Since Lionel’s beginning in 1900, every train has been powered by electricity. In order for your locomotives to run, they need to be powered by a transformer or wall pack that connects directly to the track. Lionel offers many power options that fit your model railroading needs.

There are 3 tiers to layout power that are determined by your layout’s needs:

Entry-level

This includes DC wall-packs and the AC-powered CW-80. These transformers are perfect for those starting in the hobby, operating only a couple of trains at one time. The CW-80 is also the perfect transformer for powering a layout’s accessories.

Mid-Tier

For those with moderate-sized layouts looking to expand on a budget, the PowerHouse 180 and GW-180 are perfect power upgrades to run numerous locomotives at time. The PowerHouse 180 is designed for command-controlled layouts where power is either on or off. The GW-180 gives conventional control of a PowerHouse 180 and also provides a separate constant-voltage accessory output.

Both products output AC power.

High-end

The top-tier transformer product is the ZW-L. This transformer was designed to meet any and all model train layout needs. This product outputs AC power.