There is no such device as a MS3........

I assume you are referring to the MS2 with the later black case (rather than the grey one).

While the power supply (it is not a transformer, rather a switchmode power supply - there are lots of other threads on the forum talking about this) is rated at 36va, the important specification is the output capability of the MS2, which I believe is 1.9 amps.

You don't say, but I assume from your post that the tinplate coaches have interior lighting. It may well be that the power output limit is being reached.

I think the MS2 has an inbuilt display that tells you current consumption, etc. This is in the Info menu on the MS2. Refer to Page 4 of the manual.

See https://www.marklin-user...451_60113-Track-Box.aspx

If you replace the globes with LED strip lighting (get warm white to match the colour of the globes) you will find you will be able to run all 7 coaches with the MS2.

Have a look at the current usage meter on the MS2 for interest sake to see how much current is being used by the 3 coaches.

Instead of installing LED strips, with some major work, check this site to have LED bulbs that fit in the existing lamp-holder:
http://stores.ebay.it/tu...p?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

I'm slowly changing over to the self-powered LED strips from Train Tech. They are easy to fit and do not rely on sliders or current conducting couplers. They are fairly expensive, but you do save money on the sliders, contact wipers, etc.

http://www.train-tech.co.../interior-coach-lighting

An interesting approach though I cannot get past the use of batteries (that have to be replaced in each car over time) when there is perfectly good power source directly below some 2 inches away.

Hi all,

I have also used these strip for a few years now.

The lighting is good (you can get both warm white and cool white), but the best feature is the little sensor that will detect movement and turn them on automatically. With average use I would get min. a year out of them before replacing batteries.

The only disadvantages is that you have to dissemble the coaches to get access and some newer plastic coaches has very fine tolerances for the roof and it’s hard to avoid making small marks when getting the roof off...

I have been contemplating if it would be possible to have the battery coin holder underneath the coaches with 2 thin wires up to the strips?

Brgds Lasse

I think there is a time-delay, about 4 mins after motion stops, which prevents the lights being switched off when the loco halts temporarily at a signal or a station.

Hi!
The MS2 shows the total power consumption for everything that is on the track.
Typically you have between 0.1 A and 0.6 A per loco.

Some CS2 are limited to 2.4 A, so not much better than the MS2.

Sorry, I missed this question!

I have not had to change any batteries yet.

Admittedly because of the way I rotate my stock on the layout each rake of coaches only gets used for 2 - 3 weeks in the year, so I can't advise for those who run their coaches every day. Sometimes when the coaches are on my storage shelves the lights come on as I move the boxes around. The lights stay on for around five minutes. This does not seem to have drained the batteries on any of my sets yet.

As some others have commented there are coaches that are hard to open in order to change the batteries, but many of my coaches open up easily, and batteries can be changed in seconds. The tin-plate coaches, for example, are dead easy to open.

I'm sure there are methods of taking the supply from the track inductively, but at the moment I know of no system on the market to do it this way. I'll continue to buy train-tech sets for now.

I answered my own question: YES!

See the PDF instructions that are set out in the link (thank you).

You can also add other LEDs to the strip.
Different topic but they also supply sound modules although UK outline but I reckon most diesels etc sound the same not tried one yet though.