Our community is FREE to join. You can't count on a lack of compatibility issues for one Legacy locomotive being definitive for all Legacy locomotives, for example. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The accessory activation track (#12029) is used to activate Lionel trackside accessories. What does a Lionel transformer do? Part of the Lionel line since the 1930s, the gateman today is offered not only with a regular railroad-type figure, but also in versions with Santa Claus and a nutcracker figure for the Christmas season. And that means theyre affordable. In some cases. Transformers are designed to fail if a short in the secondary or control side occurs. If youre buying a transformer, youll be able to easily find one that a professional refurbished and upgraded with the links I provide below. Lionel Rolling Stock Identification Guide. I am assuming that your starter set came with either o27, brown ties, or 031, black ties, track and it runs well as is. They run on three rail track. editors report that most of the wiring issues they address involve basic principles of electricity - the stuff that Ben Franklin played with when he flew his kite. The other type of cars are the Scale cars, which are exact or near-exact replicas of actual freight cars. The locomotives are battery-powered and made of durable plastic. Lionel developed and perfected its model designs and layouts during the Pre-War Era (1901-1942). This wire is very fine and can be found in many color combinations. I went to mth Z1000, jason's train shop has the best price's I have seen for these. Reverse the above if planning to run mostly Lionel and go with the Lionel command system, either the full Legacy system or the upcoming CAB-1L and just add a Track Power Controller and a cable to run most MTH engines in conventional with the Lionel systems. This is where the Lionel transformer comparisons should begin. Lionels HO Gauge items are back! Also, you must have a built-in circuit breaker to prevent a short circuit from causing permanent damage to the power supply or the trains. A: According to Lionel's head of customer service, on the underside of their CW80 transformers, starting in late 2009, the vendor applied a sticker that states "QC50" on it. This will solve the slowdown problem. Although I am an electrical engineer, I just add stuff until the transformer gets too warm and then I branch off and add another. Atlas and Bachmann have the same transformers with 80 watt outputs as well that get good reviews and would be appropriate for a smaller layout. The polarities can be reversed to change the direction of the train. Model train power falls into one of three categories. They run on O Gauge track, but they are not exact O Scale cars. It's expensive, but the same factors that drove KW prices down are also driving ZW prices down. The Lionel motor is a collection of four electromagnetic plates with a rotating sweeper arm called a brush. Big Ed Railroad Tycoon This tool will allow you calculate the KVA that you need. This diagram shows all of the controls and the pinout for the Lionel RW transformer. Is there anyway of saying how much track it will power? Power Conversion for Lionel Trains and O-Gauge - KCC Scientific Some DCC systems also recommend solid wire for certain applications. It does not work with O27. Keep the power supplies in an area where they get plenty of air circulation to prevent overheating. It is best to use at least two different colors for your track wiring (one for each rail). And both of them give more wattage per handle than a KW or ZW. By continuing to use this site, you indicate you accept these terms. THE BASICS "O", "S", "HO". Why Do Lionel Trains Have 3 Rails? | Worldwide Rails This comes primarily from the locomotive(s) but also from lights and other accessories. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. With multiple switches, lights, power supplies and more all concentrated in a small space, color coding and neatness pay off. Frankly, its hard to go wrong with either of these transformers, especially at todays prices. In most cases, stranded wire is preferred because the multiple threads provide more conductivity and flexibility. Lionel Vintage Model Railroad & Train Transformers - eBay Classic Toy Trains 5-Year Collection 2015-2019 DVD-ROM. I've got around 320 ft of track between all of the mainline, sidings, etc and I don't have any problems running my engines anywhere on the layout. If you are using only LEDs for lighting, you could get away with even less. Sell Your Trains Using a Live Auction House. Obviously, for a lot of people, the $700 Lionel ZW-L transformer is overkill. Make your Christmas complete with a Lionel HO Train under your. Do not connect this product to any other power supply. its the amount of engines you need to worry about, I'm currently running my entire layout on a single DC power supply that came with an Athearn engine/track set. The chances are that little power supply isn't going to keep the train running over a full mile, however. The Lionel ZW has four sets of posts and six controls. Should it be a Lionel or should it be an MTH with command control? They are known as HO train sets because they are half the size of O-guage. For more realistic operation, you need some kind of speed control (throttle) between the 10340 Automatic Reversing Unit and your transformer. It is much easier to be ready ahead of time then to have to do some changes afterwards. Price Received. They are reasonably durable and were popular in their day, which means there are still a lot of them floating around so they tend to be inexpensive. If you have a very long run, you may want to consider Number 12 wire. Doug, there's definitely room for the liberal arts approach to the hobby--I have a journalism degree; how I became a computer technician was pretty much an accident. The only time you might not get your full moneys worth is during operation of locomotives equipped with Lionels TMCC or MTHs DCS command-control systems. Classic cars have a 5 or 6 as their second digit [25051, 16686, etc]. Will get a Z4000 one day [this summer probably, unless I find a good deal on an older ZW] just to say I have one. These small power supplies are designed to supply a few amps of power. Just not quite as much. I have purchased diodes to put into the older transformers to see if this resolves the issue with newer tenders. Just connect the jumper wires to the same connections on the back of your transformer as your original connections, and make sure that the wires are not crossed. Check out my O scale layout progress at MTF, does track consume power? "What size wire should I use?" Get DIY project ideas and easy-to-follow crafts to help you spruce up your space. The higher powered units would not meet todays safety standards as issued by Underwriters Laboratories. Lots of good tips for building a layout from two of the most experienced people in the hobby. If you fried a wire going to the track it may not be a transformer problem. (Use buss/feeder lines to distribute power.) When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. With two switches, you can create an alternative route for your trains. Professionals Need: Kindle Direct Publishing Indie Digital & Print Publishing Made Easy Amazon Photos Unlimited Photo Storage Free With Prime: Prime Video Direct Getting Started - 3 RAIL TRAINS Actually the choice of transformer is secondary to the choice of control systems since you can operate O gauge trains with most any good modern transformer. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. the amount of track is not what is important here. You can use bus and feeder wires to more evenly distribute the power over your track. Stop it with your hand to full stall, and it goes up to four amps--sixty watts--trying to pull. The 1044 is just a 1033 in a different case. Yes, but the train will probably run too fast, depending on the output voltage of the transformer. TRANSFORMERS ransformers were issued by Lionel thoughout the Post War period. If you like fixing things, fixing an old transformer is rewarding. Hello All: Another simple way of doing it, Only load the transformer to 75% of it's capacity, or take your total load & multiply by 125% for proper transformer sizing. Here are a couple examples: As you can see, with a bit of experimentation and imagination, numerous different track layouts can be created. Sell Your Trains To A Train Dealer or a Single Buyer. They give a true 180 watts and have excellent electronic breakers. I'll take this information and run with it to help get me started. Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month, Calculating transformer size for layout size. These transformers are much cheaper than they were even just a few years ago, but that just makes them a bigger bargain today. This means that you will have about.5 volt drop if your train draws 5 amperes. What size Lionel transformer do I need? Make sure you are getting the right type of power supply for your layout. A large number of the Lionel Collectors Club UK use this set up to good effect. Of course, the answer to that question depends on many things. Please see our article on Fastrack here for more information. Ryan developsmodeltrainlayouts for public andprivate display. The KW used to be really expensive, but since Lionel started making big transformers again, you can get a KW for what a 1033 used to cost, which makes it a very nice bargain today on a rugged and powerful transformer with an impressive presence. The power supply that comes with these sets is usually a very small wall pack plug-in that cannot be easily expanded. Outdoor railroads are, of course, an exception! I have a basement that offers an 18" concrete ledge that goes around the entire perimeter of the house that lends itself perfectly to a neat layout. Forgot about light bulbs since I don't got some yet. CW80 Transformer. A bigger transformer is better and always looks nicer too! If you have the proper wire size and a properly-sized circuit breaker, you should not have any problems using the old transformer. Although all Lionel cars operate on O Gauge track, the bodies of the cars are made in two slightly different sizes. Unless I'm all wet it sounded like there are somecompatibilityissues with certain locomotives versus manufacturer's transformer output wave forms. Different wiring projects call for different standards. I have had the same problem. If the voltage drop in the track is more than a small fraction of the transformer voltage, that is, a volt or two, you are going to have trouble running the trains anyway. However, there are times when the solid wire has advantages, particularly when soldering in small locations. I really doubt you will need more than that. Actually it was a train show with varied trains of all different eras being run I have mostly MTH trains though and they wouldn't run because the transformer that was running wasn't powerful enough to cycle through my MTH trainsounds. The iconic and legendary 270-watt Lionel ZW was the biggest and best transformer Lionel made in the postwar era. For a transformer less or equal to 500 kilovolt-amperes, a typical %Z impedance may vary between 2.3% and 5.2% based on the voltage level. A starter set is the best way to start with the train hobby. Join Today! 4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars (15) Ages: 14 years and up. Transformer Calculator KVA Calculator Full Load Amps Calculator Lionel is also introducing a new 180 watt transformer to accompany the 80 watt CW 80. Of course, if you happen to have enough Number12 wire left over from a home renovation project to install all the buses on your small layout, it won't do any harm. They give a great deal of power in a single handled transformer, and if you run trains along with another person, it can be more convenient for you to both have a smaller transformer than for two people to huddle around a larger KW or ZW transformer and share its handles. Lionel has a new 180 watt transformer due out soon that will be a nice upgrade. The first is the traditional or classic size, which are the cars that match starter sets. Another classic is the Automatic Gateman. The backside of a control panel can turn into a "rat's nest" of wiring very quickly. In the middle range, Lionel made a lot of other transformers. Number 24 to Number20 wire will all work with most layouts. All Lionel transformer comparisons should include the common 1033, RW, LW, KW and ZW transformers. A rule of thumb from the elders, (I had to go to the mountain top for this one), Add 2 more watts for Spankybird's fun-filled layout! The smaller of the two is # 12028, which turns your oval into this: There is also the larger 12031 plan, which has a couple extra straight track pieces included, creating this: Even better, one or more of the expansion sets can be combined to create even more interesting track layouts. Power the odd blocks with the other transformer. Used 1033's for sidings and the switching yard its self. (using 4 of the 180 watt Lionel bricks) That's 10 amps per channel on all 4 channels. Here are some guidelines for the most common wiring jobs you'll find. It states: 1.25 amps for each motor, 0.2 amps for each bulb. A 10 amp breaker and 16 gauge wire would be appropriate for an old ZW. Over the years I have collected boxed(mostly liquor boxes) sets from attics.So I have a variety of transformers on hand. But after a little while, you will likely want your train to do more, and youll start thinking along these lines: --It sure would be neat if it did more than run in a circle. The 110-wattLionel RW is a cheap option, and the 125-watt LW, while a bit more expensive, gives a bit more power. If you have a starter set and have had thoughts like this, youre not alone. All Lionel transformer comparisons should start here. How do you choose the right power supply for your model trains? Like tankist stated.It's only running multiple engines that I run into issues. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. A locomotive on a mile-long loop will draw as many amps as it does on a 4x8 platform. For many first-time train buyers, once the initial excitement of setting up the train and watching it run has passed, the desire to make it do more usually begins. converting a 2-rail freight car to 2-rail with Atlas trucks, My Triple Level Layout -FREEBIE UPDATE- 3/2/23, Successful Open House Upstate (NY) Model Railroaders, FS: Lionel MPC and modern traditional size rolling stock. Take the hint. Besides the train and track, accessories provide a lot of fun and animation to any setup. Regardless of your scale, all model railroad switch machines fall into one of two categories, a slow-motion electric motor or a "twin coil" relay. In addition to the wire itself, connectors like crimp-on terminals and terminal blocks must also be purchased in larger (and more expensive) sizes. I run an MTH 4-6-2 PS-1 pulling five Madisons on about fifty feet of track and the transformer I am using (Z-4000) has a digital amp readout.
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