How-to solder track & feeder wires (HO scale model railroad)

[bigB6flyer]

Nice video! Hey is that stranded or solid wire your using for the feeders? Thanks!

[TheLondonRailfan]

Thanks a ton for the tips! Just getting started on the wiring now!

[HODiver]

For the buss line how do you strip the wire without cutting it?

[tnttrains]

@HODiver There is no need to strip the buss wire. The "suitcase jumper" will penetrate the insulated coating on the wire.

[HODiver]

@tnttrains Thanks, I did not know that it goes through the coating.

[pburr917]

Great video, this is probably the first video Ive seen that actually makes sense to me. A lot of the other videos assume you know how to do it and just make it more confusing. The only question i have is, do the bus lines go directly to your controller? are you using dc or dcc. If you could get back that would be great, I'm beginning to build my own layout

[tnttrains]

@pburr917 Thanks for the kind words. I run DCC and yes the buss wires go directly to to power source for the DCC unit. My layout is 5 years old now and as you can see I move very slow. The only advice I have for you is have fun while doing it. If it becomes anything more than fun you need to take a few days off and come back to it later. Good luck!

[cordaleb]

so do u only soder wires to the track if its a big layout

[tnttrains]

@cordaleb I would run solder a feeder every 6 feet regardless of the size of the layout.

[tnttrains]

@cordaleb I would solder a feeder every 6 feet regardless of the size of the layout.

[socialstudies7]

Thanks for posting this. I learned that a "suitcase" connector is much easier to use then what I was doing. (stripping and wrapping with electrical tape) and more soldering tips.

[tnttrains]

@socialstudies7 Thanks for the comments!



[w3i4l5s6o7n]

Good clip. I think I would have soldered the feed wires to the track at the track join instead of two inches away. That way you are setting up a good feed to two sections of track at a time and not having two solder locations. Keep up the good work.

[tnttrains]

@CircusFreakGRITZ - The main buss wire is 14g house wire. The feeder wire is 18g stranded wire from Wire Works. I get it from my local hobby shop.

[modeltrainteen95]

@tnttrains does that mean that the buss wire is not as large as the standard wire



[tnttrains]

@modeltrainteen95 - The larger the number the smaller the wire, so the buss wires (14gauge) are bigger than the feeder wires (18gauge) .

[sambear0]

Very informative, well-presented video. I do use flux, it is called H&N SuperSafe Soldering Flux, to great effect.

[tnttrains]

@sambear0 I know that flux can be affective but I have never had great success with it. Thanks for commenting!

[aocruiser]

Killer how to video! I may try this technic in O scale.:)

[mandela901]

Awesome work!!!! Very helpful. I would like to see you wiring a tortoise motor that includes the motor wires, and the wiring for the frog and rails.

[tnttrains]

@mandela901 - Thanks! I would like to see that too, lol. I have never done that.

[mightydesign]

Awseome, I need to do that to my train table, I am going to run two tracks, one being elevated. I already got the first track down with some scenery. I posted a video called - 8x4 Ho Scale Train Layout - that shows what my son and I have done in a year. He is 4 years old but very careful and detailed, from the age of 3 he just had the patience and hands to put the trains on the track.

[tnttrains]

@mightydesign Cool! My 9 year old son is very careful with our layout too.

[NJBritton]

Im new to the whole train thing, and i have been told to do this, and i now know how to do it lol.... the only question i have is i am using a digital setup and have two wires that come out the back of the Controller to one track piece, should i replace these wires and make longer ones and connected the buses etc to the Main Wire and connect to each piece of track??

[tnttrains]

@NJBritton Yes, if you are using a DCC system you should have a thicker gauge wire for your buss (I use 14 gauge) then run smaller gauge wires ( I use 18 gauge). If you solder the rail joiners then I would say to solder a feeder wire every 6 feet or so, if you aren't soldering the rail joiners then every piece of track. Thanks!

[NJBritton]

@tnttrains Yeah i will solder all the track and connect all feeders to each piece of track, is there any special thing you need to do when doing wires to a point?? do you need to do 4 wires, or just 2??

[tnttrains]

@NJBritton You won't have to wire every piece of track if you are soldering the rail joiners. I recommend a feeder wire every 6 feet. You need two wires, one for each rail. I'm not sure what you mean when asking about wires to a point.

[NJBritton]

@tnttrains As in a point, were the train changes from one line to another?? or a switch or whatever you call it

[tnttrains]

@NJBritton Ok, well you don't want a short that's for sure. What you call a point I know as a turnout. I use turnouts with isolated frogs so wire them as you do an ordinary track. If your throw bars are metal this may cause a problem. You can use an insulated rail joiner to isolate the turnout from the rest of the layout.

[hoserseventwo]

What wire gauge would you use for n scale track?

[tnttrains]

@hoserseventwo I'm not sure. Maybe 22guage? I've always been an HO guy.

[hoserseventwo]

Thank you. You make it look so easy.

[tnttrains]

@hoserseventwo That's because it is easy. lol.

[MrBarukG]

Great video. Are you using solid or stranded wire? It's difficult to tell from the image.

[tnttrains]

@MrBarukG - Thanks! I am using stranded wire.

[jmsschooner]

thanks so much