I am building a new layout using all Marklin M track. The profile of M track allows for a large space under the rails. I wondered if anyone has used the open space under the M track sections to run the wiring needed for power feeds, accessory wiring, signals, etc. This would eliminate the under layout wiring which is hard for a 90 year old modeler to handle. Another method would be to place all track on top of 1/2" styrofoam board and run all wiring ABOVE the layout in a trench alongside the track. The purpose is to eliminate all under-the-layout wiring that is difficult for anyone 90 years old to deal with. Every layout I have ever seen from the hundreds have placed wiring below the layout. This is fine if you are younger than say 50 and in good shape.

This solution will not work for layout deeper than 3-4 ft and lot of relief, but attaching to wall allows folding that exposes bottom. My original 4x8 layout was like that, but now I must sit below table of my 8x12 layout. Using 36" height table allows me to sit underneath on a trolley/dolly. (Only 69, but increasingly feeling the undertrack challenges.)

Hi Ron
I think, using the space under the M rails is not a good idea as the first thing to do in case of issues is to have to remove the rails to access wires. The other issue is the dramatic increase of length of every cable while a straight line is way shorter.


How to minimize wiring / accessibility of wiring?
- use digital and digital turn-outs. In this case you need TWO wires to connect your layout to the Central Station. Correction: you still need stop sections with signals UNLESS to control trains MANUALLY (in digital) that is no block system, etc.
- use digital and digital turn-outs AND a train control software (I use Rocrail). In this case NO NOTHING for signals / Stop sections AS YOU DON'T NEED THEM. To be honest, you still need to use contact tracks to report the location of trains (One or Two contact tracks per Block (the place where train stop waiting for free access. This wiring can really be kept to a minimum AND you don't need to change the wiring to change the operation of trains.
- if you prefer remaining in analogue, then one solution is to have wires comming from each turnout (3 wires) and bring them to a front cable path (accessible from your chair) where you connect it to the switch control box.

I really know how you feel (I am 78 and crawling under the table is not my favourite thing).

So how to minimize the crawling under the table?
- avoid using multi-levels layouts (I have 3 levels) so sometime I have to be under the table, with my frontal LED light, my iPhone to control the train (power ON / OFF, etc)
- be generous with block lengths (long blocks forshort trains)

Cheers
Jean

Thanks for your input. I think I will go with the styrofoam trench approach since most of the layout will be on a 2 foot shelf (already there).