Helping my father in law build a garden train. It's going to be a big 1-rail 1-train set up but will be 100' long at a minimum. Question is, will the standard wall power be enough power for a track of that size if I run a bus line full length of the track with feeders every 10-20'? I did buy my grandson a Lionchief CSX a couple years ago and run it on a layout about 36' of track with the wall pack and it performs flawlessly throughout the track with no voltage drops or slowing of the engine. On another note, the track will be laying on the ground so I don't have the luxury of drilling holes in plywood to run the wires under that. I figure I'll notch each piece of track so wire can be hidden under it.
Welcome to the forum!
Your proposed layout with the present transformer may work, but you may need a bigger power supply. A CW-80, GW-180, ZW-L or a postwar transformer like the KW or ZW will be better. A bigger transformer will let you add bigger locos and longer trains, as well as accessories such as switches and lights. You can never have too much power!
Larry
Worthing3104
Hello & Welcome to the Forum!
I am not quite certain of your "Garden Train" plans. Are you speaking of running O Scale or Large Scale outdoors?
If you are considering Outdoor O, your track should be your first concern. The normal tin track used for O scale is not adequate and will quickly become rusted junk. You will need to purchase stainless steel or brass track with UV resistant ties.
Power? as much as you can afford to purchase.
Feeder lines? take a voltage tester, go around the track and look for voltage drop, that's where you'll need a feeder.
O Scale in the Garden is quite common in England/Great Britan, you might want to look up Brit sites to check out what done over the pond, if you plan on Outdoor O.
If you are going large scale, all the same applies...
Happy Rails!
dave
I appreciate the replies gentlemen. A little more info, it will indeed be O gauge. Was going to use fasttrack for the entire layout. He (we) live in the Las Vegas area which is very dry, low humidity. The area is a 20'x20' in a garden area in the back of his house and have already built an enclosed structure over the entire area.
worthing3104
It is/will be Your Layout. I only offer information based upon experience, my own and other Large scale & O scale enthusiests who run trains outdoors.
Your choice to run indoor track, outdoors, IMHO, is a mistake and you will be replacing it with track made to be used outdoors. You need to consider UV Stability & corrosion of the track & connections, regardless whether you live in Las Vegas or Death Valley, unless you plan on taking the track up and putting it back out every time you chose to run your train.
But in the end it will be your layout and whatever you choose to do, is what it's about in the long run.
Happy Rails!
dave
Would Fast Track be ok to set up inside an enclosed garage?
You can set up your layout in the garage, just make sure to open it and ventilate it in the summer. You may want to heat it in the winter.
Recommend to take your trains indoors after an operating session - don't leave them in an excessively hot/cold environment.
Larry