Power Feeds
(As I wrote in my previous blog post, I'm experiencing some lousy health tonight. From past experience, I know I will be in and out of the bathroom for a significant amount of time through the night tonight so that gives me some time to write between the waves of nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness, and all the other 'fun' symptoms.)
I've finished preparing power feeds for Lukey's new train layout (one of his Christmas presents this year). Making the power feeds themselves was a piece of cake. Actually, it was so easy, I'm not sure why I never did this before now! Putting together the power feed jack panel, on the other hand, was a bit of a problem....
In the future, when I make one of these power feed jack panels, I'll be sure to leave more room behind the panel for wires. This one was a bit too tight.
I resolved the issue by pulling out more rigid foam to make the space larger... using long nose pliers, I pulled out chunk by chunk of foam until I had a space large enough. It was a bit frustrating trying to cram the wiring behind that panel without damaging the jacks or the wiring itself but I managed to get the necessary wires in there.
After putting it all together, I pulled out my trusty old electronics tester (thanks to Mark and Grumman Aerospace surplus) to test the power to the tracks in various places around the small layout. The power was level throughout the entire layout so there are no problems.
Then, I pulled out my F3 New York Central diesel locomotive to really put it to the test... I placed it on the tracks... pressed the "startup" button and the engine cranked up... then pressed the "lights" button and the lights came on... I tested the horn and it blasted... then I tested the bells and they clanked loudly... then I slowly applied forward power and the locomotive revved up and crept out of the station as it should. "Awesome!"
I turned off the clanking bell and slowly added more and more throttle until she was running faster than I normally would run a train (probably at a scale 100 mph... far too fast, in my opinion) and then I suddenly brought the throttle back down to zero power... the brakes squealed and the train slowly came to a stop just like a real train, slowly, requiring half a lap of track to come to a full stop. "Awesome!"
I then packed up my locomotive, unplugged the transformer and controller, and started making more permanent power feeds to plug into this new jack panel. These feeds were easy to make and are now easy to connect and disconnect, as necessary.
I have some locomotives which run on old fashioned DC current... no sound, no frills, just smoothing running on DC current. Lukey's new F7 diesel locomotive is one such locomotive. Easy to run and easy to control. I have a basic transformer with minimal controls for my DC trains (no sound, no bells, no whistles, no frills).
I have other locomotives which run on a more modern system called DCC. The current on this DCC system is a modulated pulse wave DC current. This new system allows control over specific locomotives running on the same track. This new system also allows for some awesome sound as well as other features. Needless to say, to run DCC locomotives, you must have a DCC transformer and controller. I do have a basic DCC controller to run these trains and now I have a nice power feed with jacks for easy connection to this little layout.
MTH Trains has their own proprietary power control for their trains called DCS (Digital Command System) and this is the system I am moving toward. MTH trains are highly detailed with many features and they sound and run beautifully which are the main reasons for me moving toward this command system. This DCS system has all the features of DCC but is easier to use and even has more features. This command system runs on a low voltage AC current rather than DC current. Of course, this is a separate system with its own type of power so I have a transformer and controller for this as well.
So, having quick connecting jacks for each of these systems is very convenient.
I have no idea why I never did this sooner!
 |
| Power feed panel with simple banana jacks. This little layout is sitting on the floor on top of a plastic drop cloth which is what you are seeing covered in all that messy brown paint. |
In the future, when I make one of these power feed jack panels, I'll be sure to leave more room behind the panel for wires. This one was a bit too tight.
I resolved the issue by pulling out more rigid foam to make the space larger... using long nose pliers, I pulled out chunk by chunk of foam until I had a space large enough. It was a bit frustrating trying to cram the wiring behind that panel without damaging the jacks or the wiring itself but I managed to get the necessary wires in there.
 |
| I screwed in and glued in two pieces of wood to mount this power feed jack panel. |
Then, I pulled out my F3 New York Central diesel locomotive to really put it to the test... I placed it on the tracks... pressed the "startup" button and the engine cranked up... then pressed the "lights" button and the lights came on... I tested the horn and it blasted... then I tested the bells and they clanked loudly... then I slowly applied forward power and the locomotive revved up and crept out of the station as it should. "Awesome!"
I turned off the clanking bell and slowly added more and more throttle until she was running faster than I normally would run a train (probably at a scale 100 mph... far too fast, in my opinion) and then I suddenly brought the throttle back down to zero power... the brakes squealed and the train slowly came to a stop just like a real train, slowly, requiring half a lap of track to come to a full stop. "Awesome!"
I then packed up my locomotive, unplugged the transformer and controller, and started making more permanent power feeds to plug into this new jack panel. These feeds were easy to make and are now easy to connect and disconnect, as necessary.
 |
| Lukey's new F7 diesel locomotive runs on DC power... this transformer will control this locomotive and now has quick connect jacks and a long cord. |
I have other locomotives which run on a more modern system called DCC. The current on this DCC system is a modulated pulse wave DC current. This new system allows control over specific locomotives running on the same track. This new system also allows for some awesome sound as well as other features. Needless to say, to run DCC locomotives, you must have a DCC transformer and controller. I do have a basic DCC controller to run these trains and now I have a nice power feed with jacks for easy connection to this little layout.
MTH Trains has their own proprietary power control for their trains called DCS (Digital Command System) and this is the system I am moving toward. MTH trains are highly detailed with many features and they sound and run beautifully which are the main reasons for me moving toward this command system. This DCS system has all the features of DCC but is easier to use and even has more features. This command system runs on a low voltage AC current rather than DC current. Of course, this is a separate system with its own type of power so I have a transformer and controller for this as well.
So, having quick connecting jacks for each of these systems is very convenient.
I have no idea why I never did this sooner!
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