What do you do if Power Pack has no AC accessory terminals?

Started by OkieChippewa, December 19, 2010, 06:39:01 PM

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OkieChippewa

Recently I received a NIB Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets HO-scale Bachmann Train Set.  The backside of the box indicated additional items to purchase for expanding the layout.  Subsequently, among other items, I purchased a pair of remote turnouts.

To my chagrin, I discovered the set's power pack (Item 46605) has no accessory terminals for the spade connectors that came with the remote turnouts.  The power pack only has "To Track" and "16VAC In" plug-ins; nothing else.

What are my options?  Help, as I'm wanting to do more than have the train go 'round and 'round the tree when my grandson wakes up Christmas morning.


Jim Banner

If you have a local hobby shop, see if they have a suitable used power pack that they will sell you.

Alternately, try a second hand or thrift store and see if they have any 'wall wart' power packs (a Wall Wart looks like a fat plug to plug into a wall outlet and has a cord coming out that went to whatever it was originally sold with.)  Look for a wall wart rated for 12 to 16 volts output at 500 milliamps (mA) up to 1 amp.  AC or DC output will both work.  Chop the little plug off the cord and connect the wires to the turnout controllers (actually, just to the first one.  Others pick up their power from the first one.)

As another alternative, you could buy a new wall wart from The Source (Radio Shack.)

Have a Merry Christmas with your grandson and the train.

Jim
Growing older is mandatory but growing up is optional.