LIONEL Electric Trains operate on low voltage, usually 8 to 18 volts depending upon the locomotive and the number of cars used. Outfits with whistle require 3 or 4 volts more than outfits without whistle. Trainmaster Transformers reduce the house current (usually 115 volts) to the required low voltage.

Can you run MTH trains on Lionel track?

MTH trains will run on Lionel Fastrack as long as the diameter matches the train minimum requirement. The minimum curve size is just that, the minimum sharpness of curve the train can negotiate without derailing. Locomotives designed to operate on a 42 curve will not operate on 31 or 27, it will derail.

How much power does a model train use?

So how much power does a locomotive take? In HO, new locomotives take less than 1/2 amp and old locomotives may take 1 amp. To power a double headed train, a power supply that can furnish two amps will work fine. Any MRC power pack will have enough output to power a pair of locomotives.

Do train tracks electrocute you?

The electricity is so strong that if you touch the rail, you will be seriously injured or killed. – The third rail and overhead lines have electricity flowing through them at all times and are never switched off. You dont have to touch the overhead lines to get electrocuted.

Did anyone buy MTH trains?

Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc. has purchased the O scale tooling from the soon-to-be-defunct M.T.H. Electric Trains. The news came just weeks after it was announced that ScaleTrains.com would be acquiring the companys HO and S scale tooling.

Are HO trains AC or DC?

HO scale trains run on direct current (DC), and that creates the possibility of shorting out the track by improper wiring.