# How many Jumps?



## Nohandles (Jan 2, 2009)

I purchased 2250 feet of 12/2 wire to add power feeds to the rail. How ofter should I jump up to the track? I've gotten from every 30 feet to every 100 feet. My mains are 530 feet each.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Sorry, forgot what rail, joiners, and types of load (number of engines and long/short trains) you have. 

All of this makes a difference. My usual answer is about every 30-40 feet with heavy loads possible and sectional track and good rail clamps. 

less load and less joiners maybe go 40-50 feet. 

I have my layout set up so I should never have to rewire it to handle loads, about every 30 feet, SS rail with SJ SS clamps, 10 gauge wire. I DO run up to 6 locos in consist, so I can hit 9.5 amps continuous for a while. 

Regards, Greg


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## StanleyAmes (Jan 3, 2008)

If your track is floating on a gravel roadbed, I found that feeders kept the track stablized in the roadbed. I like to overkill so I have feeders on near ever section of track except turnouts. 

Stan Ames 
http://www.tttrains.com/largescale/


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

If you set you railroad up with "blocks," one attachment per block is usually plenty. If you run a common rail, a jumper for every 100 feet of common rail is fine, both assuming that you solder jumper wires between the track sections.


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## Nohandles (Jan 2, 2009)

My mains are just under 500 feet- measured today. I do run up to 6 diesels in a consist at a time. I will have 24V @ 15 amps on all my systems. So from this I think, Greg since you are running #10 gauge wire I should stay at every 30 feet with the 12 wire to play it safe. All my joiners are either Split Jaw or AML'S.
My rail used to float but with the water in our area I gave up with the new layout and put it on pressure treat 2x4's.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Is your rail SS or brass (I forgot)... Yep, if you want to run heavy loads like that and not experience noticable slowdowns, keep that frequent. 

If you wire runs are 500 foot from rail to power supply, I would definitely go 10 gauge solid wire, it's actually cheap if you buy romex. 

Under that much current, the voltage drop in the feeders will be significant, my feeder runs are all 30-40 feet, I use multiple boosters and power supplies. 

It gets tough when you really run current! 

Regards, Greg


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## Nohandles (Jan 2, 2009)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 06/08/2009 11:47 AM
Is your rail SS or brass (I forgot)... Yep, if you want to run heavy loads like that and not experience noticable slowdowns, keep that frequent. 

If you wire runs are 500 foot from rail to power supply, I would definitely go 10 gauge solid wire, it's actually cheap if you buy romex. 

Under that much current, the voltage drop in the feeders will be significant, my feeder runs are all 30-40 feet, I use multiple boosters and power supplies. 

It gets tough when you really run current! 

Regards, Greg

All of my track is brass accept for a Y switch.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'd consider fewer feeders, but heavier gauge... if you really have 500 feet from rail to power supply. Any way to mitigate that? 

(Now I am a nut case, I would go to #8 wire with runs that long) 

Regards, Greg


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## Nohandles (Jan 2, 2009)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 06/08/2009 12:26 PM
I'd consider fewer feeders, but heavier gauge... if you really have 500 feet from rail to power supply. Any way to mitigate that? 

(Now I am a nut case, I would go to #8 wire with runs that long) 

Regards, Greg

Not really, I don't want to make it so permanent that it would be a lot of trouble to remove. I am unemployed right now and we may have to ultimately have to move so I want to be able to pick it all up and move it. Yesterday I ran 300 feet on a single pickup point with no reduction in speed so I believe it should be ok. What do you think? If there were no possibility of having to leave here it would get bullet proofed.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The whole point is to be able to run your higher loads without "wasting" it in the wiring. A single real test like you did is worth 10 hypotheses! 

Did you run 6 locos though? It's only going to show up under high loads... 

Regards, Greg


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## Nohandles (Jan 2, 2009)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 06/08/2009 2:51 PM
The whole point is to be able to run your higher loads without "wasting" it in the wiring. A single real test like you did is worth 10 hypotheses! 

Did you run 6 locos though? It's only going to show up under high loads... 

Regards, Greg

Greg, I just came in from running 6 USA F3 diesels and 20 cars over the 300 feet of completed rail off a single lead with the 15 amp Bridgewerks power unit through their new radio control unit. I couldn't see any real slowing down accept for the 1% grade while backing up the train. I think I'll be ok. But time will tell when I get the whole loop completed. It rained here all day and I couldn't get anything done until now.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Sounding good, it would be interesting to measure the voltage at the supply and then at the rails, but the criteria is that your trains run well without noticeable slowing, sounds like things are fine... 

One thing people often forget that putting two locos on a train does not double the current draw. With 15 amps you should be able to handle a nice lighted passenger train. 

Enjoy! 

Greg


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## Nohandles (Jan 2, 2009)

On the old layout I used to run the USA ABBA F3's with 5 heavy weights and 3 stream liners lighted with no problem. I'm reall anxious to see how my MTH Hudson and Challenger runs on the layout.


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