Wiring outdoors

I seem to remember this subject from a recent post. If you have access to old extension cords, the orange type usually used in conjuntion with power

tools, grab them. They make excellent wiring for our railroads. They are me4ant to be used outdoors, and hold up very well in the elements. I bury

mine a couple of incehs below the surface. I've had some of them out there for quite a few years with not a single problem.

Conduit is the safest method and the most organized. Burying wire in the trench beneath the track is also an excellent idea.

I am not proposing that my methods are any better than either of these, however it does have some advantages.

For instance, as your rail empire changes, we all make alterations to our layouts as we see improvements that can be made, the conduit method

doesn't lend itself to alterations quite that easily.

And for burying wire in the track trench, when those chages or improvements need to be made, track must be disturbed.

By using extension cords, the orange round type, they only need to be just below the surface. And it's tough to slice through one with a shovel.

Just when you think you're all that, along comes Alvin and his chipmonk pals. In the beginning of this season, I had some trouble with one turnout

not working. It seems that I ran some zip cord right where the chipmonks wanted to be. The little buggers chewedthrogh one side of the zip cord. I

knew I had buried wire in the area, so it wasn't hard to find. When I pulled up the wire, the frayed end told all.

By the way, it's only been the last three years that we have had chipmonks. They must follow people as we populate an area. We moved here in 1974.

Country road, not many houses, and no squirrels. As the 80s hit and the housing boom started so did the squirrels.