Our Wiring

Originally Posted May 4, 2012

My name is David, and I’m the electrical/electronics guy here at Roads and Rails.

I do not have any formal training in these areas, but I’ve been playing around with model train power and accessories for years, and with a little help from the guys at O-Gauge forums, we have been able to build a reliable, expandable,  and (most importantly) repairable power framework to run trains, animations and lights.

The wiring is color coded and tagged, indicating the origin, voltage and use of every power line. While some of the animations and lights are advertised to work across a range of voltages (even indifferent to whether AC or DC current is used!), we have experimented and found the ideal voltage for each and supply only that voltage to the device.

Under the floor between the layout and the control platform is quite a mass of colored wire, bound into one large umbilical linking controls and trains.