Powering New Layout

Well, I think you're overestimating a few things:

- First, I think you're a bit high on the engine consumption. Most engines are more in the 1-3 amp range during operation IME, and I routinely run four engines or trolleys on one PW ZW, at a 275 watt rating, with no problems. You'd really have to run the engines flat out with an enormous consist to approach anything like that amperage, and if you did, I doubt the transformer would be the first to let go!

- Second, the lights in most Dept 56-type buildings I've encountered are powered directly from the house supply, using nightlight-type bulbs (typically 4 to 7 watts). If that's the case for yours, the power for them will not be running through the transformer, and can be disregarded for your calculations. If you *are* using accessory voltage incandescent bulbs, I strongly suggest you consider LED replacement bulbs, to reduce heat and your electric bill!

My other thought was to at least separate your operating power from your accessories. That way, you can change and upgrade (or further split) either at any time without having to change the overall system. On many layouts, powering accessories is the duty typically assigned to otherwise obsolete or underpowered transformers, saving money and extending the usefulness of what you already have. Good luck, in any event!

Thank you, Steve, your reply is very helpful.  And you're absolutely right about the D56 buildings running on 110v house power, so I can cut out all the watts for the lights.  It certainly sounds like a ZW-L is far more than enough, and that even just a GW-180 would be plenty.

What about the incandescent lights in the passenger cars?  (At least until I convert them all to LEDs)  How much power do they draw per car?

And re: your point about separating accessory power from operating power -- Do the inner throttles on the ZW ostensibly used for accessory power actually separate the operating power from accessory power?

Thanks again, and for your rapid reply,

@Bob W / cprail posted:

Thank you, Steve, your reply is very helpful.  And you're absolutely right about the D56 buildings running on 110v house power, so I can cut out all the watts for the lights.  It certainly sounds like a ZW-L is far more than enough, and that even just a GW-180 would be plenty.

What about the incandescent lights in the passenger cars?  (At least until I convert them all to LEDs)  How much power do they draw per car?

And re: your point about separating accessory power from operating power -- Do the inner throttles on the ZW ostensibly used for accessory power actually separate the operating power from accessory power?

Thanks again, and for your rapid reply,

I've never had occasion to measure the draw, but I'd be very surprised if it was much more than a watt or two each, and I believe some cars used more than one bulb per car. As a simple measure, you might see if there is a plug-in LED replacement for whatever size bulbs are in the car. That won't get you the flicker-free performance of the premium conversions (in fact, LEDs tend to be a bit more prone to flicker), but would probably be cheaper and easier to implement than installing LED strips and PCBs to fully upgrade the lighting.

No, just using separate taps on a single transformer will not reduce the overall draw through the transformer -- it all goes through the same windings and core. I was speaking of separating the source of the power -- IOW using a separate transformer for the accessories, independent of the transformer providing track power/control. It is easy enough to run both (or as many as you end up with) to a power strip with switch, in order to create a master on-off kill switch for your whole layout.