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I am just wondering where the recommendation came from regarding the spacing of droppers.

I know its said that metal fishplates cant be guaranteed. On my layout there are two mainlines at 14 Ft long, but only one pair of droppers to each, been working fine for over 10 years. So am I lucky or what.

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Any thing will do if your layout/set up never leaves home for others to see.  But if you want to guarantee trouble free running of a model railway layout  that needs to be moved around for others/paying public to look at, plus trackwork you have taken the trouble to be as realistic looking as possible and not wanting to dig it all up to repair a fault, then droppers to every turnout and track length is the best modelling practice in any scale. Of course there is radio control.

 

DSC02377.JPG.732aa119b4dac4f53b7e5e43c217b5d4.JPG

 

 

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2 minutes ago, ROSSPOP said:

Any thing will do if your layout/set up never leaves home for others to see.  

Particularly if it is in a warm and dry environment. Those of us whose layouts are in less-hospitable surroundings do well to take whatever precautions we can. But, hey, your layout your deal. 

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2 hours ago, melvin said:

I am just wondering where the recommendation came from regarding the spacing of droppers.

I know its said that metal fishplates cant be guaranteed. On my layout there are two mainlines at 14 Ft long, but only one pair of droppers to each, been working fine for over 10 years. So am I lucky or what.

Okay, so 14ft, then 7 feet from the dropper to the track ends, less to the last fishplate. Not a long distance, maybe 3-4 fishplates each side. Risk increases the more you have between the source and the loco. Goes without saying that while there are board layouts such as 8 x 4 where 7' would be typical but equally there are lofts with hundreds of feet. Run one of those from a single dropper, I don't think so

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Fixing ballast with watered down adhesive & weathering track are all potential hazards for electrical continuity & you may still have no problem.

But adding droppers is easier earlier in the build than having to do troubleshoot it then require it once all the scenery has been added.

 

I had volt drop on an old layout when I only used a single feed & the boards were supported badly, causing them to droop.

I was only 14 at the time & have built several layouts since, hopefully improving with each one.

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On 20/10/2020 at 17:35, Crosland said:

Having posted that, you may find your luck just ran out :)

 

Seriously, we can get away with all sorts of corner cutting.  Best practice is just that, the best you can do. Anything less will work, until it doesn't.

 

Or as my father used to say:

Near enough isn't good enough.

When it's exact, that's near enough 

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On 21/10/2020 at 04:47, ROSSPOP said:

Any thing will do if your layout/set up never leaves home for others to see.  But if you want to guarantee trouble free running of a model railway layout  that needs to be moved around for others/paying public to look at, plus trackwork you have taken the trouble to be as realistic looking as possible and not wanting to dig it all up to repair a fault, then droppers to every turnout and track length is the best modelling practice in any scale. Of course there is radio control.

 

DSC02377.JPG.732aa119b4dac4f53b7e5e43c217b5d4.JPG

 

 

Shouldn't the droppers go down?

 

:D

Edited by kevinlms
Beaten to it!
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I would say that metal rail joiners should never be relied on for track continuity.  Their purpose in my view is to keep the rails aligned.  Rail joiner conductivity does degrade over time with oxidation, dirt, paint and loosening all contributing to that.  Best practice is to solder wires to rails on EVERY piece of track and drop them to the DCC buss.

 

John

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