I've been thinking about the problem of wiring, which is a dark art and well beyond my comprehension, so have tried to minimise the amount of electrical work on the shunting layouts I've designed. I'm using insulated points, so wiring should be very straightforward anyway, but I'm aiming to only use one or possibly two power connections to keep things as simple as possible. This would not only reduce the wiring workload but also avoid any electrical complications later on.
As a result, all of the points really should be facing the same way to avoid any dead sections that need additional DC power links. I'll only be using one locomotive at a time, so I'm not bothered about isolation as such, although I can design in an isolated spur or sidings to enable two locomotives to shunt the yard. The points will act as electrical switches for these dead ends and I can also use an isolating section if I want to.
Anyway, here are a selection of the plans I've devised using the track sections I have available and designed for only one power connection. They are both small goods yards or branch line light industrial sidings, so perfect for Inglenook operation. I think the electrical wiring should be very simple but, if you spot any problems, let me know.
Hi Jim. I am in a similar situation to yourself. Returning to the hobby after a long absence and finding wiring a complete mystery. I have bought books and pamphlets and watched endless YouTube videos all to no avail - it's always been a bit of a weak subject for me and age hasn't improved the situation!
ReplyDeleteHave you set up any of your designed layouts and, probably more to the point, do they work? I am at the point of giving up, but I may give your ideas a try if they do.
Cheers, Dave