Please help

[chemasr]

I am stting up a large layout with many trains (at least 12). I am concerned with power consumption (amperes) that could cause a problem. None of the trains are digitaly controlled

Can someone tell me how many amps will each locomotive draw at more or less full speed?

Perhaps the question should be how many amps will each controller draw?

Thank you for your assistance.

Jose

[RAM]

Are you in HO?  Do you locomotives have can motors?

[chemasr]

RAM,

Thank you,

The trains are HO scale and the locomotives are of the very inexpensive type I do not know the specifics of the motors but they must be very ordinary.

The track will be long (the workbench is 22' X 16') and it will go around many times before reaching the starting point.

Jose

[Jim Banner]

You could be looking at 1 amp per train.  It is probably less but possibly more, depending on the make, age and type of locomotive.  How much current your controller will have to provide will depend on how many of the trains you want to run at the same time.

Jim

[chemasr]

Jim,

Thank you.

I will have an individual controller for each locomotive.

I will plan on 1 amp per train and see what happens.

Thanks again.

JMV

[ebtnut]

One amp per power unit should  provide a good safety margin.  Most modern loco models today usually draw no more than a half-amp.  If each train is going to be controlled by a single throttle unit, and only on its own track (or block), then the individual control units only need to be rated at about one amp.  If you are going to do DCC and have all of the locos running on one power unit, then you need to make sure the system will handle all those amps at one time.