Garden Railway Electrickery

Hi Phill:)

Lovely work and a lovely garden, it was very soothing to listen to the wheel beats and the bird song a really nice bit of line-siding:thumbs::bowdown:

Can I ask, have <probably asked before:oops:> you laid a BUS for your electrics or do you just use the 'Jumper wires'?

Also how often do you find that you have to renew fish-plates (do you use WD40 or Copperease so as to help preserve them)?

Keep up the good work - more vids please!

Kind regards,

CME:)
 

Phill Dyson

Western Thunderer
Hi CME :)

No bus wire mate, just jumpers at every rail joint. I did try copper grease when the line was down on concrete, but I found little or no benefit..... I didn't do it again when I re-laid it on ply a number of years ago & the Peco fishplates are still going strong :)

Cheers Phill :)
 
Hi CME :)

No bus wire mate, just jumpers at every rail joint. I did try copper grease when the line was down on concrete, but I found little or no benefit..... I didn't do it again when I re-laid it on ply a number of years ago & the Peco fishplates are still going strong :)

Cheers Phill :)

Hi Phill:)

That's great - thanks.:thumbs:

Some say that the Peco fish-plates don't last long outdoors, but they have lasted over 10 years on our H&BLR (un-powered as locos are live-steam or battery etc.), so I presumed, that electrified lines were the reason why they failed so quickly, outdoors, on others' lines (ie some form of 'electrolysis/electrolytic' interaction/reaction?):confused:

Your trains seem to run very well - after your Spring clean of the track etc. - all very realistic!:thumbs::):bowdown:

Kind regards,

CME:)
 

iploffy

OC Blue Brigade
I too use rail joiners and have had no problem with them at all. I think it's got something to do with having jumpers at every rail joint and not using them to transmit up to 5 amps, I have had some of mine down for 4 years now and still have had no problems. I do use 2 power feeds to the track per oval ans this seems to be adequate as there is appreciable power loss (once you remove your fag tin off the rails):headbang:
 
I too use rail joiners and have had no problem with them at all. I think it's got something to do with having jumpers at every rail joint and not using them to transmit up to 5 amps, I have had some of mine down for 4 years now and still have had no problems. I do use 2 power feeds to the track per oval ans this seems to be adequate as there is appreciable power loss (once you remove your fag tin off the rails):headbang:

Hi Ian/Phill:)

I think that answers another question that was forming. Personally I shall start off with jumper wires (I believe that you have hit the proverbial nail on the head Ian:thumbs: ), see if such are adequate for DCC, if not, I shall add a BUS later. As we have discussed NS isnt brilliant at conducting 'lectrics, so it needs a little help in the garden:)

I echo everyone's comments Phill, it's a very fine railway:thumbs::bowdown:......

.......In particular, Jordan is right, go for it, doing so, will add more operational interest when you want to 'play' trains and other times, you will also have the luxury of just watching them go by too - it is nice to see the layout developing year on year:):thumbs: .

Hopefully for Down Ampney, since we took up the outdoor station boards (last year), I may be able to bolt on a small (portable) Halt/Station (to the fiddle yard side - perhaps, eventually, one at either end?) so as to keep visitors entertained with a little more operational interest too.

Like you, I had hoped to add a SR (Sth' Hagwell:oops::)) <sniggers>, he said 'South' he he, ha, ha <Bevis and Butthead stylee>) station on the outdoor station boards as that adds flavour and contrast, yet from a practical point of view a Brass (WR) kit built station sounds a good idea. SR & WR stations help with operational/stock interests though.....I am a little luckier as the M&SWJR had both LMS and SR visitors so the absence of a Southern Station isnt a big loss. I suppose if I were you, regardless of the WR Brass kit issue, I would be inclined to go for a SR station (I hope that helps:oops::))).

Kind regards all.

CME:)
 

lancer1027

Western Thunderer
Hi CME,

I am fitting a bus with jumpers from every yard of track. My thoughts (might only be me though) are my garden railway will be quite a distance around the garden so didn't want any drop in power at the furthest point. :thumbs:

The wire shall be purchased at Cleckheaton for this. ( being picked up by a mate, as im not going).

So once I have the wire I will be making a start on wiring:thumbs:

Rob:)
 
Hi CME,

I am fitting a bus with jumpers from every yard of track. My thoughts (might only be me though) are my garden railway will be quite a distance around the garden so didn't want any drop in power at the furthest point. :thumbs:

The wire shall be purchased at Cleckheaton for this. ( being picked up by a mate, as im not going).

So once I have the wire I will be making a start on wiring:thumbs:

Rob:)

Hi Rob:)

Sounds like a good idea - I shall experiment with the 'dime test' (ie short the circuit and see if it trips, if it does then we know that power/signal is getting through - wont have any decoders nearby though!:thumbs:;)).

Sorry for the hijack Phill:)

ATVB

CME:)
 

iploffy

OC Blue Brigade
Rob you don't need to do that because all you are doing is adding another path for the electricity to flow if the rails are bonded together all you need to do is add extra feeds half way round the layout. This is considerably less hassle and works the same as having a ring. When you come to a set of points the tortoise motor will act a switch for the actual direction and will also act as a polarity changer just by adding wires from the rails to the contacts on the auxiliary electrical copper clad. Much easier if something goes wrong
 
Rob you don't need to do that because all you are doing is adding another path for the electricity to flow if the rails are bonded together all you need to do is add extra feeds half way round the layout. This is considerably less hassle and works the same as having a ring. When you come to a set of points the tortoise motor will act a switch for the actual direction and will also act as a polarity changer just by adding wires from the rails to the contacts on the auxiliary electrical copper clad. Much easier if something goes wrong

Hi Ian:)

Well put/said, my view was/is (now after a bit of thought over the past week or two), although not as eloquently put, that as long as the jumper bond wires worked, I would then just run a feed or two (as I wont be using any DCC accessories outdoors with the exception of possibly point motors - which can have a short run of accessory BUS to them from the garage).

Phill:) , I was to ask how you power/switch your points and what point-motors you use? I have looked at Peco Solenoids (with polarity switches), Pneumatics etc etc and I am still undecided. All I need to install, now that the outside station/branch is gone, are two sets of reverse crossings - any ideas on how, with a point motor or two, I can switch one set of crossings without getting too complicated (ie change two points at one time and in unison)?

ATVB

CME:)
 

ZiderHead

Western Thunderer
I'd recommend that each feed/dropper should be to an isolated section, if not you will form loops which is not a good thing in general, and particularly for long sections with joins, and especially for DCC.
 

Phill Dyson

Western Thunderer
Phill:) , I was to ask how you power/switch your points and what point-motors you use? I have looked at Peco Solenoids (with polarity switches), Pneumatics etc etc and I am still undecided. All I need to install, now that the outside station/branch is gone, are two sets of reverse crossings - any ideas on how, with a point motor or two, I can switch one set of crossings without getting too complicated (ie change two points at one time and in unison)?

ATVB

CME:)

The points in the garage/indoor section use Seep point motors which were kindly installed by Ross of this parish :):thumbs: .......electrickery is not my forte :oops::D

The outdoor points are manually switched but wired so as not to be reliant on blade contact ;)

Phill :)
 

Phill Dyson

Western Thunderer
Hi CME,

I am fitting a bus with jumpers from every yard of track. My thoughts (might only be me though) are my garden railway will be quite a distance around the garden so didn't want any drop in power at the furthest point. :thumbs:

The wire shall be purchased at Cleckheaton for this. ( being picked up by a mate, as im not going).

So once I have the wire I will be making a start on wiring:thumbs:

Rob:)

Are you no longer thinking of going radio controlled then Rob?:)
 

iploffy

OC Blue Brigade
I'd recommend that each feed/dropper should be to an isolated section, if not you will form loops which is not a good thing in general, and particularly for long sections with joins, and especially for DCC.

I agree with the idea but in DC with all of the rails bonded to their neighbours the electricity is being forced to go through the rails forming a complete circuit. With DCC it can cause problems not DC. The concept is used as a ring main in your house to feed high current motors
 

ZiderHead

Western Thunderer
sure, 50Hz 240V AC powered stuff wont be effected by the noise, and sensitive stuff is connected to it by isolating transformers and chokes.

12V DC motors could be effected close to 0V depending how bad it is, although I doubt it would be noticeable. The only real advantage of isolating the feed sections is being able to easily continuity test it.

DCC signal in the kHz range ... loops are asking for trouble. :eek:
 
I'd recommend that each feed/dropper should be to an isolated section, if not you will form loops which is not a good thing in general, and particularly for long sections with joins, and especially for DCC.

Hi ZH,:)

I shall start off with Jumper wires and then do the 'Dime' test, if any problems I will add feeds or a Bus later.

I plan to isolate sections anyway - for ease of any (potential) fault finding - thanks for the tips though, I have learnt something new today:bowdown::thumbs:

Kind regards,

CME:)
 
The points in the garage/indoor section use Seep point motors which were kindly installed by Ross of this parish :):thumbs: .......electrickery is not my forte :oops::D

The outdoor points are manually switched but wired so as not to be reliant on blade contact ;)

Phill :)

Hi Phill,

With you manuallt switched points have you still used an electrical switch - in conjunction with the re-wiring - so as to maintain power and polarity etc?

Kind regards,

CME:)
 
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