As Paul said, the power needed doesn't have anything to do with the distance; but the voltage needed does. It is not uncommon to see 50-year-old transformers still going strong on a model railroad. 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. 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. If you fried a wire going to the track it may not be a transformer problem. 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. 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. Power the odd blocks with the other transformer. The fraction of your transformer's power lost in the track will therefore be well under 10 percent, since it is proportional to the voltage drop. That might work, but it's probably borderline, especially if you are using something like a 1033 transformer that tops out at 16 volts. Do not operate the CW-80 Transformer with a damaged cord, plug, or case. Lionel made these for years and kept them in production under a different model number well into the 1970s because it was a reliable, dependable design and had enough power for a typical starter set while leaving some room to grow. For a classic setup of a single freight train running on a 48 (or smaller) sheet of plywood, a 90-wattLionel 1033 or 1044 is an excellent choice. no it isn't. Effort. A while back, approximately 2 weeks ago while running two very lengthy loops of fast track an old transformer nearly fried (50 years old) one of my wires that I was running to my Fastrac. For a classic setup of a single freight train running on a 48 (or smaller) sheet of plywood, a 90-watt Lionel 1033 or 1044 is an excellent choice. The chances are that little power supply isn't going to keep the train running over a full mile, however. 4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars (15) Ages: 14 years and up. Used 1033's for sidings and the switching yard its self. Which Lionel transformer do I need? you ask? If you make a complete loop of 100 feet with good track joints, you'll have something like .1 ohm from the transformer to the farthest point, using the rule of thumb that most track is something like 16 AWG wire (.004 ohms per foot) and that there are two 50 foot tracks feeding the farthest point from two directions. In most cases, stranded wire is preferred because the multiple threads provide more conductivity and flexibility. They run on O Gauge track, but they are not exact O Scale cars. Interested in southest Pennsylvania railroads; Lionel Postwar 1033 Transformer Watch on 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. Wire gauges are coded by their size. When they were manufactured by The American Flyer Manufacturing Company, they were made in Standard Gauge and a version of "O" gauge. Here are some guidelines for the most common wiring jobs you'll find. Below weve listed these transformers in numerical order in the Numerical Index. The larger wire is usually more expensive and more challenging to work with. You can also run Lionel TMCC/Legacy Command Engines using the MTH DCS system with the addition of a Lionel command base and an additional cable. You must be signed in to continue. Retrofitting a subway line into existing benchwork - and are subway sets still being made? Multi-conductor wires with many strands of finer wire are more common for telecommunications and electronics. The greatest transformer Lionel made in the postwar era was the 270 watt Lionel ZW. Sign up for new product releases, promotions, and more. For a 300W set up this will cost you about 100. Lionel 1033 Transformer Renovation Part I Peter Fenzel 306 subscribers Subscribe 11K views 3 years ago Lionel 1033 Transformer gets cleaned up, a new power cord, a new whistle rectifier. For safety reasons, the batteries were soon replaced by a 110 volt transformer. CW80 Transformer. I have had the same problem. Sign-up for email today! A small set that came with track, transformer, etc. I'm guessing the MTH Z1000 is around $100 and the other suggestions are much more expensive. In addition to the wire itself, connectors like crimp-on terminals and terminal blocks must also be purchased in larger (and more expensive) sizes. Here are some simple definitions for these electrical terms: Most power supplies will be labeled as to the scales they are meant to handle. It's expensive, but the same factors that drove KW prices down are also driving ZW prices down. This tool will allow you calculate the KVA that you need. properly wired transformer can handle any amount of track. I got a lot of lightweight transformers that came with starter sets over the years. The Lionel ZW has four sets of posts and six controls. Ryan Kunkle is a nationally recognized professional model train expert and writer with over 25 years of experience. If you like, tell us more about yourself. They do not include a track or power supply, so you will need to buy both separately. Most two-rail track systems use direct current (DC). Understanding Electrical Supplies and Controls. Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers' Henry V. I am a person with a very active inner child. OTTS Founder If you like fixing things, fixing an old transformer is rewarding. Lionel makes two expansion sets for this purpose. The whistle requires more power than the outfits that don't have it. Handbook of layout wiring | Classic Toy Trains Magazine This has the added advantage that Lionel TMCC (command control) will operate correctly. I'm sure I'll need more help along the way, so I'll be checking back in with more silly questions! Many will still run on the track in your starter set, but because they are scale sized, the bodies of these cars may be slightly wider and longer than those in your set. If you want a spur track to store an extra car or two, Lionel makes another expansion set [#12044] that does just that: Note that this set includes one switch which is the track section that makes the track diverge onto two separate routes. There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, so you'll need to consider what you want to do and measure your options accordingly. If you're looking to only have one loop with multiple sidings then you'll only need 1 source of power for the whole layout. All power supplies will be rated for volts, amps, and watts. The first is the traditional or classic size, which are the cars that match starter sets. Most power supplies will perform very well for years if used within their limits. It was one of Lionel's more venerable postwar products, lasting on the market for 18 years from 1948 to 1966. Calculating transformer size for layout size - Classic Toy - Trains A small set that came with track, transformer, etc. The higher powered units would not meet todays safety standards as issued by Underwriters Laboratories. HO gauge is very popular because of its size. Wire Gauge Standards for Model Train Layouts - The Spruce Crafts Subscribers, sign in to access exclusive content. I covered the more common ones, but if you have another vintage Lionel transformer of more than 75 watts and its in good condition, theres no reason not to use it. We're sorry. Ive talked about why here. Power Conversion for Lionel Trains and O-Gauge - KCC Scientific To participate you must either login or register for an account. God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of theNRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified. How to Properly Size a Transformer | Behler-Young Ok our layout is 10 x 20 = 200 sq ft x 2 = 400 watts. The insulation on the outside of the wire also varies greatly. I recently acquired a beautiful Lionel NH Alco 420. Find 500+ popular train rides, museums, and railroad vacation destinations in the U.S and Canada! This signifies compatibility with 50 Hertz power. Make sure you are getting the right type of power supply for your layout. Add a PW dual motor F3 (4 amps) with 5 lighted cars (another 10 bulbs - 1 amp) and you are cooking (9 amps). Stop it with your hand to full stall, and it goes up to four amps--sixty watts--trying to pull. Sell Your Trains Using a Live Auction House. While those locomotives and their sound systems are designed to operate using conventional transformers like your ZW, digital controllers are needed to activate additional features like special sound effects and coupler activation. Some people even find it fun. My question is.how big of a transformer will I need to power this thing? If you are wiring with a common rail for your blocks, then keeping the common rail the same color all the time while changing the color for the other rail in each block is also an option. Max Watts on one TIU is 720W. Traditionally, Lionel trains run on AC but there are exceptions. 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. 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. I had 3 lionel cw80's and two quit working. Theres nothing inherently wrong with them, though I would shy away from the smaller transformers that are less than 75 watts, including the modern CW-40. Ryan developsmodeltrainlayouts for public andprivate display. It will require a minimum of 108' of track just to do a basic rectangle before I add any switches, etc. A Passenger consist can easily use more power than the engine. However, there are times when the solid wire has advantages, particularly when soldering in small locations. HO trains are very durable and are made with high quality parts and pieces to ensure the longevity of the Lionel train brand! But if you already have a 1034 and dont need a whistle button, go ahead and use it. Don't just discard your starter set pack, though. It is important to remember that the real test of the power supply is the load you'll place on it. Lest I offend, in another plane of existence I was an electronics tech. Get 20 articles about compact layouts and how to build them. This comes primarily from the locomotive(s) but also from lights and other accessories. Smaller layouts (a typical 4 foot by 8 foot being a good example) can usually get by with Number16 since the length of the run from the power supply to the track is never more than a few feet. The Lionel 1033 is a great choice for small or medium-sized layouts.
Cheesecake Factory Whiskey Ginger Recipe,
Retaliation Settlements 2020,
Safest Cities From Natural Disasters In North Carolina,
Mineral Fusion Foundation Recall,
Articles W
