How many engines do you want to run at once?
My layout will be a double folded main with passing sidings, a little over 300'. Two levels and roughly 10.5 x 23 feet. I will be using two PH 180 bricks to run 4 to 6 engines in lashups at the same time. I am running DCS now with plans to add Legacy when the Cab3 comes out.
I did wire following the recommended practices with blocks but using long flex pieces it doesn't take more than a couple of blocks to work for layouts of our size. I purposely created a few extra because it is easy to do with the plastic isolators as I lay the track.
Power does not run through a Legacy base so there is no additional draw. Most people, myself included, use DCS in active mode and so the track power does pass through the TIU. I use a separate DC power supply to power my TIU so there is no draw on track power from the TIU.
