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When wiring from a distribution block to the track, should the wire go directly to the track or should feeders be dropped from the track to the wires from the block or does it make a difference ?

I will be using one TIU, MTH distribution blocks, Fastrack and separate track blocks.

 

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From each isolated block I dropped two feeders (16 awg stranded) then soldered 14 awg stranded from the feeders to the terminal block.  I also soldered a length of 16 awg stranded from one outside rail to the other outside rail so that both rails were grounded.  My drops are no more than one foot in length.  Hope this helps Richie

Paul

Interesting responses from all and thanks Barry.

I do like John's idea of running wires from the distribution block to a terminal for each block and then back to track feeders. I plan on using 14 ga. for the main wires and 16 ga for the feeders.

John - did you use a separate 2 gang terminal block for each set of feeders ? Did you use spade connections at the terminal block or solder ?

Thanks

Richie, I used the euro style terminal blocks and cut them in pairs. I have 14awg from transformer to TIU to distribution blocks, 16awg paired wire from OGR to all drops, and 18awg drops from track. .110 spade connectors at Fastrack, set screws at drops,crimped fork ends at distribution block, and banana plugs at TIU and transformer. I tried to stay within the 12 track joints per block. I don’t have each block switched, but twelve sidings are. Worked well for me for four years. The layout is 16 x 20 “U” shaped, with the MTH blocks at the bottom of the “U”.AFAA38C1-3553-45C9-A6B3-E120B9FDFDFCB0BA393B-D3AF-4109-B7B3-BA2EF8C58873

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  • AFAA38C1-3553-45C9-A6B3-E120B9FDFDFC
  • B0BA393B-D3AF-4109-B7B3-BA2EF8C58873
John H posted:

Richie, I used the euro style terminal blocks and cut them in pairs. I have 14awg from transformer to TIU to distribution blocks, 16awg paired wire from OGR to all drops, and 18awg drops from track. .110 spade connectors at Fastrack, set screws at drops,crimped fork ends at distribution block, and banana plugs at TIU and transformer. I tried to stay within the 12 track joints per block. I don’t have each block switched, but twelve sidings are. Worked well for me for four years. The layout is 16 x 20 “U” shaped, with the MTH blocks at the bottom of the “U”.AFAA38C1-3553-45C9-A6B3-E120B9FDFDFCB0BA393B-D3AF-4109-B7B3-BA2EF8C58873

Thanks, John. That looks almost exactly like what I have planned.

Hard to tell from the picture, but which side is the TVS on - feeder from track or distribution block to drop ?

Last edited by Richie C.

Gentlemen,

  IMO you guys are over playing the TVS safety, I have been using the TIU TVS sense MTH put them in the TIU.  Never ever had it fail and that is a bunch of years.  Guns and I had a discussion on this many years ago, and it definitely would be nice if Lionel and MTH added it to there engines, especially their high cost engines.  So far the TIU has been doing the over all job.

PCRR/Dave

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