# Track Power Help



## mrsportys (Dec 22, 2009)

I've read many of the forums boards and it seems like I'm going cross eyed at how technically everyone talks about track power. I want to go from the basic inside track to an outside layout that I can expand upon up to 200'. Single line. I realize that I need power along the line and will have wiring there for it, however, what type of powerpack do I need that will perform it's DC chores on a single train. Forward, reverse, speads etc. 
Thanks in advance

Jim


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

We need to know the engine(s) your are planning to run, along with the cars (lights or not),, smoke, sound, etc. The various power supplies out there have an amp rating. A single motor LGB engine will require about an amp. Figure about an amp per motor. Lights will require more power from the power pack. In DC remember that the power goes both ways. If your track is 200' the power really only needs to go 100'. My recommendation is to buy the highest power supply that you can afford. In the long run it will be money well spent. I would go with a minimum of 10 amps. 

Chuck

Ps Starter packs have a hard time handling a single motor engine. The biggest problem you will have is the power connections between the track segments. The better those are the better your power distribution. Rail clamps are much better than rail joiners.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I second Chuck's recommendation. The MRC power G has worked well for many, 10 amps, plenty of voltage for those locos that need a higher voltage, rugged construction, fan cooled. 

Greg


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

2 good responses all ready. 
When I went outside I still used the 1 amp LGB starter set pack over 125' of track which was fine for the one lgb engine I had to run but I knew I wold need more power when I went to bigger engines. The USA trains do pull alot of juice and of course the more you add the more demand. 
I now have 500 feet of track and use a crest switchable transformer with a aristocraft train engineer which is wireless so I can walk along with my train. Being able to follow your train is a good thing so you can do switching etc.. if you want to. I can also run 3 bachmann engines or 3 USAT or even 5 small locos at once but when i hit stop they all stop. Controlling more then one can get tricky and expensive. 
Go the extra and get a good and powerful pack that you can use for years and that will be fine as your interests, trackage and power needs grow.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

More powe ris better esp for future expansion of your fleet. 

And I would not go with less than 24 volts as many newer engines with digital interfaces need the higher voltages for operation. Not all engines need this, however you do not have to run everything at max speed. 

Another thought is the track should have the biggest curves that will fit for the mainline. You never know what you may get in the future for rolling stock for power requirements or track curve minimums.


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## FlagstaffLGB (Jul 15, 2012)

Morning Jim from Flagstaff, AZ...sunny, but cool. 

During a recent showing of the G-scale portion of the Northern Arizona Model Railroad club at the Coconino County Fair, we ran about 80-100 feet of track and used a donated Bridgewerk 10 amp single engine controller for track power. Worked very nicely, but the track was used, a little worn, and more than one manufacturer. Most of it was brass, but it was a mix of LGB, Aristocraft and PIKO. One issue with your single line layout is going to be making sure that power is consistent over the entire distance. The suggestions you have and comments made are great and talk about numbers of locomotives and other DC operations adjacent to your main line...but assuring that you have constant power over the 100 to 200 feet is probably going to make it necessary to feed power to more than one location around the layout. Good joiners (split jaw, etc.) and even soldering jumpers between track sections help, but actually feeding the direct power to various sections will go along way to assuring power (especially if you are using DCC) is consistent...the farther away from the initial power connection to the rail. 

I kinda like the battery operation (not requiring track power) since the pickup issues with multiple switches can be minimized...but I'm sure you'll get lots of arguements both pro and con on track power versus battery. Sounds like you have a good start [might want to make enough room in your "right-of-way" for that second line when you feel that you need to have one train running constantly while you fiddle with a second at a siding].. 

Ed


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

On my last pike I was running track power using this unit ... http://rldhobbies.com/cre55465.aspx .... The Crest "Switchable" power supply. I left it set at 22 V 13 Amp. I had a three track setup, totaling 268' of track. I could easily run three tarins at the same time. Usually a Bachmann Annie on inside #1, an Aristo Mikado on center #2 and a USAT GP30 on outside #3. 

I hosted my train club on a few occasions with various locos running pretty constantly and never had an issue. 

Brass track (mostly USA), Split Jaw rail clamps, Split Jaw power connectors, one pair per track. Using Aristo (Crest) Train Engineer (x3.. three recievers, two transmitters) .


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

A good day on the Lone Peak & Western. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmaxScdF2Vg&list=UULpXd5zLGmGaOrh445SJoYQ&index=29&feature=plcp


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

The track does not matter to the power pack ..... if you are going to run the same train as you have been inside the load will be the same when you move outside 

the worry is two fold 

first ... outside you do need to do more work to insure long turm conductivity .... IE more track conections ... no ox on the rail joints or better rail joiners like splitjaw or hillman .... and a good way to clean the track 

second ..... with a bigger layout you may want bigger locomotive .... this is where you need to look at a powerpack .... the loco is the load the pack the sorce ..... if the loco draws only 1 amp of power then all you need is a 1 amp pack even if the layout is 500 ft of track 


if you have a 10 amp powerpack and the loco draws 1 amp if the condutivity of the track is bad the voltage will drop at the rail and the train will slow it does not matter that the pack is big it will only put out what the load of the train is 

but the other way ... if you have a 3 amp usa loco and a 1 amp power pack the voltage at the pack will drop so low that the train will not run 



so I would start buy getting the track down and make the train you have run with the pack you have ... and down the road as you need it get a better power pack


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## mrsportys (Dec 22, 2009)

Thanks everyone, I am using track joiners even conductivity spray. I am / have wired under my roadbed on chicken grit, wiring that I pop out every so often to hook up to the track. I am using for power a Tech 3 Power Command model 9500......rated at 20VDC and 19VAC...total 30VA....now, that doesn't tell me how many amps but the monitors fortrack voltage go up to 20 a and track current up to 3...is that 3 amps? 
NOW, the other dumb question, this unit allows for forward and reverse and only one speed "as you turn the on / off switch on, meaning, I cannot dictate speed. 
Thoughts?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

VA is very misleading... if you have a 20 volt 20VA transformer, you would think that it would be one amp all the time... 20 volts * 1 amp = 20 VA (make sense?) 

But the reality is that it only has to "work" at only one combination of amps and volts. 

In general, a transformer that is only rated in VA is usually not good for G scale (I know the LGB and MRC people will get upset) 

So you can't lump the VA of the DC output to the track... the transformer may have 30va total, but who knows what the VA for the track output is, and then at what volt and amp combination. 

It probably won't give you much more than an amp and a half at max voltage... 

My thoughts are to paint it flat black and use as doorstop, unless really heavy and then perfect boat anchor. 

Greg


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## mrsportys (Dec 22, 2009)

Funny Greg, love it......can you suggest a power pack......? Probably running only 1 max 2 trains at a time. Most of my stock / engines all LGB. Thanks, Jim


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

See my first post. MRC Power G. 

Regards, Greg


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

That is a good power pack to have on your work bench. I use a similar one to check engines and to apply power to wheels of an engine when I need to clean them and the gearing prevents turning the wheels.

Chuck


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## mrsportys (Dec 22, 2009)

Thanks Chuck! Your Ok with the quality of the unit? Jim


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## SparkyJoe (Oct 14, 2012)

I have been very satisfied with the USA Trains 'Train Power 10' I got a while back.I easily run several B'mann 4-6-0's on my temporary indoor layout ( 75 foot dog bone with one siding) using B'mann hollow steel rail track. When I finally move to an outside RR, I am going to use USAT brass 332 code brass track. I have started to collect it already.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim:

I was speaking generically about the 1 amp units. I do not have the specific unit that you have. While the starter set units are underpowered for many of our applications, they do have a purpose for checking things out, helping to clean drive wheels and powering a small train under the Christmas tree (assuming there is no smoke, lights or sound). 

Chuck


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

i am more worried that you cannot change the voltage then what you have ..... are you hooked to the fixed dc or variable dc ? it it is the variable then the power pack is broke and needs repair 

the unit you are useing is an ho or n scale powerpack ...... long turm it will put out just under 1 amp .....out of the mrc line I have had some trouble with them but mrc is good about fixing them 

my guess is it is not doing well under the load of the g-scale train ..... it works for shows and xmas but long turm load will burn out the scr ...

the problem is mrc no longer makes a little bigger pack .... the big pack is good and uses good old 1930 tec inside so holds up well but it will cost you some real money


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