Hi Mike! This is a great tutorial. It covers a bunch of different approaches and a lot of things to consider. Thanks for taking out the time during your new build to document, record and edit. I really love your suggestion to write it all down -- we all get cases of CRS when it comes to our layout wiring.
Excellent video. The point about standardization of hot/neutral is critical! This is especially confusing if you are trying to wire up early postwar accessories whose original direction can be confusing, particularly the awful drawings.
Perfect tutorial, clearly explained with excellent visuals. This was exactly the information that I needed! Thank you for this great information, and I've subscribed to your channel!
Just a note about your turn outs on your layout. When they are that close, some engines roller pick-up will get stuck or change direction due to the roller spacing, and the switch insulated, plastic spots. William's was one of those that had trouble, I read about....
One thing you should mention is to use Stranded wire for your bus but use Solid wire from the bus to the track. Stranded has less voltage drop then solid does. For Lionel, yes you are going to want big, fat, wires due to the MUCH higher voltage needs of those locomotives, as I would say min should be 14g wire for the bus and 18g for your feeders. In your case that big 8g wire for your bus is good for the single feed.
Hey Mike - Great presentation as usual! One thought on the initial wire connections. The terminal rail joiners used on N and HO scale tracks can be easily fabricated for O, with or without soldering. I have a few spots on my layout that don't have room for any "conventional" hook ups. I put a track pin in a drill chuck and cut a small groove in the center with a file. Then a wire can be wrapped/twisted around the groove and soldered in place or not. Pretty much an instant O gauge terminal rail joiner and they are reusable! They can also be invisible or not as you like. Thanks again for the great work, and best of luck with the new house and layout!
3:59 This one looks salvageable; just take a razor blade and scrap the underside of the outer contact, and take some sandpaper to the top and edge of the contacts, perhaps even soak it in vinegar to remove the rust. I buy several "used" lockons from Trainz for $1.00 ea. (mostly Lionel CTC, and UTC, as well as Marx single lockons) and then clean them up to be used on my layout. On an unrelated note: Lionel in the MPC era made a track lockon similar to the Marx style but it's hard wired.
Sure! I start by simply stripping the end of the connecting wire and wrapping it around the bus wire 5-6 turns. If I think the connection needs to be tighter I will hit it with a quick dab of solder.
Does it matter which outside rail is connected to the transformer? I'm thinking that it would be more electrically sound to have both outside rails connected to the ground peg on the transformer regularly, but I'm not sure.
@Toy Train Tips And Tricks that's cool, thanks for the info! I had no idea, I'm actually rather new to the toy train hobby, being primarily interested in model railroading :-)
Marx did not produce annual catalogs so it is more difficult to pin down specifics of Marx production. However, collectors generally agree that the 999 was introduced in early 1941 and a few may have been produced into 1942 before you production ceased during WW2. Production resumed in late 1945 or early 1946 and likely continued into 1959.
I have accumulated several types over the years. Some came from Amazon amzn.to/3Ui2FUZ , and I bought a batch about 5 years ago from allelectronics.com. [As an Amazon affiliate I may receive a commission on qualified purchases]
Regarding track resistance and dropper requirements: May I suggest a product called OxGard by EB Products? A tiny dab on each rail pin/joint will reduce resistance significantly and pretty-much permanently reduce any tendency toward corrosion in the joint. My current layout is HO with Steel (Bachmann EZ Track) rails. I learned about this product from another RUclipsr. Back in the day when I had Marx 3-rail trains, I always had issues with corrosion/rust. My perspiration ate metal. The Zinc coating on the rails went away--I now shudder to think where--like into my Brain via my skin... Oy!
The black wire on the transformer doesn't look like 8 gauge wire. Is it? How do you connect the 8 gauge bus wire to the sheathed black wire which goes to the transformer?
I wrap the end of my transformer Common (or any other Common on the layout for that matter) around the bare copper bus wire. Usually I find several wraps work fine, but I can crimp/clamp the connection if necessary.
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Thanks for the reply! Do you recommend 14 gauge wire? Stranded or solid wire? Love your videos, BTW. Very, very helpful as I get back into the hobby I left years, actually decades, ago.
@@michaeldowling6999 All things considered, stranded wire is always better. I have a large supply of solid so I generally use what I have. 14 gauge is great, but 16 gauge will also do unless you have very long runs. Also, consider the load the wires will handle. If it's short bursts (like switch machines) or low voltage LEDs, a smaller gauge - even 22-24 - will work fine.
Thought I was the only one who had Orbs floating and shooting around while playing with my trains and while taking video. WTF are they? Besides the most popular opinion here? Spiritual beings that are hanging around us??? Anyone who is in Audio Visual works that could explain what these things are? I'm open to ideas here?
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks I think I like that answer the best. Definitely hard to say, seemingly like these things move in an almost organic way and different from what dust particals seem to move Lol??? IDK? But I appreciate your answer to this question, I'll have to go with this answer to help ease my mind. Thanks my man.
It's 2024, stop using all caps it makes you look so very genuinely serious yes it absolutely does, and don't use more than two exclamation points at most. Also since 2018 it's seen as very rude to be criticical over how someons speaks. Do better.
![How To Add Lionel Uncouplers [Almost] Anywhere! Even On Curves!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1m8O57GhkOw/mqdefault.jpg)
Hi Mike! This is a great tutorial. It covers a bunch of different approaches and a lot of things to consider. Thanks for taking out the time during your new build to document, record and edit. I really love your suggestion to write it all down -- we all get cases of CRS when it comes to our layout wiring.
Thanks for watching and thanks for the wonderful comments!
Thanks for the comments. Yes, we all think we will "remember what I did later"!!
Excellent video. The point about standardization of hot/neutral is critical! This is especially confusing if you are trying to wire up early postwar accessories whose original direction can be confusing, particularly the awful drawings.
Thanks!!
Perfect tutorial, clearly explained with excellent visuals. This was exactly the information that I needed! Thank you for this great information, and I've subscribed to your channel!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for the 027 technology ♐️👍
You're welcome!
Just a note about your turn outs on your layout. When they are that close, some engines roller pick-up will get stuck or change direction due to the roller spacing, and the switch insulated, plastic spots. William's was one of those that had trouble, I read about....
Good tip!
One thing you should mention is to use Stranded wire for your bus but use Solid wire from the bus to the track. Stranded has less voltage drop then solid does. For Lionel, yes you are going to want big, fat, wires due to the MUCH higher voltage needs of those locomotives, as I would say min should be 14g wire for the bus and 18g for your feeders. In your case that big 8g wire for your bus is good for the single feed.
Excellent tip. Thanks!!
Hey Mike - Great presentation as usual! One thought on the initial wire connections. The terminal rail joiners used on N and HO scale tracks can be easily fabricated for O, with or without soldering. I have a few spots on my layout that don't have room for any "conventional" hook ups. I put a track pin in a drill chuck and cut a small groove in the center with a file. Then a wire can be wrapped/twisted around the groove and soldered in place or not. Pretty much an instant O gauge terminal rail joiner and they are reusable! They can also be invisible or not as you like. Thanks again for the great work, and best of luck with the new house and layout!
That is an EXCELLENT idea!!!
3:59 This one looks salvageable; just take a razor blade and scrap the underside of the outer contact, and take some sandpaper to the top and edge of the contacts, perhaps even soak it in vinegar to remove the rust. I buy several "used" lockons from Trainz for $1.00 ea. (mostly Lionel CTC, and UTC, as well as Marx single lockons) and then clean them up to be used on my layout.
On an unrelated note: Lionel in the MPC era made a track lockon similar to the Marx style but it's hard wired.
Thanks. I've never seen that MPC lockon!
This is great information Mike. Thank you. Can you tell us how you connect common lines to the bare common bus wire going to the transformer?
Sure! I start by simply stripping the end of the connecting wire and wrapping it around the bus wire 5-6 turns. If I think the connection needs to be tighter I will hit it with a quick dab of solder.
I have 3-node Marx switches w/two controllers.
Does it matter which outside rail is connected to the transformer? I'm thinking that it would be more electrically sound to have both outside rails connected to the ground peg on the transformer regularly, but I'm not sure.
The metal ties on the track make the electrical connection to both outside rails.
@Toy Train Tips And Tricks that's cool, thanks for the info! I had no idea, I'm actually rather new to the toy train hobby, being primarily interested in model railroading :-)
Would you please tell me , what years Marx manufactured the 999 locomotives ?
Marx did not produce annual catalogs so it is more difficult to pin down specifics of Marx production. However, collectors generally agree that the 999 was introduced in early 1941 and a few may have been produced into 1942 before you production ceased during WW2. Production resumed in late 1945 or early 1946 and likely continued into 1959.
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Thank you much.
Same wiring methods and tying in every 4-5 rail sections if we are running old Lionel engines on DC power?
Same.
Just curious where you purchase your terminal blocks.
I have accumulated several types over the years. Some came from Amazon amzn.to/3Ui2FUZ , and I bought a batch about 5 years ago from allelectronics.com. [As an Amazon affiliate I may receive a commission on qualified purchases]
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Thanks!
Regarding track resistance and dropper requirements: May I suggest a product called OxGard by EB Products? A tiny dab on each rail pin/joint will reduce resistance significantly and pretty-much permanently reduce any tendency toward corrosion in the joint. My current layout is HO with Steel (Bachmann EZ Track) rails. I learned about this product from another RUclipsr. Back in the day when I had Marx 3-rail trains, I always had issues with corrosion/rust. My perspiration ate metal. The Zinc coating on the rails went away--I now shudder to think where--like into my Brain via my skin... Oy!
Interesting. On a former HO layout we used NS tracks and had no voltage drop issues whatsoever on a basement-sized layout. I'll keep it in mind.
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks My track is steel, like your 3-rail. I was told resistance is like 5x as much as NS, hence the conductive add-on coating.
The black wire on the transformer doesn't look like 8 gauge wire. Is it? How do you connect the 8 gauge bus wire to the sheathed black wire which goes to the transformer?
I wrap the end of my transformer Common (or any other Common on the layout for that matter) around the bare copper bus wire. Usually I find several wraps work fine, but I can crimp/clamp the connection if necessary.
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Thanks for the reply! Do you recommend 14 gauge wire? Stranded or solid wire? Love your videos, BTW. Very, very helpful as I get back into the hobby I left years, actually decades, ago.
@@michaeldowling6999 All things considered, stranded wire is always better. I have a large supply of solid so I generally use what I have. 14 gauge is great, but 16 gauge will also do unless you have very long runs. Also, consider the load the wires will handle. If it's short bursts (like switch machines) or low voltage LEDs, a smaller gauge - even 22-24 - will work fine.
I am still confused. would you share a diagram with me please?
Which part?
Solder wires to the underside of the rails with a soldeing GUN, Not a soldering iron.....
A good soldering iron/station works great too, I have a Hakko FX-888D 70W station that makes short work of soldering to O27 rails.
Thought I was the only one who had Orbs floating and shooting around while playing with my trains and while taking video. WTF are they? Besides the most popular opinion here? Spiritual beings that are hanging around us??? Anyone who is in Audio Visual works that could explain what these things are? I'm open to ideas here?
Dust. Reflected in the camera lighting.
@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks I think I like that answer the best. Definitely hard to say, seemingly like these things move in an almost organic way and different from what dust particals seem to move Lol??? IDK? But I appreciate your answer to this question, I'll have to go with this answer to help ease my mind. Thanks my man.
STOP SAYING "SO"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's 2024, stop using all caps it makes you look so very genuinely serious yes it absolutely does, and don't use more than two exclamation points at most. Also since 2018 it's seen as very rude to be criticical over how someons speaks. Do better.