Basic wiring help for novice with no technical skills?

[Steppenwolf]

Hello I am just returning to railway modelling after a gap of about 45 years (!) now that we have a spare room...but unfortunately my brain is not wired to understand very much about electrics or wiring a layout and i'm sure the old controller/transformers i had with my 1960s Hornby Dublo layout are probably death traps by now so will need to start again. I wonder if any kind soul on here can offer to provide me with an idiot's guide to sorting out the electrics, from the wall socket to the track connections, in the simplest way possible? I have a basic sketch of how I expect the layout to be configured with points etc and I would greatly appreciate someone able to show me how to wire this up..I'm not at this stage interested in complexities like electric lighting, electrically operated points etc, just supplying the track so the trains (up to two independently perhaps) can run satisfactorily.
Alternatively or additionally if there's anyone in the New Forest/Salisbury area who has some time on their hands I would be happy to pay them to come and do it when I'm ready to roll in a few weeks time.

Thanks Bob   (Downton, SE Wilts)

[amdaley]

Hello I am just returning to railway modelling after a gap of about 45 years (!) now that we have a spare room...but unfortunately my brain is not wired to understand very much about electrics or wiring a layout and i'm sure the old controller/transformers i had with my 1960s Hornby Dublo layout are probably death traps by now so will need to start again. I wonder if any kind soul on here can offer to provide me with an idiot's guide to sorting out the electrics, from the wall socket to the track connections, in the simplest way possible? I have a basic sketch of how I expect the layout to be configured with points etc and I would greatly appreciate someone able to show me how to wire this up..I'm not at this stage interested in complexities like electric lighting, electrically operated points etc, just supplying the track so the trains (up to two independently perhaps) can run satisfactorily.

Alternatively or additionally if there's anyone in the New Forest/Salisbury area who has some time on their hands I would be happy to pay them to come and do it when I'm ready to roll in a few weeks time.

 

Thanks Bob   (Downton, SE Wilts)

 

Hi Bob.

 

Try here.

http://www.brian-lambert.co.uk/

He also sells a book which is very useful to beginners or those returning to the hobby after many years away.

 

Welcome back to the hobby.

 

Tony.

[28XX]

Unless your HD controllers have been subjected to damp, extremely high temperatures or physical abuse there is no need to assume they are dangerous. Press the test switch on your house's RCCB or ELCB then reset. Open the mains plug to check all is well there, close up, plug in and switch on. If the RCCB ELCB trips you have an earth fault. If the fuse blows you have a short circuit. If it starts humming happily you can test the output using a car brake light bulb before trying it with precious trains.

[dhjgreen]

Insulation that is nearly 60 years old could be an issue as it can become brittle. I would go with your plan and get new with better control.

 

Another vote for Brian. Small doses to begin with, he covers a lot of detail.

[298]

Unless your HD controllers have been subjected to damp, extremely high temperatures or physical abuse there is no need to assume they are dangerous. Press the test switch on your house's RCCB or ELCB then reset. Open the mains plug to check all is well there, close up, plug in and switch on. If the RCCB ELCB trips you have an earth fault. If the fuse blows you have a short circuit. If it starts humming happily you can test the output using a car brake light bulb before trying it with precious trains.

It depends what the OP wants to run. Hornby Dublo controllers would be fine for Hornby Dublo locos, but modern locos would benefit from a modern controller. Its be like filling a modern car with a can of petrol that you've had in the garage for 20 years.

[meil]

Hello I am just returning to railway modelling after a gap of about 45 years (!) now that we have a spare room...but unfortunately my brain is not wired to understand very much about electrics or wiring a layout and i'm sure the old controller/transformers i had with my 1960s Hornby Dublo layout are probably death traps by now so will need to start again. I wonder if any kind soul on here can offer to provide me with an idiot's guide to sorting out the electrics, from the wall socket to the track connections, in the simplest way possible? I have a basic sketch of how I expect the layout to be configured with points etc and I would greatly appreciate someone able to show me how to wire this up..I'm not at this stage interested in complexities like electric lighting, electrically operated points etc, just supplying the track so the trains (up to two independently perhaps) can run satisfactorily.

Alternatively or additionally if there's anyone in the New Forest/Salisbury area who has some time on their hands I would be happy to pay them to come and do it when I'm ready to roll in a few weeks time.

 

Thanks Bob   (Downton, SE Wilts)

A free book for you: http://www.merg.org.uk/ebook.php

[Pete the Elaner]

Insulation that is nearly 60 years old could be an issue as it can become brittle.

[Iain Popplewell]

Peco do two cheap leaflets for beginners on layout wiring I think they're called Wiring the layout 1 and 2 if I recall. If you get your head around those, it's actually fairly straight forward, you'll be able to wire your layout two run two trains easily. You'll be able to get the leaflets in some model shops or from Peco direct.

[Steppenwolf]

Thanks very much for all this advice folks, I will digest and see how I get on. :-)

[adb968008]

Personally i'd get a new controller, and keep it simple to start with.

2 wires & and a circle of track, some sidings, then take it from there.

 

When moving on to isolating / multi-track / 8 shapes, double-slips and other more interesting creations...

 

Always isolating both rails at the same join, avoid the temptation to isolate only 1 rail, or both rails but at different places.

 

Assuming your doing traditional DC rather than DCC, IMHO it's best to treat every section of powered track as "a collection of sidings joined together to make a circle", with the power connecting before  entering into the points, rather than any rail that flows from one (or both) of the lines that that exit to/ converge at the point where a +/- could perceivably cause a short. (It means more isolating fishplates in loops etc where the tracks come back together but its easier)

 

Use different coloured wire (and stick to a convention).. one colour for positive, one for the negative and stick to it (for example on my mainline I used pink for the outside rail and black for the inside rail all round my layout, white & gray for another etc), saving red/yellow/green for signals blue/red for an AC feed and Orange/Brown for a DC feed... it;s also helpful to label the wires at each end.. saves lots of head scratching should a wire come loose.

 

Finally test as you go, don't do a big session and test it at the end !.. if each piece you've tested works before starting the next your reducing the amount of elimination you need to do to find a fault, as you know the previous one works, it's highly likely any new issue is related the immediate piece your working on.

 

Some different rules apply to DCC, I had a 20 year gap and am yet to consider the change to DCC it's a bigger jump than many claim it to be, though using the above it's going to be easier to make all my sections "live" without massive re-wiring, though i'll still have to "liven up" both sides of my points as closed they isolate off one track from the other (I'd have over 250 points to modify !) and more engines than cash to fit DCC Chips to, but  at least the wiring of it could be done in a few hours.

[DCB]

I use 60 year old H/D Marshall 3 controllers     They have very sensitive overload protection so are a lot kinder to motors than newer devices,   but they are hopeless for slow starts and slow running with modern mechanisms.   Check the cables, they may be fine, maybe not.

 

Track wiring has changed little since the 60s, watch out for/ avoid live frog points which complicate matters and are largely unnecessary with modern multiple wheel contact locos.     You don't need a bus bar, droppers, multiple feeds etc if you use an old H/D controller or modern 1 amp or 12va controller certainly I have 20 foot plus lengths fed from one end with no issues.   But you will need bus bars, etc if you go to a 48va DCC system as point blades and fishplates don't like much over 12va.  

 

Always use new fishplates.  thoroughly clean rail ends if using second hand track.

 

I have had old tired fishplates glowing cherry red on 2 amp 12 volts on occasions.

 

If you want a new power unit I would suggest a Morley, they give variable voltage which gives very good speed stability and have a very good add on hand held option.  Slow running is very smooth but you need a delicate touch to get the best slow speed.

[amdaley]

Thanks very much for all this advice folks, I will digest and see how I get on. :-)

 

You'l get plenty of advice but its not all good.

So take your time,do lots of reading on the site I linked you to & when you're ready to proceed with a layout design come back & ask plenty of questions.

Good luck.

[kevinlms]

 

You don't need a bus bar, droppers, multiple feeds etc if you use an old H/D controller or modern 1 amp or 12va controller certainly I have 20 foot plus lengths fed from one end with no issues.  

 

Also

 

Always use new fishplates.  thoroughly clean rail ends if using second hand track.

 

And

 

I have had old tired fishplates glowing cherry red on 2 amp 12 volts on occasions.

 

 

A few contradictions here. If you used busses & multiple droppers, you wouldn't have large currents flowing through old, tired fishplates.  But you are 100% correct about cleanliness.

[ejstubbs]

A free book for you: http://www.merg.org.uk/ebook.php

 

Having skimmed this book, I'd have to say that while it is undoubtedly a useful repository of information for people wanting to understand model railway electrics/electronics at a more technical level, I don't think it really meets the OP's request for "an idiot's guide to sorting out the electrics, from the wall socket to the track connections, in the simplest way possible".  Although there is  entry-level information in there, it's surrounded by quite a lot of more technical information, in a way which makes it difficult for a neophyte to work out what's essential to understand, and what can be safely left for later.  I'd judge it as a useful reference/refresher, but not a "for idiots"-style resource.

 

I agree with others above that Brian Lambert's web site and/or book provides a solid enough foundation of knowledge to get a layout working.  Davy's book looks useful for someone wanting to progress further.