Surge protector for DCC controllers ?

[baskin]

Can I start the car without them and not damage the controllers?

Thanks for the help it is greatly appreciated.

It'll probably be fine, but I'd install the caps first. You can get a 470 uF cap that will work for a couple of months at radio shack for a couple of dollars if you want to start it today. The controllers might also not start without the capacitors. You can check the controllers by just applying 12v to the AC input