indoor power supplies

[Firemanjohn]

hi guys,

just getting into g-scale.

im curently building a 25x60 around the cealing pike it will have 2 seperate loops.

id like to run 2 diesel engines lashed up on one loop and a single steam engine on the other all engines with sound.

I dont need a hand held remote but ant to know of a good transformer and do i need to use dcc to run the lash up,also what do you recomend for feeder wires

[piercedan]

A 1 amp starter set supply will work in most cases for the steam engine, the pair of diesels needs more and the MRC6200 would work fine and has an HO output that will limit the voltage to 14 volts.

How large will the curves be?

[cacole]

As Piercedan said, an MRC power pack should be capable of handling the steam engine, but a two-unit lashup of diesels may pull too much current for one of them.  

If you want to try an MRC power pack made for HO scale, no harm can be done if it is a newer power pack with an internal overload circuit breaker.  If it can handle the two diesels without overheating, you're good to go.  You don't need DCC if the two diesel engines are of the same model from the same manufacturer, or if they both run at close to the same speed.

I use stranded speaker wire available from Wal-mart or any other big-box store, 18 guage or heavier.

[two tone]

Hi   As Cacole has said as long as both engines run at same speed you should have no problems, but NO two motors have the same make up so you may run for a couple of years before a burning smell from the slower engine. If I was doing it I would only run one loco on each circuit.       Hope this helps

[Kenburk]

Garden trains usually require 22-24 volts DC Each engine will usually draw more than 1 amp at start up, and then more or less current depending on load and grade. SO........I would never recommend a small HO 18 volt power supply for G scale trains. G scale starter set supplies are only for a single engine & a few cars on a simple oval plus a few additional sectional track pieces.

I would suggest going on to the G scale manufacturer web sites and asking on those site forums for the proper supply for three concurrent engines with full lights, sound and smoke. I would personally guess that nothing less than 24 volts at five amps would be the place to start.

[piercedan]

24 volts on tight curves is way too much!!!!!  Esp if a child gets to run the trains. 

For non DCC engines, 18 volts is more than enough.

And some engines are made with 12 volt motors (ESP the disney whimsical one!!! and many older accucraft)

Bachmann narrow guage engines are made to run slow like the real ones and should never see even 18 volts!!

My indoor layout only has 18 volts and all engines work great.

Note that Aristocraft car lights will burn out on 24 volts as will the LGB yellow screw in bulbs,

These were designed for 14 to 18 volt running.