Okay, so what can be more mundane than a discussion on power-packs (transformers). Maybe nothing, but I've recently been chasing down a few nice ones and thought I'd start a thread here detailing the ones that I have (or those that have passed through my hands).

A recent acquisition, this refurbished Lionel 1034:Manufactured 1948-1954, the 1034 came in sets only, and only those featuring a locomotive without whistle or horn. A handle for throttle control and a directional button, the 1034 is one of the "Trainmaster" line of transformers featuring an internal circuit-breaker. It pushes out 75 watts, which is more than adequate for the small-to-medium sized locos and a few accessories.

The Lionel LW:Another nice postwar pack, the LW cranks 125 watts, and features buttons for directional and whistle/horn control. Manufactured from 1955 to 1966, it included an internal circuit-breaker for the occasional derailment.

A nice box, I have been using this one for the loop beneath the Christmas tree. It features enough power for the largest of O-gauge up to the prewar standard gauge behemoths. In my experience, the throttle handle can be a prone to damage, but replacements are readily available.

An early example of the prewar Lionel Type A transformer in as-found condition:According to the guides, variations of the Type A were manufactured from 1921 to 1937. This is one of the earliest, having just the two posts. Producing 40 watts, with button contacts, a separately sold rheostat was required if one wanted to refine the speed of operation.

A prewar Jefferson Midget, model 535-171, a transformer manufactured by the Jefferson Electric Company of Chicago:Advertised and sold for use with American Flyer, Ives, and Lionel electric trains, it produced 75 watts and featured both fixed and variable posts. Similar to the Lionel Type A, the Midget featured button contacts, making a rheostat necessary for fine-tuning the power applied to the track.

Founded in 1915, Jefferson Electric is still in business today.

From the MPC era, a Lionel 4045:A nifty, small 45-watt pack that works well with most small O-gauge locomotives. Just two posts, can be used for either track power or accessories. Manufactured in Mt. Clemens, Michigan.

Another prewar Jefferson, this the 535-121 model:At 75 watts, a decent box for most applications. The instruction sheet lists many of the Ives, American Flyer, and Lionel prewar sets, including standard gauge. I've never tested this unit, but it looks to be in decent shape. The button-style voltage controller is on the side of the box, so a rheostat would be needed to refine the speed control.

Here's a photo of Lionel's no. 81 rheostat, designed for use with the button-style transformers of the prewar era:The 81 would be wired serially between the pack and the track terminal. Set the pack at one output, then use the rheostat to incrementally reduce the power applied to the track.

It is actually useful for many things, including varying the power to layout lighting. I have even used one to control the power applied to one of my soldering irons, which can make it much easier to solder delicate items.

I've only recently started to understand all this stuff---better late than never.....