Old "Golden" MRC Power Packs

[cedarwoodron]

I frequently see a number of these old chestnuts at swap meets every few months, and some appear to be in quite good condition. Is there any hazards to picking up on of these, from the standpoint of "old" electronics, or would I be better off considering newer Tech 2 and Tech 4 used power packs? Cedarwoodron

[wjstix]

There shouldn't be much of a problem. My old "Golden Throttlepack" lasted about 30 years, and I still have a c.1982 silver unit I use for lights / accessories.

Only "issues" would be to be sure to check the body - the old ones were metal, and could corrode or rust over time; and that the old ones didn't have as fine of slow-speed control. The old MRC ones were designed to be used with open-frame motors that required a lot of power just to start moving, the newer Tech II / IV ones allow for better control at slower speeds but might not have as much top power as the old ones.

[steamnut]

They are completely outdated and can be dangerous for high quality can motors commonly used today. Having said that, the current MRC power supplies often deliver up to 20 VDC at the high end of the throttle range and generally are not load-compensated or fully filtered.

[CP5415]

I have an old metal housed MRC powerpack, it was my Dad's. If at all possible, buy new(er) unless you want to upgrade the electrics inside.

I bought a couple of MRC powerpacks from eBay & Kijiji for around $20 each to go with my other two MRC powerpacks

Just my 2 cents

Gordon

 

[mononguy63]

My 70's-vintage gold Throttlepack remains one of the two primary power sources for my layout. It seems to work just fine still, and just about all of my locomotive seem to respond to it just fine. I will say, though, that it has trouble with my most sophisitcated engine (an Atlas Silver C420) in the low speed range.

Jim

[jerryl]

The older powerpacks do not give you the best control for the new lower draw can motors. They do not use transistors like the newer ones. I had absolutely no control over a Bachmann 0n30 shay. It would run at almost top speed when the throttle was barely moved, on the other hand, it ran my PROTO 2000 FA just fine. Depends on the current draw.  You can use a light dimmer between the wall socket & the powerpack  & use the dimmer in conjunction with the throttle to control even the lowest draw motors. 

[don7]

If you can get your hands on the old powerpacks cheap they are great for running brass engines with the old open frame motors.

I have a MRC Throttlepack 501 and a MRC ControlmasterX. Both have pulse power which give excellent slow speed running for the older open frame motors. You can just creep with these they run so slow.

Running the newer locomotives turn off the pulse power otherwise you can harm the motors.

 

[mobilman44]

Those old MRC powerpacks were terrific!   The things just lasted forever.   I still use one for powering turnout motors on my DCC HO layout, and another for a test pack on the workbench.

Like someone wrote, if the cases look good and intact, chances are the pack will be good for a long time.

 

[cudaken]

 My self, if I was still DC I would get a MRC 9500. Had plenty of power for my old, old, old Blue Boxes. Worked great with my newer engines as well.

[Medina1128]

I don't know how well they work with modern can motors and electronics, but they're great for powering lights and switch motors.

[G Paine]

I have a couple from my first layouts in the 1960s, I use them for lighting and testing on my workbench

[GP39]

I still have an old 501, circa 1973. Upgrade to a Tech 2, many years ago.

The Golden Throttlepack, is like an old steam engine now.

Original box. Stored serviceable.

[rrinker]

 It depends which one is it, as there were several MRC throttles using the 'golden' color case. Including some very nice fancy transistorized ones with adjustable pulse and momentum. Those will work fine even on the newest stuff.

 The classic GOlden Throttlepack 501 though, will nto work well on modern low current motors. The key giveaway to what works and what doesn't - if it specifies HO or N scale, it is likely a rheostat speed control and this will NOT work well on modern locos. Simplyt put, the low current draw on many modern motors does not cause enough voltage drop across the rheostat to allow for much of a slow speed control. The diffrence between scales is that the N scale ones used a different rheostat than the HO ones, because the N scale motors drew less current. AN N scale pack might work for modern low current HO motors, but it would have the reverse problem if you run any older locos - they would never go very fast. Transistor packs like the Tech II and Tech 4 series don;t have this problem because the load current is not what controls the voltage drop to the rails and can work with any DC motor in any scale up to the rated current limit.

                         --Randy

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

My last metal cased MRC power pack was purchased back in the early to mid 80's at the LHS that was in Leesville at that time. It worked well into the early 90's then my nephew managed to break the throttle lever on it. I forget what number it was but I remember I bought it because it could pump out two amps. That was fine for me as I had mostly Athearn locos then and some of them had the old motors that took a lot of power to get started.

[mobilman44]

Folks, may I stray a bit from the OP's original question................

I've had MRC packs since the '60s, right up thru two Controlmaster 20s that powered my last DC layout (93-09).   MRC was, in my mind, THE powerpack supplier and the leader in the field by far.

When DCC started to kick in, I "assumed" they would jump all over it and become the leader in that area as well - but that didn't happen.   While they eventually did enter the DCC field, Lenz, NCE and Digitrax were already well established and the "big guns".

As a retired business analyst (and a nosey one at that), I would love to know why they waited to get involved in the new technology.  With their rep and market presence, maybe they could have been the "KaDee" of DCC systems.................    

[tomikawaTT]

I still have one gold case MRC pack, and a Tenshodo pack of similar vintage (1960s.)  I made two modifications that improved them for control of more modern motors:

1. Replaced the original selenium stack rectifier with a silicon bridge rectifier.
2. Rewired the rheostat as a potentiometer, so I get voltage control, not current control.

That second mod adds about ,4 amps to the draw from the transformer, but still leaves plenty of power, even for old open-frame motors.

If you open the case and find that the insulation appears deteriorated, all bets are off.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[doctorwayne]

I use an MRC Controlmaster 20 to power my layout, using either the accompanying handheld throttle on a 30' tether, or various other throttles (SCR, transistorised, or PWM) running off the AC terminals.  All three of the latter ones give better low-speed control than the MRC walk-around, but only the PWM equals its power output.

For the test track in my workshop, I use a Scintilla Unipack Senior, acquired new in the '50s.  While its low speed capabilities aren't as good as any of the handhelds, it's more than adequate for the tasks required.  Another advantage is that I can easily take it out to my paint shop (located about 100' behind the house) where I use it to power locomotives (on a bridge from an old Bowser turntable) when weathering their wheels, rods, and valve gear.   That way, anything which can be seen during normal operation is suitably weathered.

Wayne

[richhotrain]

Just get an MRC Railpower 1370.  I have five of them powering signals and Tortoises around my layout.

Rich

[herrinchoker]

I have a model 700 Dual Loco Pack, 4amp output, circuit breaker protected/has red jewel eye to indicate/ cab1 states 0-12 volts, Cab2 states 0-12 volts, on the control dial. The feed ports are 12V DC for Cab 1, 12V AC, 12 VCDC,and 12VDC ports for Cab2 I was looking for information about this unit when I found this series of postings. Not knowing what the pulse setting is for on the box, I have only tried it one time on a Atlas GP-30 only briefly. The engine ran with low rpm, and increased speed when the switch was put in the full position. I have a DCC lashup. but am using DC this time around. I am building a four block layout, and will be using a 12V AC transformer to power the motor on the turntable, and a 12V DC transformer for lights switches, etc. In looking at the transformer case, there is no indication as to it being a power supply for N-HO-or O gage. With the GP-30 full bore, it will produce 20V, 1/2 throttle produces around 11-11.5V. Most of my engines are DC, I do have some that are DCC. Because I have been concentrating on track and switch construction I have not thought about the possibility of the transformer not being compatable with my stock. Any insight would be most appreciated. Thanks, Jan White

[HaroldA]

I have one of those 'Golden Oldies' but I only use it to power some switch machines and some lighting. I also have a couple of the Tech II packs that have specific uses but I won't use any of them to run trains. They seem to last forever.

[dknelson]

My original MRC pack still looks darn good (some paint worn off the face but the metal shines and is not corroded, unlike some I see at swap meets) and I use it on my test track, where the only thing I am trying to determine is, does the motor work.  They are indeed best suited to the older style motors.  Even in the 1960s there were issues with MRC being used in N because some makes of N called for 9 volts max and others claimed to be at 12 volts.  In either event the "pulse power" that worked acceptably in most HO locomotives was said to cause overheating to N scale and some HO.  I never cared for pulse power myself but back in the day that was deemed the best way to get slow speed for switching. 

Long range, that old pack may be what powers structure lighting, perhaps signals, and maybe some switch motors, not because it is ideal for those uses but because it works, it's paid for, and there it sits.

Dave Nelson 

 

[herrinchoker]

Thank you and Harold for the insight, much appreciated. I purchased the pack some time ago, and did so because of it's condition.(shined you know) The use as an alternate power supply for lights etc. will be it's final designation,somethingg I had not given thought to. I purchased a 12V DC transformer,and a 12V AC transformer for lights and switches. I built my own gear drive for my turntable, went with a 1 RPM 12V AC motor, and purchased a quantity of nylon gears, and played "match it" While it looks like Left Hand Rig-Fourth Part Hind-to, it works, and is hidden under the table. I am still adjusting track, and making cross-over switches, and have hooked up a Model Power, and a Bachmann transformer to take the place of the MRC while I do this. Sooo will start looking for a dual output transformer. Thank you gentlemen again for the assist.

[AltonFan]

mobilman44

As a retired business analyst (and a nosey one at that), I would love to know why they waited to get involved in the new technology.  With their rep and market presence, maybe they could have been the "KaDee" of DCC systems.................    

Back in the 1970s, I remember a German-born hobby shop owner showing me a MRC pack that allowed for a limited command control setup.  (It was limited to two engines at a time.)  Apparently, someone was making decoders that could be installed in N scale locomotives.  However, the thing didn't take off, and was eventually superseded by the computerization projects and early analog command control systems of the 1980s, which seemed to be the preserve of those who were really interested in electronics.

I wonder if MRC held back partly because their earlier foray was a bit of a disappointment, and partly because they were doing well enough with their Tech II line.

DCC really took off during a period when I was not paying much attention to the hobby, and when I took an interest again, it seemed like DCC had taken over everything.  It struck me that the growth of DCC was rather a sudden thing.

[rrinker]

 That's probably the Protrac RC1. At a time whent here was no standard liekt he present DCC standard, it probbaly was ok, but like MRC's early DCC efforts, it was extremely limited in funcitonality and expandability compared to other carrier control systems like Dynatrol, OnBoard, and Railcommand.

                     --Randy

 

[dbhone]

I have an old MRC Trainpack 200 which works fine with both open frame and can motors. I love the ability to have a "neutral" direction position which the newer do not have. Why was this eliminated?

[Mister Mikado]

I wired in a power transistor, one of the LM variety I believe, to an old mrc goldie (copper colored) because it had poor speed control.  Now acceleration is as smooth as the modern packs. This circuit is cheap and the schematic can be found on the web.  It's worth the time because the old packs are sturdy and reliable and look so cool and retro and bring back good old memories of running that Revell or Tyco 4 car set around the brass oval.