I am going to start by asking everyone's patience, my knowledge base here is low. Up until now I pretty much have run my O Gauge Polar Express on an modified oval maybe about twice the size of the basic set. This Christmas season I decided I am going to pull the trigger on a larger route that will run about 52' in length. Since this will be a Christmas time only display the track will be running on hardwood floor and will not be fastened down. I have the basic CW80 right now but I'm thinking of replacing the current train with the newer Lion Chief version so I'm assuming the CW80 would be out and the newer style power supply would be in. I will only be running the train and maybe two extra cars, will the standard power supply be enough to get it around the track? If not, can I buy a second identical power supply (the newer Lion Chief style) and plug it in at the opposite end of the track to maintain power? Thanks very much for any help.
Um, just a guess but I wouldn't assume so. I know one of those little LionChief power packs work OK on the out-of-the-box set up but two on the same trackage might be problematic.
I'd be inclined to stick with your conventionally controlled Polar Express and run additional leads from the CW-80 to the expanded trackage. But since I don't mess with LionChief only products I'm just guessing. People may get mad at me for saying this but I don't like LionChief only equipment, I want that conventional control option if and when it might be needed. I DO have a LionChief-Plus engine and it's a winner.
Maybe my bumping this up to the top of the column might get someone's attention who really knows.
Anyway, aboard!
Flintlock I'm with you on Lionchief, but I don't like the whole concept. I like TMCC/Legacy as you can have up to 97 different engines in it, Lionchief I believe the most you can put in the universal is 3. So you have to reprogram if you want to run another engine. Now to me, the new Lionchief plus 2.0 is how it should have been from the word go. They can be run with TMCC/Legacy systems.
aboard!
Becky
Same me, different spelling!
Mark Evans I am going to start by asking everyone's patience, my knowledge base here is low. Up until now I pretty much have run my O Gauge Polar Express on an modified oval maybe about twice the size of the basic set. This Christmas season I decided I am going to pull the trigger on a larger route that will run about 52' in length. Since this will be a Christmas time only display the track will be running on hardwood floor and will not be fastened down. I have the basic CW80 right now but I'm thinking of replacing the current train with the newer Lion Chief version so I'm assuming the CW80 would be out and the newer style power supply would be in. I will only be running the train and maybe two extra cars, will the standard power supply be enough to get it around the track? If not, can I buy a second identical power supply (the newer Lion Chief style) and plug it in at the opposite end of the track to maintain power? Thanks very much for any help.
I agree with Flintlock on Keep what you have. If you want to add control maybe look at a Legacy L command system and a Power Master or a TPC300 or TPC400 ( Track Power Control ) I personally use Gargraves track, an original ZW, and I have one loop hooked up to a TPC300 so I can control my conventional engines.
Your CW80 should be able to handle the size loop your talking about. You may thou want to do an extra power drop about every 8 - 12 feet. You can go from one drop to the next. It's just to keep the power basically equal around the loop
Smokey, my curiosity's piqued so I have to ask. I recognize a Petty Officer 2d Class rank patch, but what's that specialty insignia on it?
That's one I don't recognize.
Mark EvansI have the basic CW80 right now but I'm thinking of replacing the current train with the newer Lion Chief version so I'm assuming the CW80 would be out and the newer style power supply would be in.
Rob
I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner. Getting old I suppose.
Anyway, Lionel's got an instructional video about running a LionChief locomotive on track powered by a CW-80 transformer. Here it is, the first part is "Conventional Control," LionChief starts around 9:45.
(I don't think you need the transformer powered up all the way, I tried my LionChief-Plus at a lower setting and it worked OK.)
http://www.lionelsupport.com/ProductInstructionalVideos
Scroll down, it's the first one on the upper left of the selections.
Flintlock76 Smokey, my curiosity's piqued so I have to ask. I recognize a Petty Officer 2d Class rank patch, but what's that specialty insignia on it? That's one I don't recognize.
MS2 Meal Management second Class around 1974 the combined the commisarymen with the Stewart rate, from what I have understand, they have converted back to two different rates again. by the way I got out in 92
Thanks smokey!
I'm an old Marine myself, 1974-1977.
By the way, the Navy's shipboard chow was the best I ever had! My compliments!
I was a baker on most of my ships
Flintlock76the Navy's shipboard chow was the best I ever had!
I've never had the chance to experience Navy chow but the best meal I ever had in my life was at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.
Air Force chow's not bad either, at least it wasn't at an Air Force mess hall I ate in at an AF base in Spain, the name escapes me now.
The Navy still had 'em beat.
Marine Corps chow was pretty good too, most of the time, but not as good as the above. Basically, think cafeteria dining when you think about military mess halls, the food has to be prepared to appeal to the broadest spectrum of tastes without being too bland or too over the top. It's a fine line, so some are going to be better at it than others.
In my time inthe Army, i always thought the Air Force had the best food. Always tried to get to an AF base for everything. Addition to this, my son in the Army( two tours in Iraq) said all the years of hearing my talk about AF food he was eager to try it. He sure agreed with my opinion, he thought it was the best.
Generally any AF base was way better than anything else. Wayne
The bottom line is, it depends on how good the cooks are that are cooking. If you have cooks taking pride in cooking you going to have great food, If you have cooks just want to get it done so they can relax you're going to have lousy food.
I was described once by my chief that the reason my baking came out so good, was I baked from the heart, in other words, I loved baking. Which is the truth, don't get a chance to do it much anymore, and sure do miss it.
"Do what you like, but LIKE what you do!" Winston Churchill.
Good words of advice for anyone.
By the way, Lady Firestorm loves to bake, but there's a problem. She bakes when she's in a good mood, and she bakes when she's in a bad mood. When I come in the house and smell something baking I don't know whether to stay or run!
By the way Smokey, and everyone else, want to see bread baking 18th Century style in an earthen oven? This is how they did it in the field for Washington's army as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JTLr8t3AeU
How'd they get the oven hot? Here's the video made just prior to the bread baking where a regular meal is made. Interesting stuff, even if it's not toy trains.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bEZrN1OJEM
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