Subject:
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Re: How do I power a long track?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Mon, 27 Dec 2004 22:29:04 GMT
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Viewed:
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4020 times
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In lugnet.trains, Mark Bellis wrote:
> In lugnet.trains, Mark Assi wrote:
> > I have a train track that runs around the perimeter of my son’s bedroom on a
> > platform that extends out from the wall. The problem is that the train seems to
> > really slow down around the opposite end of the track from where the power is
> > connected. What do you guys do to keep a train running smoothly on those large
> > layouts I’ve seen you put up at shows?
> >
> > I’d appreciate any advice you could give.
> > Thanks,
> > Mark
>
> What sort of trains are you running? The advice depends on this as it specifies
> the power requirement.
>
> My layout has a circuit of 106 pieces of track and I use parallel-connected feed
> wires, one at each end, so that the through-sidings on each side are not
> affected. I cut some small 9V leads in half and put 12V plugs on them, so that
> I can use the long 12V leads to reach the length of the layout. You could use
> 'chocolate bloc' barrier strips instead, with loudspeaker cable (1 Amp rating)
> for the long runs.
>
> My trains are 8mm:1ft scale, so I need up to 1 Amp of current, rather than the
> 300mA from a standard controller, so I use a big power supply instead. If your
> trains ever use more than two motors each, you will need a higher current power
> supply.
>
> I found this when I tried to run one of my big steam engines (with 2 train
> motors and 2 technic motors) from a standard controller, in a siding about 1
> metre away from the feed wire. It wouldn't move, even at full throttle!
>
> If you're using multiple feed wires it's also good to put them in the middle of
> a straight or at the end of a curve in the usual direction of travel, so that
> the engine gets the best pickup (least voltage drop) when it needs to accelerate
> out of a curve.
>
> Mark
Thanks for the info, Mark.
The train I am running is one of the Large Locomotives (Item#: KT105). I have 5
passenger cars (Item#: 10015), and 1 caboose (Item#: 10014). Total of 1 motor.
I was thinking that maybe I had too many cars on it, but it runs fast when it is
on the same side of the track as the regulator. I want to try the idea of just
stringing another power cord from the regulator to the other side of the track.
It seems like the most elegant solution I have heard so far. I just have not had
the time to rig up the cord yet.
Thanks,
Mark
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: How do I power a long track?
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| (...) What sort of trains are you running? The advice depends on this as it specifies the power requirement. My layout has a circuit of 106 pieces of track and I use parallel-connected feed wires, one at each end, so that the through-sidings on each (...) (22 years ago, 27-Dec-04, to lugnet.trains)
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