Making Model Railroad Wiring A Bit Easier

[@scottericcatalano596]

Regarding barrel connectors...I do the same thing with Kato turnouts and bachmann snap switches....ive also use barrel connectors for track feeders and electrical blocks. As well wiring up all the Arduinos.

[@allenbarnes7202]

Thank you for the video. I am still on D.C. no dcc yet

[@SaiaArt]

So a few ideas that may be deemed helpful. 1 I color code layout wiring the same as decider wiring. Track power red/black, turnout & other motors (water wheel etc) gray/orange. Lighting blue/yellow/white, environment sounds green/purple. 2: On small layouts, mount all your electrical connections etc on a piece of plywood. Attach that plywood under the layout using a keyboard track or drawer slides to never tip thing up again. On larger layouts, the same principle but swing down panels, divided into your power districts. Also on these, I’d advise labelling all feeders other than track. Turnout motors, which structure lighting they feed, etc. This can be done easily with Electrician identifier stickers available from big box stores. 3: Also for large or any size modular design, some sort of plug connector between modules, or just a loop of extra wire so they can be added someday if modules ever need to be split up (relocation, replacement, etc). A variety are available from big box stores. 3B: I use cheap pvc pipe straps to contain wire bundles. This allows me unobstructed view if troubleshooting or needing to make additions. 4: Run all bus lines close to the aisle edge whenever possible, NOT along the back wall. Also avoid mounting bus lines to the rear side of fascia. Best is set about 6-8 inches back. 5: Keep power supplies/DCC centrally located to avoid voltage drop. Also maintain good air flow over DCC systems & other electronics.They get hot, you want good heat dissipation just like a computer or laptop.

[@jvanamb]

Jimmy that's a fantastic idea. In all my years never have I thought of gang snaking the lines. I will be using it soon. My extra hugs to the lovely MRS. DIY & DIGITAL LOTSA EXTRA SMOOCHES to my DIY DYNAMIC DUO. Grump Ole' Jim

[@markarnold8160]

Thanks Jimmy! This is why all of my feeder on off switches (SPDT) will be located on my fascia board and wiring will be hidden in my foamboard. I can't kneel anymore and I can lift the hood like you just did.

[@grandparails8858]

Great ways to keep your wiring clean.

[@kenshores9900]

Jimmy.: A good one with good ideas.

[@donaldkormos5529]

Good video Jimmy ... gets you to think a bit which is always the mark of a good video!! I have built an HO "test" layout on a 4 x 8 plywood sheet in order to learn about DCC, DCC++ (and DCC++EX), block detection methods, powered turnouts, Arduinos, etc. Your videos have given me many ideas to experiment with. This winter I hope to begin building the "real" layout. Instead of wooden bench work or table base, I saw a video that used steel and particle board shelf units to support a plywood layout base ... shelf units similar to Gorilla Rack. Built at half height, the units would be about 36 inches high. Advantage in that the electronics and wiring could be placed and easily accessed on a separate shelf say 12 inches underneath the layout. Maybe you could share your thought on this scheme.

[@dkaustin98]

I have used Automotive Wiring Loom that I bought from Harbor Freight. They have it in various diameters. It is stiff plastic, but is great for pull out control panel shelves/drawers that are wired to the layout. Just put a clamp at each end. The plastic loom will keep your wires from tension and snagging as the control panel shelf is pulled out. The weight of the bundled wires in the loom will allow the bundle to lower as you push the shelf back in.

[@gregbowen617]

Good video Jimmy… I have a fairly complex setup for my Kato turnouts using bi-colour LED’s, a DPDT switch and push button. Works off 12 volts and does a great job…

[@canadianlocomotivelogistics]

I use a daughter board approach. Mount on a perpendicular board hanging from the layout with quick connectors.

[@petermenningen338]

Jimmy somethings I did when wiring test fixtures for sensor and control wiring is use colored Heat Shrink tubing on both ends of the wires or cables, I used a system of three bands first band color is for type of wire use, second and third bands are for number, last band is for direction. Since heat shrink comes in at least 10 colors I used the EIA color code standard for resistors as the numbers BL=0, BR=1,Red=2, Org=3,Yel=4,GR=5,BLu=6, Violet=7, Gray=8,White=9 The 4th band is wider and always Black since the the likelihood of starting a number sequence with a zero is slim. Over time the Heat Shrink tubing stays on better than labels.

[@davidf9630]

Great idea Jimmy! With my layout, I already ran my wires in the front to all my switches. Only downside is that I still have to remove all my trains to put my layout away. (Remember it folds up) but having all the wires in front is great. Hopefully others can pickup on your idea, and utilize them in their layout. Thanks for spreading your great thoughts and positive attitude across your channel. 👍🏼

[@4everdc302]

Will be doing some under the benchwork wiring soon. Ummmmm maybe I'll wait till snow haha.

[@loispadgett6306]

Always make things easier so then you have more time to run the layout. Good one Jimmy keep us thinking. GOD BLESS 🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖

[@abbofun9022]

Nice but do check those barrel plugs beforehand for shorting. Had several in a batch that had a production failure and shorted. Took me a while before I realised it was the plug itself.

[@medwaymodelrailway7129]

Great video as always well done.

[@HumancityJunction]

Good solution. Extending the wiring to a central control area for a smaller layout will definitely save you a lot of time.

[@lynnmccurdythehdmmrc2561]

And, the reason why all but 2 of my turnouts are manual. The other 2 are operated by a "Choke Cable" (Think lawn mower choke/throttle cable. Which they are).

[@melkitson]

Great one Jimmy. You have just changed my ideas on the direction that I was heading on my layout. I look forward to seeing how this develops. It would also be much easier to have Arduino boards etc. in a central, easily accessible, position. Thanks.

[@dundasjunctionmodelr.r-jam8267]

Interesting video , good ideas for wire management

[@edwardaudet8367]

That's a lot better looking thab my layout, I started mine in dc andit looks like a jungle wires under the layout, I have set it up for dcc and DCC++EX throght dpdt switches and added grounding and track isolation. I haven't fully committed to DCC, I'm torn between the two, especially when I can get locomotives cheaper in DC. I buy old locomotives other people want to get rid of. I have a bunch I bought recently that are all DCC ready and fit my dates for my layout 1957 to 1967. I do like the ideas which you used on your layout. I think I an going to steal sone of your ideas as I fully commit to DCC++EX. Jimmy I always tune in to your videos as soon as I get the notice there always educationly, upbeat and full of great ideas. Thanks for all the great videos.

[@vinny142]

My dad had a model railway where getting underneath was not an option so he took a piece of plywood as the base, then he took thin strips of wood to literally construct tunnels ontop of the bottom layer that lead from the main control panel to the areas where there where points, buildings etc. Think vulcano and lava streaming out to all the important places.Then he put the plywood sheet with the actual rails etc ontop of the tunnels and he could guide wires through the tunnels to wherever he needed them without getting tangled, and he could replace any wire at any time by lifting up a small piece of scenery or a house or something that covered a little hole that gave access to any of the tunnels. he used pieces of string but he could have used a cable-puller to add new wires to a tunnel if he wanted. This way nothing could ever get snagged in an unreachable place and when something inevitable does break, you don't have to undo all your hard work.

[@brianpagemodeltrains]

Sweet wiring tips, Jimmy, I'm trying to decide on remote or manual switching on my new Kato layout.

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

Mike fifer has a great video on Kato DCC turnouts.

[@1Celltech]

Hi Jimmy, What do you use the door closer on the underside of the platform for? Do you use the move projector in the background?

[@possumbayou8238]

Great video and thanks for the tips.

[@PaulSmith-pl7fo]

Hi Jimmy. Do you have details of the connectors you are using - they look interesting? The link to your Etsy store appears to be broken.

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

Hey Paul! Thanks for the heads up. I will get all of those links tomorrow!

[@PaulSmith-pl7fo]

@@DIYDigitalRailroad No problemo!

[@earlcory]

One thing that works really well when you label wires is to cover the label with clear skink tubing. In your case, you will need to use a smaller font with your label machine so that you can place the labels along the wire like you tried to do the first time. The one thing to be careful with is that both the label and the skink tubing are heat sensitive. If you get the label too hot, it turns black. I can supply photos of the process if you like.

[@barryolson8428]

Very informative. Do u have a ballasting video for Kato? If not why not?

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

Ask and you shall receive! kzbin.info/www/bejne/qILPZH2Nr690e5Y

[@markmatteo2417]

Where did you find that wire wrap?

[@garrettswoodworx1873]

It is generally known as wire loom and you can get it online or at just about any auto parts store in the US.

[@markmatteo2417]

@@garrettswoodworx1873 I like those orange gizmos what are they called do you know? And by any chance, can you get those barrel connectors anyplace?

[@garrettswoodworx1873]

@@markmatteo2417 The DC barrel connectors are available from multiple sources including Amazon. (Search DC barrel connector) To be honest I've not seen the orange connectors before, although I suspect they are in one of Jimmy's videos and I'm just not remembering. Hopefully Jimmy will jump on and answer that one for both of us! Hope that helps a bit. -Garrett

[@anfieldroadlayoutintheloft5204]

Good video

[@garrettswoodworx1873]

Nice video Jimmy! I'm curious about one thing: rather than hot glue, why not just loosen that cable clamp, slip the loom through the clamp and tighten it back down? TIA!

[@tonyvancampen-noaafederal2640]

Hot glue is a suspenders and belt approach to making the installation bullet proof.

[@bobsinclair9886]

where do buy conacter for wiring thanks

[@pzavis25]

Thumbs up

[@louisgibson5941]

I must be missing something? If you do your wiring correctly, you should never need to go back under the layout and trouble shoot anything. Seems like unnecessary over-kill???