Power/Controller

[Santa poco]

I would like recommendations for a power supply and controller for a start-up garden railway. I also plan on power for lighting and switches.  Thanks

[Mark_S]

The simplest system is straight DC track power, and the best controllerf for that come from Bridgewerks:

www.bridgewerks.com

There are many other options but to get your trains rolling, this is the best way to start out.

[ttrigg]

I must agree with Mark on the quality and reliability of Bridgewerks products. I would like to give some backwards recommendations. Take a look at your budget, how much can you spend for a power supply? Take that number and multiply by 2.75. A 3 to 5 amp power supply will get a start-up empire up and running. These thing have a profound tendency to grow and you will find yourself retiring the 5 amp for a 10 amp. Add a few more buildings, another few boxes of track, a few single use rail cars (a goose?, a streetcar?, a rail truck?. etc.) and you will be retiring the 10 amp for a 15 amp. Then you will be like me, a drawer full of retired power supplies (almost $400.00) in the shed. Save some serious money with the first purchase of power. Start with at least a 15 amp supply, or possibly a 20 amp. Yes, that just might be way more power than you need now, but you will have plenty of room to grow.

[piercedan]

I would be very leery of using more than 10 amps for power as a short (read derailment) will cause major damage.  Even at 10 amps the USA train my friend runs will melt the wiring harness.

My mainline uses 8 amps at 24 volts analog/DC powered and I also run 8 amps of digital.

Where to short s come from....  Arsito metal passenger cars have one rail tied to the body.

Some older metal steam engines had a rail tied to the metal chassis and the cow catcher would cause a short.

[cacole]

Twenty Amps on the track may be enough to spot weld wheels or other parts of a metal locomotive or piece of rolling stock to the rail in a derailment if the power pack doesn't have a fast-acting overload circuit breaker.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Actually, even 5 amps can weld things.

Put some "solid state fuses" in the loco to protect it when it derails. Then the current available will not be an issue. I use the "polyswitch" 3 amp ones like Aristo put in their locos (but I do a better circuit)

See my site under the Aristo RS3.

Greg

[emdmike]

Bridgewerks is excellent stuff, along with LGB's Jumbo and MRC's Power Master G.  None of which are cheap.  But then what is cheap in this scale when new.  I get by with a 5 amp LGB 5001N transformer I picked up used.  Runs my 2155s White Pass with sound/dual motors and my 2018d mogul just fine.  I was running both with a 1amp LGB starter set pack, which would get quite hot but managed for over 2 years ok.  I believe LGB underrates thier supplies for UL or EU certification.  I do like that the Bridgewerks and LGB Jumbo have amp and voltage meters, lets you see how well and engine is performing, and if its drawing more power than usual, then you can head off a potential failure/problem before it gets expensive.    Mike