Rheostat
In electricity, a device for adjusting the amount of resistance in an electrical circuit, thereby varying the amount of voltage produced in that circuit.
Right-of-Way ...
You can add a rheostat from Radio Shack, if you wish, which works like a dimmer switch by increasing or decreasing resistance in the circuit to control the brightness of the lights.
On simple, usually temporary layouts, power is supplied by a power pack consisting of a transformer and rectifier, a rheostat or potentiometer for regulating voltage supplied to the track (and thus train speed), ...
Most often this is a rheostat which wastes electric current by turning it into heat in order to vary the voltage applied to the track. The lower the voltage, the slower the train will run.
Places a DC voltage on the track, and controls the voltage by means of a rheostat. Direction is controlled by reversing the DC supply. Locomotives are stopped by removing the voltage from the track.
You can use a wall transformer, but I prefer a power pack with a rheostat to control the brightness and the voltage. Whatever you use, be sure it's protected by a circuit breaker.
Rheostatic braking See dynamic braking. For more detailed information see the Electric Traction Pages Page. Details on train braking can be found in the Brakes Page.
 See also: Train, Track, Standard, Layout, Operation
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