# What is the voltage and amperage range for Gauge 1 engines?



## rreiffer (Jan 14, 2009)

Hello all,

I was wonder several items:

1. What is the acceptable voltage range for electric Gauge 1 engines.
2. What tend to be the maximum amperage that any commercially available electric engine uses?
3. What is the average amperage usage?

Thanks

Rich


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Rich,


1. What is the acceptable voltage range for electric Gauge 1 engines.
about 7 - 18 volts

2. What tend to be the maximum amperage that any commercially available electric engine uses?
I think most guy's run 14 - 18 volt depends on the engine

3. What is the average amperage usage?
Depends on the engine any were from 1 - 2 amps per unit.


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## rreiffer (Jan 14, 2009)

Trains, 

Thanks for the update and I believe you answered number 1 and number 3 but number 2 you gave me voltage (not amperage). Thanks 

Rich


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Max amperage depends on what you want.... at full wheel slip, a USAT loco can pull way over 5 amps, if you have the traction tires on and the track is "grippy"... the highest amperage I have seen recorded is by George Schreyer on a GP7/9, 10 amps. I have run close to 5 amps on a loco with a Pittman motor... but extended running in that range melts those motors. 

It really depends on WHY you are asking the question, steady state, or a few seconds, or a shorter duration... 

Average amperage is another one... what is average amperage for one person, like battery operated on aluminum rails and steep grades can be WAY more than average amperage on my railroad, where I have slippery SS rails, and mu diesels so none go over about 1.7 amps (but running 5 of them at a time!). 

So, what are you trying to figure out if I may ask? 

Regards, Greg


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

My belief is 7-18 volts for simple engines (no electronics/slow narrow guage) can be mis leading. 

I run diesels with electronics and they need more power. I run a pair of SD-45's and find with a 35 car freight they move nicely at 20 volts. 

I use a 24 volt supply feeding a 27 mhz Aristo trackside. 

If my engine has a decoder , you get a voltage drop from the in[ut diodes plus the mosfet controllers, same for the TE, so a 24 volt power pack may only deliver 20 volts to a motor via all the electronics. 

Current draw.... Those SD-45s can pull 3 amp each under full load, USA PA's draw even more!!! 

SO, I do not agree with 2 amps at 18 volts. On the other hand if you run single motor engines, 2 amps is sufficient. 

If you run passenger cars with lights from track power with the pair of SD-45's with lights and smoke on, you better have a robust power supply and good wiring. 

I use 2 pairs of gauge 14 feeder wires to my mainline.


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## rreiffer (Jan 14, 2009)

Thanks everyone for the input so far. The reason I am asking is I am determining how big of power supply that I will need and what voltage. Now I happen to own a transformer (from my OLD computer days) that is a 240V to 24V that will supply 200A (I think that would be enough







as I could probably arcweld with it!) but I would have to build it up myself. I was then looking at DC to DC variable voltage regulators to make my own controls that would run off from this massive supply that I have but I wanted to make sure that each control could handle what would be an average load (with occasional extents beyond) on each section of the track. 

Rich


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Rich, if you run MU diesels and lighted passenger cars, you should assume you can draw a max of 10-15 amps per train, that's the way you should look at it, since locos draw less when in mu or doublehead configurations. This answer is simple and based on experience. 

If you will never run long trains, and run only NG stuff and single locos, then maybe 8-10 amps per train. 

Now you figure out how many trains in a "power district" and you have it. My recommendation is to try to keep an average of one train per district, because when you get a higher number of amps, then you can sustain too much current into a short continuously, and it's easy to melt down wiring, i.e. you have a 20 amp power district, a train derails, and runs a short through the wheels, the wiring in the loco might only sustain 10 amps at a short, so, the breaker does not trip, but the 10 amps gets the wire hot enough to melt every piece of plastic in the vicinity. 

This happens... 

Regards, Greg


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## rreiffer (Jan 14, 2009)

Greg, 

How "big" should a district be? I am running 12 gauge wire to various sections of my track. 

Rich


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Ideally, if you are coincerned that you are running close to the limit amperage wise, then try to make a district so that normally, there is only one train in it at a time, and at most 2 or 3 for brief times. (of course a switchyard is an exception). 

I have set up my layout to handle trains up to about 10 amps each, and will be running 3 or 4 ten amp boosters, and might split some of those into more power districts with individual circuit breakers. Right now my outer mainline is 2 power districts, and at most there are 2 trains on it. My switchyard is a separate 10 amp district, since there may be a number of locos idling there. 

I put conduit in the ground, which allowed me to use wire with thin insulation, and so I have 10 gauge wire, cheaper than the thick landscape wire, and more fits in the conduit. 

Regards, Greg


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## rreiffer (Jan 14, 2009)

Greg, 

Since we are talking gauge here what gauge did you use for switch controls? Thanks 

Rich


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By rreiffer on 30 Jul 2009 11:39 AM 
Greg, 

Since we are talking gauge here what gauge did you use for switch controls? Thanks 

Rich 
Hah! Turns out that I run DCC. I have Digitrax DS-64's (for 4 switches) located around the layout, pulling right off the rails.

(this box looks better now!) The picture below shows 2 DS-64's, and 8 air solenoids, all powered from the rails, the solenoids only pull a few milliamps.











The switch machines only have a single 1/8" air hose:










Absolutely the most weatherproof and reliable, only one moving part. 


Regards, Greg


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

"Never go to the elves for council for they will tell you both yes and no."


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