Suggestions for DC power pack

[bear island 1913]

I am just returning to the hobby after >25 years.  Before moving into the "new world" of DCC I want to work with HO stock I have.  What power pack would be good choice for my present situation?

thanks 

[BroadwayLion]

Bear Island? isn't that somewhere north of the pole?

You cannot go wrong with any MRC power supply.

LION (hey, that's me) does not use them any more, but then LIONS are different. We will not go into the LION'S power systems. (Him uses four different power supplies on the DC layout of him.)

But if you have some old computer power supplies, you could have a reliable source for hotel power. (Stright lights, house lights, signals etc etc etc.) Just goggle "convert PC power supply and you will find the instructions.

But for what you are doing, any MRC will do perfectly.

You want complicated confusion, just click on my lynx below, go on, I dare you.

 

ROAR

[BigDaddy]

Welcome to the forum.  Your posts are moderated for the first 10.  It keeps those selling male supplements out of the forum but is a bit frustrating.

MDC supplies are abundant on Ebay and for the most part are bulletproof.

In the future you will want to post a picture of something.  Pictures are very helpful when discussing track plans or problems.  You cannot simply attach a picture to your post.  There are specific instructions in a sticky in the General Forum on how to do it.  There are some professional layout designers here that would be happy to look at your plan (which will probably have too much track, S-curves, too tight radii and need turnouts that don't exist)  A pic of you layout plan cuts right to the chase.

Give us lots of details when you ask us a question.  You can't give us too much information.   Newbies want us to guess what scale, what brand, what power system and what "doesn't run right" means. 

There is a search function on the right side of the screen.  You might find google a faster way to search the forum.  Newbies also like to respond to the oldest post they can find.  If you have something new to add or to ask, by all means go right ahead.  The guy named Anonymous who asked about using caulk to secure track in 2008 has probably figured it out by now.

Join us in Jefferies Trackside Diner, where we also talk about life (but not sex or politics or the g word) as well as our hobby.

 

[tstage]

bear,

to the forum!

As mentioned, you can't go wrong with an MRC DC power supply.  I have a couple of their Railpower 1370s, which are simple but solid performers and paid only $20-$25 (new) for them on eBay.  I eventually migrated to DCC but used them for powering my layout lighting, or checking out a brass locomotive before converting it to DCC.

While I think there are better manufacturers for DCC than MRC, their power supplies are the gold standard for DC users and operation.

Tom

[rrinker]

 Outside of more specialized handheld walkaround DC throttles and the cheap junk you get in train sets, I don't think there is anyone else actually making DC power packs besides MRC any more. If there are, you don't see them advertised anywhere. Back in the day, besides MRC there was Scintilla and a few others. Into the transistor era you had Troller. Both long gone now.

 I guess Kato still is selling their power pack that uses the same case as the Digitrax Zephyr. Maybe Bachmann has something. Just get an MRC.

                   --Randy

 

[richg1998]

The only one I know of right now.

https://www.amazon.com/Handheld-Controler-Throttlepack-9950/dp/B00NU9RV9Q

There are circuits on line if you dabble in electronics. I made some years ago.

EDIT

The below link was in this forum some time ago. Looks like they are still around.

http://www.thegmlenterprises.com/index.html

Rich