Magnum Ultra (Mr. Bach Man?)

[ebtbob]

Conradin,

         Here is the bottom line,  regardless of what power pack you use.   If you have more than one pack,  and plan to use them on the layout,  the area to be controlled by one certain pack MUST be isolated electrically,  via gaps in the rails(cut or by using plastic railjoiners)from any other part of the railroad.   The problem there is,  how do you cross a train from one section to another.  At a certain point,  you engine will be receiving power for two seperate power packs which is not good for the motor and will cause the engine to lurch forward or backwards and - God forbid,  you have the power in one pack set forward and the other pack reverse.
         Your original question about fixed DC was answered.  At one time MRC and others made handheld throttles that were connected via two wires from the fixed dc screws on the pack to the throttle and two wires from the throttle to the tracks
          As far as multiple zones or blocks on your railroad,  they too will have to be isolated electrically from each other and the use of toggle switches or Atlas panels will help there.
         Last point,  when you turn off the master power to the powerpack,  everything goes off.   If all you do is turn the throttle to zero,  then the AC screws are still engergized.    If you are planning on using the AC screws for things like building lights,  the I highly suggest you get a seperate powrer pack for any constant on lights to reduce the drain on the pack.

[conradin]

Many thanx!  All my questions are now answered!
I also found a radio shack toggle switch which I can use for my waterfall.  So I no longer need to have a separate power pak just for it ;-)