MRC Model Rectifier Corp. 270-watt AC transformer

WHEN I WAS IN MY EARLY 20s, I remember being dazzled by a stereo receiver sold by J. C. Penney. It featured an unprecedented 241 light-emitting diodes on the faceplate. The product designers knew the way to snag a guy was with “eye candy.”

Model Rectifier Corp. knows the appeal of “eye candy” as well, and its new Pure Power Dual transformer, with four big gauges on its faceplate, has just the right look for toy train layouts.

Certainly the most distinctive AC transformer to hit the streets since MTH’s Z-4000, the plastic case of the 13-pound, 101/2-ounce giant follows the tradition of Lionel’s postwar ZW transformer. But the 131/2- by 6- by 71/2-inch transformer is more than good looks. It is designed to run two trains at the same time, each line with its own voltmeter and ammeter.

The easy-to-read gauges are great for guys like me, who have crossed the line into the bi-focal generation. Also on the rig’s face you’ll find power, horn/whistle, and directional-control buttons for each throttle.

The transformer is rated at 270 watts of power and 7 amps. Each throttle has a range of 0 to 21 volts. On the rear of the shell are terminals for track power as well as a single fixed 14-volt terminal for accessories.

MRC built this transformer to use a sine wave electrical pattern like transformers of the postwar era. By avoiding “cut” or “chopped” electrical waves, which are found in some modern electronically enhanced transformers, MRC has avoided any locomotive incompatibility problems.

In the 1990s, some manufacturers used modified wave forms in their AC transformers for better low-speed control of locomotives. Low-speed performance did improve, but hobbyists also discovered that many locomotives, especially those equipped with MTH’s original ProtoSound circuitry (not ProtoSound 2.0), wouldn’t operate on a layout powered by modified wave forms. “Compatibility” became a buzzword in the toy train industry.

MRC has gone back to sine wave technology with its Pure Power Dual and smaller Pure Power transformers, making the issue of compatibility moot.

We grabbed more than a dozen locomotives from different manufacturers and eras and placed them on our workshop layout powered by the Pure Power Dual for a compatibility check. This included old and new Lionel TrainMaster Command Control and RailSounds-equipped locomotives; MTH locomotives with both ProtoSound and ProtoSound 2.0 systems; locomotives by K-Line, Weaver, and Atlas O with and without licensed Lionel TMCC and RailSounds systems; and postwar Lionel and current-production Williams equipment.

We had no trouble operating any of the locomotives in conventional-control mode. There were no problems using the Pure Power Dual as a power supply for Lionel’s TMCC and MTH’s DCS command-control components.

We like the MRC Pure Power Dual transformer. It delivers 270 watts of power, plenty of juice for a small or mid-sized layout, and it ran everything we tossed at it. The gauges are great and should be on every transformer, and I like the spiffy red handles. In the power-to-dollar ratio, it comes in at $1.21 per watt, which is on target in today’s market. If you are looking for a new, higher-wattage power supply that stands out in a crowd, check out the Pure Power Dual at your local hobby retailer.