# info about mrc power pack/control



## bbqbill (Oct 12, 2013)

helloooooo to everyone! i am a newbie here and recently inherited my dads trains that have been in storage for 15 yrs ! i am not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing yet ! i know that when i get the O GAUGE MTH RAIL KING HARLEY TRAIN SET out and play with it , tons of memories flood back about the monster set of lionels i had in 1959 when i was 8 years old. man i wish i had those now !!...i also got a n-scale set up on a 3x6 board.it has 11 switches and 3 ovals within each other! all atlas stuff...EXCEPT the power pack/control...its a MODEL RECTIFIER CORP .TECH 2 DUAL POWER 2800.....my question is this ....where can i get an instruction manual for this unit? some of the wires on the power pack were pulled off the back of the power pack and i am not sure how to wire them back correctly....thank gosh none of the switch wiring got messed up ...only the main power and switch power wiring to the back of the transformer.


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## RedManBlueState (Jan 9, 2013)

Welcome Bill. Sorry for your loss. I lost my Dad last December and I too inherited his Lionel trains that were stored about 18 years. A few years ago, I received some Lionel trains and double 4x8 tables with sawhorses that belonged to my wife's grandfather. They were stored in a basement crawlspace since 1962. Sadly, it's ALL still in storage, just at my house now. My Honey-Do list is LONG and trains are pretty close to the bottom.


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## oldsarge218 (May 23, 2011)

Search www.fixya.com, and then search that site for the mrc 2800. You will be able to download a manual for your transformer. If I understand your question correctly, then what you want to do is attach the track power to the DC side, and the switch power to the AC side of the unit.

Hope this helps.

God Bless
Bob


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Not familiar with that specific model but normally the
terminals on the back of the power pack are labelled.

In your case, it being a dual control, there should be two
sets of terminals labelled 'track' or something similar.

The power for the turnouts etc. would connect to terminals usually
labelled Accessories.

If they are not labelled you can still identify them. Use a multimeter
set to DC voltage above 12. Turn speed control # 1 all the way.
Use the probes on the terminals you should get a positive reading.
If negative, turn the pack's reverse switch and that should give
a positive reading. This goes to your first track feed. Try the next
set of terminals the same way. If the same, that is your 2nd track feed.
Thus the 2 remaining terminals are the AC accessories for turnouts etc.

If no multi meter, use a 12 volt auto taillight bulb instead. If ultra bright that
is the AC accessory terminals most likely. If it can be varied by the
speed controls that is a track terminal.

Don


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## bbqbill (Oct 12, 2013)

hey thanx all for the quick replies. i finally have all the switches working . but i am only getting power to the 3 ovals in certain "hot" spots on the track.i am not sure if i have the power routed to the tracks correctly!


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Look in the 'dead' areas for drops. Follow those to your buss or back
to your controls. Take 'em one at a time.

Don


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## bbqbill (Oct 12, 2013)

*mrc power pack..*

thanks for the info don ! i will try that ....i am just now beginning to understand all the different switches and their respective functions.so imagine a novice trying to make sure the wiring is correct when i dont really understand the function of the switches etc !! lol.... i am not sure how all the ATLAS selector switches are supposed to work ,or what they do. they are routed to 11 different smaller ATLAS switches.(stop and correct me if i am wrong!) i understand that the little switches activate the 11 track switches with a slide type switch and a one second push of the switch head .but i am confused as to what the ATLAS selector switches do ? they are an A B configuration, with 4 slide switches on 1 plastic base .there are 3 of these on the board for a total of 12 switches. i am not sure when i want the selector in A or when it should be in B ?? i apologize in advance for my ignorance !! thanks all!


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The 11, from your description, 'throw the points' on the track turnouts.
The slider in one position throws to straight, in the other position
to the diverting track, when you momentarily push the button. 

Usually, these are wired using a red wire to the curve terminal and
a green to the straight. Black is usually the common.

These should be powered with a line to your ACCESSORIES terminals
on your Power Pack. (either one, it doesn't matter)
The other selector switches are likely to choose between Power Pack A and
Power Pack B for the section of track to which they are connected. Is there
a track layout on the panel where these are? To connect these, use the
TRACK terminals on your power packs.

Does this get anything moving?

Don


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## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

When I first used the Atlas turnout switches, I didn't know to slide the switch into the A or B position and push the switch button to activate the change. Nothing happened no matter how many times the switch slid without pressing in the blue button.


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