Need More Power

[Barry D]

For the past two years I've been running two locomotives on my outdoor railroad and have  just bought a third locomotive.  When I run a GP-30 and two GP-38-2"s thats powered by a Aristo-Craft 10 amp supply and a TE walk around control system.  I have noticed that the amperage is pushing 9 amp when I run these three locomotives with 20 cars.  When I run two locomotives, the amperage is around 6amps. Do I need two run two power supplies and two walk arounds to get these trains to run faster, or can I combine two 10amps supplies to one walk around and change the fuse to a 20amp and not blow up everything?   I've read in April of 2006 Garden Railways Magazine that Jens Bang is powering his trains using two 10 amp controllers.  Did he connect these 10 amp supplies to one walk around controler or did he use two power supplies and two walk around control system?  It didn't say how he did this.  Is there anything out there with more power amperage that can be used with my TE walk around controler system, and run 20 or more cars at one time? I've been banging my head trying to figure out what to do.  thanks.

[Rene Schweitzer]

Re: I wish I could easily connect you with Jens, but he's in a rural area and doesn't have a telephone or computer. The only thing I could do is forward a paper letter to him (if you'd care to send one in care of the magazine).

[two tone]

Hi Barry   If I wanted to run 3 trains around one track ,    I would go to digital anolouge is not designed to run 3 trains 1 afer another on 1 track  do NOT use 2 10amp supplies you will invalidate any warranty of locos.   Try more feeds to differant parts of the track from T/E if fuse blows then retun to what you had at the start.      This is just my view others may have other ideas.

[altterrain]

 Barry,

You could post this over on LargeScaleCentral or MLS as I know some of the guys there have been to Jens' to run trains.

Personally I would upgrade to a BridgeWerks 20 amp model -

http://www.ridgeroadstation.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=87330200!873 

and wireless remote -

http://www.ridgeroadstation.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=87380100!873 

-Brian 

[g. gage]

Hi Barry, I'm curious about your situation. You stated your locomotives are a GP30 and two GP38-2s I assume they are USA locos. I have four GP9's and a F3A & F3B all USA, they all (yours and mine) use the same power truck. I run them in pairs often two trains of 12 cars plus caboose. Sometimes I run an Aristo RDC on the same 425' loop with them, grades are 2.5% max. My power is an Aristo 10 amp Ultima and 27mhz TE. I usually run 6 - 8 amps. Today, after reading your post I ran single train (F3A, F3B, GP9) with 20 cars (Aristo, LGB, USA) plus caboose, all with USA steel wheels and ran about 4 - 5 amps. I then added another GP9 mid train helper and 5 cars, two locos had sound on, and ran around 6 - 8 amps. Do you have a cooling fan on your TE?

By the way the train with helper sounded great, Rob

 

[Greg Elmassian]

 Barry, are you using an Ultima? The ammeter on it is not worth reading other to see if more or less current is being drawn. They are notoriously inaccurate. If you look at an Ultima, and the battery chargers at Pep Boys, you will see a similarity.

I run many USAT locos together, and up a 3.4% grade and more cars than you do, I do not pull as many amps. You might want to invest in a better meter.

You can find larger supplies and controllers, but the TE is limited to 10 amps, and you CANNOT put them in parallel to get 20 amps.

I run DCC, so I do not have those limitations. You normally will never need over 10 amps, but if you do, DCC can go up to 25 amps per power district, so one consist could be that high.

But, I do not think you have a problem, other than possibly getting voltage sag from an unregulated power supply.

Let us know the power supply and the amp meter you are using.

 

Regards, Greg

[Barry D]

Thanks for your replys and here is more of what I have outside.  First, they are all USA locomotives. I am using 10 amp ultima power supply with TE walk around and there is a fan on the controler system.  There is 550 feet of track with 6 power feeds hooks up to the tracks, with 2% grade on some of the layout.  I have checked current in all areas of the layout as well as checkout the wiring and everything is ok.  If anyone read this has any more information that will help me, just let me know. 

 again thanks.

[Greg Elmassian]

 The ampmeter on the ultima is poor and inaccurate... buy or borrow one to check what is really happening...

 That is an unregulated supply so the output will sag appreciably under load.

That's also a fair amount of track, you said you checked current in all areas, but you need to check track voltage under load, I suspect you have significant voltage loss.

Checking voltage not under load means nothing, so be sure you do it when the trains are running and where you are measuring. You will see what is wrong very soon.

 

Regards, Greg