N Gauge newbie lost in a sea of DC wiring ideas trying to model locations from my youth (1950-60s Crawley, Sx)

[ITG]

When restarting a couple of years back, I bought a range of suitcase connectors. Maybe I got them wrong with wire sizes etc, but I couldn’t get on with them. Connections always seemed iffy. So I changed to the Wago type, and although you do have to terminate the bus at each one, the ease of use and reusability of them far outweigh that disadvantage. 

[Dungrange]

3 minutes ago, mjfjo said:

maybe you cannot use those suitcase style connectors with moderately thick solid core, would it not be impossible to clamp down the metal joiner into this?

 

I don't think there should be a problem using a solid core, but I have no experience of using these connectors.  My understanding of the way that they work is that when pressed together, the blade should slice through the insulation and grip the wire inside.  If you are using the correct size of connector, it shouldn't cut the strands inside, just cut the insulation and leave the metal in the connector pressing against the outer strands.  I therefore can't see that it makes a difference whether the wire is a solid core or multicore.  All that should matter is that the connector makes a firm connection against the copper wire.

[mjfjo]

With regard to my decision to change course and start my new  layout with DCC rather than DC I was a bit taken aback by what I thought a fairly derisory offer from Hattons on items I bought from them in the last month and never actually used (mainly a new Gaugemaster model D controller and a new Dapol Terrier A1X N gauge loco plus a couple of small items). Items which cost in total over £170 but offer from them less than 1/3rd of this. Bearing in mind this is a buoyant market and they sell pre-owned for pretty high prices, also the items have never been used and barely taken out of their boxes and only then to check the contents? Anybody else have any experiences with their trade in prices?

[AndrueC]

I was a beginner at modelling last December. I also model in N. My strategy for this layout was 'just get it done'. My next layout will be my proper hobby layout and /then/ I will do things properly. Maybe . To be fair my layout runs well regardless of what corners I might or might not have cut but then it's likely to be replaced within a few years anyway.

For wiring you can often get away with just two for DCC but it's not the best idea. I used insulfrog setrack points and whilst power switching still works for DCC it's a problem with multiple loops because when you set a loop to be continuous run it becomes isolated from the rest of the layout.

Also insulfrogs sometimes don't make full contact so the inner switched rails benefit from power for reliability.

The only issue I've had with settrack points is that when placed back to back my 4-6-2 Queen Elizabeth struggles to go round with a high risk of derailment. She seems fine with a single turnout but Peco n-gauge settrack turnouts are minimum radius and two together is where my QE stops playing. Luckily all it means in practice is that she's banned from one of my staging sidings. I've mocked up a scale sign that reads 'Diesels Only'

I have the NCE PowerCab starter set and I think it does a good job. I can operate two locos just fine and it's an expandable system.

I also used suitcase connectors and had few problems. I got caught out with my staging areas because I aggregated them above board to use a single bus wire through the board and ended up trying to connect 'bus wire to bus wire' and discovered that my original connectors couldn't do that. I had to buy some more that were the next size up. But they were quick and easy and haven't given me any problems.

Edited April 6, 2021 by AndrueC

[Dungrange]

28 minutes ago, mjfjo said:

With regard to my decision to change course and start my new  layout with DCC rather than DC I was a bit taken aback by what I thought a fairly derisory offer from Hattons on items I bought from them in the last month and never actually used (mainly a new Gaugemaster model D controller and a new Dapol Terrier A1X N gauge loco plus a couple of small items). Items which cost in total over £170 but offer from them less than 1/3rd of this. Bearing in mind this is a buoyant market and they sell pre-owned for pretty high prices, also the items have never been used and barely taken out of their boxes and only then to check the contents? Anybody else have any experiences with their trade in prices?

 

I don't have any experience of Hattons other that as the purchaser of new stock and I've never had an issue with them.  I did once have a wagon that arrived damaged, which I didn't check at the time, and they were happy to replace even although at least a month had past between me taking delivery and contacting them.  However, I've never sold anything to them.

 

Whether you like it or not, even although you haven't used what you've bought, it is still considered to be 'second hand', albeit it will be in good condition.  I think the going rate for 'second hand' model railway equipment is, unfortunately, around a third of the cost new.  That is because they will need to make a profit on the purchase (ie sell the stock for more than they pay you) and because buyers will often expect to pay less for a second hand model than they will a new one.  The exception is probably where a particular locomotive is particularly sought after and is maybe no longer available elsewhere.

 

Were you asking them for a cash price, or the discount that they would give you on swapping for other items?  Also, did they know that this was stock that you'd purchased from them and when?  The fact that second hand dealers typically only pay a third of the cost of a new model comes from the fact that they are normally doing house clearances and buying up collections of models that people can't be bothered selling for themselves on E-bay. Condition etc can obviously be variable.  In your circumstances, I'd have thought that they might have been a little more generous given how recently you'd purchased the models, but selling what you've bought and switching to DCC was always going to mean writing off a significant proportion of the money that you've already spent on the items you no longer need.

 

I understand why you were hoping to sell the Gaugemaster model D controller, but why sell the Dapol Terrier A1X?  If it was an appropriate loco for a DC layout, why is it not an appropriate loco for a DCC layout?  Are you only looking to sell the locomotive because the model you've bought isn't DCC Fitted?  Is so, I'd keep it and convert it yourself. https://www.youchoos.co.uk/Index-Resource.php?L1=Guides&Item=DapolN-Terrier is a link to instructions to make your DC Terrier a DCC version.  I'm sure there are other guides if you look and you can always ask on here if you get stuck.

[KingEdwardII]

I attach a picture of my power bus wiring showing the way I use the Tap Splice connectors and the terminal blocks.

 

 

The baseboard is a bit more complex here since this is under the Engine Shed and there are extra support timbers to deal with the long cuts through the baseboard for the inspection pits.

[mjfjo]

2 hours ago, Dungrange said:

 

I don't have any experience of Hattons other that as the purchaser of new stock and I've never had an issue with them.  I did once have a wagon that arrived damaged, which I didn't check at the time, and they were happy to replace even although at least a month had past between me taking delivery and contacting them.  However, I've never sold anything to them.

 

Whether you like it or not, even although you haven't used what you've bought, it is still considered to be 'second hand', albeit it will be in good condition.  I think the going rate for 'second hand' model railway equipment is, unfortunately, around a third of the cost new.  That is because they will need to make a profit on the purchase (ie sell the stock for more than they pay you) and because buyers will often expect to pay less for a second hand model than they will a new one.  The exception is probably where a particular locomotive is particularly sought after and is maybe no longer available elsewhere.

 

Were you asking them for a cash price, or the discount that they would give you on swapping for other items?  Also, did they know that this was stock that you'd purchased from them and when?  The fact that second hand dealers typically only pay a third of the cost of a new model comes from the fact that they are normally doing house clearances and buying up collections of models that people can't be bothered selling for themselves on E-bay. Condition etc can obviously be variable.  In your circumstances, I'd have thought that they might have been a little more generous given how recently you'd purchased the models, but selling what you've bought and switching to DCC was always going to mean writing off a significant proportion of the money that you've already spent on the items you no longer need.

 

I understand why you were hoping to sell the Gaugemaster model D controller, but why sell the Dapol Terrier A1X?  If it was an appropriate loco for a DC layout, why is it not an appropriate loco for a DCC layout?  Are you only looking to sell the locomotive because the model you've bought isn't DCC Fitted?  Is so, I'd keep it and convert it yourself. https://www.youchoos.co.uk/Index-Resource.php?L1=Guides&Item=DapolN-Terrier is a link to instructions to make your DC Terrier a DCC version.  I'm sure there are other guides if you look and you can always ask on here if you get stuck.

Thanks for the further reply. I have bought quite alot from them in the last few weeks and always been very prompt. However I thought this offer very mean as the items are immaculate never used and I was looking to try and get an NCE Powercab from them but not now! Yes they knew all those facts.

Also they will sell these items for quite close to new prices and the Gaugemaster model D doesnt seem to stay in their stock very long so an easy seller.

I hadnt realised the Terrier was relatively easy to convert, looking at it I am amazed anything can fit in there, but was leaning towards keeping it anyway and if not on the main layout making a small diorama type layout with it at some time as it looks a very nice engine.  Thanks for the link I will have a look.

Regards

Mike