# Round 2 of questions.



## mosinRR (Oct 29, 2010)

Focusing on my current equipment, I've come up with a couple questions.

1. I did research on how much VA you should have in your power supply. My Model Power power supply is 5.5VA. I know its old and and just very basic. My question is, is that enough to get a single loco around a 4'x'8 layout? Using new nickel-silver flex track.

2. I've attached pictures, two for a stock car and four for my loco. I would like to 'modernize' them to the magnetic connectors. The stock car seems really simple as the knuckle is connected by a single screw, I assume I would just unscrew it and then screw in the new connector? The loco seems a lot more complex as it goes 'into' the wheel assembly. Is this more trouble then its worth or even possible to switch out?


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

VA is important but the quality of the speed control is more important.
Worry about getting more power and a better controller when you get better engines.

Simple coupler answers: Anything can be converted to Kadee knuckle couplers.
It's sometimes just more work than it's worth.
You can do yours without too much work.


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## Howard1975 (Jan 6, 2014)

Just like NIMT has suggested, "VA is important but the quality of the speed control is more important." Too be honest, any power pack will control any locomotive (as long as both are compatible with each other, and both are operating properly). But naturally a higher quality power pack will have more power (amps), and also have smoother speed control. 

When I first got into the hobby many years ago, like many kids, I had cheap HO trains my dad bought for me. They were a lot of fun, and I have fond memories to this day. But truth be told, my equipment was not very powerful. They were the toys made in the 1970's, such as Bachmann and AHM with the pancake power. They were all pretty lightweight, had weak motors, and poor electrical pickup. But anyway I had fun. I also had an inexpensive power pack, barely able to power my trains.

Nowadays I have two very nice MRC Tech 2 power packs, and they work great for me. They each put out 16VA, plenty of power for me. They are strong, with a lot of reserve power, and have a very smooth speed control. I can easily control 3 or 4 average (modern) HO scale locomotives, all running together at the same time, without any overheating. The much smaller Tyco transformer I had it the past, will not be able to do that. I remember, because I tried to do that in the past. It would start to overheat, plus each train would go slower, because it was not a power power pack. It could not handle the load, I wanted to give it. Either I had to lower the load (only operate one loco at a time), OR get a more powerful power pack. 

Some of their packs have even more amperage, like up to 20 or 30VA. They also make a power pack with 60VA, which can be used with N, HO, S, O or G gauge DC powered trains. But you don't need to go crazy, and spend tons of money. Just get something good enough for your needs, that will be cheaper then getting the biggest. 

Even if you decide to get a more powerful power pack in the future for your trains, you can keep your existing 5.5VA Model Power pack and use it to power accessories, such as lights. A more powerful transformer will you give more power, to pull more. Each single locomotive will only draw as much energy as it needs to run, and nothing more. If you have a very efficient locomotive, powered with a high quality electric motor, (like a core-less 7 pole motor), it will use very little energy to move. With a more typical locomotive, it will need more energy to get the motor spinning. It has to fight the resistance in the motor and gearing, before it will start to spin. A cheap motor has more resistance to spinning. As long as your transformer has enough power to deal with the load from the train, it will not overheat prematurely. It will not be smooth with a low quality power pack, because cheap power packs have a smaller effective range in their speed control. The dial might only move 90 degrees on a cheap controller, compared to around 300 degrees on a high quality controller. Remember a circle is 360 degrees all the way around. That larger range in degrees, will give you finer control between the zero and 12 volts, that HO trains are designed to operate with. Another nice feature with a higher quality power pack, the the internals inside (such as resistors, capacitors, and the speed controller [rheostat or potentiometer], etc) will be of higher quality to handle more heat before melting down. A higher quality power pack usually has a smoother speed controller, and more reserve power. 

Also be aware, that modern power packs have more electronics inside, compared to many years ago, to make trains run smoother. 

A more efficient motor draws less amps and wattage, compared to a lower quality motor. But the motor (any motor) will only draw, what it actually needs to operate, and nothing more. A very modern and efficient motor might only draw one tenth of an amp, to operate at a certain speed; while an older and less efficient electric motor might need a full amp, to run at the same speed. The power pack will deliver the needed power (such as 1 amps) to that motor -- but only what the locomotive is actually drawing from the power pack.

Let's say for instance, your power pack was designed to deliver 2 full amps (without overheating). If your locomotive needs one amp to run, then you can run two identical locomotives, on that particular power pack. If instead your locomotive only needs half an amp to operate, then you can run 4 identical locomotives together, off that single power pack.

Any power supply cannot deliver any more than it's VA rating (combined volts x amperage), otherwise it will overheat and die. Also as the amps go up, volts come down and vice versa. I hope you understand my explanation. Confusing yeah!! 

Anyway you don't need to worry about all that mumble jumble, to run trains. Just do whatever you like, and enjoy the hobby. I just buy whatever locomotives I like, if it catches my eye. And even just an average middle grade power pack, is good enough for my needs.


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## singletrack100 (Dec 18, 2013)

Mosin, regarding couplers, Kadee's website, www.kadee.com, has a conversion chart for almost any loco or rolling stock made. It will guide you to the exact components needed for your conversions, complete with instructions and in most cases, a sketch or diagram explaining the process as well.

Happy RR'ing!

Duane


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## mosinRR (Oct 29, 2010)

Howard1975: Yeah, it makes sense. My local hobby store sells MRC Tech4 200 for $70. I'm sorta set on that for a future puchase. Until then, I will just have to be mindful of the limits of my current power pack.

singletrack100: Thanks for the link, they have quite a bit of info on there.


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## Howard1975 (Jan 6, 2014)

Mosin, I'm glad it makes sense to you. I was able to buy both of my Tech II (both are the 2500 model) for about $10 dollars each, around 10 years ago. I got them used at my local hobby shop.


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