each other. I hope to be there on the 3rd Thursday for run what you brung.
K-10 record is 178 coal cars. Hope to preak that record with Quaded headed PK’s E-6’s and Erie Bulit’s A and B’s.
Like the little red engine, I think I can, I think I can, I knew I could.[:D] Record was quaded headed Brodways steam. Not sure what they where.
Every 6 foot? Hum I wonder if Ken at K-10 has any more free wire left/[:D] I graped two rolls last week.
As far as the soldering, I have done that to a few rails about 15.
Thanks for the answer and hope to meet 1 on 1.
Cuda Ken
Ken:
Books and also multiple discussions on these forums have made the following reccs: code 100–feeders every 10 feet. Code 83 track–feeders every 6 feet. Per Darrell’s comments, as I live in Ohio with varying humidities (though have a humidifier on my furnace and dehumidifier in the basement where my layout will be) I plan on not soldering my flextrack on straightaways, and thus plan on putting feeders on every section of flextrack.
Jim
I have track drops on every section of flex track and drops on all three ends of every turnout. All track is soldered and have not had too many problems YET with the track expansion and kinks in the rail. Although I do try and keep the room humidity under control it does vary from 50% in the winter to over 75% in the summer.
I do have a few cuts in the rails at the ends of DCC blocks so there is some room for expansion.
As for soldering in turnouts I always figured that if the turnout went junk I could just cut it out with the Dremel otherwise why would I be wanting to remove it anyway?
BOB H – Clarion, PA
Thanks for the answers, I never thought the track code would come into play. I happen to run code 100.
Before I added the new rails I had around 7 taps and power seem to be fine all the way around the bench work. Guess would be I had around 120 feet. I have added around 50 feet so more taps are in order.
I have 2 spots that seem to be lacking power, engine’s slow down then when closer to a power tap speeds up a little.
Stay tune for more stupid Cuda Ken Questions.
Cuda Ken
You’ll find that every joint is a potential place to lose power. Rail joiners work loose over time and that means there’s no secure connection between track sections. Hence power loss. You’ll also fnd that by using flex track where possible, you reduce the number of joints, and have less trouble.
Case in point, while I was planning my layout I picked up some Bachmann EZ-Track and put down a basic 4x8 oval, with two power feeders equally spaced. I had some slowdown issues at each end furthest from the feeders. When I completed the track for the first loop on my layout (8x12, flextrack, joints only soldered on the curves, no soldered joints on the straights or turnouts), I hooked up only 1 set of feeders to test run it - and everything ran fine, no slowdowns anywhere. I have since connected up the rest of the feeders so there is power every 6 feet or less, including at each of the three legs of every turnout, but with fewer joints and better track it actually DID work when done the ‘wrong’ way.
–Randy