Electrics advice?

[blackettstreet]

It just occured to me - having already ballasted a fair bit of my layout - that I haven't got a clue where I need to put wires in.
I have attached a plan to this message. I have two controllers... I was hoping one could control the loop, station run around loop and engineer's yard. But then what if I used the other one to control the speedlink yard - could I put a connection from where I connected it to one of the other sidings, in order to get to the two kickback sidings in the bottom left? Or am I just spouting a load of rubbish?
Help much appreciated

EDIT - what an idiot. :roll: The plan's there now! I always forget to attach files

 

[hairyhandedfool]

The first controller you'd need for the loop, I'd use that for the engineers siding also, so it will need to be well placed, perhaps on the right hand side of the diagram on the curve, or possibly feed the 'cassette' and the line next to it via a 'double pole double throw' (DPDT) switch.

The placing of the second controller will be tricky but, if it were me, I'd have a DPDT switch and connect the wires in two places. The first would be between the points that are between the two sidings and the shunt neck (on the left of the diagram), or possibly to the left of both of them (though you would have to be careful with polarity and having two feeds powering one bit of track). The second would be between the two points that are between the siding and the 'unloading' and 'oil' sidings at the bottom of the diagram.

However, this could still limit your operating potential and I would consider using DCC.

 

[fourwheelsteer]

I think hairyhandedfool has the right idea especially about the second controler and the sidings. For the main oval I'd have two power feeds from the first controller; one on each semi-circle, if you see what I mean.

Good practice for a permanent layout is to feed power to each individual piece of track. Over time rail joiners will build up a coating of oxides that prevent the flow of electricity. If you're good at soldering then drilling and soldering power wired to track that's already glued and ballasted is possible.

 

[blackettstreet]

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll put one feed on the right-hand side of the loop, and split the other between two sidings in the yard via a DPDT switch, as suggested.