kato power pack question

[jrcrunch]

HI

 

Is there any chance that i can use the kato power for 2 trains? is there a power spitter? something like that? i dont mind them running at the same speed

[HantuBlauLOL]

you can, but of course your trains will run slower, and your power pack might become a bit hot.

[jrcrunch]

i currently have 1 doubletrack so =2 powerpack

 

planning to have elevated v13 set- so another 2 powerpack? 

 

4 controllers? that is a lot for me

[mrp]

To make it easier for you, Kato sell a 3-way splitter cable:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10003115

 

I believe the standard Kato power pack is already rated to handle the larger loads from HO motors so I’d say it wouldn’t problem running two or three N-scale trains off of it.  It would also depend on how many motor cars you’re running per train, and whether all the cars have interior lighting.

[jrcrunch]

hi mrp

 

thanks for the suggestion

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10003115

 

so i would pair this with a kato powerpack? i have one regular double track- regular trains with 7 cars each

 

and 

 

another powerpack for double track shinkansen with 8 cars each

 

this would be big help and i dont like so much powerpacks. i dont mind them moving at the same speed

[cteno4]

Jrcrunch,

 

Yep it will handle them. We would run 16 car shinkansens that have 2 motor cars with a kato power pack with no issues. So you should be able to run two 6-8 car single power car trains at prototypical speeds (and probably above). Inclines may not work well this way though! Just don't run it up at full throttle, that might be a little too much voltage for long periods.

 

One issue will be train direction. You will need to reverse the polarity of one of the track loops by flipping the feeder track in the opposite direction. This will make the trains go in opposite directions on the two loops.

 

Trains can vary quite a bit on the voltage to speed ratio, so you may have some noticeable speed differences using the same power pack to run two trains.

 

Eventually you may want a powerpack for each track. These MRCs are nice dual supplies that are pretty compact. Bout $35/track

 

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/MRC-Tech-7-AMPAC-780-Dual-Train-Control-p/mrc-1278.htm

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[enodenlover]

For the foreseeable future I'm only doing temporary layouts on my kitchen table and I usually set up two unconnected ovals, one using Tomix street track for the trams and the other either a ground level oval for commuter trains or a single track elevated circle for my rapid transit trains. Because I only have one power pack ( Kato ) I can only run one piece of equipment at a time, but I'd love to see my Sanyo tram going under the elevated while my '60s era Marunouchi subway train passes overhead. Would this splitter allow me to do that or should I plan on buying a second powerpack?

[katoftw]

The throttles are rated for 1.5 amps.  Each train will pull about 0.5 amps.

[cteno4]

Splitter will work, but you may not have the desired speed for each, just depend on the trains. Some of the trams tend to start running with very little voltage so it might run much faster than the subway. Only way to tell is experiment.

 

You can make your own splitter, especially if you have a power feed from tomix and kato track by just snipping off the power pack end with a couple of inches lead and then just stripping the track leads and the kato connector ends and twisting them together and taping them off. Solder and some heat shrink is the nicer way to go, but if you don't have them twisting and taping would work fine. You can always wire them back to the way they were later easily.

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff