Advice powering new layout needed

I m not sure, but this may be better asked in the Lionel TMCC and LEGACY forum.

180 watt bricks are an excellent choice for your power districts. If you're sticking with strictly Legacy control, no TPC's or PowerMasters are needed. The bricks have a fast acting circuit breaker built in for protection. Simple and reliable way to run your layout! 

Thanks for the replies. I'll move it over to the Lionel TMCC Legacy forum.

I do want to say that your layout looks incredible  however my wife may have something to say if I commandeered the second floor for trains.  

Thank you TMack;

 

Luckily it's the basement , but it get's better. We have been in the house about 7 years now and Sean's room was a dedicated train room. Well, we learned 30 weeks ago that Sean had to move downstairs so his room next to ours could become a nursery. Very nice surprise even late in our lives. Well guess who suggested a shelf/ceiling railroad and making a table layout in half the theater room . . . my wife!!!!It get's even better.

 

Took her on a date to Spencer NC to the museum and then the hobby shop across the street. She is now itching to get going and start work on and learning to scenic a model railroad. 

Does it get any better!!!!

Littljohn

 

A new baby and a wife interested in the layout! Happy New Year, you lucky dog! Enjoy.

Littlejohn,

   Sounds like you got a keeper that is for sure, congrats on a fine family that all likes a great hobby.

PCRR/Dave

Thanks Guys!!!

 

Marty, we will enjoy, to include the late night feedings which may turn into some late night modeling hahahaha!!

 

Yes Dave, it took a while, but I found a keeper !!!

7 times 180 Watts seems like way more power than you need for running two consists.  The definitions of "Districts" / "Blocks" varies.  There are good reasons for isolating power sections with an electrical switch (SPST) on the feed.  But a single 180W brick can feed several sections -- particularly if the consist is traveling out of one section onto another.

 

Just use adequate gauge wire for the long runs to the distant districts, so you don't get much voltage drop on the runs.

 

  --Joe

Thanks Joe

So perhaps cut the number of 180w bricks in half is a good recommendation?

With your setup and plans, I would go with 2 bricks total.... possibly 3 at the most based on what you plan on running.

As I am learning, thanks to the good advice I am geting from forum members, I went a little over board.

 

WHat's funny is I sent an email to Lionel with the track plan and asked about power, saying Legacy control with a brick per power district and they said I was on track with that.

You could easily run two consists with a single 180 watt brick.  (Three lighted passenger trains is about as much as the 180 can handle.)

 

Might want to split into to power zones just for good measure. 

I can attest to the fact that one 180W brick can NOT handle three lighted passenger trains.

 

Our modular club had three trains running on one PH180, two were freight trains and one was a passenger train, 7 heavyweight cars.  That would occasionally pop the breaker on the PH180.

Thanks for the replies! As I am learning the world of DCC, looks like somewhere in the middle of a brick per power district and 2 to 3 should do the trick 

 

As the plan sits right now I have 7 power districts and may look at 8, for a nice round number.