Sentimental Journey: DC Power Packs

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NP2626

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I would believe many of us are old enough that we likely started out our Model Railroading with a DC Power Pack. I have been reading in Model Railroaders Digital Archives, again. Looking through issues from the early 1950s starting with 1950, as that was the year I was born. I see that there where many manufacturers of DC Power Backs, Transformers. etc. back then. From the January of 1953 issue, here is a list of producers of DC power for model railroaders: Scintilla Rail & Power Works Inc, the Pioneer Company, Electronic Controls Company, Leyghton-Paige Corp., Model Railroad Controls Co., Universal Yonkers Corp., Zenith Model Company, Model Rectifier Corp. and the Marnold Company. There were maybe others which I simply did not catch. Of the manufacturers I've mentioned I think Model Rectifier Corp. (MRC) is still doing business producing powering equipment for the model railroader.

My first power pack which I got for Christmas in 1960 or there abouts, was a Scintilla Rail & Power Works, INC. pack that was labeled for VARNEY. It had a throttle, Forward/Reverse toggle and an on/off switch. On the back side it had screw terminals for both DC and AC power. It did everything I needed it to do. I have been watching on Ebay for this particular power pack, don't know if I would by it, or just look at it!

What was your power pack?
 
It would have been the one that came with an HO "scale" Tyco set. It was about ¼ the size of a shoe box.

Tyco.JPG

The photo is not of mine.
 
I am still operating DC only but haven't used a power pack in decades for running trains. I still have a couple of MRC power packs that I use for lighting and for powering twin coul switch machines. I had used them on my N scale layout which was torn down in the very early 80's. When I built my HO layout, I did use one for powering an MRC walk around throttle and did have a PFM sound system which I used into the late 90's. It was mounted on the facia and I can't count how many times I walked into it. I stopped using the PFM system because the sound modules that went into the locomotive tenders became impossible to find and I was having to build my own.

The late Pete Ellis gave me a great solid state walk around throttle about this time which I still use I have no idea of who made it. The old MRC walk around throttle was replaced about 15 years ago with a GML walk around throttle with memory. I like it because you can unplug it while a train is running and move to another location and the train will keep running. The plug on it I also like because it is a quarter inch stereo plug. easy to move it around.

As I have mentioned many times before, I have no interest in converting to DCC. I am a lone operator and very seldom need to run more than one train at a time. Many of my locomotives are the original Atlas Alco units which would need major modifications to fit a decoder and speaker into. Can't see spending the money on something I don't really need.

The ancient old MRC power packs are still doing well providing voltage for accessories.
 


Even though I bought a Digitrax Chief system, what little I've used it - it has been not very user friendly.

On my current layout I've been using a DC power pack called a Star Tec Hogger. It was produced in the 1980's when walk around throttle were getting popular. It has a RJ type phone jack on it so you could install a bus around the and plug in at various points to follow a train, and the wire to the plug is coiled so it can stretch some. Still using it and thinking about getting an NCE eventually when I can afford to make the switch.
 
Chet, We all understand your not wanting to go DCC, it is no big deal to me, at least. I am DCC and like how DCC with sound works for me. These are personal choices we all make. I won't go into what DCC does for me as I figure you don't care.:cool: Anyways, this is a DC topic!

Mark
 
I started with a Lionel set in the 1950's with the twin controller arms and an oval of track. Later, when I gained an interest in HO, I remember the simple power packs with the AC and DC outputs and basically no other features. I saved my money and purchased a new MRC power pack with "Pulse" power and I now was in the major leagues of HO model railroading, maybe in the early to mid-60's.

Remember all the MRC ads on the packs of Model Railroader?

In the 80's, this MRC power pack was sold to a friend and I later re-purchased the unit back. Its been a good worker and while I use DCC, this MRC unit still works for checking lamps, motors and or other testing.

Recently, I discarded some old "toy" power packs that I don't think even had any UL or testing labels since they were so old.

Greg
 
IIRC, I started with an AC power pack for my American Flyer trains back in the early-mid-1950's. When I was given an S-scale F7 that ran on DC, I bought a selenium rectifier that I connected in series between the AC pack and the track. Not long after that, I switched to HO scale. I bought a separate transformer, connected the rectifier to it and a rheostat to control the speed. Made a control panel for it all to fit on. Dropped out of the hobby for about 20 years (college, Air Force, marriage, family, moved several times following jobs). Built my second layout, and bought a Troller power pack which served until we moved and there was another lapse of about 20 years before building my current layout.

I tried a number of MRC packs, but running two older Athearn Blue Box F7's and GP7"s would cause them to overheat after a while. I finally found an MRC TrainPower 6200, rated at 60VA, which seems to handle all my DC needs. I still have one of the Troller units, in case I need it, but I haven't tried it to see if it is operational.

Wanting to have sound required DCC, some rtr, and two I installed in steam locomotives, I bought the MRC Tech 6 6.0, with a selector switch installed on my control panel (to prevent inadvertently burning up DC motors.) I've actually had two Tech 6 6.0's, but on one, the speed control dial is responding erratically. Have to see about having it fixed. (I still have the original transformer and the selenium rectifier, but am afraid to use them as they may have shorted out! I finally bought an NCE Power Cab, with a booster for my DCC units.
 
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NP2626 said:
Chet, We all understand your not wanting to go DCC, it is no big deal to me, at least. I am DCC and like how DCC with sound works for me. These are personal choices we all make. I won't go into what DCC does for me as I figure you don't care.:cool: Anyways, this is a DC topic!

Mark
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I plan on staying with dc myself. It will only be me running things. I will wire a few power blocks just in case. If I ever go DCC the wiring will be there to swap over. I still have a few MRC walk around controllers.
 
About my old Lionel twin controller....my Dad was set up some track for me and he had the track at the highest setting and he accidently laid his watch band across the three rail Lionel track. Sparks and a small, but painful burn.

Greg
 


After the Lionel set? My first serious non tinplate train set was a Revelle freight set I got when I was in the second grade. powerpack not included. So I had to wait until the next day to run trains. That was frustrating! We went to Western Auto and got what I think was an MRC pack that had two throttles. No pic available that I can find. It had an on/off switch, which was important, as young kids tend to leave things on, and this usually fried the cheap train set packs. I still have a pair of MRC Tech 2 units that I use for testing prior to DCC conversion. MRC makes a good unit.
 
I forgot to mention that MRLDave, who lives close by, dropped off a couple of MRC power packs that he didn't need as the N scale club he is in uses DCC. I plan to use them to supply voltage for lighting in another town on my layout. Haven't seen Dave on the forum lately.
 
montanan said:
I forgot to mention that MRLDave, who lives close by, dropped off a couple of MRC power packs that he didn't need as the N scale club he is in uses DCC. I plan to use them to supply voltage for lighting in another town on my layout. Haven't seen Dave on the forum lately.
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Yep, that's always a good use for old DC power packs. I've seen some train set power packs at train shows for a couple dollars each, so I bought one to power my switch machines off of.
 
I had two MRC Tech II packs when I started out, the were good reliable power packs. Then I replaced on with a GML walk around throttle Likely the same one Montanan has. The GML throttle is still in use, I can use it to run my DC locomotives; but, it's mostly used for running my turntable and powering AC lighting circuits.
 
So, I'm paging through the December 1954 Model Railroader and come upon a Leyghton-Page Pulse Pack power pack. This is the precise power pack that my neighbor buddy and I used to power the first HO Scale layout we ever built. This would have likely been in 1958-1959. My neighbors father had been a model railroader and had all the stuff we used to build this layout, which was anything; but, two kids first try at model railroading. The building of this layout is a good story I will tell elsewhere! Suffice I remember everything about this power pack, it's shape, the fact it had a light that came on when it was powered up and had a little replaceable fuse on the front. At this point in time, 1953-54, AHC started advertising in model railroader with multi page ads and a giant catalog you could buy for .25 cents.
 
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The Tyco gold colored brick. I probably had 2 when I started doing block wiring. I remember using an Atlas Selector premade switch and the block switches that went with it. And I remember adding the reversing loop/ turntable block piece too. That was about 20 years ago.

Captain of Industry
President of Lancaster Central RR
President of Lancaster & Western Maryland Railway
 
Off track again; but, wanting to comment about the hobby in the 50-60s. In Model Railroading Magazine, during these years, almost every issue had scale drawings of a locomotive. Many where accompanied with build articles on scratch building; or kit bashing the locomotive that was described in the drawings. This applied to both Diesels and Steam locomotives. If the issue didn't have an article; or, drawing of a locomotive then it most assuredly had drawings of a freight; or, passenger car with an accompanying build article. Articles would be written about every conceivable item, building, gadget; or whatnot! I will say that track plans where mostly very unrealistic and a spaghetti bowl was the best way to describe them. The idea being to put as much railroad as possible on a 4X8 sheet of plywood! or, in a limited space. O scale and O-27 where probably the most popular scale back then; but, you could see that HO was on the horizon and coming on strong.

Back then, because of limited stuff available for your model railroad, the emphasis was on scratch building; or, kit bashing the items you needed. Some people where into "operations" Frank Ellison and John Allen where proponents of this aspect of the hobby. What sticks in my mind about this time period was what true craftsmen there where in the hobby! Globe, Athearn, Mantua and Roundhouse where just beginning to offer simple kits to build. "Staples" like Silver Streak, Ambriod and many other wood kit manufacturers where probably the back bone of the hobby. How did these people build all the rolling stock, scratch build their locomotives and still have time to have very well detailed layouts, is beyond me! I most admire these people and am amazed at what they got done. The had jobs, worked as hard as anybody today (harder) raised families, took care of their homes, had supportive wives and families and still found time to build model railroads! These people are my heroes! They are the people that gave us this great hobby, for which I am most thankful!

By the way, Model Railroader's "All Time Digital Archives" is accessible for free at this time. I have no idea how long this will last; but strongly suggest you take advantage!!
 
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Mark -
How did these people build all the rolling stock, scratch build their locomotives and still have time to have very well detailed layouts, is beyond me! I most admire these people and am amazed at what they got done. The had jobs, worked as hard as anybody today (harder) raised families, took care of their homes, had supportive wives and families and still found time to build model railroads!
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No computer forums or cell phones!

Willie
 


You either had imagination and skill or you gave up and found a different hobby. It was also more of a hands on society at the time.

Captain of Industry
President of Lancaster Central RR
President of Lancaster & Western Maryland Railway
 
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