How To Improve Lionel Train Performance With Extra Lockons

Using extra feeder wires for better operation on this episode of Toy Train Tips and Tricks. Today we're going to try something really crazy. 23.9 close enough. These are very close to true O scale. You don't want to try this with a modern transformer. So this is based off of a real B&O caboose from 1916 up to 1938. That is not helpful. Now it is truth or consequences time. Part of the circuit is running through this wire arm here. Very simple but effective animation for the layout. Hello again this is Mike with Toy Train Tips and Tricks and today we're talking about auxiliary power lock-ons for your layout. One of the most common questions comments that I see online from beginning hobbyists is the question, well why does my train slow down when it gets farther away from the transformer? It runs really well in the front part of the layout and it slows down when it gets to the back part of the layout. What causes that and what can I do about it? Well the cause for that is really the track itself. A track which carries our power has a bit of resistance in it. The farther you are away from the power source, the more resistance there is and that drops your voltage somewhat. This problem is exacerbated by the rail joints that we have. Looking myself over. By the rail joints, each joint represents the possibility of a poor connection or dirt or rust or something else being in there that creates even more resistance, even more voltage drop in the track. Now wire on the other hand does also have a bit of resistance, a bit of a voltage drop, but over the same distance it is less, significantly less, than that of the track itself. So by running auxiliary lock-ons, such as what we see in the diagram here and what I have on this layout, you are essentially taking that voltage drop the greatest distance between the lock-on and the track and you cut it in half. So effectively cutting your voltage loss in half on the layout by adding that additional lock-on. Add more lock-ons, you can cut it into third or fourth to where it's absolutely negligible. For most trains, that's really not necessary. How much the voltage drop will affect the operation of your train will depend on the locomotive itself, the motor, other things that are drawing on the circuit such as lights, such as powered turnouts, things like that can also increase the amount of voltage drop. Greatest culprit though is dirty track or poor connections at our track, but by adding quickly, adding additional lock-ons, you eliminate the problem with the voltage drop, cutting that distance in half. Also, let's pretend that I had a bad connection here that I didn't know about, particularly in the center rail. There was a problem here. I didn't know it was there, but power was not getting from this piece of track to this piece of track. By having another lock-on on the other side of the layout, which I do, that can supply the power to the center rail, even if there's a blockage in the voltage here. So, it's an easy fix. It eliminates a lot of headaches, and I did it. Even though this particular layout only has 14 pieces of track, I added a second lock-on just to reduce the potential headaches down the line. All you have to do is, as the diagram shows, make sure that all of your number ones, your inside rail, and all of your number twos, the outside rail, are connected to the same post on the transformer. You can either run separate wires from the transformer, actually that's what I did, is I have two red wires going to the transformer on one post, two white wires going to the transformer on the other post, and I ran two separate lock-ons, or you can piggyback and run this lock-on from a previous lock-on, and so forth and so on. As long as all of your number ones and all of your number twos, your inside rail and your outside rail, as long as they are all the same to the same post on the transformer, you won't have any problems. So, a simple fix to the voltage problem, auxiliary lock-ons, easy to do, and helps with that train slowing down problem on the backside of the layout, and also any connection problems you might have. It's quick, it's easy, and it eliminates a lot of headaches. So, until then, tell your friends, tell your neighbors, thanks for watching, subscribe, and keep the trains running. We'll see you next time.