@stan2004 posted:I thought the discussion was about expanding an O Gauge LC Starter Set?
SteveH - Yes, that is the Topic. And my best Advice at this point in time is to upgrade to a higher wattage multi-ouput sine wave AC transformer as they begin upgrading the other aspects of their layouts. These better AC transformers are compatible with most, if not all, 3 rail O-Gauge accessories and will allow future expansion without having to replace them every time a few more accessories are added.
Again, I have no idea who the "typical" LC Starter Set buyer is,...
SteveH - Based on the subject matter (Thomas, Polar Express, Harry Potter) of most RTR LC starter sets, Lionel seems to be mostly trying to attract customers with children. IMO, buyers of these starter sets are typically parents and grandparents who have or have had trains in their past and want to encourage their youngsters to get involved in the same hobby the adults enjoy. Often a second LC set is purchased for a second kid and/or for the "adult", so that each can remotely control their own train at the same time.
But wait! I can buy a 90 Watt DC-output adapter for $10 on eBay shipped to my front door!
SteveH - If people decide to go that route, that is their choice. It may solve a short term problem and potentially lead to more frustration down the road when they discover that certain accessories have problems with DC.So, in the spirit of OGR being a discussion forum to exchange ideas or what not, for new applications or those just getting into the hobby, I wonder if there's a path forward where DC is used exclusively? Yes, there are accessories that require AC voltage to operate...but I'm guessing the percentage is much less than half and shrinking with time. And while a drop-in-the-bucket right now, I think you'll see more battery powered (i.e., DC) layouts going forward.
SteveH - Discussion is of course welcome. Battery operated Locomotives are certainly becoming more feasible with continual improvements in battery storage density. I think you're right that we'll see more of this in the coming years. For right now, this type of Locomotive conversion is IMO likely beyond what most new O Gauge hobbyists would be comfortable doing (and it would void the warranty
). This type of battery conversion would definitely be a bit more challenging than wiring an AC transformer to the track.
At this point in time there have been (some multiple of) millions of O Gauge Locomotives and accessories manufactured in the last 100 years that work on AC. If you want to assure you can operate any one of them, having a reliable O Gauge (sine wave) AC transformer is, in my opinion, the BEST way to go if you're upgrading your starter set and want lots of options down the road.
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