I’m interested in buying one of these and I’d like to know if any of you own one. How do you like it? I think it’s a bargain compared to the new ZW and the Z4000.
Bennie, I think CTT [maybe OGR] magazine did a review of these sometime since last March 2004. I may be mistaken but seem like to me there was something quirky about the horn/whistle button for conventional. I’ll email the link to some of the guys and lets see what they say. Good luck.
I seem to remember something about these not getting a UL approval. Maybe someone else has the info. [%-)]
I bought one (the dual 270) in the summer of 2004 and used it this past Christmas. I powered 2 tracks running under DCS. I loved it. There were times that I had 3 MTH PS2 engines all on the same track controlled by just one handle and the transformer was fine with that. Admittedly the 3 trains were only clustered on the same track for a short time but none-the-less the MRC was OK.
I loved having the dual ammeters since I don’t have an ammeter. It really opened my eyes to how LITTLE amps these new can motors are sucking up.
I also powered, using the fixed voltage, 10 K-Line O27 switches.
The fuses are a quick blow too, which was a surprise bonus. I have my TIU front-ended with external 15 AMP quick blow fuses and the MRC often times blew first.
- walt
I have one, just love it. Great value for the price and a well built tranformer. I’ll second the fact on the quick poping circuit breakers, very quick. I run conventional using TMCC with TPC 300, so I didn’t need a tranformer with all the bells and whistles. I can use MTH Proto 2 locos and use their features with my setup and am extremely happy. The gauges are a very nice extra. Go buy one.
Dougdagrump, I also remember reading about these transformers not receiving UL listing. As I recall it was a conscious choice on the part of MRC so that they could put a non-polarized power plug on the units and their owners would easily be able to phase them with other transformers.