DC Power Pack for 2 rail O scale

Good question. Will be curious to hear what folks think. 👍

Mark in Oregon

this one

Be advised that the transformer is heavy and one might want to find one at a show rather than take a chance with delivery and postage. I bought mine from a neighbor.

The MRC Control Master 20 has worked well for me for about 30 years. I use two of them. Make sure to allow air flow through them for cooling. The current MRC 9950 looks good and has lots of power.

Protosound is going to want AC, not DC. You can probably feed it DC, but I'm not sure what it will do conventionally with DC, nor would I know which way to flip the DCC/DCS switch inside it to run that way.

The other thing is that some MRC transformers are known to not play well with Protosound electronics. Somewhere on the internet there is a transformer compatibility chart for MTH locomotives.

How about building a box with a rectifier and polarity switch? Hook that to the output of most any AC transformer, and off you go.

@Boilermaker1 posted:

Protosound is going to want AC, not DC. You can probably feed it DC, but I'm not sure what it will do conventionally with DC, nor would I know which way to flip the DCC/DCS switch inside it to run that way.

The other thing is that some MRC transformers are known to not play well with Protosound electronics. Somewhere on the internet there is a transformer compatibility chart for MTH locomotives.

I run my MTH on DC all the time ! ?? My later Protosound 2 or 3 models run fine on it. They don't want anything other than good clean power.

Chopped up power can scramble them.

Straight DC or DCC/DCS?  How are the switches in the loco set?  I’m curious now because the manual says to feed it AC….

@Boilermaker1 posted:

Straight DC or DCC/DCS?  How are the switches in the loco set?  I’m curious now because the manual says to feed it AC….

What manual for what engine?

I have near 100 and they say in detail how it will run with each type of power.

Straight DC is the most basic control. AC with bell and whistle buttons does more.

I run mainly command with DCS with AC power for O scale and DC for G scale.

When I set up a Christmas loop for example, it's just straight AC or DC. I choose according to which engine I'll run.

"

"Conventional (Analog) AC/DC Start-up/Shut-down Your new MTH PS3.0-equipped locomotive no longer has batteries. It uses Super Capacitors to hold the engine board alive for a short time when you shut off or interrupt track power. Because of this, when you first apply track power to your PS3.0- equipped O Gauge engine, you will notice the headlight comes on but nothing else. This is perfectly normal. The capacitors are charging up during this time. The wait time depends upon how long it’s been since you last applied power to the engine. Typically it will take 1-15 seconds to fully charge. NOTE: The 1-15 second charging wait time ONLY applies when using conventional AC track power. Once the headlight shuts off, the engine will play its start-up sounds and all the lights will come back on, simultaneously. Smoke too if you have it turned on. The capacitors hold enough charge to play the full shut-down sounds. Also, the capacitors allow you to operate your engine in conventional mode just like you would any other conventionally-controlled engine. Finally, because there are no batteries, you will notice there is no longer an external charge jack on the engine"

I would assume this page is fairly standard issue.  Perhaps they’ve changed it over time…

This is my DC power pack.  No longer made, but it puts out nice clean DC power.

I thank everyone for their input. I may go with the MRC control master 20.

there's 2 charts!

Recommended DC Transformers.pdf (mthtrains.com)

I use a 15 year old GML dual throttle with momentum and multiple remote plug capability. It's rated at a robust 6.5 amps continous output per throttle and uses a large mounting plate to sink off the excess as heat when the momentum is turned up. It's a great product for my purposes as I don't employ DCC and run multiple engines often .

Sadly the owner/manufacturer of GML passed away a few years ago.

I use Variacs, step-downs, Radio Shack bridge rectifiers, and misc. breakers, switches and gauges.  Oh, and a giant electrolytic capacitor.

I will be using either an AF 16B or 17B with suitable rectification, filtering, and metering.

Currently a DC pack called "HOGGER" by Star-Tec is in use. A friend uses them for his HO layout and turned me on to them. Unfortunately, now the only source is the used market.

I use a variety of both ac and dc power switched by dpdt toggles on various blocks as needed.  Seven Z-1000, seven Control Master 20 , one MRC 9500,  two Dallee Engineers, one Dallee yard master,  two MRC 6200 in the engine yards.  Plus a variety of dc power packs for the TTs.

All Proto-Sound locos run on Z-1000.

Toggles allow switching any power to any block as needed.

Plus of course my favorite, battery R/C.

@Tom Tee posted:

I use a variety of both ac and dc power switched by dpdt toggles on various blocks as needed.  Seven Z-1000, seven Control Master 20 , one MRC 9500,  two Dallee Engineers, one Dallee yard master,  two MRC 6200 in the engine yards.  Plus a variety of dc power packs for the TTs.

All Proto-Sound locos run on Z-1000.

Toggles allow switching any power to any block as needed.

Plus of course my favorite, battery R/C.

Wow... you must have a large layout!

Mark in Oregon

I have purchased 2 MRC9950 I've had absolutely no Success in operating with them so they are relegated to scenery only. I run 3 control master 20ies . I run them in HO mode which Gives me a very prototypical speed over my layout. I sometimes  Run as many as 5 sunset 3rd rail diesel locomotives with sound with absolutely no issues. At least for me these are the way to go

Mark, It's not that the RR is large but more so the need to have individual control of any conventional engine in any industrial area, engine terminal or on any branch line.   Plus the need for both ac and dc control automatically doubles the needed control packs.

It is also very favorable that with many folks converting to digital control I find conventional power sources at throw away prices at the various train meets.

Don't be impressed, not that significant.

@Tom Tee posted:

1. It's not that the RR is large but more so the need to have individual control of any conventional engine in any industrial area, engine terminal or on any branch line.   Plus the need for both ac and dc control automatically doubles the needed control packs.

2.  Don't be impressed, not that significant.

1. Got it.

2. I bet you're just being modest. 🙂

Mark in Oregon

@Strummer posted:

1. Got it.

2. I bet you're just being modest. 🙂

Mark in Oregon

I’ll second that!

All I can add to this is many years ago when I was in a 2 rail club, the club layout used the MRC Control Master 20 for conventional DC control and it was very reliable. And there were at least one or two other members there who had positive comments about the MRC 20.

Good luck in which ever way you decide to go.

A variable trans former  AC to the high side of a 10amp  trans former low side to a panel with rectifer and a10 amp braker

ALSO WHATS GREAT ABOUT THE CONTROLMASTER 20 IES , IS WHEN YOU HAVE LITTLE KIDS CONTROLING TRAINS , RUNNUNG THE TRANSFORMERS IN HO MODE RATHER THAN G PREVENTS THE LITTLE GUYS FROM ACCELERATING THE TRAINS TO 1000 MPH, AND THAT REMOVES  MY ANXIETY OF 5 YEAR OLDS AT THE THROTTLE

Also you have the hand held controlers that potentialy give you +or- 10 feef of remote control

I wood  have a control that last and can handel maney locomotive and not fail. The transitor control over heat and fail.