Thoughts on Lionel transformer offerings

When you add up all the features built into a ZW-L the price becomes very reasonable (the street price anyway), IMO. I think many do not consider all that when looking at price alone. I have a command control only layout (Legacy and DCS) and use the PH-180s through my TIU. I really like the ZW-L, but I can't think of a reason I would need the powermaster part or I might have already purchased one.

rtr12 posted:

When you add up all the features built into a ZW-L the price becomes very reasonable (the street price anyway), IMO. I think many do not consider all that when looking at price alone. I have a command control only layout (Legacy and DCS) and use the PH-180s through my TIU. I really like the ZW-L, but I can't think of a reason I would need the powermaster part or I might have already purchased one.

Yes, if you buy four PH-180s and four Powermasters the cost is up there in ZW-L territory.

Isn't a TIU more or less the MTH version of a Powermaster? Or several Powermasters?

The TIU has 4 channels like the ZW-L (2 fixed and 2 variable) that allow running conventional with the 2 variable should you want to. I am not up on the functions of many of the Lionel devices, but I think the Powermaster does some extra things in addition to varying the track voltage, but there are probably similar features in the TIU as well. The TIU has a built in fuse (although 20 amp) and also a TVS diode for each channel, but no gauges, handles or other things like the ZW-L has.

When moving them around, the TIU's are not nearly as hard on the back as a ZW-L either. But, I do see why they call the PH-180s 'bricks', like an O gauge engine, you can certainly tell you have a hold of something when you grab one of those.