Kind Regards Steve, QUOTE: by Dave Has anyone here ever blown a transformer from hauling a double-headed Allegheny coal drag up a 2 percent grade?. 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. I really doubt you will need more than that. What size Lionel transformer do I need? - Tracks-movie.com Lionel Rolling Stock Identification Guide. White and black are common selections. Which Lionel transformer do I need? you ask? This signifies compatibility with 50 Hertz power. Here are a few: --The Lionel Fastrack Book, by Robert Schleicher. If they do, follow their recommendations. The backside of a control panel can turn into a "rat's nest" of wiring very quickly. Some people even find it fun. Sell Your Trains Yourself On eBay. Mark. All about the Lionel ZW - The Silicon Underground 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. For more realistic operation, you need some kind of speed control (throttle) between the 10340 Automatic Reversing Unit and your transformer. Expanding Your Lionel Starter Set - Trainz Lionel Multi-Car Freight Sets + More MTH Halloween! For Lionel power the 45 watts is good for a 4 by 8 as a rule of thumb to compensate poor track you just use more feeders. Get updates and special offers via email from Trains.com brands! 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. www.spankybird.shutterfly.com, God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of theNRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified. I have a 3amp, 40watt transformer. 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. It does run on conventional power but not great and no whistle or bell. If you have time, check out the "Coffee Pot". American Flyer Trains were made in several gauges. Price Received. The Lionel ZW has four sets of posts and six controls. (8 lights X 20 watts = 160 watts). My question is this in order that this doesn't happen again what type of transformer would you recommend? Trainz carries a variety of books that build upon the information listed above. Good choices are the Lionel 32923 Accessory Transformer, or another 80-watt transformer like the one included in your set, #14198. The Lionel Track & Power catalog is BACK with the latest information for more ways to make your layout even bigger, better and more powerful! Just get a Lionel #12053 Accessory wire set and enough extra wire to connect from the wire set back to your transformer [speaker wire works well]. I have purchased diodes to put into the older transformers to see if this resolves the issue with newer tenders. The power supply that comes with these sets is usually a very small wall pack plug-in that cannot be easily expanded. As Paul said, the power needed doesn't have anything to do with the distance; but the voltage needed does. Model train transformer- 6 steps to understanding how they work If youre comfortable doing some work yourself, you can buy a fixer-upper, and my informational links will tell you more about fixing one yourself. They run on three rail track. Now, I am going to make a suggesstion that you use a larger diameter curve for your corners. is always one of the first questions asked when someone starts to build a model railroad. 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. As your layout grows so, too, will its power demand. Again, an independent power supply and distribution bus is a good idea for your switches. Expanding the basic oval from the set is the quickest way to add more interest to your trains. What is the best transformer to use? - O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum The larger wire is usually more expensive and more challenging to work with. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. It was a symbiotic relationship, the engineer designed it and the tech built it, then they both troubleshot it. Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 1901-2022. Effort. If your layout is bigger than 48, you may actually find trains run a bit better with a KW than with a smaller transformer. The 1044 is just a 1033 in a different case. Are you looking for a product or serviceif so, then read this BEFORE you post! Today, with some luck, you can get one for closer to $100. Problem with Rail King Protocol Sounds reversing unit, My D-190 Back in Action After Move to to NC, Caboose Identification - late era vintage, Continuing Saga Newtown Hardwrare House WIP. Lionel Trains|MTH Train|Lionel Train Sets| HO model Trains| G Scale|Dept 56 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 first is the traditional or classic size, which are the cars that match starter sets. Pretty much suffered the same fate, too. Its a good transformer. Serving these devices with their own dedicated supply will not only allow you to supply them with a proper constant voltage, but it will also free your main power supply to handle the load of the train itself. With multiple switches, lights, power supplies and more all concentrated in a small space, color coding and neatness pay off. 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. These transformers are much cheaper than they were even just a few years ago, but that just makes them a bigger bargain today. Plug one of your transformers into each Fixed in. Today Lionel includes the same basic track oval in all starter sets8 36-inch diameter curve sections, 3 10 straight track sections, and 1 10 straight terminal section, which create this layout: Until recently, to add to this layout, you would need to buy separate straight, curved, and other track sections and wing it in creating a larger setup. These are all good, dependable transformers from the postwar era that are easy to find today, have adequate wattages ranging from 90-270 watts, have a circuit breaker for safety and have a whistle controller. I have since wired the new transformer to my layout along with the old ZW. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. 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. I bet they would be great for running lights and unloading the main transformer. These small power supplies are designed to supply a few amps of power. * NOTE: We do not recommend loading a transformer above 80% of its KVA rating. If youre going to run more than one train, you can pair up two smaller transformers, or you can look at the two-handled transformers. Lionel trains value varies depending on design, materials, and era. As the kit grows and you start putting in turnouts (or the point switching systems) to move your train from one track to another track, you will not only need more than 1 transformer, you will. The iconic and legendary 270-wattLionel ZW was the biggest and best transformer Lionel made in the postwar era. 6 Best Transformer For Ho Trains - LEDS.CC Although not necessarily a mandated standard, white, black and or red are used for track power on most layouts - if for no other reason than these colors are easiest to find. What size Lionel transformer do I need? Classic cars have a 5 or 6 as their second digit [25051, 16686, etc]. $2799. Classic Toy Trains magazine offers information about toy trains operating and collecting, toy train product news and reviews, toy train layout tips, toy train layout designs and track plans, and more. Choosing the Right Transformer for Your Model Trains - The Spruce Crafts Used 1033's for sidings and the switching yard its self. Within that range, it is generally recommended to go for the most robust power supply possible. Daniel Defense firearms, parts and accessories, http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=9670, http://www.modeltrainforum.com/album.php?u=2334, 14X16 Switching style [url]http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=8241, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkMHvbckuBLo3pJN1FGE1Gg. --Build a Better Toy Train Layout, by John Grams and Dick Christianson. Smaller feeder wires are used to bridge the small gap from the bus to the track. Stop it with your hand to full stall, and it goes up to four amps--sixty watts--trying to pull. I suggest that you proactively lay an 10-2 AWG NM cable (or at least 12-2) along the track and tap into it as needed to keep the voltage up. Ryan developsmodeltrainlayouts for public andprivate display. To participate you must either login or register for an account. As an example, look at these two cars closely: While both are gondola cars and run on O Gauge track, note how the car on the left is much longer than the one on the right. They run on O Gauge track, but they are not exact O Scale cars. This is different from the stranded wire in that the different individual wires, each with their color-coded insulation, is placed inside a secondary insulation wrap. Some systems will use bluetooth technology enabling you to control the trains with your tablet or cell phone. On the flip side, the new transformers do not seem to work as well with the prewar whistle tenders.Has anyone else noticed this anomaly? All Lionel transformer comparisons should include the common 1033, RW, LW, KW and ZW transformers. A Veteran, whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve, is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life.". The thing that eats current is a lot of light bulbs on the layout. 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. Sell Your Trains Yourself At Train Shows. I am currently running about 40 bulbs, which at 0.1 A each total 4 amps! Early issues used a Bakelite case while later releases had a case made out of plastic. Remember, the only silly question is the one that you did not ask. Getting Started - 3 RAIL TRAINS So, if you want to connect eight landscape lights to an electronic transformer, and the lights use 20 watts each, you would need a 160 watt transformer. The 1044 is just a 1033 in a . :-). Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Model Train Track & Transformer at Lionel Trains Most feeders will be only a few inches long so the smaller diameter wire will not be a problem. Multi-conductor wires with many strands of finer wire are more common for telecommunications and electronics. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Viola, DCS on alternate power blocks, Max signal, Happiness. 24v, 120v, 208v, 240v, 480v, and 600v). Lionel 1033 Transformer Renovation Part I - YouTube To determine the maximum transformer current, divide the transformer VA by transformer secondary voltage. You have pretty much pointed up the major problem, everything is different. Max Watts on one TIU is 720W. Lionel introduced a few LionChief Plus 2.0 starter sets in 2022. Use the CW-80 Transformer only for its intended purpose. The article you suggest would be a daunting task, as you'd have to gather virtually every known locomotive and transformer! Is there anyway of saying how much track it will power? The Lionel ZW is Lionel's most iconic transformer of the 1950s and 1960s, and perhaps one of its most iconic products, period. Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following, $12.00 per 12 Months (plus tax if applicable). All members here are welcome to drop in and visit. HO gauge is very popular because of its size. On a large loop of track you will need to have multiple drops, hook-ups, to the transformer because if you only have one hook up the train will get slower the father away it gets from the transformer. This is interesting stuff. Our community is FREE to join. They are fun to have. Again, if you have a very long run between switches, going a little larger is less likely to cause problems with voltage loss. UpBright 18V AC/DC Adapter Compatible with Lionel O Gauge Fastrack 10" Remote Control Terminal Straight LionChief System Track 6-1923100 HKYF45-180230T-US DC18V 2300mA 18VDC Power Supply Cord Charger. As you progress with your layout there are a lot of people here who will help you with any questions you have. I am assuming that your starter set came with either o27, brown ties, or 031, black ties, track and it runs well as is. 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. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Heavier insulation not only adds to the cost of the wire but also makes it harder to bend. However, in the future if you continue in the hobby and your roster expands you may acquire motive power which requires larger curves than what came with your set. If you want a transformer with power to spare go get a ZW! I had 3 lionel cw80's and two quit working. Ive talked more about the KW here. Its expensive, but the same factors that drove KW prices down are also driving ZW prices down. Yes, but the train will probably run too fast, depending on the output voltage of the transformer. what size lionel transformer do i need - senatlaevproducts.com Here are a couple examples: As you can see, with a bit of experimentation and imagination, numerous different track layouts can be created. There have been issues with chopped waveform transformers, i.e. An Essential Guide for Toy Train Enthusiasts! All Lionel transformer comparisons should start here. 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. Older transformers I had this issue with are RW, 1033, KW, ZW.newer transformers were all made by MTH. The Lionel RW also happens to be a great transformer for Marx or American Flyer trains too, when you connect the track leads to the B and U posts instead of the A and U posts youd normally use for most Lionel setups. We feature Lionel, American Flyer, MTH, Atlas O, Williams Trains, K-Line, Weaver Models, and more. These can all have uses for your layout. Sell Your Trains Using a Live Auction House. Not unlike the relationship between the locomotive engineer and the fireman. Subscribers, sign in to access exclusive content. Model train power falls into one of three categories. Ive talked about why here. Thanks in advance for any information, Mike. In most cases, stranded wire is preferred because the multiple threads provide more conductivity and flexibility. It will require a minimum of 108' of track just to do a basic rectangle before I add any switches, etc. June 5, 2022; cleveland open chess 2021; mexican martial arts xilam Some of the variables are obvious, others not so much. 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. Get the newest photos, videos, stories, and more from Trains.com brands. Just like with your track bus and feeders, running an accessory bus of slightly heavier wire to connect to each light or accessory with a smaller feeder is a good plan. If you need a device that converts from different voltages so it can power another device, then a transformer will fulfill that role perfectly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. But a 12-gauge solid wire is one strand, while a 12-gauge stranded wire may be made up of more than a dozen much smaller individual strands spun together.