Finishing the Wiring on the 2x4 N Scale Layout

[@daleinarizona1561]

This is looking great!!!! Thanks Steve.

[@joanneboutin7904]

Thanks So much! Great layout, great videos!

[@mgamga9476]

Layouts looking great

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Pretty complicated when you look at the wiring in its entirety. But not too bad once you look at it one circuit at a time.

[@charlesmcclure5994]

Well I'm glad that you know how to read that I myself have trouble just hooking up two wires to my

[@brianhill2634]

Hi Steve, as you know a combine wiring layout for DC and DCC is a bit daunting for new players to this hobby. Also, it’s very expensive to set up a DCC system! The cost would probably be a further $550 dollars, approximately ( £450). So Steve, would it be possible for you to do DC schematics only drawing? Your help will be enormously appreciated. Brian (UK)

[@raysrails2164]

Great job steve , i also like to use a small cover over my push buttons to protect them from the little kids . They love to push bottons .

[@StevesTrains]

The number 1 reason why I installed the push buttons was because I like to push buttons! Lol

[@mattmatty4670]

Cool thanks mate

[@HumancityJunction]

Wiring, my favorite part. I appreciate the planning you did to get all the buttons and panels installed. Do you recommend the DS74s? I like that you can program routes directly on the units and then trigger than from buttons directly on the unit. This works well for DCC/DC layouts.

[@StevesTrains]

I like them for the push button control aspect. I don’t know how cost effective they are versus other options since I’ve never had to use more than two of them on any of my layout projects.

[@HumancityJunction]

@@StevesTrains Cost versus time is hard to measure.

[@StevesTrains]

Yeah, always a hard choice, but I always prioritize time over cost given my busy work schedule, family stuff, and trying to do a YT video every week. Would be different if I had a lot more time, but I don’t get that many hobby hours per week so for a lot of things I’ll gladly play extra to save a couple hours of time.

[@HumancityJunction]

I missed it, what program did you use to add all the wiring to your track drawing. I need to do this for a new layout I am designing in Anyrail.

[@StevesTrains]

I just used the Apple Free Form app on my iPad mini to draw it. Not obviously the best solution, but it worked fine. I do all my video editing, image editing, etc on my iPad mini so I can work on stuff when I’m out and about and have 15 or 30 mins of free time here and there (like waiting for my son at piano or percussion lessons).

[@HumancityJunction]

@@StevesTrains I am always impressed when people do this type of work on tablets. I am still old school and do everything on a computer.

[@coxsj]

Coming along nicely. How about a better name than "the 2'x4' layout"?!!

[@StevesTrains]

Yeah, I need to come up with a good name.

[@XTC3D]

Thanks for sharing the diagram and knowledge, much appreciated. With the power feeder wires marked in red, is there a positive and negative at each red dot at time stamp 10:53? Also Would love your opinion on DCS52 Zephyr Express: All-in-one Command Station/Booster/Throttle if you get time.

[@rcav8r2]

What software did you use to make the wiring diagram?

[@StevesTrains]

So I actually just used the apple Free Form app on my iPad mini. First time I ever used that app, but it was pretty easy to do the design. Obviously it is not the best app for doing wiring diagrams but it has an infinite canvas so it does make it easy to expand your drawing in any direction you want. I do all my video editing, image editing, etc. on my ipad mini since it is easy to take anywhere and so I can make use of those random 30 minute blocks of time while my son is in piano or drum lessons or I'm in a waiting room or whatever to be more productive.

[@rcav8r2]

@@StevesTrains THANKS! Not an Apple user. Was looking for something to easily make wiring diagrams for documenting. I tried using InkScape, but it is a bit cumbersome for that.

[@StevesTrains]

Free Form is just a basic drawing, note taking, collecting app that has an infinite canvas so I’m sure there are similar on android and such. You can draw, type notes, import images, video clips (I think) and other media. I’ll have to use it more since it can be a nice way to organize a lot of notes and images and stuff for projects. However, getting stuff out of free form is harder since you can only export as PDF, at least for a while project.

[@someguy2637]

Steve ,Very impressive. Great job. What program or app did you use for making the colored layout wiring detail? Great to keep an up to date wiring detail. Sure makes making any future changes , a lot easier., thanks for another great post.

[@StevesTrains]

I just drew it using the Free Form app on my iPad mini. Not the best for this kind of thing but it worked well enough.

[@gsigs]

Do you have a US source for the Gaugemaster fascia-mounted controller? I searched but couldn't find one. And I LIKE wiring!

[@StevesTrains]

No, I bought it from a UK site and had it shipped over.

[@wilsonbroughman850]

Great video sir

[@brianhill2634]

Hi Steve, where on your layout where did you locate the DC power plug for the throttles?

[@StevesTrains]

To connect to wall power? It is on the very back of the layout since I didn’t have a better idea. Thought about putting it in the bottom but that would be problematic if it was sitting on a table.

[@charlesmorschauser5258]

What can you do if you put a DC loco and accidently switch the dcc power to that section? It isn't good for the loco

[@StevesTrains]

Not really much of a concern since you will know if you did given the locomotive whine noise and the voltage isn’t high enough to cause any issues assuming you flip it back to DC. You can run a DC locomotive on a DCC system at decoder address 00 but it of course isn’t great for the long term health of the locomotive if you do that a lot. If you only plan to run DC locomotives you can of course just not supply power to the DCC system.

[@brianhill2634]

Hi Steve, looking at you wiring diagram (DC side only) you’re showing 2 DC throttles, 1 double and 1 single. Correct me if I’m wrong, but It looks like you have one power sauce input into the 2 throttles. This be the case, what AC/DC power pack are you using to run both lower and middle section at the same time?! Your assistance is appreciated, cheers Brian ( UK - England)

[@StevesTrains]

Yes, there is just one power supply going to those three controllers (the single and double one) to control the three loops of track. It is just one I pulled from my bin of adapters that puts out the required voltage and has a couple amps of power, more than enough for three trains in N scale. I have no idea where it came from originally. I actually have a couple of different ones that will work but with varying total power output.

[@brianhill2634]

@@StevesTrains thanks Steve, appreciate your quick response, 2 amps you say, well that’s helpful! 🤓

[@cornwallnick]

How did you get power to the Guagemaster please. What transformer did you use?

[@StevesTrains]

Just one of a bunch of wall transformers I had on hand. You should be able to cheaply pick one up in the required voltage range (with a couple amps of output) from numerous online retailers if you don’t have any extras around the house.

[@cornwallnick]

@@StevesTrains Thankyou 👍