How many with a Zephyr?

[Anonymous]

I have a small N scale layout. (40 feet of double-tracked mainline, 8 spurs, a SMALL yard, and a TINY branchline). The Digitrax Zephyr seems to fit my needs ideally except for its power limitation. Before I buy, I'd love to have the benefit of actual experience.

So.... how many N scale locomotives have some of you run with a Zephyr and no additional booster of any kind? By the way, I am not referring to the max number the Zephyr can actively address ( per Digitrax, that's 10) but rather the number that can run satisfactorily within its 2.5 amp limit.

Thanks in advance,
Lee

[orsonroy]

My Ntrak club has run as many as 15 Kato and Atlas diesels at once off the Zephyr (four consists on one track) so it should be just fine for your needs!

[Anonymous]

Thanks Ray, that's exactly what I wanted to hear.

Top o' the day to you!

[Anonymous]

The formula, which strikes me as too exagerated (and is illustrated in the above post) is .5 amps per N scale engine, so in theory, you can run 5 engines. But this is "stall" amperage I'm sure. I have another formula for me, which is .3 amps per N scale engine, which would be 8 engines, but I doubt you would "hit the wall" with 8 engines.

With me, assuming 4 operators, each double consisting, that would be 8 engines (my room can only handle 4 operators so that is my limitation. But if you look at MR's and see the amps at which N scale engines actually operate, its insignificant, definitely less than .3 amps.

[CBQ_Guy]

I've got cars for a Burlington Zephyr, locos, too.
Does that count?