Newb has problem with Atlas N4 plan.

[Grotto]

Before I strike out on my own and do what I want I thought it would be good to try a proven plan, and so I chose N4 from the Atlas book "Introduction to N Scale"

There seems to be 5 places where the terminal joiners are placed but it is not very clear which side the common rail is to be placed on. IF anyone has this book and understands how this is dome, I would be grateful for an explanation.
Thanks

 

[pgandw]

Actually, it doesn't matter which rail is picked for common rail when you use Atlas track and wiring components. Just pick one and stay consistent. But the plan should show which rail to put the insulated rail joiners. The one without the insulated rail joiners is the common rail.

However, I do recommend that you put double the number of terminal joiners shown in the plan, one in each rail in each location. This will decrease your chances of open circuits due to rail joiners not conducting properly. The terminal joiners in the common rail all wire to the same point, the side of your power pack that is being used to feed the common rail. Another way to accomplish the same thing is to run a 14-16 gauge wire around the layout underneath as a bus wire for the common rail. All the common rail terminal joiners are then wired to this bus wire.

Hope this makes sense and helps

 

[pennman]

common rail

There are afew ways to do it. The easiest way is to use your outer most rail as the common rail( the side the power pannel sits on if you are easily confused or have a lot of turn out and switch backs you can mark the side of the rail with a paint pen and go by that.

 

[umtrr-author]

If I recall correctly, in general, the Atlas plans show an arrow for the terminal joiner "pointing" to the rail to which the terminal joiner is to go. If it points to the "outside" then that's where it goes. Same for the insulated rail joiners.