Ackleplem posted:Adriatic posted:What; no pictures?
We love pictures
You aren't the only "fanboy" around
Modded or plain, we want to see um
(and welcome!
)
Time to try out the blue paperclip....an attachment tool appears at the bottom of the text box when you start typing
You don't mention the model of the conventional train, but that, and expanding your roster and track someday would be considerations in choosing the size of transformer you may want to buy.
Besides "which trains", the power supply is likely the biggest decision you'll make. 80w would be the very smallest I'd consider for two trains. Note the cw40 and cw80 look much alike, always read the labeling; even the old ZWs have watt variance depending on year.
Note that few folks, if any, ever complained that they "bought too large of a transformer". New or old alike will work. Old ones would be "safer" used with a modern breaker, and all supplies benefit from a transient voltage suppressor(tvs) to help protect the more modern engine electronics during derails and other shorts. A tvs is very cheap insurance
(looks like a diode)
The electrical aspect of this is one of my bigger points of ignorance at this stage. My intention, for now, is to have one set of fastrack that can operate either a lion chief or a non lion chief train, but not at the same time. In other words, run my batman train with the remote. Pull it off the track, unplug the batman power cord, put a non lion chief train, plug in the conventional transformer and run it. At some point, I will work out a multi track layout. Whether or not I combine them will depend on space and what I can learn about the electrical part of this hobby. How does a TVS work and where does it get installed? This and many things I need to learn. Is there a post that shows the basics of this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
John
John,
I'm doing something similar but instead I have a CW80 transformer that when the LC train is running, is pushed up to about 80%. I have a short siding (two would work best) that has power turned off by a SPST switch (connected via a 1 3/8" FasTrack section - part number 6-12073). When the LC is running, I have the switch on so the siding has power, and then run the LC train into the siding. Flip the switch and the siding is now powered off (and so is the train). Then you can turn down the transformer, throw your conventional train on and run it via the transformer. If you had a second siding, you could have the conventional train on it, and when the LC siding is turned off, you could turn down the power on the transformer, flip the conventional siding on, and the conventional train would then run. No need to switch power sources or take trains on and off.
Honestly, the first thing I did was get on eBay and find myself a CW80 transformer for cheap (under $50). The wall-wart that comes with your LC won't power much anyways, so I simply set it off to the side when I opened our Pennsy Flyer RtR set.
