Lionel Brick 180 Enough Power?

I would add at least another PH-180.  Hopefully others will chime in as to whether a 2nd one would be sufficient, or possibly more would be needed.  I have no steamers or lighted passenger cars, don't know how much power they actually draw.

If the passenger cars have LED lighting that would reduce power draw considerably and then the 2 PH-180's would probably be ok.

I think 1 PH-180 would power 2 diesels with fairly large consists of unpowered freight cars and a lighted caboose without problems.

One brick most likely won't do it.  We were not very successful at running three trains on one loop with our modular setup, we went with parallel bricks at the last show.  I want to change up and wire half of the loop on one brick and the other half on the other for the next show.

I would go with 1 brick per loop and make each loop its own power district.

This would allow you to run anything you want anywhere without a concern for power.

I ran a K-Line GG1 and Allegheny and a Lionel HHP-8 with one 180W brick.  The Allegheny had the 3 lighted passenger cars from the HHP-8 Lionel set and 4 lighted SF passenger cars from the Lionel Super Chief set and the GG1 and HHP-8 were pulling a mixed train with 34 freight cars, 5 lighted cabooses, and 2 lighted Madison passenger cars, all on the same loop of track with only 2 power drops all in command mode.  That was a fun night.  So will it handle 4 trains, maybe, but since you have more than one loop, I'd get a second brick.

I too would suggest a separate transformer for each loop, rather than using multiple transformers to feed all 3 loops which are connected together. Besides ensuring that your power needs will be met, it means that an overload or short on one loop will not stop everything. It also might save you from welding your trains to the rails, (And possible electronic damage.) which may happen if you have more than 10A available on a track. 

Slightly different approach.  I use two PH 135's paralleled to the inputs of two (2) Block Power Controllers  Total power is 270 watts about 15 amps at 18 volts. Each PH 135 has a 7.5 amp cut-out.  On dead short de-rails they both open at the same time. The PH 135's input/power two (2) TPC 400, kind of a big off on switches, with the ability to run variable voltage if needed in conventional mode.  The Outputs of both TPC 400 are wired as input to (2) BPC's, which allows for (8) switched track circuits via the Cab1 remote.

Cranked up to this power level (15 amps), then each of the (8)output of the (2) BPC's is fused at no more than 7.5 amps.  There are (8) blocks or power districts from two transformers.  May be a little less costly than a brick/TPC per loop.

The Lionel part to parallel the transformers to a TPC 400 is 6-14194.
Note the picture
(1.) PH 135's paralleled lower left.
(2.) Track Power Controllers,TPC 400's lower right.  Note the parallel connection part, 6-14194, lower right of the right silver box, TPC 400.
(3.) Block Power Controllers, BPC's upper left below and to the right of the large accessory transformer.   Each BPC can input from either TPC 400, and has (4) out puts. There are (8) track circuits.
(4.) The (8) track circuits are fused, (7.5amps), from the outputs of the BPC's before wiring is routed to the tracks.  Fuse blocks are to the right of the large accessory transformer

This set-up seems to inhibit a lot of the arc and spark welding on de-rails from the higher amperage/power available from parallel-ing transformers.

Block Power controllers.

(8) Track circuit fuses (7.5 amp) upper center picture.

Single line wiring diagram.

I'm guessing he was thinking of something a bit more simple Mike.

I had similar really "simple" 135 PoHos paralleled via an upgraded TPC 3000[I C Controls 1.3 unit]. I used the capacity[15 AAC] to supply a couple of long lighted passenger trains on the same power district.

I had one derailment and breakers tripped in a few seconds but no damage to rails or wheels from arcing. The same was not true when paralleling a pair of 180 watt PoHos linked to a TPC 400--the 20 amps caused some arcing and rail spots upon a derailment.

Photo:

Green code 135s on the right middle shelf were linked through the TPC 3000 on top shelf right corner. Worked fine for about a year until I went to 180s per district.

Unfortunately the layout did not survive, down Oct.'09. PoHos all packed up.

Thanks all for the information.

gunrunnerjohn, you are correct, everything running on my layout is wired SIMPLE, works great. I will be buying another PH180.

Again thanks all for for the advice.

Brent

Lionel Power House 180 ordered from Nassau Hobby Center, maybe it will arrive about the same time as my VL Big Boy

Brent

Maybe later.

My LHS had one on the shelf for the last couple of months. After reading here on the forum how scarce they have become, it is no longer at the LHS, it's now in my basement as of a couple weeks ago.

I also hope they are available sooner than that, as I was may be wanting to get another one in the next few months.

The Mystery here is the PH180 is part of the GW-180 transformer set, and they're selling that, so they are still making them.  I can't imagine why they're not available.

After posting earlier, I checked the shipping schedule. It has them as Apr '14. That is if you can believe the shipping schedule.  Maybe they used all their current supply for the GW-180's and really are just temporarily out?  Hoping there isn't a problem.

Don't know what they are discounting the GW-180's, but a couple of those will put you within striking distance of a ZW-L at my LHS. They offered me a pretty hefty discount on a ZW-L last summer, but train budget was on life support at the time.

You can only hope.