Layout Safety

My layout room and layouts are constructed to follow
and agree with the National Electrical Code and the
NFPA Life Safety Code Everything is triple protected,
over-engineered and wired far in excess of The Codes.

I have had school groups and tours through my layouts,
so I also adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act,
with wheelchair sized aisles, smoke detectors, extinguishers,
standby lighting and proper EXIT signage for egress that
is directly to the outside.

Spent my life in the Fire Service doing not only firefighting
but also inspections, code enforcement, pre-con conferences,
system maintenance and even some consulting. So it all came
natural to me and was easy since I started with "a blank sheet"
when I moved into my present home.

I do, however, use real period electrical gear, but it is all
thoroughly, inspected, rehabbed and safetyed, so as to be safer
than when originally built. All cordage is replaced with heavier
and newer cords, and 120VAC outlets on the tables are housed in
proper junction/switch boxes and on their own breakers.

NOTHING is "live" unless I am present. The layout is ALWAYS
switched off AND unplugged from the house when not in use.
Transformers are circuit breaker protected both at 120VAC and
Low Voltage sides. Lighting is on its own protected power supply.
Accessories are on their own power sources. Trackage is wired
with 12AWG and 14AWG stranded and soldered at all joints. Control
panels are wired with 14AWG stranded and end in lugs which properly
and solidly terminate in barrier strips or the controller itself
if designed. Doesn't matter if the voltage is 6 or 24 VAC.

All 120VAC wiring meets NEC and terminates in proper junction boxes
and is fastened with the proper wire nuts and/or terminates at
the proper rated switch gear.

Everything is double grounded. My system uses independent transformers
that run isolated circuits, thus, they do not need "phasing". All
power supplies/transformers have AT LEAST 20% reserve capacity so
as to accommodate any surge, or age-related resistances that may
appear. All wiring is run in aircraft-grade looms and bundles. I
have schematics at the control panels for everything to aid in any
troubleshooting or repairs.

So far, the layouts have existed for over 21 years with no problems
other than some maintenance on some of those 100 year old Lionel
tinplate switch motors. Not bad!

I learned at a very early age to respect electricity and was taught
well about wiring, design and execution as both my Grandfather and
my Dad were Engineers in several disciplines. Then came my career
which reinforced the habits and methods. So this is all second nature
to me.

Plus, do it RIGHT the FIRST time and you don't have to do it over later!

Hope this all helps.

PS ... I have seen first hand what happens if one doesn't respect the
power of electricity and if one doesn't use good habits in wiring and
construction. So there is that ...

mrmeep, thank you for the comprehensive review. You have an impressive system. Alfred

The only thing I occasionally worry about is the old dehumidifier that runs nearly non-stop in the basement. That thing can get pretty hot on damp days, running for 36 hours or so before requiring emptying.

 Maybe you should consider upgrading to a whole house-type dehumidifier. You *can* have it installed in the HVAC system to cover your whole house, or just do as I did, which was to leave it freestanding in the train room (i.e., not connected to the ductwork), with the condensate channeled to a drain.

In my case, I set it up in a corner of the basement, directly above a dry well installed earlier as part of the basement's water control measures, and set it to 55% relative humidity. In capacity, it can easily handle the basement area without exceeding its rated duty cycle, and the condensate goes directly into the sump and is periodically pumped out of the house. To echo the late Ron Popeil, "set it and forget it!" 

If I need to remind my fellow forumites about safety, so here goes....DONT run around your layout holding open pointed scissors; remember to turn on a nearby fan when using glue or paint...NO the fumes aren't making you more creative;
touching 120 volt wires to inside your nose is a bad idea; head on train collisions are allowed, after all, they're YOUR trains. And spilling adult beverages, on or near the tracks while running trains is a penalty of another beverage. The second beverage is to comfort you after the mishap with the first beverage.
And yelling "toot....toot...toot" will get you to be 8 years old again, if even for a moment.

RedJimmy1955, LOL Alfred

Always worth taking the time to have a good look at your layout with a electrical safety-minded eye. I know we’re dealing with low voltages for the most part but my main thing is a master shut-off switch for the whole layout. In my case it’s just a simple surge bar on the floor that’s within reach of my big toe - click and go upstairs. Done. If the weather looks mean or we’re away it’s all unplugged.  My splices if needed are soldered and heatshrink wrapped, otherwise it’s connectors and terminal strips. Circuit breakers on everything and everything within reach - no mystery connections far off in the under-layout gloom.

Other stuff? Dremel rotaries are vicious little beasts whether they have wire wheels, cutting discs or grinding stones. Get yer safety glasses on - that includes the extra-sized wraparounds that fit over regular glasses. The rest of our ugly mugs can take a poke or two but not eyeballs. Regular glasses have that monstrous space at the bottom corners to let all kinds of flying junk in - stick your finger in there for a trial sometime.
Also, I find folks tend to reach for the power tools first - not so fast. It’s a hobby and sometimes the enjoyment and quiet of using hand tools is part of it all.
As always, my $0.02 or less,
Dave