ZW vs Z-4000? HELP!

[Anonymous]

I havae just started the hobby and am off to a fast start with a problem, four engines, one small transformer! I want to invest in a powerful transformer that will provide me the flexibility to power a nice sized layout operating O gauge trains from different producers (MTH, Lionel, K-Line, etc). The Lionel Hobby shop is pushy the ZW, the MTH is pushing the Z-4000, what a suprise! Can anyone give me some direction on which is the better of the two?

[Anonymous]

If your locomotives are predominately MTH with Protosounds, I'd have no hesitation about the Z-4000 because the ease of programming either Ps-1 or PS-2. On average it appears that Z-4000 may be slightly less reliable than new ZW.

If they are predominately Lionel or a variety, then from personal experience (club and home), I would advise the Lionel. You can add power bricks, up to 4 per controller, to easily increase output considerably cheaper than another transformer. One can always add the TMCC or MTH DCS components and toggle back and forth between control protocols. Keep in mind that the output of Z-4000 is split between channels,meaning if you run two trains simultaneously, you get1/2/ the output or less per train. With Lionel, if you use 4 "bricks", you get all the output of that "brick" to that channel, up to 4 (760 watts max.). It is true that Lionel's new 180 watt powerhouses were shipped out of phase and that until a "fix" arrives they cannot be used in conjunction with the 135 watt units on the same layout. Hope this helps.