How much power?

One Lionel 180w brick should handle that fine. Just make sure you use good size wire like 14 or 16 ga and I would have feeders a minimum of every 8-10 feet.

I have 1 180 brick with 14 ga buss and feeder wires, with the feeders every 10 feet. My layout has about 135' of track and the voltage is the same at the track as it is at the brick and voltage is consistant anywhere on the layout.

I typically run 2 trains passenger and/or freight and run a switcher at an industry at the same time.

I agree...if money is a concern one of the older 135 watt bricks will do just nicely as well.

--Greg

Your power requirements depend mainly on the amperes needed by your engine or engines that you will be operating at the same time.  Lighted passenger cars also draw some track power.  A 10 ampere power supply (transformer) should be sufficient for one or two engines that have modern "can" motors. Post war Lionel engines have less efficient motors and draw more current  I have several vintage Lionel 'KW" transformers each rated for about 175 watts which are a good economical choice. The RailKing Z4000 transformer is another excellent choice.  If you use a modern command control system such as the MTH DCS or Lionel TMCC you can use a power "brick" rated at about 150 watt as a power source. Power for accessories would require a separate power supply.

The main consideration for powering a large layout is to use a heavy gauge wire for "feeds" to your tracks.  14 or 12 gauge wire is best for long power feeds.

As all of the above...a 135 brick should do.  Just keep in mind that a separate source will be useful for accessories, signals and lighting. something small and simple that fits the quantity of these that you may have.

Ralph

JoeG

E-mail me regarding a transformer. I may be able to help you with a 10 amp unit.

JoeG

As mentioned in my email.....

Fuzzy photos below show the 180 watt PowerHouse and the Terminal Strip that I used to replace the low voltage secondary plug[I removed the plugs from all of my Lionel "bricks" to eliminate the adapter & wire clutter]. The PowerHouse is a fixed 18 volts designed to supply Command Control Railpower. Accessories will require a variable voltage transformer unit. One can link the PoHo to a Track Power Controller[TPC] for achieving variable voltage to enable Conventional operation from Cab 1

The T-Strip has been jumpered to enable 6 screw terminals available for Common[white]distribution to outer rail and 6 for Hot[green] to center rail. Obviously one terminal on each strip section is occupied by the inbound Common and Hot. However, from these same two terminals one can "Daisy-Chain" to a second T-Strip in the Railpower bus for better and more widespread power distribution, if needed.

The Green color code PoHo was power for district #4 of five[dismantled]. I recycled the Black and Red code PoHos for use on my little dual district attic layout......also pictured below. 

I will pack and ship after Christmas.

Have a safe and Merry one.

JoeG

180 PoHo shipped UPS Ground today. You can track @1ZY241X70317377288.

pvc wire management....interesting....