Newbie Question

[bustaneardrum]

Hi all - inspired by my visit over the weekend to the model exhibition at the Brighton Centre I managed to locate my old train set from the darkest corner of my loft.

 

It has a Triang RP15 power unit but alas it no longer seems to be working.

 

I wonder whether anyone would be kind enough to offer some constructive and helpful advice as to where I may be able to source one from or alternatively whether there is a modern equivalent I could purchase?

 

Any assistance would be much appreciated - many thanks.

[BR60103]

Any modern DC unit should run your trains. Do not get DCC -- it's something else.*

You should look for a unit rated at least one ampere. A lot of modern units are rated in milliamperes, albeit hundreds of them, but older trains often require more oomph (or welly, to use the technical term).

When you get your power pack, make sure you hook the DC terminals to the track. AC will do things to your motors, none of them nice.

 

 

*DCC is a fancy computer control -- don't think about it until you get your trains running.

Marklin run on AC; avoid their controllers.

[kevinlms]

Any modern DC unit should run your trains. Do not get DCC -- it's something else.*

You should look for a unit rated at least one ampere. A lot of modern units are rated in milliamperes, albeit hundreds of them, but older trains often require more oomph (or welly, to use the technical term).

When you get your power pack, make sure you hook the DC terminals to the track. AC will do things to your motors, none of them nice.

 

 

*DCC is a fancy computer control -- don't think about it until you get your trains running.

Marklin run on AC; avoid their controllers.

Sorry why the anti-DCC advice? Why not just offer the advice on a replacement DC controller? The OP said nothing about DCC, he just wants to get his existing trains working.

[ejstubbs]

The OP said nothing about DCC, he just wants to get his existing trains working.

 

But it could be an easy mistake to make if you're coming back to the hobby after a long hiatus?  I think that's all BR60103 was meaning.

 

I wonder whether anyone would be kind enough to offer some constructive and helpful advice as to where I may be able to source one from or alternatively whether there is a modern equivalent I could purchase?

 

Can't help with the Tri-ang controller I'm afraid (eBay might be your best if you are dead set on getting a direct replacement for your old one).

 

The Bachmann 36-560 controller is generally well regarded as a straightforward DC controller.  It runs my old Hornby Black 5 with the Ringfield motor just fine.  The best price I found with a quick online search for a new one was here.  You might be able to find it cheaper - especially used on eBay.  (Note that the Bachmann product includes a mains transformer.  The equivalent Hornby one (R8250) doesn't, so you have to buy a transformer separately which pushes the cost up.)

 

Another alternative might be the Gaugemaster Combi, which is rather more expensive than the Bachmann but does have a rather higher power output rating (1.1A vs 0.7A) which might make it a better option for your old loco(s).  Hattons list them at £30 + p&p which is a lot less than Gaugemaster themselves are asking for it.

[bustaneardrum]

Thankyou so much for your responses - so helpful :-)

 

I am now wondering, for the sake of value, whether to pick up a Hornby Caledonian Belle set at a good price (around £50) to supplement my rather limited track/accessories as I see it includes an R8250 controller and transfomer as suggested by ejstubbs (and they are about £20 on ebay).

 

I guess that way, I will at least have a stand alone working (very basic) set just in case I run into other technical issues with my old stuff. 

[DCB]

I doubt the Bachmann or Hornby at 0.7 amps will be entirely satisfactory with old Triang / Hornby locos.  My "holiday" fleet of Triang which come out for our annual holiday tend to trip the 1 amp breakers on my collection of Triang and Hornby controllers.  (I get round it by connecting two in parallell until the loco warms up from its hibernation but don't do this at home unless you have a pile of sp are X04 motors and armatures, but I seriously doubt 0.7 amps is sufficient.   

 

The Gaugemaster sounds like a good buy.