Recommended Power Supply

I have replaced my American Flyer transformers with the Lionel 180 watt Powerhouses.

Ray

This question may give you a pack answer but IMO the real question is what is the best power for you.

Consider a hands on exposure to the many types of systems available.  Look at your budget.  How many engines do you have/want.  Cost and reliability of whoever is going to service/install your specialty systems.  Weigh the +/- to see what may be the best fit for you.

Many are switching to DCC, DCS & R/C battery control systems which makes high end DC power supplies available at attractive prices.  It's all good.

This is for 3rd rail 2rail engines.  Single loop.  Not very big.  I am just looking for some options.  For three rail operation the choices are pretty easy but I have no experience in 2 rail.

Thank you,

Dave

First question, David, is it AC or DC, there have already been responses to both.  There are two rail AC modelers, i.e. American Flyer.  Two rail DC, most HO.  There were some Two Rail AC/TMCC offering from Atlas several years ago.  What is Third Rails adventure in the two rail offerings???

Recent Third Rail offering E7 "GM Train of Tomorrow".  Looks like DC.

• ERR CRUISE, Smoke and Lighting in 3 Rail
• QSI "Titan" DC/DCC with Digital Sound in 2 Rail

Dave...on my other scale i use a NCE dcc system ive seen them used on 2 rail  O as well a dealer i got it from is Tonys Train Exchange they have a very good web site.you will find all you need to know..john

for straight DC, look into the MRC Control Master 20 or the Crest 10 amp.

for my NCE DCC system, I use a Lionel 10 amp power brick.

This is for 3rd rail 2rail engines.

Out of the box 3rd Rail 2-rail steam engines are DC, the diesels are DC compatible but have DCC electronics.

If you are just running a single loop and don't plan to install DCC decoders, DC power is what you want.

Dave,

Just to complicate things further, there are a number of inexpensive, industrial strength DC power supplies in fixed voltage configurations, e.g. 12 VDC, 24 VDC.  I'm using some of these for lighting, but they would probably work in a simple On/Off DC scenario.  Electrical supply houses would have these (e.g. AllElectronics.com) and they would be a lot less expensive.

George

Iuse, in order, a circuit breaker, a small120 Volt Variac, a large 24 Volt stepdown transformer, a large capacitor, a $3 bridge rectifier, an ammeter and voltmeter, a DPDT switch, and another circuit breaker.

A good tinplate transformer will work quite well with the above $3 bridge rectifier, and you do not have to fool around with 120 Volt wiring.

For my DC test track (and for the upcoming single operator 2R layout), I'm using an MTH Z-4000 powering a GML Enterprises walk around throttle.