I am looking at building my “starter” track at about 120’. I want to start off as cheap as I can to get thing running and keep my interest as I expand in years to come. I would like to run a USA trains SD40 and or an ART Mikado. The track will be flat for now and I would like to run about 5 cars. Someday it will be battery RC.
Thanks for any help.
Rick
Both are big engines. The mike could probably get by with a couple of amps but USA engines are known to be power hogs. By them time you add in both motors, lights and smoke units for the SD-40 you are looking at 3 - 4 amps.
-Brian
Brian is right. Go on ebay and do a search for “meanwell” or “Mean-well.” It’s a Korean company that makes DC power supplies. I bought one that produces 10 amps and 24 volts. It’s been rock solid. I use it with an aristo 10 amp throttle
So a 3 amp unit wouldn’t work for a flat round track? Like I said I want to get one running while I am still expanding. Battery is my end goal but until that time I need just enough to go around the track. If 3 amp isn’t enough for the USA trains so be it. I’m just afraid if I spend to much on track power now I won’t change to battery in the future.
You can have 6 amps of power for under $100 with one of these (like Mike mentioned)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230255455618
you just need a 3 way power cord from the home depot, a box to stick it in (I use a old tupperware container with vent holes drilled in it). It will give you 24v at 6 amps.
For a bit more you can have 10 amps -
http://www.ridgeroadstation.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=255CRE55460!255
You will need a throttle to go with it. The AristoCraft 10 amp controller is a good choice -
http://www.ridgeroadstation.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=255CRE55401!255
or if the budget allows to you can get an Aristo 27mHz trackside receiver and transmitter for RC control -
http://www.ridgeroadstation.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=255CRE55470!255
Later on you can convert the TE trackside receiver for use in a trailer car with a battery pack. I have one for battery power and its pretty simple to do. That way you’re only out the expense of the power supply.
-Brian
Get a 10 amp model, can run several trains (about 4).
Toad
Hey Rick,
Why not go for it and run some real trains, 25 amps and pure DC 30 volts. Only costs a couple’a tanks of gas…
Byron C.
Any news on when the new Aristo Crest Walk Around Control model? I thought they were going to use a new frequency.
Yes, Lewis Polk gave an update a couple of weeks ago. The new 2.4 gHz line is still in development but they expect to have product by January (though they hoped to have it by last January so don’t hold your breath). They will still be manufacturing the 27 mHz line but will discontinue the 75 mHz line as many of the components are no longer available.
-Brian
10 amp it will be. Thanks.
Next question is SS worth the extra say $200 for my small track? Is brass really that big of a pain?
SS track runs about 20% more than brass track. Whether its worth it depends on what your intended hobby is - running trains or cleaning track.
Everyone I know with brass track and track power owns one of these -
I just go a couple of laps around with my Aristo track cleaning car every once in awhile.
-Brian
I use all brass track and cannot figure out what all the fuss is all about with brass, frankly the stainless steel track at the club layout requires more damn cleaning than my brass track, the difference is that I do NOT run plastic wheels and the club does!!!
So, what’s your point?
-Brian
NO its not!!, but you will need to clean it every now and then
If you fit as many metal wheels as you can, and regularly run the line the cleaning will be reduced but you cannot avoid it, even with SS rail cleaning will have to be done just a hell of a lot less times.
My line is brass track with as many metal wheels as I can afford, and more when I can get. them.
regards John Busby
I think the great track cleaning controversey depends on where you live and how accessible your track is. I have all brass track and I have to clean it every day to get it running the way I want. BUT cleaning it consists of running a track cleanng car for five minutes. I use an aristo car with a piece of drywall screen glued to the cleaning pad. Turn it on, walk away, five minuets later it’s done.
In the winter, it takes less cleaning. In the spring it seems to take more. I do own a pole sander, as Brian pointed out, and if I don’t run the track cleaning car for a week I use the pole sander. It’s a ten-fifteen minute job. Now maybe in some climates maybe cleaning is a bigger chore.
I’d rather have stainless steel, because it’d be nice to do less cleaning, but it’s hardly a big deal for me. If I were starting from scratch I’d go stainless, because it seems to need less cleaning and because I’m starting to worry about metal thieves. The inital cost is higher, but then the track is pretty much permanent–over the long term, the cost difference is small and convenience is nice.
It’s often argued that plastic wheels leave a plastic residue on the track. I’m not sure that’s true. I like metal wheels because they track better, much better, and am running metal wheels 100% of the time now. But I’ve never seen any plastic residue from times when I was running plastic. Maybe on very hot days?
Hi lownote
A high % of that black crud is the plastic wheel residue which being an insulator is why it has to be got rid of.
Another bad one which only shows up indoors in the house of a smoker is the smoke residue.
I see the amount of track cleaning you do is quite high, what climate are you in I am in a hot dry one exept for the summer rains, and I don’t need to anything like that much cleaning
About half my wheels are still plastic and I noted that as the metal wheels increased in number so the amount of track cleaning needed decreased.
Your thought that climate could be a factor is an interesting one worthy of more thought and discusion.
regards John Busby
I’m also using track power and onboard remote control, which I think demands a cleaner track. When I was using traditional track power and a traditional single throttle, it needed much less cleaning.
I’ll bet one factor that matters a lot in track cleaning is trees. Almost all my layout is under trees. And in spring they shed a lot of sap, especially in a very rainy spring like we’ve had. Thre was one place under a holly that always needed cleaing a couple weeks ago. Now its fine
As a direct comparison of brass versus stainless. Mike and I live in the same area and my layout is also in a wooded area. The first time I ran track power this year I had not cleaned the track for 3 months since last fall. I cleaned up all the leaves and debris then I got out a loco and my track cleaning car. I ran the loco and track cleaning on battery power for the first few laps then switched to track power for a few more laps. I was all set to go after that.
-Brian
PS - plastic wheels are a big no no!
At the time every one told me to get Brass and I did, was cheap then.
Now I could kick myself in da but! SS I would go with but I think if your punching out a 10 amp model place more power leaders on the track. IMHO
Toad
I should not say anything, BUT, if you were in our club we’d tell you to start out cheap and simple. Buy the brass track, buy any Arsito battery ready engine, and a track side 5470 Train Engineer. sit it in a gondola and plug it to your 14 or 18 volt drill battery .(note positive side)
and off you’d go. Two wires in two wires out.
Feel free to e-mail me on the side.
Its a long standing debate but I have never kicked myself for doing it.
go to You Tube videos and search NTCGRR and see the trains we run.