New layout wiring question

[wykenwizard]

The attachment shows a new n gauge layout that I am soon to add wiring to. i will be using two controllers, one output to each of the two ovals at the places marked. My question is, do I need to add isolating rail connectors to the points (4 & 5) between the two ovals? If so, where should they be placed? Thanks in advance for any help on this.

[Mountain]

A pair of insulated rail joiners needed between points number 4 and 5. Otherwise it looks fine as it is.

I can make suggestions to improve realism BUT it will complicate things and your plan is lovely and simple. Probably the easiest alteration would be with the point 1 and that is to use a right hand point and move it to the right of point 4 and take a track in from there to sidings if that makes sense?

Best space saving place for a station is on the curve to the left of the road crossing, though one would need to check for clearances with ones stock if one does this. Is just more space saving and visually easier to create a backscene with a tun el leading off the station... Visually divides the scene so one then does not see an oval.

Two other interesting ideas to avoid the trainset oval look I read in an American magazine. One is to take a track to the edge of the board to make the railway look as if it goes somewhere... Just make sure ones locos and stock don't dissapear off the edge of the board too!
Second trick is to shift the oval slightly at an angle so it does not run parallel to the edge of the board. Prevents the eye from thinking "Trainset". If one can't do this due to space, then some slight curves in flexi-track can also do the same trick, as it avoids the dead straight look that parallels a dead straight edge of the board. These are just helpful ideas. One does not have to do any of them. Finally. Real railways backed into sidings which I mentioned above, but also used trap points and headshunts to avoid wagons running onto the main running lines, and also to allow shunting clear of the main line in many situations. Now on our space starved layouts we compromize so best to just have sidings that reverse in and leave it like that for the best simplified approach, but one could easily adapt the plan a little to add two points to act as "Run off tracks" BUT two additional points are not exactly cheap! So I recommend just a trackplan where trains reverse into sidings will do! Is not essential. Just being extra prototypical in my thinking. Your reversed crossover (Points 4 and 5) are very prototypical. As a model is concerned, they need the insulated railjoiners where the two points meet so the two controllers outputs are isolated.

But overall it is going to make a lovely little layout!

[wykenwizard]

Many thanks for your reply. You have not only answered my question, but also given me some good ideas to follow up on. I will certainly be using some of your suggestions. Thanks again for your fast response too.

[Flashbang]

Hi
The very basic is two feeds (one from each controllers output) connected to the inner rails where you have shown them or identically where I have shown them as red & blue arrows - Same idea, different places! Plus of course the two return rail feeds on the opposite outer side of the rails (Not shown).
Additionally, I would instal two Insulated Rail Joiners (IRJs) where I have shown the red line cutting across the points.

rail feeds.jpg (32.28 KiB) Viewed 6632 times