# Suggestions for power supply/controller for small setup



## takevin (Apr 25, 2010)

HI everyone, till we move to a farm (5 to 7 acres) in a few years, got the wife to more or less use up some of our backyard for a small setup. App 11 by 33, havent decided yet on battery or track power, Qsi toys are a definite later on in the summer. Still deciding on brass or stainless track too, depending on battery or traditional. For now i want to go track power, just setting up a oval track with one loco and maybe some cars, or two locos at the same time. Is there a all in one power supply/controller, or do i have to do individual, what can i get by/work with for my setup? Later on get a Bridgeworks transformer or similar. Saw the ULTIMA 10AMP POWER SUPPLY	55460 or a used one i can get model 5450 and a mrc 9200 or 9500? Or something similar? I plan on then using these inside for a test track etc when they get replaced. thank you Kevin


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## Polaris1 (Jan 22, 2010)

Dennis here from GBay, Wi...... I decided to go 332 SS with DC & MTH DCS for G gage openers..... I ultimately want to run a Multitude of G Gage power options so I can invite G RR Club members over to run on each other's layout. I'm an O gage person moving to G gage... I have a ton of MTH control equipment from O gauging 15 years. I run elevated Bearboard Curved ladder layout of 330'. My Min Curve Dia. is 12.5'...... Want to run Big Stuff too. Today I just fed 4 longest of 25 12 gage power feeds thru the spacer blocks. Using stainless steel forced the Power feed count (25) & DCS forced star wiring blocked in 32 ft rail chunks. I'll soon have 6 Train-Li Trainline45 R7 switches in NI plated brass. My 4x4 post serves as a "Telephone operator junction box" using banana plugs to power any of the 10 32' track segments. In the future after I KNOW how I'll be running...... the brown painted Jct Box will be lowered...... and a cleaner installation will prevail... Battery powered engines will run in the Future too..... After I modify control & source Engine Battery Power...... I'm makeing DC & MTH AC power available on day one of operations........... Hope Kevin, I gave you some added details to ponder......


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Nicky, give takevin, a hand on what Bridgeworks transformer to buy the first time around so he doesn't waste his time on something cheapy, he will regret later on will ya???? I sent you an email on it!! Regal


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

MRC Power G, 10 amps, big throttle, fan cooled, rugged, inexpensive. 

Regards, Greg


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## takevin (Apr 25, 2010)

Saw that recommended on another post, thank you. I'll look into those on ebay. Anything to keep my options open lol!


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Kevin listen to what Greg has to say he is pretty savy in this hobby. That is probably a good suggestion. Read his pages on his website he has listed above. Read it thoroughly!!!! Regal


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## takevin (Apr 25, 2010)

Reading them


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for the kind words Jerry. 

Kevin, there are many solutions and options in this hobby, but when starting, my advice is not to dive "too deep" in any one direction until you are "sure". There are many more expensive solutions to power, but you may not ever need them, and who knows, you might wind up going battery. 

So this is a good "starter" power supply with built in throttle that will handle the largest train you could muster. An interesting thing that is often overlooked is the power used by passenger cars. Passenger cars can often draw 0.7 amps each. I was tripping a 9 amp breaker once and could not figure out why, then I realized that it was not the 3 locos at about 6 amps total, it was the addition of 8 passenger cars using an additional 5 amps or more, some passenger cars drew 1.5 amps! 

So this is why I never recommend anything under 10 amps in general. There are some locos that can just barely run on 1-2 amps, but these are rare, and add any load your amperage skyrockets. 

Likewise, smaller packs may not generate "G scale" voltages, like the MRC 6200, which won't put out enough voltage to run an LGB track cleaning loco at a couple of amps. 

Anyway, I do have a beginners FAQ section, which might be helpful too. 

Regards, Greg


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By takevin on 05 May 2010 05:23 PM 
HI everyone, till we move to a farm (5 to 7 acres) in a few years, got the wife to more or less use up some of our backyard for a small setup. App 11 by 33, havent decided yet on battery or track power, Qsi toys are a definite later on in the summer. Still deciding on brass or stainless track too, depending on battery or traditional. For now i want to go track power, just setting up a oval track with one loco and maybe some cars, or two locos at the same time. Is there a all in one power supply/controller, or do i have to do individual, what can i get by/work with for my setup? Later on get a Bridgeworks transformer or similar. Saw the ULTIMA 10AMP POWER SUPPLY 55460 or a used one i can get model 5450 and a mrc 9200 or 9500? Or something similar? I plan on then using these inside for a test track etc when they get replaced. thank you Kevin



If your planning on going track power do yourself a favor and Buy a Bridgewerks and you wont regret it. you do pay a little more up front but NO ONE has a better pack to sell than Bridgewerks. Forget about the Ultima, It really is crap and it does werd things and doesnt have a lot of spare power. MRC is OK we use one for the reversing track on our club display. but the handle keeps breaking, I think we are on the 4th one. I have everyone of these including the Aristo Elite whitch is good, Also a Meanwell which is cheap but works ok...... but if you want a pack that will do all your track power trains in ONE pack, Go with a Bridgewerks TDR 25 you wont regret it. The best built pack hands down. And customer sevice and warrentie are 2nd to none.


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