Hi There!! I am looking for some good advice on power packs. I am in the planning stages of a 24'x28' floor plan with major mainline and heavy haul frieght railroading. I am trying to do a little research on power packs. I will be running standard DC in HO Scale. Some of my trains my have as many as 6 locomotives (four up front and two helpers). Any thoughts on a quality DC power pack that would have enough power for my long trains? Will I need separate power packs for my accessories? I was looking at the MRC Tech 6 because I liked the walk-around throttle feature plus the ability to operate sounds should I buy any sound locos.
Thanks for any and all advice and opinions!
Mike
How do you plan on having all of those engines working at the same speeds with DC?
Maybe two engines might be close enough to work together, but any more unless they have no motors will be a chalenge.
In DCC this is do able.
Ken G Price My N-Scale Layout
Digitrax Super Empire Builder Radio System. South Valley Texas Railroad. SVTRR
N-Scale out west. 1996-1998 or so! UP, SP, Missouri Pacific, C&NW.
When I consist my locos, I will use all similar brands, that way I know they will all be geared the same. I will only run Athearn RTR with Athearn RTR, Athearn Genesis with Athearn Genesis, etc.
Lake How do you plan on having all of those engines working at the same speeds with DC? Maybe two engines might be close enough to work together, but any more unless they have no motors will be a chalenge. In DCC this is do able.
Lake, fact is DC modelers have been running multi unit diesels long before DCC was even thought of. I run 3, 4 and sometimes even more units with no problems at all. They do need to be of the same brand/gear ratio/etc, but it works fine.
Sheldon
MGAcoal Hi There!! I am looking for some good advice on power packs. I am in the planning stages of a 24'x28' floor plan with major mainline and heavy haul frieght railroading. I am trying to do a little research on power packs. I will be running standard DC in HO Scale. Some of my trains my have as many as 6 locomotives (four up front and two helpers). Any thoughts on a quality DC power pack that would have enough power for my long trains? Will I need separate power packs for my accessories? I was looking at the MRC Tech 6 because I liked the walk-around throttle feature plus the ability to operate sounds should I buy any sound locos. Thanks for any and all advice and opinions! Mike
Mike, if you have any interest in sound, the Tech6 is your best bet.
Doesn't MRC make several models of Tech 6 with different power outputs?
You'll have to look to the used market to find them, but the MRC ControlMaster 20 also offers walkaround control, as well as high amp output. No sound though, but with 6 cabs, you may not need sound on all 6.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
It is all about the amperage...
Seems like there was an amperage war in the late 70's/early 80's; back then a blue box Athearn engine drew about 1 amp of current. I seem to recall packs being advertised with 4 amps of power (the Hogger?). Can motors came on the scene, drawing a fraction of that; and amperage wasn't as important.
We ran trains with 6 powered Atlas SD24's with an old 2.5 amp Troller pack at a club layout in Abilene, TX in the early 80's. Athearn made dummies, so a lot of big lashups were really two powered units and several dummies...
ATLANTIC CENTRALMike, if you have any interest in sound, the Tech6 is your best bet. Sheldon
Sheldon....thanks for the recommondation. Do you feel I will need the power of the Tech 6 Sound Controller 6.0 or do you think I can get away with the Tech 6 Sound Controller 2.0? There are several for sale of each on Ebay right now.
As of now, all my diesel locos are non-sound. I do have one Sound-Equipped Steamer for special excursions. I just need the power to run multiple units on one train. As I said before, I like the walk-around throttle option with the Tech 6.
Thanks,
MGAcoal ATLANTIC CENTRAL Mike, if you have any interest in sound, the Tech6 is your best bet. Sheldon Sheldon....thanks for the recommondation. Do you feel I will need the power of the Tech 6 Sound Controller 6.0 or do you think I can get away with the Tech 6 Sound Controller 2.0? There are several for sale of each on Ebay right now. As of now, all my diesel locos are non-sound. I do have one Sound-Equipped Steamer for special excursions. I just need the power to run multiple units on one train. As I said before, I like the walk-around throttle option with the Tech 6. Thanks, Mike
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Mike, if you have any interest in sound, the Tech6 is your best bet. Sheldon
I would just go for the 6.0 for a safety margin.
I use a seperate 4 amp power supply for each of 8 Aristo Train Engineer wireless radio throttles. Most of my trains are pulled by 3-4 diersel units or duble headed steam.
I did not recommend the Aristo products to your because of your interest in sound. The Aristo products are in no way compatable with decoder equiped locos.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL I would just go for the 6.0 for a safety margin I use a seperate 4 amp power supply for each of 8 Aristo Train Engineer wireless radio throttles. Most of my trains are pulled by 3-4 diersel units or duble headed steam. I did not recommend the Aristo products to your because of your interest in sound. The Aristo products are in no way compatable with decoder equiped locos. Sheldon
I would just go for the 6.0 for a safety margin
Thanks Again Sheldon. My hope is to model two double-tracked mainlines, one set for Norfolk Southern and one set for CSX. Heavy haul mainline railroading is what I hope to accomplish. So, I could be running up to four trains at one time. I will need at least four Tech 6, 6.0s, plus any spares I wish to hold on to. They are out of stock at MRC, but I know I can get a couple on Ebay. I better get shopping.
Thanks!!