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Model Forum / General / Railroads / October 2004DC vs AC power for model locos
I know this is primarily an HO forum, but I hope you will respond to this question anyway. I've modeled On3 and Gn3 with DC, and now I have some traditional 3 rail O operations with AC. I see no real advantages to AC. Sure, you can have reverse loops without special wiring, and control the whistle or bell directly, but at what expense? Early and modern "E" units, necessary to reverse direction, are finicky and expensive to replace. I imagine they add to the cost of production in the first place. The 3 railers always jump me when I ask this question on their forums, so I thought I would try this one. Thanks for any input. MFisher > I know this is primarily an HO forum, but I hope you will respond to > this question anyway. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > I see no real advantages to AC. Sure, you can have reverse loops without > special wiring, That relates to the three rail system, not AC vs DC. > and control the whistle or bell directly, but at what > expense? Early and modern "E" units, necessary to reverse direction, [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > The 3 railers always jump me when I ask this question on their forums, > so I thought I would try this one. Thanks for any input. MFisher AC was the common standard until WWII because permanent magnets weren't and rectifers were more expensive and less reliable than electro-mechanical reversers. Maerklin of German and Lionel retained AC because they felt the break in compatibility of the old and new would lose them their established customer bases. AC has returned in the last 20 years in the form of digital control because electronics prices have fallen to an almost reasonable level. Regards, Greg.P. Another reason for the AC with pre WW2 Lionale and other O three rail was the problem of getting DC current, unless it was from batteries. The perm mag motors were around. The only rectifiers available to the averabe guy didn't come until the late 30's and there were copper oxide and later selinum...both of which deteriorated rapidly. So the AC tradition goes way back and the three railers and toy trade loved it through all the Lionel glory years. Even American Flyer's HO line was AC. > Another reason for the AC with pre WW2 Lionale and other O three rail was the > problem of getting DC current, unless it was from batteries. The perm mag [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Even American Flyer's HO line was AC. There were two different American Flyer HO lines. The original was indeed AC, but Gilbert got back into HO for a short time in the late 1950's, early 1960's, and these were "standard" DC models. Don't confuse the two. Don -- don.dellmann@prodigy.net http://www.geocities.com/don_dellmann moderator: WisModelersAid@yahoogroups.com moderator: MRPics@yahoogroups.com moderator: vintageHO@yahoogroups.com co-moderator: SCENERY@Yahoogroups.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MRPics http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintageHO > I know this is primarily an HO forum, but I hope you will respond to > this question anyway. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > The 3 railers always jump me when I ask this question on their forums, > so I thought I would try this one. Thanks for any input. MFisher You are confusing two very different things. The e-unit reversing problems you mention are the result of using AC power, since you cannot contol train direction with polarity, as you do in conventional DC. This argument makes no sense when DCC is considered, since that does NOT depend on track polarity to determine direction. The simplified track wiring you mention is the reuslt of using 3-rail instead of 2-rail, and had NOTHING whatever to do with AC vs. DC. Dan Mitchell ============ Dan, thanks to you and the others for your responses. E units seem to fail a lot, and are a pain and expense to replace. Other then tradition, It seems to me that DC in either 2 or 3 rails would be cheaper and more reliable than AC |
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