# Wire gauge for locomotive?



## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

I have a steamer that seems to only pick up through one set of drivers. The tender has pick-ups on all four wheel sets, but this in only to power the back-up light. I want to hook the tender pick-ups to the loco for smoother running. What gauge wire should I get? I want something that will be small and flexible enough to bridge the gap from the loco to the tender, but large enough to do the job.

Thanks.


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## /6 matt (Jul 7, 2015)

I've had the same question for a while now, I have two bachmann ft locomotives with 8 wheel pickup that I was planning to link together with a short drawbar and I was going to connect the two locomotives for 16 wheel pickup. I haven't done this yet so I can't give you a real world experience answer but I'm venturing to think track feeder wires would work.


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

Very small wires can handle loco power,like decoder wires for instance,that I believe to be 30ga.Go for flexible first and if small worries you,just double path them.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Tiny wire*

Mtr75;

The wire you want should be available from Walthers. I have some I bought decades ago in a train shop. I think it's 30 or 32 gauge stranded. The stranded type is much less likely to break from flexing when your loco rounds a curve or gets picked up and put away. The wires came in a set of four; red green black and brown. 

Good Luck

Traction Fan


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*tiny flexible stranded wire.*

Earlier,30AWG was mentioned. I Believe that is the correct gauge. If you have trouble finding a supplier check out your loco hobby shop. Or the local slot car track. Good luck!
regard's,tr1


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

If you can't buy it locally, here is a source on line:

http://www.digikey.com/product-sear...conductor-cables-hook-up-wire/1638740?k=gauge

Don


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

DonR said:


> If you can't buy it locally, here is a source on line:
> 
> http://www.digikey.com/product-sear...conductor-cables-hook-up-wire/1638740?k=gauge
> 
> Don


Yep. That's my source for electrical supplies. I am currently putting an order together for a partial rebuild of my control panel. I plan to order the wire at the same time even though I don't plan on working on this loco for a while -- to save on shipping.

Thanks, for all your responses.

P.S. One more question. How do you strip the insulation off of those in wires without cutting the wires? My wire stripper only works on wires that are 22 gauge or larger.

A long time ago, in a research lab where I worked, we had a heat stripper for tiny wires. But that was an expensive tool. I only have a few tiny wires to strip. Is there a cheaper solution?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I use a wire stripper for the regular hook up wire, but for the
very flexible 30 gauge stuff I get down and dirty. I just lay the end
to be stripped on a metal surface and press the BARREL, not the
tip, of my soldering iron on it. It burns right off and I then tin
the wire. Now that's cheap.

Don


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

DonR said:


> I use a wire stripper for the regular hook up wire, but for the
> very flexible 30 gauge stuff I get down and dirty. I just lay the end
> to be stripped on a metal surface and press the BARREL, not the
> tip, of my soldering iron on it. It burns right off and I then tin
> the wire. Now that's cheap.


Great idea. I just got a new soldering iron, because my old one was not working well, and it was a cheap no-name brand, for which I could not find new tips. Now I know what to do with it.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I just use a lighter, but the idea is the same.


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## /6 matt (Jul 7, 2015)

So in my case where I was thinking of linking 2 diesels, I was going to paint the wires black to represent mu cables. Would 30awg be close to the right size?

Same question for steam locomotives to tenders, could the 30awg be close enough to size for the brake pipe and other lines that may have steam?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Those of us with Kadee couplers 'play like' the metal
uncoupling 'hose' is the brake air line. The wire you mention
is about that size. The MU cables are maybe just a
slightly smaller diameter than the brake line hoses
in real life, so it would seem you would be OK with
all of that.

Don


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