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The 12-position "terminal strip" shown by Richie C. is offered (along with a two-layer 24-position version) in MTH catalogs, although it isn't made by MTH. I have several of these installed on the underside of my L-shaped layout. The screw terminals are slightly larger than the Radio Shack terminal strips -- easier for me to use when I'm on my back on the floor and reaching  upwards with wires with spade lug connectors. Once installed, these are bulletproof!

Mike Mottler     LCCA 12394

I’m with EastBay and Richard Whipkey here.  Look at the cost of the options in terms of what it costs to hook up a single pair of wires to the track (common and hot).  The MILAPEAK 5 Sets of 12 Position Dual Row 600V 15A Screw Terminal Strip Blocks with Cover (what shows up when you click on EastBay’s link) sells for $12.49.  Nominally, that gives you 60 ports but you have to use one port on each block for the power source so that leaves you with 55 available ports for distribution to the tracks.  $12.49/55 = $0.23 per port and you need two ports for each pair of power wires so that’s $0.46 for each track connection, both common and hot.  The best price I found online for the MTH 50-1020 24-port terminal block that supports 24 pairs of wires is $30.00 (MSRP is $37.95).  Even at the $30.00 price, the cost per pair of wires is $1.25 for each track connection or over 270% the cost of the MILAPEAK.  Plus, the MILAPEAK is more compact and more versatile.  For example, suppose you only need five pairs of feeders.  You can use one 12 position block and use half for common and half for hot.  You just link six ports together and now you have two power feeds and 10 ports available for five pairs of wire to the track.  Your cost has now gone up about four cents to $0.50 per track connection which is still less than half the cost of the other option. You have gained the flexibility of effectively supporting a smaller number of track feeds so you can then locate your distribution blocks closer to the track locations they support.  (I showed this in my post from last April: https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...terminal-block-video.)

 I have used the other options mentioned including the Euro-style (which are still useful for non-bus purposes) and the MTH style terminal block and I have found the MILAPEAK and similar products are the most versatile, easiest to use, and provide the best method for securing the wires in addition to being the most cost effective.  

(Edit:  I used track as an example but it doesn't matter whether you're hooking up to tracks or lights, the principle is the same:  making the bus connections for both sides of an electrical circuit.) 

(Edit 2:  Re: the MTH 50-1014 12-port terminal block, MSRP is $27.95, online price is aroud $24.00 so the cost is $2.00 per track connection or pair of wires,) 

Last edited by PGentieu

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
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