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Cleaning the wheels before they go on the track. I LIKE that idea.

Yes but No, an AC power supply will work just fine. LEDs activate on DC but that doesn't mean they require a DC supply. That is to say, on an AC circuit they will light on the 1/2 of a cycle that is in the matching polarity, and they will block and go dark the other half. In effect making...

All he needs to do is get one of those old Hot Wheels "super charger" I think they called them, and slow it down to train speed. Put it over the re-railing ramp and there you go. On my little ramp, I don't even have to push them. They roll off the ramp before I can grab the next car. Sooo...

I don't see a video anywhere.

I would think, it would be because when one requires a DC source then they don't have to build a full wave rectifier into control unit. Let the power unit do it.

Are the dwarfs 3 wires or 4. or are you using individual LEDs and putting them in the dwarf yourself? If the cathode '+' is the common wire to a pre-wired dwarf as Smudge617 described, here is one way to do it. It could also be done as you suggest with the resistor on the common center...

Yes, both the Lionel TMCC and MTS DCS have serial interfaces to talk to computer software. That in conjunction with track occupancy detection could accomplish what you desire. No, I have never done this myself. My crossing controllers were the cut the power to slam on the brakes type. OR...

HA!, I was thinking of the old Hobby Town of Boston locos.

nope, doesn't matter. With AC they will basically be turning on and off 60 times a second, but your eyes won't notice it.

Can we also assume the big boy locomotive in your profile picture is one of the trains you want to run.

Looks better to me. Didn't loose its color either. I was worried it would become more sawdust colored.

Ok, with a 12 vac power supply I would start with a 1K ohm resistor. If they are too bright and glare then increase to 1200 ohm, etc. until desired brightness is achieved.

Do you have any idea of how you want the trains to run. Do you like just watching them run through scenery, or do you want them to take alternate routes, or do you think you would like to shuffle the cars around some? Can I presume you want to have more than one train on the track at a time?

Are these current production signals, or are they old stock? Depending on how old, they could be anything from 16v to 1.5v bulbs or as ctclibby pointed out, LEDs. If you have specific ones in mind, it would help focus the discussion.

The Powercab is one system I do not own, but I understand it does not have a voltage control. It is supposed to be 13.5V. I do not have any good advice, only some random thoughts. I do not think that "surges" or "spikes" would overheat a unit unless the surges are more the norm than the...

Following up on what Snowman said, Are you interested in Amtrak as it was in the beginning with a mishmash of equipment from all the different railroads, or after Amtrak got its feet under it with its own equipment, or current Amtrak. Then are you interested in Amtrak in the west with the...

I'll make it a whole lot easier for you. Since you are interested in N-scale you can basically ignore DCS. DCS is a proprietary system used in O-gauge trains.

I like that, perhaps mine will be "Da Chunk".

Oops Typo 5 not 4. Digitrax PS515s. But still AC output. Use them for all my DCC systems (except ironically the Zephyr).

Exactly, no such thing as a "12 Volt LED". When the vendors say that they are using common terms to help folks understand the application. I have never more misunderstanding about anything but LEDs. It is a little more complicated and technical, but the rules of thumb I use are: 1. An LED is...