How do you Power your Layout?

I use both, as a matter of fact. Two MTH Z4000 transformers for the double track main line, and two Lionel 180 bricks, one each for the yard lead & yard, and the locomotive servicing terminal. They work VERY well together. On the other hand, there really would be no problems using the Lionel 180 bricks for the whole layout. I just happen to get the two Z4000s at a great price.

I do not see why you would need a throttle with command operation. The breaker protection is in the bricks. 

 

Dale H

It all really depends on layout size.  My 9'x6' layout is powered by a single Z1000 brick hooked to my TIU. I have a double track main and run as many as 5-6 engines with no problem. It is for track power only as I have separate bricks powering lights and accessories.

You can do it all with bricks, but power the TIU off the aux. power plug with a Z500 or something, and set up the power up sequence so the TIU and TMCC/Legacy are powered on first, so that when power is applied to the track, the watchdog goes out. Turning everything on at once has a tendency to turn everything on, at least in my experience. Having a handle does prove useful every now and then... never know when you need to troubleshoot something in conventional.

We use both, we have a Z4000 and 4 bricks that power the layout. It's all wired to run conventional, TMCC/Legacy, and DCS. Just depends on the size of your layout, and your goals, as far as how you intend to run trains.

The 180 is a great item if you can do with 18V.  I run 4 Z4K transformers plus 2 ROW.

I run 4 bricks into a TIU with Legacy and TMCC.  No problems.  I use the variable TIU channels when I want to run conventional, extremely rarely. You can also use a TPC.  How you power your layout is based on size and how you want to run.

Dan

I don't use any of the commercially available toy train power supplies to run my layout. I run 100% TMCC. No conventional possible and no DCS allowed.

 

There are 3, 20A power supplies on this panel. Each is made up of 3, 6.3v transformers. Each one powers 10 blocks with 6A limit per block. I will be using 2 of these panels.

 

My layout is only 5x8. For 8 years this TMCC setup has been powered by 2 Lionel CW80s, one for each loop. Lights, animations, etc. are powered from other sources. My 2 Christmas layouts also use CW80s.

i am old school i guess i just use the handles and knobs.  

4 Lionel bricks through the MTH DCS TIU allows me to run all manufactures locos through the MTH controller.

My layout is modest in size (in a 12x12 room).  I use a Z-4000 and operate TMCC/Legacy/DCS.

A ZW-C with 2 180's.

Here’s my modular control table, sans the Legacy base. (Someday they'll arrive) 

I split a harness for the table and a module and use a whole harness to connect the two. I made the connections from the terminal strip to the terminal block with TVS installed for surge protection. 120v power connects via a twist-lock connector on a 100’ long 14AWG commercial cord that I keep in a 5 gal bucket. I wire tie the cord to the leg as a second precaution. I also carry a long gray wire in case there’s a good ground source nearby. Haven’t needed it yet. The ZW-C is held with stainless allen bolts into furniture inserts with ¼ -20 thread. Just unscrew the bolts, disconnect the power connections and store it for travel. The legs detach, of course. Everything else, including the bricks, stay on the bottom. There’s surge protection to the table from the 120v source and surge protection for the modules from the transformer. A rocker switch turns it all on. Room for two more bricks on the bottom if I need them.

 

A portable power & control table based on the Lionel Modular specifications.

 

For a command controlled envirorment, the bricks work well.  Simple bullet proof design. A z4k or a zw-l give you more power flexibility. You can vary the voltage, and both have volt and amp gauges. The zw-l also has more refined power which allows better engine performance.  There is no right or wrong power supply. It really depends on the features you need. The zw-l and z4k give you more options.

I have one powerhouse as well as four Z4Ks and one ROW transformer.

 

Alan

I run only conventionally, so I have a ZW-L (pretty soon, probably two).  

 

But even if I ran Legacy, the additional money for the ZW-L over a similar number of bricks to provide power to the layout would be justified in my mind: they look fantastic: I put a lot of effort into making the rest of the layout look good, the power supply having a little giltz and style is worth it, in my opinion. 

I am currently using a cw80 that has been stripped down to just its transformer core. It's good for about 8 amps.

Another way to look at it:

 

On my point to point around the wall layout I am building there are ten power packs. 

 

One power pack for each zone, yard & industrial park.  270 linear feet of mainline.

 

This provides somewhat individual train control with conventional power.

 

 

180 bricks on this power cart.

 

I will use the bricks and TPCs' for the upper and  also lower level of my small layout 15X25 L shaped.  I prefer the capability of TMCC/Legacy and conventional running. I happen to have 2 of the ZW-C, one a shelf queen the other will be used for nothing but accessories, it's a over kill. I just like the idea of being able to set different voltage for accessories with the handles trying to keep it simple. But to your question for command control I don't see why you can't just use bricks if you prefer.

More power......

 

 

While I operate my 16 X 16 primarily with command control (Legacy) I wanted the option of conventional operation on any of the four blocks. 

 

Also I am a Lionel collector and wanted the nostalgic look of big Lionel power and control.

 

 

I use four Z4K, a ZW with four bricks, and two smaller transformers to control the accessories. I run TMCC and Legacy.

Attached is my very rough diagram that shows how I plan to power phase one of my layout.  Power will be by PH180s wired to TPCs then through a TIU; no handles.  The diagram shows two PH180 powering each TPC for the mainline tracks.  I plan to have only one PH180 on most of the time, but the 2nd PH180 will be there if needed to power my multi unit engines and long lighted passenger trains.  Because of the high power to the mainlines, the TIU is wired in passive mode to those two tracks using the variable channels.  I'm using the variable channels for passive mode because of the potential problems with these channels in the Rev L version of the TIU.

 

The engine terminal/yard tracks only need one PH180 and in the diagram it is wired directly to the TIU, connected to both the fixed channels because of the numerous leads needed for the turntable tracks.  I now plan to add a TPC between the PH180 and the TIU so I can go conventional over the entire layout if needed using only one controller.

 

I have TVS protection for each block.  The DZ-2001 is only needed if you plan to use DZ-2500 switch machines.

Both DCS and conventional power supplies are used on my layout.

 

For DCS control I have 2 TIUs each supplied by individual Z4000 transformers. The Z4000s also have external 10 amp circuit breakers and E-Stops on each channel. The TIUs are individually protected by circuit breakers and have voltmeters on each output. The TIU AUX power is provided by a "Brick".  I use AIUs for control of turnouts, blocks, signals and other accessories. I also have a relay board interface which allows the use of either miniature pushbuttons or the DCS handheld to control turnouts.

 

The photo shows only one TIU installed.  The second TIU is used for testing of locomotives.

 

For conventional operation I have a separate Lionel ZW transformer.  The ZW also has individual external circuit breaker protection.

 

Note: I can also use the TIU variable outputs for DCS and conventional operation if necessary.

 

All individual track feeds to the track have individual circuit breaker protection. I have a total of 10 blocks which can be controlled by either the AIU or individual toggle switches.

 

Note: The AIU controls power feeds to the track via the relay board. The AIU internal relays do not conduct power to the track but merely activate a 12v relay coil.

 

All turnouts and accessories are powered by separate KW transformers which also have individual circuit breakers and fuses.

 

 

Not to my mind.  I run my layout with 2 Lionel 180 watt PowerHouses.  ON/OFF is controlled with 1 power strip.

If you use a Z-4000, you will have have to move the handles to the proper setting every time you power it on.  It has some circuitry to enforce that safety measure (I don't like that "feature" myself, but I understand why it is there.)  The older Lionel Zs do not do that.  You can leave the handles where you want them and just use a power strip.

 

And of course, the 180 watt PowerHouses are much less expensive.

 

George

The advantage of using a modern variable unit like the ZW-C or ZW-L is the flexibility to adjust output.

Using only bricks requires the addition of powermasters, etc. when you want the ability to dial voltage to something other than full 18v.

The other advantage of the ZW-C or ZW-L is that they seamlessly interface with the TMCC or Legacy remote system. Thus you have full remote control of each of the 4 output handles without needing additional hardware.

Our ZW-C (with 4 bricks) allows us to easily run TMCC or conventional on any loop with remote control of them.

I use 135 watt PH's connected to TPC 300's all hung on peg board underneath the layout. I turn the power on using one of those Christmas light remotes.

Lionel postwar ZWs BABY!!!!!!!

when I had my hi rail layout & used DCS /TMCC I just had the Lionel 180 Watt bricks hooked to the DCS  TIU.   I had them in the vari output, so I could also run conventional stuff w/ the remote.  

Now that's it's all postwar, I use a ZW, RW & KW

The attic layout measures 14x39.  I have two 135W Lionel bricks connected to the TIU.

 

Gilly

Two Z4000, two TIUs (track power) and one ROW PowerMaster for signals and general illumination (buildings, etc.) for the 20x35 approx layout.  Approaching 400 feet of Gargraves and 40+ ROSS switches ...

I use two 18 volt industrial transformers (bricks) to power two TPC 400's. That and a command base allow me to run anything of any vintage.

I use a ROW, a Z4K, and a Lionel 180 brick to provide all track power, 2 Z-500 bricks for TIU AUX Inputs, and I use 2 Lionel Type Z, 1 Lionel Type R, and a Lionel Type V for powering lights, accessories, etc. I also have in back up mode 2 Z-1000's bricks and a Lionel KW.

How do I power my layout? I use these five ZW's, four of which are antiques; one is modern, to run ten trains and one trolley, with two trains, each with its own closed-loop, per ZW. I only run TMCC-equipped, speed-controlled engines.

 

The one time I had any problem was when I accepted a phone call during a roomful of quests and got distracted from running eleven trains, which featured two passenger trains on the same track. Never again - no phone calls accepted; no two trains on one track when having guests.

FrankM.

1000 Watt 230V 50Hz AC to 12V DC power supply. This powers 1500 Watt 12V DC to 120V AC 60Hz pure sine wave inverter.

 

Then things get normal.

Post-war ZW (powers 2 Powermasters and lights) and 2 135W Powerhouses (powering a Powermaster and a Direct Lock-On)

 

Been there, done that Mr. Moonson!

 

I turn the phone off ... and hang a sign on the trainroom door "Session in Progress - Do Not Disturb" ...

 

Got it at the Mental Health department when I worked at an HMO ...

As I said above, style counts for something. No brick has ever been this purty . . .