How to run a model train bus wire
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- čas přidán 19. 08. 2024
- In this video I go over how to install a model train bus wire. It is pretty simple to do and makes wiring a layout much easier and looks much better. If you have any suggestions or comments on this video be sure to let me know!
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Thanks for posting please do more including decoration, house, trees, grass, etc.
Great video on the explanation of the bus wire.
Scott
DCC bus wires should be twisted together to reduce inductance. On long runs that inductance will distort the DCC waveform and possibly create weird responses, especially with locos with sound.
Yes, the twist does make clipping in those suitcase connectors a lot more difficult. But ya gotta do what must be done.
Great video, thanks!
For suitcase connectors for feeders to buss, drill out the smaller gage of the connecter. this gives you 2 feeder ends. Cuts the number of suitcase connectors in half.
Very nice video. It does look nice neat. Thanks for sharing. Later, John
Great Video, nice and lucid.
Hey I am new to this, I was wondering how you do the start and end of a bus wire. Hope you can help. -Andy
how do you connect your bus wire to a power supply? Also, how do the little feeder wire connecting pieces that attach the feeders to the bus work? does it strip the bus wire when you install it or do you have to strip it before?
Thank you
I tried suitecase connectors - I put the first one on and tested and had no power. I felt like at that point they may not always be reliable so I've switched to soldering my drops to the bus wire.
nice "show & tell"
Can you connect controller to track as normal & have a separate power supply feeding the bus wires? So you are feeding power to track from two sources. They wont clash or cause a short or whatever. Thanks.
or you could go with what David Popp suggested on the CZcams video on the MR Page how to wire your layout use Ideal Industries plug connectors this is better than screw connectors and you won't lose them all the time.
Where do you connect your bus to get the power.? That was the portion I am waiting for you to show.
Nice video, simply explained, and easy to follow.
Do you use solid wire or stranded?
+Ken P I am using stranded wire, however I have used solid wire in a previous layout and that worked as well.
I have about a 36 ft long run on my main line in one direction...and return of equal amount...so roughly 72 ft in total....Now I want to add a turntable...Should in get linked to the main bus...or the accessory bus? Your view? Take it that turnouts should go to AC power???
Nice 👍 Do you have a link for the spade connectors? I think the are snap spade not the suitcase. Maybe post the links in your description. Thanks
I just put together an L shaped benchwork for my n gauge train layout. A 3'x6' section and a 2'x5' section. What's the best way to lay the wires in the L shape! I'd love your input! Thanks.
How would you connect block sections (groups of feeder wires) to your bus wire?
Does the bus wire just end? or does it get connected back to anything?
I am fixing to build my first O27 layout. on my N gauge I used a 18 gauge single wire that is used for alarm and fire systems. My question is can I use this same wire to wire my O27 track as a bus and feeder wire?
Good video. I do have a question though, should I branch my bus line for my second main line and should I have a snober on the end of my bus lines?
Does the bus wire make a loop and attach back to where the wire started? Or, does it run point to point and you attach feeder wires as needed?
+Juls Adkins There is no need for it to make a loop. Just run it as far as you need to for feeders and that is it.
do you have to run the bus wire in a circle or can you run from point (a) too point (b)??
+Paul Settle Yes you can. There is no need to run the wire in a circle can go from one point to another and that is perfectly fine.
My grandson is building a model railroad and is having trouble with dead spots in the track. He doesn't seem to be able to find the problem and he wondered if he could lay a small gauge positive wire on the outside of the track, and negative wire on the outside of the opposite side of the track and run those wire all the way around the hook the power supply to those wires instead of to a piece of track. It would be the same amount of electricity running through the wire, but each piece of track would have power. Would doing this work, or would it burn out the locomotives?
Hey mate.
You've asked the exact same question that I am seeking the answer to.
Have you worked it out?
How do you end the bus wires..
hi i am new to model railway would this work for dc and does the main controller wire go straight to the bus wire or does it go to the track
Do you just blank off the end of the bus wires ?
What connectors are you using at the beginning of the video? eBay or Amazon? Thanks
I'm planning a large single loop around the top of my living room, and I have a question. If the track's joints are all soldered, is their any need for a bus wire with multiple feeders? And just to tidy things up a bit you could run two feeders from each of the connecters on the bus wire (one out each end).
+Keith Petersen Yes it is possible to do without having to run a bus wire but depending on the length of the loop could cause issues. If you do a good job at soldering the joints and keep the tracks and locomotive wheels clean it should work. No using the suitcase connectors it is not possible to put a wire in each end. There is an end piece that will keep you from putting a wire in the other side of the connector.
Thanks
My advice is to wireit up cuz I made a big mistake by making a single loop without wiring and now i have to add feeders because it wont conduct electricity now:( . I connected everything too except the damn feeders, wires, etc #FML
Thanks for the video, i take it i would need a bus loop for each seperate track layout. For instance if im running 3 trains on seperate track non digital i would need 3 controller units and 3 bus loops for eatch track loop is that right
Simon Gray ,
nice video. what are those joiner things called that you plug the bus wires together with?
Tim's Train Videos those connectors are called suitcase connectors.terminating the ends of the main bus. Is typically done when the length of the bus is over thirty feet. Yet still,I'm going to use theses filters anyways, for(possible future expansion). It is called a snubber,It is an R/C ckt.
I am confused. I know nothing about wiring. Do you only run one wire from your power pack and call it a bus wire? Then where is it connected to the track? with rail joiners that have a wire? ok, then if you add something like an accessory to your layout are they connected to a new buss wire from the accessory port on the power pack? If you have an accessory and it has two wire running from it do you attach both of the wires to the buss wire running from the accessory port of the power pack? How many buss wire do you have to run to the track on a 5' by 9' HO train layout? I how you can help me on these question because I am so confused as to what to do. Right now the train runs slowly and when I hook up the accessories I get an overload light so I am stumped as to where to go from here and I have read everything I can about wiring.
Well to start off if trains are running slow and you are getting an overload light it means there is too much connected to the power supply. You can either get a new higher power supply or add an additional one just to run the accessories off of. There are two main wires running from the power supply that are the bus wire most often a red and black one. Then coming off those wires there other wires that then connect to the track and anything else that needs to be connected to the main bus wire. You can look through some of my other videos to see more wiring and how to do things such as run feeder wires. For a layout of your size you would only need one bus wire and a couple feeder wires running to the track.
+CSXNo4591 thank you so much!
interesting points ,if anyone else wants to learn about how to build a model railroad layout plans try Pycanta Model Railroaders Protocol (just google it ) ? Ive heard some amazing things about it and my colleague got great success with it.
here's several tips for diy railroad layout construction
Find a suitable set of plans online
Find a mate who wants to build one too so you have someone to help you
(I learned these and the reasons they work on Jareks hobby club site )
I'm new to model trains. What's a bus wire?
Are the “feeders the same as the “bus”?
no... the feeders are attached to the rail... the feeders are then attached to the bus wires which are attached to the DCC power supply... feeder wires are smaller (22 gauge)... bus wires are bigger... 14 to 12 gauge to prevent voltage drop which leads to poor loco performance
DC or DCC?
+Planeguy747 I am running DCC but this would also work for a DC layout I believe.
Where do you get the suitcase clamps?
I bought them through Amazon, radio shack is pout of business.
Train Station Ho N Mark O Lion Mark Amc
0:55 to 1:05 you confusing me bro which one is the main bus wire red or black? and what is the black wire called? God damn I can't find one decent video on youtube...
+sunsetcity420 Both the red and black wires are known as the main bus wire. One wire is required for each rail but they must be consistently used for the same rail such as black for one rail and red for the other rail.
CSXNo4591 Thank you!!
sunsetcity420 ycdth
One side of a track is positive (eg. Red) bus wire. The other side of the track is Negative (eg. Black) bus wire. The thiner red and thiner black wires are dropper wires which are soldered to each side of the track and dropped down through the baseboard to the bus wires. Black must go to black and red to red. It confused me so much at first when I saw all the wires together lol. Then there’s the point motor wires which , to me, looks even busier.
You know, you could have twisted all those wires together and soldered them. Saving all the money you spent on suitcase connectors for other stuff.
Yes if one wants they can certainly do that. But with the amount of wires i would have to do that to it would take longer and the savings would not be all that much. There is nothing wrong with doing that if one chooses that option.
I have nearly a thousand connections under my layout. I twist all the leads going to the tracks together in one area. Then I wrap it around the main feeder, when I'm completely done in that area I solder it. This is actually quicker and cheaper then what you are doing. I'm a master electrician with my own contracting business.I'm always looking for the quickest and most cost effective way to complete projects.
One minute you say you will need only one wire to feed the whole layout. When you get underneath the truth is evident. You need two wires. Not a very good start, and enough for me sorry.
Boring