Transformer


M

Mile11

New Member
Hello, I'm thinking on a new power pack for my layout. No DCC involved, just a power pak. What would you think is best? What makes some better than others?

Thanks
Cam
 
I've been using MRC for about 45 years. I have a #9500 & wish I had 3 more. I also use a DC walkaround & I have a few more. But, if you have the xtra bucks get a #9500 MRC.

Larry
 
I agree. You can get MRC transformers very inexpensively on e-bay as more people switch to DCC so there are some good deals out there.
 
You didn't mention much about your layout , so I don't want to get too specific. I agree with everyone else as far as MRC goes. No one has really mentioned features though to this point. I would definitely look for a pack with a momentum circuit, which will add a little "coasting" to your engines when you shut the throttle. Another nice feature is "pulse" which seems to be called different things, but what it does, is if you've ever noticed how you have to give your engine a little extra throttle to get it moving, but after it's moving you can back off the throttle again.....pulse gives your engine little spikes of power...enough to get it moving without the extra throttle. It's a nice feature if you do a lot of slow running/switching. You'll also find packs with a brake. Never found much use for the feature myself. There are also "walk-around" throttles. I have one that's about the size of a pack of cigarettes that attaches to to my control panel with a 6 ft cord and a 4 pin connector. I've added an extra plug for it on the back side of my layout, so I can plug the control in back there and run switching operations away from the main panel. If your layout is 2 X 3 it's probably not a very useful feature. There are also packs with sound......more money, but nice if you want some sound. A feature that's nice if you have multiple packs is simply an on/off switch so you can shut individual packs off....there are still a few packs out there without this feature. Another feature you'll find is meters to tell you how much power your trains are drawing. A nice feature for diagnosing problems but not particular useful for normal running. MRC covers all these...each step up the price range will add another feature or two. So pick the one that meets your needs/price range and enjoy.
 
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