DCC Concepts Power Base

[cleanerg6e]

I've been having a look at the above and wondering if it would be suitable for outside or whether dirt and grime on the base plates would render the magnets useless.

I had a look at the review on you tube of Hornby Magazines use of the power base. What a complete waste of time. It isn't a review it's just a promo to buy a certain issue of their rag. There is no before and after running up gradients with and without power base fitted. I was very disappointed.

The whole point of this video is to show what the product achieves, BUT IT DOESN'T. They also don't say what the code of track is.

If this is their idea of demonstrating the benefits of DCC Concepts power base then I'm no wiser than I was before.

Here's the you tube video:

Roy.

[Riddles]

There is a much better video showing before and after fitting "Power Base" at

The plates are said to be stainless steel and need to be glued on the road bed directly under the track, with the track glued on top of them. I imagine it could be a problem finding a suitable glue to hold the plates firmly and the track on top of them. Most people seem to use at least some track fixing pins out of doors. I think I would look for another solution in a garden such as double-heading/banking, easier gradients, or shorter trains, perhaps even traction tyres.

[cleanerg6e]

I too Riddles have seen that video but it was done by the people (DCC Concepts) who make the power base. What I was looking for was an independent video review and I hoped that Hornby Magazine's video may have provided it. But it didn't. Nor did they say what code of track they used. I presume code 75 but I know that DCC Concepts provides magnets with spacer pieces for use with code 100. The trick is just getting the magnets close enough to the base plates under the track to make a substantial difference. I guess all this power base does is to pull the loco down onto the track and provide better traction.

I thought it would only be needed on gradients not the whole layout as on my old garden railway I found that a Hornby West Country would only slip to a stand on level track with 21 Bachmann Mark 1's behind the tender. But on a gradient that number was cut to 5 of those same coaches.

Roy.

[Ron]

hi all have Dcc Power Base on the 00 in the Garden at it work Ok it has given me longer train as the Diesels are ok on 8 Carriages but the steam is a different matter the best performer TTS Sound A4 this has 8 magnets under it and come up the hill 9 on Tornado come up the hill 7 on but the loco it has sorted out is the TTS Sound Class 40 only pull it self up the hill whit magnets it will come up the hill 6 on so it has solve a lot of problems when i get time will put video on but if you want have a look on you tub Spensley Junction Garden Railway

Ron

[cleanerg6e]

I phoned Richard Johnson at DCC Concepts and asked him about the power base outdoors and he recommended using a "no more nails" type glue to glue the base plates to the track bed. He also said that dirt and grime from the weather outdoors shouldn't affect the operation of the magnets as indoors the magnets are completely covered by ballast. So here's hoping that's sorted.

Roy.